Frank,
Thanks for that input.  I was beginning to wonder if
that upgrade was in vain, even with the brighter
light.  I understand your comments about the pattern
of the light emitted and have driven vehicles with
copious amounts of light but rotten patterns on low
and/or high beam.  Plenty of light but in the wrong
places is of dubious benefit.

I'll need to drive this setup in real conditions to
form a better opinion of the change and if the need
for the H4 lenses becomes evident then I guess I'll
need to find some of those.

Thanks to you and the others who have chimed in on
this.  There's no lack of knowledge (or the
willingness to share it) on this list.  I submitted
the step-by-step for the benefit of those who might
want to try this mod but are tentative about starting.
 As with most other tasks, it's not as daunting with
some guidance.  Whether it is the proper step to take
is open to debate, as we've just seen.

Stephen

--- Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote:

> In a message dated 05/11/2007 5:10:58 P.M. Eastern
> Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
> I wonder  how much of a difference these really make
> to the  overall
> light
> output.  It seems to me that you are still using the
>  15+ year
> old
> small gauge wiring and that the only thing that you
> are  really
> doing is
> by-passing the high currently going through the
> headlight
> switch thus
> saving it and installing brighter bulbs to get  more
> light
> output.
>
> It would be interesting to get a back to  back
> comparison of actual
> voltage at the headlight before and  after
> installing the relays - I would
> suspect there won't be much of  a
> difference due to V=IR losses.  In
> other words the more currently  you
> put through a wire the more voltage
> loss you get - these old  wires
> will have a lot more resistance than  new
> ones.
>
>
>
>
>
> Well, you can say whatever  but best is to go check
> the real situation.  I
> have been making, selling  and installing these
> relay kits, see my _Vanagon
> Headlamp Relay  Upgrade_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/hdltrela.htm)
> website, for
> years.  Mine are very similar to what Go Westy
> offers, they are nothing new
> or ingenious.  I have personally checked the
> voltage at the headlight socket
> before and after on many vans.  The  scenario is
> always the same. 9.5 volts
> before 11.5 volts afterwards.  Go do  it yourself
> and see.  More voltage
> produces more light.  I think the  bulb are 12 volt
> bulbs so they should be operating
> at 12 volts or near  there.  Yes, I agree the wiring
> is old and if you really
> want to do it  right then ALL the wiring to and from
> the headlights should be
> replaced with new  12 gauge wire.  BUT, this is a
> job most Vanagon owners
> can't do and are  unwilling to pay for since the
> results of just installing the
> relay kit and  higher watt bulbs makes them happy !
>
>     Now, just because you have more light does not
> mean  the headlight lens
> is putting it where it would be most useful.  The
> other  problem with the
> Vanagon headlights, especially the rectangular ones,
> as  has been wrung out here
> numerous times is the DOT lens structure.  H4 lens
> structure works much, much
> better.  You have to try them side by side to
> actually see then you will be a
> believer !   My Westy now has the  H4 lenses with
> 90/100 watt H4 bulbs, the H3
> lenses with 100 watt bulbs, my relay  kit and I WILL
> blind you if I wish if
> your coming at me in the dead of  night !
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa
> Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
> _BusFusion_
> (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW
> Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,  2007
>

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