Date:         Mon, 18 Mar 1996 15:51:00 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      Re: ?? Power for stereo in my '86 Vanagon


>>>    I replaced the stereo in Vanagon this weekend, and all works
>>> well except... it's not switched with the ignition.
>> Part of the problem is that you're correcting a non-existent problem. VW
>> radios are designed to not be switched with the ignition.
>
>Indeed, I've found that the radios in both my VWs forget all their presets 
if
>power is removed (say, to replace the battery).

Yup, all radios with electronic presets do that. But as for switching them
off with the ignition (my preferred mode), all presets-type radios (that
I've ever seen, anyway) have two power lines (plus a ground, of course).
One goes to unswitched power (directly to the battery, as it were), and
the other goes to switched power (the ignition switch, say) if you want
the radio to turn off automatically when you shut off the engine.

Actually, some cars have an "accessory" postiton on their ignitions, for
when you want to run the radio while the engine is shut down, but the
'80 V6anagon doesn't. Neither did my '71 bus.

In the V6anagon, I wired the switched-power line to a relay that I wired
to the headlight switch, as another poster mentioned. So, my radio shuts
off when I shut the engine off, which is how I like it. YMMV. The other
(unswitched) power line, I wired to a source that's always on, so the
radio never loses its presets unless I disconnect the battery completely,
as the poster mentioned.

Ironically, I *don't* like the headlights to shut off when I shut off the
engine. The '71 bus and the '80 are the first cars I've ever owned that did
that. I will re-wire the V6anagon soon, and find another switched-power
source for the radio.

Anybody know why the headlights shut off when you shut off the engine, but
the parking lights don't??? This seems to me to be the height of silliness.
Obviously, the headlights shut off so you won't find a dead car when you
forget to shut them off yourself (don't you love it when car manufacturers
assume stupidity?). But the parking lights will run the battery down just
as completely-- they just take longer to do it.

When I leave the headlights on, they are a lot more noticeable than just
the parking lights, especially in daytime (fog driving). So I'm a lot more
likely to realize my stupidity, and shut them off. On my other cars, I got
into the habit of hitting the headlight switch every time I shut down. (I
got into that habit by screwing up a few times, and then going thru the
hassles of getting a jump and/or pushing the car to start it-- that'll
learn me). Do you know how comical it looks, to see a fat guy pushing
an old VW bus? A few experiences like that, and I learned real good not
to forget the lights.   :-O

But since getting the '71 and the '80, I've left the lights on several 
times.
My stupidity needs constant discipline, which now it's not getting. Please,
manufacturers, stop "helping" me! I have enough faults, without your
preventing my car from giving me the spanking I deserve every now and then--
or at least letting me know I've been stupid again by giving me the glaring
evil eye of a couple of 80W quartz-halogens. Reminds me of the automatic 
seat
belts in my wife's Mazda-- I get in, they zzzzip on, and I feel nice and
belted in, so I drive off-- forgetting the lap belt, which is *not* 
automatic.
My stupidity at work again-- except I have never failed to wear seat belts
until I got that car. Please, Mazda, stop fixing what ain't broken...

Well, if you're going to wire a lot of accessories (QH lights, killer 
stereos,
cooling fans etc.) to switched power, I recommend getting one of those 
30-amp
continuous-duty 12V auto relays from Radio shack. Run a line directly from
your battery (thru a fuse) to one side of the contacts, and the other side
to your accessories. Connect the coil of the relay to your ignition switch,
and you'll live happily ever after. I had trouble with my Mustang's new
QH headlights, cuz the circuit breaker in the headlight switch (Fords are
weird too) couldn't handle their power. I put in one of these relays, and
haven't had a bit of trouble since. Soon I'll put one in the V6anagon's
cooling fan circuit, which the PO had wired to something that also isn't
handling it well. I'll use the same circuit for the Volvo heater he put
under the bench seat in back.

Good luck!

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com       '80 V6anagon w/Chevy 2800
                                   '66 Mustang Coupevertible, for sale

 Check out the cars at http://www.lookup.com/homepages/76242/home.html

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