> In my ongoing quest to keep my 85 westfalia from turning into a beater, I
> would like to get my lighter going just in case i want to take my laptop
or
> cell phone along on a trip this summer.  When I got the van I was told
that
> the stereo had been wired straight to the lighter and the lighter
> disconnected.
>
> Upon inspection I found that the lighter was still connected at the socket
> but neither the lighter nor the light is working.  I thought that taking
the
> lighter out would be helpful, but it seems difficult and one post in the
> archives says that it will cause permanent damage!  The wire is hot,
because
> I blew a fuse in the process of trying to take the socket out.
>
> What is the likelihood that both my lighter and the light are both toast?

Toast? What you mean, "toast"? You mean "cooked", right?  Very unlikely lamp
and lighter are "cooked'. Nobody cooks lamp and lighter. Most likely, they
just not work.

> Is it a good idea to take the lighter socket out?

You mean, "out" like "outside"? Outside does not need lamp or lighter yet.
Nobody uses lamps or lighter outside!

And how does
> that bulb work in the back to illuminate the green lense?

Voltage in lamp filament accelerate electrons to high quantum level. When
electrons fall down level, they emit photon. Intensity of light is
proportional to photon flux.

Flux impinges upon "green ring". Green ring absorbs all energy levels of
photons, except for levels that eyes see as "green". Therefore, lamp
illuminates ring - looks green!

Hope this helps!

Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy
>
> Thanks again for all your help.
> Jeff
> 85 Westy
> Winnipeg