You don't mean the silver socket do you? (I don't know exacty where your gas
heater switch is.)

Anyway, if it's the silver socket that is sometimes over near the glovebox in
the dash it's to link you to the mother ship when you're abducted in remote
areas of Wyoming. The mother ship will drop a red, green, and black cord and
you merely take it through your window and plug it in.

I had to use mine when the Hale Bot comet came through, but I didn't have any
quaters for the intergalactic tolls so I was sent back to Muddy Gap Junction,
WY without visiting any other sites in the cosmos. For those who don't
remember Hale-Bott it was back when Pluto was a planet.

OR, it could be a european style 12V outlet run off the Westfalia's battery
to power european style accessorites like a drop light, latern, or other stuff
we Americans like to power through the cigarette lighter.

The plug that fits the silver socket is available at BMW dealers as they
power some of their motorcycle accessories--like an electrically heated vest--
through such a socket.

Some list vendors offer silver socket accessories as well.

Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA

***Never Forget***

In a message dated 9/11/2006 5:13:38 PM Pacific Standard Time,
goofymuso@YAHOO.CA writes:
Please don't ask why I didn't notce this before.  ;^)

There is an outlet, or some kind of bulb socket on my
dash. It lives above Gas heater temp regulating
switch. (timer w/green knob)