Date:         Thu, 28 Jan 1999 11:33:37 -0800
Reply-To:     Randy Bergum <organslave@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Randy Bergum <organslave@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Retrofitting 5X7 H-4 Lights - Another Method (long)
Comments: To: SBate82659@AOL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Sam:
    Not bad at all!  I must reply to your comments:


Sam Bateman wrote:

> Vanagoneers,
>
>
> There were a couple of things that bothered me about this design, however.
> The first was the price - I know that at least half of the $200.00 was in the
> cost of the lights themselves so $100.00 for two well-made brackets is
> probably not that bad but I'm basically a cheap guy and wanted something that
> I could build myself without the need for brazing.

1.  The price of this kit entails more than three beers and two hours of
inspection.  The initial design process took quite a bit of time, and the
prototypes were made in increments in about a month of part time work.  I weld the
brackets together, now that the design is frozen.  Brazing was for the first set
only.

> The second thing that concerned me was the necessity to drill into the light
> reflectors to mount them.
> To my mind, the fewer holes into a light of this type whereby moisture can
> enter - the better.

    The lights that are used in the kit are not drilled through the reflector,
that would be incredibly poor design.  To mount the 5x7 lights to the brackets,
small holes are drilled into U-shaped positioning tabs that are spot welded onto
the reflector.  These tabs are used for a reference to get the light to nest
correctly.  The hole is tapped, then a machine screw is used to hold the light to
the bracket.

> Also, if I were to break one of these lights in Bum____, Egypt (or some
> equally remote location) I wanted the ability to go to any local FLAPS and buy
> a Mc-light (H-4 or no) which would drop in the hole and enable me to get home
> with a minimum of fuss and no drilling or tapping of the reflector.
>

One of the advantages of a non sealed light is that you can continue on in most
cases after a stone strike.  No answer on drilling and tapping, although when was
the last time you replaced a light while out on a trip?

    It's good to get responses from other list members to spur on the improvement
process.

    Randy A. Bergum