Ignition and headlights: how are they wired?

Tom Powell

I posted this earlier as a poll, but it appeared that I was asking for opinions, not about how other Vanagons were wired.

I have two '87 Vanagons, one in Hawaii and one in California.
The one in Hawaii is wired so that the headlights turn off when the the ignition is turned off, but the parking lights stay on. The one in California, the headlights will work anytime.

I know this because returning through the tunnel from the other side of the island I left my headlights on and parked in front of the house. My neighbor told me later that my parking lights were on.

I don't know which system is more desirable. Some advantages to each system. Which system do other Vanagons have?

Aloha
tp

Moderator edit: topic title amended to be more specific.

0to60in6min · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:26 am Post subject:

on all of my vanagon headlights are OFF, parking lights stay ON - with ignition OFF

buildyourown · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:37 am Post subject:

My parking lights stay on.
A PO must have rewired your other van. Not that hard.

shadetreetim

dhaavers

syncrodoka · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:16 pm Post subject:

Tom Powell · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:36 pm Post subject:

Tom Powell · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 7:18 pm Post subject:

thatvwbusguy · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 8:01 pm Post subject:

There is no need to tap into any other wires to power your stereo.

You can use one of the "P" connectors on the left hand side of the fuse block. These connectors are always hot and are perfect for accessories like aftermarket stereos.
_________________
Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Tom Powell · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 9:52 pm Post subject:

syncrodoka · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 9:56 pm Post subject:

Tom Powell · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:03 pm Post subject:

bluebus86 · Banned Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075

it is easy to accidently leave the headlamps on, the switch is no very good at indicating which position it is in!!!! With the old Bugs you could glance at the switch and even a person unfamiliar with the car can rightly figure if the switch is on or not, it was a nice pull switch centrally located, easy to tell if it is pulled out or not, not so with the vanagon, which I assume is why VW wired it to turn off with the key switch. However I find this feature annoying, want to light up a campsite at night to set up a tent, and you have to turn on the ignition, I don't like that at all.

One thing I did to make the switch more recognizable as being on or off is I colored the side of the rocker switch bright orange (dayglow orange label sticker cut to fit) I placed the bright orange stocker on the side of the rocker that is exposed when the switch is ON, when the switch is OFF the orange is hidden form view, this now helps me notice if the light is left on, which can be not noticed specially if the light is used during the day.

So color the side of the switch, a bright colored sticker or paint will make it much more identifiable as to if it is ON or OFF. If I see the orange sticker then I know the switch is ON, and the orange does stand out pretty well against the black dash board.

Maybe one day I will try to rewire it to allow the lights to be ON without the key. but since I colored the switch I have yet to accidently leave it ON.

draining the battery is not only a pain to deal with (got a jump???) but also is very harmful to battery life.

One thing that is really bad is the glove box lamp, that light will drain the battery over a period of a few days, and it is easy for a passenger to accidentally bump it to ON, and it can go un-noticed. That switch should be protected, Last time my nephew turned it on I assume when he got in the van with his school backpack resting near his knees, parked the van for a few days at it was dead.

I really ought to pull the glove box bulb and do without. That light should have been hooked to the key switch.
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thatvwbusguy · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:13 am Post subject:

Replace the incandescent bulb in the glove box light with an LED and the battery will last for days instead of hours if the light is left on by mistake.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/search/led-vehicle-replacement-bulbs/3022/
_________________
Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Tom Powell · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:29 pm Post subject:

I have found some wiring idiosyncrasies in my '87 pop top. The headlights and heater fans will work with the ignition in the off position and this is undesirable. I wanted the radio to work with the ignition off and I siamesed the yellow memory wire to the red power wire. Twice the battery has gone dead while parked for several days. The radio has been off and supposedly the only draw on the battery has been the memory and the clock. They should not have fully discharged the battery. I have been disconnecting the battery overnight and no problems starting in the morning. The battery is fairly new and I assume there is no problem with it. I doubt that power to a radio that is turned off is the problem.

I've started trouble shooting and researching the electrical diagrams. I've found that a relay, with the number 18, clicks when the ground is connected and I see a small healthy spark at the battery terminal. I've started searching the Bentley diagrams for relay #18, but haven't found what I'm looking for.

Bottom line: what is connected to relay #18?

Aloha
tp

syncrodoka · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:47 pm Post subject:

Load reduction relay.
A picture would help confirm since their position is what matters.
http://www.vanagonparts.com/fuse_panel_86to91.html

Tom Powell · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 2:50 pm Post subject:

Wasted youth

Tom Powell · Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:56 pm Post subject:

Back to the top for unanswered questions.

#18 is a load reduction relay
What loads does it reduce?
What are the loads that it supplies when activated?
Should it be activated when the battery ground is reconnected or is it supposed to be switched from the ignition?
I see a moderately healthy spark when the ignition switch is off and the ground is reconnected. I feel and hear a click from #18. I assume that there is a battery drain.
Where can I find #18 in the Bentley wiring diagram?

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Aloha
tp

syncrodoka · Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:21 pm Post subject:

It interrupts the power to the headlights and other high load circuits to maximize power output to the starter when cranking.

I would find out what all those random white wires are going to and get rid of the ground wire to the fuse block and attach it to the ground tree. They may not be the problem at all but it won't help you out in the future.


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Ignition and headlights: how are they wired?
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