Another light question

[crowinghen]

When the key is "off" and I push the light button, only the parking lights come on. When the key is "on" the headlights come on also. is this how it's supposed to be?
We just replaced the ignition switch, all the other accessories work well ( this is the first time we've turned the lights on since we started working on it. )
we switched out the ignition switch just because we had the dash apart working on the heater fans ( which both work now with the mouse nests removed and two new heater switches)

Thanks!
Susie
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1984 Westfalia a work in progress " Butters"

[wcdennis]

That is normal for not just Vanagons, but most VWs I've owned.

[DAIZEE]

yeppers!
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[crowinghen]

Thats's what we thought just needed to make sure!
thanks
_________________
1984 Westfalia a work in progress " Butters"

[DAIZEE]

it's so you don't run your battery down as fast if you forget to turn your lights off and in a sense they really are "parking lights"
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[crowinghen]

Well what were they thinking when it came to the radio?? That's what i wonder. It stays on when the key is out....when I get a new radio gonna have Hubby change that feature.

Susie
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1984 Westfalia a work in progress " Butters"

[Volksaholic]

[crowinghen]

[tencentlife]

In factory wiring, headlights are on the X load-controlled bus while parking lights are on the 30 always-powered bus. This was to meet a requirement in some European jurisdictions that parking lights be illuminated when parked in certain districts. enabled leaving the parking lights on while walking away with the key.

The headlights would be on with ignition on, but go out when cranking (the load-control function of the X-bus; heater fans, wipers, some other high-load accesories are also on this bus).

Here are early and late versions of how to install a relay that puts both headlights and parking lights onto the X-bus, while also taking the headlight load off of the headlight switch, which will save the underrated switch. Doing this will shut off both head- and parking lights when the key is turned to off regardless of headlight switch position.

If you can't read a skiz or fathom the elementary logic of this don't bother to ask questions, I have covered this elsewhere and will not offer any followup remarks. I offer no apologies for the crudeness of my drawings, these are my own personal notes.

Where I have drawn a line across a wire that indicates the wire would be cut, where I have made a circle or dot is where a junction is made.

In both cases you can see that the 30 supply to the switch is cut off and instead the X supply is patched over to the 30 input pin, while keeping X supply connected to the X input pin.

What was formerly the switch's output to the headlight circuit is instead brought to one side of a relay coil, the other side of the coil is grounded.

Then 30 power is brought to the 30 or 87 pin of the relay contactor (deosn't matter which way current flows thru the contacts) either by using the original 30 supply wire or bringing a new heavy 30 feeder from the fuse panel ( very easy to do on late fuse panels by connecting to one of the large "P" pins on the back; I recommend a 10ga. wire ).

The other side of the contactor is connected to the normal headlight load circuit. From there it would be going thru the hi/lo selector (visible in the pic of the eraly version) and then thru panel fuses on the load side, so the headlights are still fuse protected, although it would be advisable to add a 30 or 40A fuse inline on your 30 feeder before the relay.

Make sure to use a relay rated for at least 30A, a 40A would be preferable.

'85 version, typical of pre-86 wiring:

Typical post '86 wiring ('87 shown):

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Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[crowinghen]

Thank you!
I don't understand it, but my husband will.
thanks again,
Susie
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1984 Westfalia a work in progress " Butters"

[kumatiger]

I've gotten used to the headlight switch being on all the time from my other cars - SAABs - every one I've driven has been wired so headlights and parking lights go on and off with the key, so I never touch the headlight switch any more, its just always on.

With daytime running lights on the 2001 SAAB I can't even turn them off. If I were to pull into a rest stop in the winter and take a short nap with the engine running, I have to pull the fuse to get the damn headlights to go out in that car.

When I start tearing into the Westy dash I plan on doing the same conversion - thanks for posting the schematics. Also - getting the headlight load onto a relay and off the ignition switch is a great idea, I plan on doing that one as well.

Andy