At 08:55 AM 10/31/2003, Bill Hayeslip wrote:
>  I'm new to the list so please forgive me if this topic has come up
> before. I have a standard 88 Vanagon and have a front 3-speed switch that
> runs the defroster fan and the other day, when I turned it on it blew a
> fuse. I tinkered with it but it continued to blow fuses. I figure it must
> be to fan or the switch and not wanting to work my way down to the fan I
> was considering doing something about the switch first. I do have another
> 3-speed switch on the dash that runs the rear heater (under the rear
> seat) and I was wondering if they were the same kind of switch? Has
> anyone tried to swap them? It would save me buying a switch I may not
> need. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Switches are identical, except that in junkyard Vgons the front one will be
melted in high position and the rear one won't.  Both switch and circuit
are overloaded for the high speed which based on my measurements draws
about 12 amps running correctly.  Cure *after you measure the current draw*
is a) replace switch and b) cut the high-speed supply wire from the switch
and use it to drive a relay that feeds the high speed from a new 16-amp
fused circuit that you supply.  The existing circuit handles the lower
speeds fine.  Relay terminal numbers: 85 and 86 are the control
circuit.  Theoretically they're specific (85 specifies either hot or
ground, I forget which) but electrically it doesn't matter.  30 is the +12
power input; 87 is the switched output.  Again, electrically it doesn't
matter which is which.

If the motor draws noticeably more than 12 amps then it's got a problem,
probably dry bearings.

david

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"