Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1999 10:09:24 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Bosch and Hella H4 Lights
In-Reply-To: <000901bf2e82$4454d660$0f00a8c0@vanagon>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
A while back I posted a *long* email on this topic with a whole bunch of
formulas for calculating this exact thing.
Right now I am too caught up in year end stuff for my business, but I am
going to put a wiring harness into production that will use two pair 10ga
wire from battery to the headlights via some Bosch 40A relays. I hope to
have this available by January.
Typically you want the shortest and fattest wire possible to power these
lights. On my Syncro I ran some 6ga wire to a car audi fuse panel that I
mounted just above the Vanagon fuse panel. From there I mounted two relays
on top of the factory fuse panel that controlled the lights. From these
relays I used 12ga wire to the headlights. Make sure you use gromets and
make sure you use fuses AT THE BATTERY when you do this. If you are ever
in an accident the last thing you want is a fire caused by some part of the
van that punctured your mega cable and caused a short.... ALWAYS FUSE /
BREAKER AT THE BATTERY!
On your final note, the alternator is common with the positive terminal of
the battery so there is always power present at the alternator.
At 04:26 AM 14/11/1999 -0500, madsen wrote:
>Hello
>Here is a questions for all you electrical wizzes..
>
>I am following this thread with great interest as I am in the process of
>upgrading my 87GL)DOT headlights to E-code with relays.
>
>What gauge wire should I use for my application? Im thinking of getting high
>quality power wire, interconnects and fuses/fuseholders from a stereo shop
>to minimize resistance and voltage drops. I may change to 100+ watt highs at
>one point so I'd like to have a wire thats open to options.
>" When operating voltage drops to 95 percent (12.825v), headlamp bulbs
>produce only 83 percent of their rated light output" <---quoted from
>http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/how_to/relays/
>
>Is it important where the relays are situated on the line, I mean, is it
>better if they are closer to the lights? I am using Volkswagens 141 951 253B
>relays.
>
>Also due to the fact the 90 amp alternator is aft, should I use the battery
>as the power source for my headlamps because it is closer? or does it
>matter. The only disadvantage I can see from using a battery is no headlamp
>cut-off with no ignition.
>Thank you,
>Ken Madsen
>Toronto
-- David Marshall - - Quesnel, BC, Canada --
-- 78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Caddy, 84 VW Westie, 85 VW Cabriolet --
-- 87 Audi 5000 Quattro, 88 2.0L VW Syncro Double Cab --
-- David's Volkswagen Home Page http://www.volkswagen.org --
-- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning http://www.fastforward.ca --
-- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list) --
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