Date:         Sun, 21 Nov 1999 21:13:09 -0500
Reply-To:     Bill <wgs@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill <wgs@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Wiper/Defroster Relay
Comments: To: "T.P. Stephens" <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <3.0.5.32.19991121170001.00876190@rockisland.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I have some hefty 1.5 volt cells and am wondering what the max voltage a VW
can handle without frying the components? The idea is to replace my
standard 12 volt battery (8 x 1.5 volt cells) with 9 x 1.5 for a total of
13.5 Volts. This would make starting more robust, give a better spark, and
overcome resistance as diagnosed in the note below. Are there any
commercial 13.5 volt batteries? Would this be a salvation for older
vehicles having worn mechanical components that could benefit from the
higher tension?

At 20:00 -0500 11/21/99, T.P. Stephens wrote:

>Everything you say points to the relay having excessive resistance. Replace
>it and don't pile on all consumers till you do. It concerns me that much
>heat is present and no fuzes are popping. Make sure you don't have a 25 amp
>where a 16 amp should be. That's a good way to fire things up to a big
>insurance claim, hopefully with no personal injury involved. Do replace any
>and all old fuzes as well, and be sure to use the ceramic bodied originals,
>not the cheap aftermarket plastic bodied wannabes.
>
>
>Doktor Tim
>Maintenance Repair and Restoration of European Vehicles
>San Juan Island, WA


Bill -->>
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