Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 06:10:10 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Need Help with Headlights
In-Reply-To: <3B01EAA2-FEAF-4E19-9EC6-E819BFA8746D@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
The original headlight wiring uses a single ground connection for both sides
terminated at a cluster above the fuse box. It is extremely common for this
connection to fail.
At the lights check for voltage from the yellow or white (high or low beam)
to the chassis there and then to the brown wire. If no voltage using he
brown the ground has failed. An easy fix and upgrade is to splice another
wire the brown wire at each light and terminate it to the body right there.
A ring terminal and one of the bucket mounting screws is an ideal fix.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Robert Stewart
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 2:34 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Need Help with Headlights
I do my best Dennis with my knowledge base.
I believe that almost every commercially available headlight relay upgrade
kit from Van-cafe, Go-Westy, Terry K or anyone else in the vanagon community
uses the same basic relay upgrade design. As I stated in my message the
issue occurs regardless of the relay kit being installed.
The SA Headlights and wired just as any headlamps would be. The SA kit was
installed by just cutting the existing bulb connectors and installing a new
connection to fit the new bulb socket.
If you can not tell I did indeed use a multimeter to test voltage and signal
thats is how I know that power is indeed flowing as I stated.
I assume then you have nothing to add to help me find a solution to my
detailed explanation of issues?
On Jan 4, 2012, at 12:28 AM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> The high beam indicator remaining on with either the hi or low beams
> selected with no light output indicates a ground problem. It is hard
> for anyone to give more details due to us not knowing how the relays
> and lamps are actually wired. There are so many possible variations.
> Time for you to learn to use a meter and read wiring diagrams. For all
> of those that want to do their own electrical work learn Ohm's and
> Kirchhoff's laws and there soon won't be a DC circuit you can't handle.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Robert Stewart
> Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 6:56 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Need Help with Headlights
>
> Need Help Please
> 1988 Vanagon GL, Rebuilt Engine w 6,000 miles on it. SA Grill Kit,
> Upgraded Relay Kit.
>
> A couple of weeks ago my high beams went out. It was a broken wire on
> my upgraded relay. I fixed it and The lights worked for 2 weeks then
> all the lights went out. I have no lights, no brights, no low beam,
> nothing. The high beam indicator is on no matter if you pull the stalk
back or not.
> Nothing at all. Pulling the stalk back does not activate the lights. I
> did not smell anything burning, nothing popped or made any kind of sound.
>
> I checked the following:
>
> Fuses All good
>
> Power Going from the Stalk on the TOP & Middle Connectors of the turn
> signal unit. I also get a power signal on the left side of the stalk
connector.
>
> Relays activate when you pull the stalk back, you can feel a little click.
>
> Grounds were cleaned with sandpaper. Then, I swapped the ground with
> the ground from my Working Hella Fog lamps and it still did not work.
>
> I replaced the ignition switch as well.
>
> The headlight switch is only 1 yr old. I even swapped it with my old
> one which also works fine and nothing changed.
>
> The SA Grill and lights are 2 yrs old. I only drive the van for short
> distances so the lights and the van are hardly used. Just local driving.
>
> The turn signal worked fine when the lights are off but since this
> recent issue the turn signal when signaling to the right just causes
> the turn signal light to stay on, no flashing or anything on any of
> the right side lights. If you turn off the main headlight switch the
> turn signals all work just fine. - Strange.
>
> What am I missing here?
>
> Is it possible that my stalk is having problems? or the connectors
> under the horn?
>
> I never had issues with the lights ever till now.
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Side note: I had a mechanic friend of mine wire the low beams to be
> grounded directly from the headlight wiring at the bulbs, it worked on
> both bulbs for a week then the driver's side light stopped working. I
> checked the bulb and it looked perfect, the ground was still intact. Very
strange indeed.
>
> Thanks for any advice,
> Robert
> Bloomingburg NY
