What you need to do is measure the voltage at the headlight, make sure you
are getting minimum 12v there.(I presume your charging system is ok, your
alternator is outputting aprox 13v-14v).
If not, fit a relay which will supply 12v to the headlights via a heavier
gauge wire, just having a voltage drop of 1-2v will decrease the efficiency
of a Halogen bulb (any for that matter) quite significantly.
Can supply info on type of relay required and wiring diagram if you find
this is the problem.
Regards
John.

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 11:03 PM
Subject: Re: Sylvania 9004 CB headlight bulbs

> >NO. Save your money. There is no easy solution to better vanagon
lighting.
> >The bulbs are not the problem; the problem is that the reflectors suck.
The
> >solution is to scrap your stock hi/low beams and convert to E-Code
> >headlights.
>
>
> I have heard that the problem with dim VW lights is that the charge rate
is
> at fault; the alternator just supposedly doesn't feed enough juice to heat
> up the filaments. Certainly the stock H4 lights in my Caravelle are very
> bright, and I'm really fussy about being able to see at night, not just
> having headlights only good enough to let others see me!
>
> Of course my bus doesn't have a VW alternator...