Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:02:00 -0600
Reply-To: Steve Williams <steve@WILLIAMSITCONSULTING.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve Williams <steve@WILLIAMSITCONSULTING.COM>
Subject: Followup Re: 1991 Westy - Does Bentley describe relays on fuse
panel?
In-Reply-To: <7eab9105-50b7-0ae0-21fb-4e00ea5432c3@williamsitconsulting.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Hi,
Thanks everyone for the pointers. It's a bit sad that there is
information missing from the "All Knowing" Bentley.
With additional information from this wonderful group, a calmer mind,
reading the Bently and applying a bit of logic, I was able to work
through this.
Looking at 97.201 (which I had missed somehow), the mystery relays were
14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. Strangely, 13 is actually a fuse for something! lol
When I closely looked at all the relays that I had pulled out, there
were 3 different types.
1) only 2 wires. I quickly deduced this was a buzzer
2) 2 black ones with only 4 blade connectors on the back. These relays
only had an 87 terminal marked on them
3) 2 metal ones with 5 blade connectors on the back. The difference
from the black ones is that there is an "87A and an 87B" blade on it
So I pulled the fuse panel and looked at the wires on the back.
The 2 black ones are for aftermarket headlight relays
I put one of the metal ones with the 5 blade connectors in position 14
and magically got energy to the blue wire controlling the "kitchen
relay" under the drivers seat. This is my whole goal as I am using this
as the "On" for a 40 amp DC to DC charger for the new lithium batteries
that I'm installing. YEAH!!!
The bizarre thing is that on 97.33b, there is absolutely no indication
(that I can find) that the blue wire coming from the alternator runs
through a relay on the way to "Refridgerator 12 bolt heater relay". My
clue was the T2a/2 connector which I found behind the fuse panel and
followed to where there should have been a relay plugged in. I think
there's probably a later supplement for a 1991 camper... or not! lol
The Relay 15 is the daytime running light (DRL) relay (Canada only).Â
This is the one I wanted to pull (in a panic) because after I upgraded
to H4 headlights with higher wattage bulbs, the DRL wiring was not
sufficient to carry the current and had started to melt.
The issue is that (on page 97.240), there is a "Daytime Running Lights
Resistor" which must be sized to stock wattage bulbs. It drops the
current so that the lights are not full on (I believe). With higher
wattage bulbs, but the same resistor, there is higher current than the
wires are designed for and the small wires running from the relay
overheated.
I am considering changing my bulbs back to stock wattage because the
H4's are so much better, the higher wattage bulbs seem a bit overkill.Â
I went with them because "more is better"...right? until you smell that
horrible melting wire smell!
With Relay 18 and 18 in, I got headlights!
Thanks again!
Cheers,
Steve W.
On 18/10/2020 9:52 p.m., Steve Williams wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Recently I was troubleshooting some electrical issues (associated with
> daytime running lights wiring for Canadian vans) and pulled all the
> relays out along the top of the fuse panel.
>
> Of course, I didn't take a photo of the fuse panel before I started.
>
> I swear there is a description of all the relays in the Bentley
> somewhere, but for the life of me I cannot find it!� I am loosing my
> mind :)
>
> I need to put them all back in the right places :)� Well, not all of
> them.� I did find the key in ignition buzzer which was a pleasant
> surprise.
>
> Does anyone have a reference to the description of the relays?
>
> Thanks,
> Steve Williams