washer switch conversion to electric - dash mounted

[fclmscott]

1st off this is copied from Doris at earlybay.com who I have to thank for providing me a clean look to a problem I was facing. I copied it here with a subject line that may be easier to find when doing a search for washer switch conversion and for safe keeping. There are other methods out there for making this conversion but I felt that this one was a bit cleaner. Thanks Doris!


As written by Doris;
I will start by saying that this has been done before and covered on other forums,however I thought someone may benefit from watching me do mine.there are few ways of doing this but I think this is the easiest.The principle is the same though.

I have a 69 Bay and it has had an electric screen washer fitted by the PO.The washer motor operation switch was a PTM (push to make contact) toggle switch just below the dash - very un sightly i.m.o. I wanted to retain my stock looking switch but still have the reliability of the electric washer system.

I decided to use the pushing action on the air switch and, by fitting a small PTM switch behind the push rod, the pushing action could be used to operate an electric switch....hey presto - stock switch - up graded to electric operation!

This is how I did it............

These are the tools I used...hobby tool & various attachments,measure,the PTM micro switch of course,the VW wiper/washer switch & a curcuit tester.

I bought the switches off ebay from a seller called bitsbox, I found they were just the right size & capacity.

I measured the diameter of the thread on the PTM switch - It measured 7mm.

so I drilled a hole slightly tighter (5mm) in the body of the washer switch so that the thread on the PTM switch to bite into the plastic body and stay secure. TAKE YOUR TIME at this point as once you remove the original moulding of plastic, you can't put it back, you would have to fill the hole with miliput or araldite and then re drill it and start again. Note,as you drill into the plastic moulding/casing you are obviously gutting the air switch, so you may have a few shreds of metal/spring and seals etc from the air valve come out.

After I made sure the hole was clear ( I wanted the push rod to have a clear throw when operated) I measured how far into the body of the washer switch housing the push rod came, then compared that to how far from the rear the PTM switch came.there was a bout 9mm difference, so I chopped off 9mm from the rear of the housing (where the air pipes had attached to).

....after several trial fits and minor adjustments (cuts!!!) the PTM swich screws neatly into the switch housing just at the right depth so as to be operated by the push rod on the front of the wiper switch..

I finally physically checked that it would work using a curcuit tester....
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/855940.jpg

Job done! all I have to do now is either solder the connections to the washer motor or fit spade clips and re fit to Doris!

[RussellK]

I just bought a switch like that today that I was going to put under the dash. I'm sure glad you posted the writeup before I drilled my hole. That looks great.
_________________
-Russ
'77 Westphalia
'68 Standard

[Joel]

Just be really aware of clearance between the wiper linkage and that switch, it would be getting uncomfortably close in a flat screen bug
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle

[SLO-N-LO-69]

Very cool idea, thanks for the write-up.


I'll be copying it btw.

[decobugma07]

This is so great. I received the micro PTM yesterday and I'll try this weekend. Just on time for Winter driving.

I have a 66 bug. So, I'll post picture with that style switch (not much different I guess).
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66 Bug "Trixie"
68 Bug "Deco" (parting out)
73 Bug "Blue Angel" (RIP)

[Kirkne]

this is just what i was looking for

[CalLookVdub]

Have used this method several times. Works Great!
_________________
My Rides
'58 beetle - L335 Capri Blue
'63 15 window Deluxe
'67 Squareback
'68 Sunroof beetle - 1st bug, bought back
'70 Bay window deluxe
'71 Bay window
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'14 Jetta SE 1.8T

[Cusser]

I retained the stock switch, and just added a toggle under the dash for the electric windshield washer pump.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Wiskow]

I have seen a couple mods to the wiper switch. Here is my mod using a3D printed housing.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3229239

[David_nc_72std]

Using that type of switch, it would probably be a good idea to run the pump off a relay, those switches aren't made to carry a lot of current.

[andk5591]

Washer pump doesnt draw much. Have been doing that for getting close to 10 years on quite a few cars. And there was a comment earlier about being careful about the depth. First one I did got eaten by the wiper assembly.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[runamoc]

[seiyaTokyo]

Nice I will try it. Thank you very much.

[TheViking]

So nice! Want to do that to mine as well now! Do you have the link for the buttons?

[H2OSB]

I don't mean to hijack, but I figure someone looking at this thread might know. Some time back someone did a write up on this, but mounted in a column switch(for a SUPER BEETLE...would love it if the Mexibeetle combo switch would work). Anyone have a link to that thread? I couldn't find it anywhere.

Thanks
H2OSB
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(o\_i_/o) I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals, I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants.

[Dake]

[anthax]

I used the knob for the Eber to run an electric washer pump.
I took the Eber out because I only drive my bug in the summer, so it was not used.

[Cheburashka]

[andk5591]

Yeah, been done on the wiper stalk, would try doing a search. I have not done that yet myself, but it was using a similar switch I believe. Had seen the post a couple years ago. Found one of several on this.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=502329&highlight=washer+switch+electric
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[johneliot]

"Doris" sure has manly hands. If you read the bottom line, Doris is the name of the posters car.
_________________
John

There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress.
Mark Twain

69 bug - "The Grey Ghost"