Date:         Mon, 2 Dec 2013 00:31:09 -0500
Reply-To:     Jay Brown <badkarma@TTLC.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jay Brown <badkarma@TTLC.NET>
Subject:      Re: Headlight Relay Kit Problems
Comments: To: shelton4@GMAIL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi Steven,

You can definitely pull the power from fuse #10 for the relays.  I have had
several installers use this approach in the past when the other tabs were
completely full.  Soldering something together where there is no open
terminal available is more likely to overload a circuit.

As time goes on and owners add more electrical accessories to our vans, the
fuse blocks tend to get completely filled up and overburdened.  The best
solution to this problem would be to install a small auxiliary fuse block up
front and run a new fused 8AWG wire to feed it.  I can get you a quote for a
small kit to do this for your van if you would like (total cost should be
about $25-$30 for a complete 4 circuit kit).  This will undoubtedly provide
more juice to the headlights, will allow for easy future electrical
expansion and will eliminate the possibility of overtaxing the stock wiring
(this is especially important if you are adding higher wattage bulbs as part
of the BD Vision Kit).

The terminals inside the relay socket are easy to remove with a small
jewelers screwdriver inserted into the slot on the back side of the
terminal.  Here is a quick youtube video I made a while back showing how it
is done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD2feNyZwFw

I recently started using a new set of ratcheting open barrel crimpers (I
probably have about a dozen sets total), but I haven't experienced any
troubles with loose wires during assembly and pull testing.  If you have any
trouble re-crimping the original connector, let me know and I will get a new
wire with terminals attached in the mail to you asap.

Jay Brown (aka thatvwbusguy)
'85 Zetec Westfalia
https://sites.google.com/site/vanagonheadlightrelays/