Actually, you really want to improve the current path from the
alternator to the fuse box, or headlight relays. The alternator is the
current source when the engine is running, not the battery. An
additional 8 gauge wire from the alternator will give at least a 1 volt
improvement when the lights and heater fans are running.

BTDT
Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of George Goff
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 11:16 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: [Syncro] Headlight relay upgrade?

In a message dated 1/3/04 3:10:00 PM, vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG writes:

<< The thing that you really need is to have relays AND get rid of
skinny
wires.  . . .   . . .  8g wire from the battery to the relay and 12ga
wire to
the lights.

David Marshall>>

Considering the short run of wires and the minor currents involved this
is
surely wasted effort.  I have, arguably, one of the best portable DVM's
made and
I doubt if it could reliably measure the small potential drop at full
load
across even the longest conductor used in the headlight system.  Now,
the
contact resistance of the switches and connector resistance are another
matter.

Without the addition of a rack of 10" Baja Blaster Beams, the most bang
for
the buck is achieved by eliminating the headlight switch and the dimmer
switch
from the current path, i.e., install relays, then thoroughly cleaning
all the
connection terminals.  The load feed to the relays can be tapped at one
of the
spare "P" terminals of the fuse/relay panel.  Also, although it is
overlooked
in the relay addition schemes which I have seen, the control conductors
to
the relays should also be fused.  I installed lighting relays, not to
improve
lighting, but to eliminate the certain-as-hell failure of the headlight
switch.

All those enthusing over the effectiveness of jumbo conductors might
only be
seeing the results of improving electrical connections which have never
been
cleaned nor renewed during the many years that they have been exposed to
the
elements.

George