ok, all right - very nice. what you describe will work just fine.
Hadn't though to of doing it that way, yet.

----- Original Message -----
From: "mdrillock" <mdrillock@COX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: Aux driving lights question..best easy power source..?

> The regular 4 contact relay is all he needs. Don is using a small wire
> from the high beams to feed the new switch. Thus the new switch will
> only have power when hi-beams on. Then he is using the output of that
> switch to control a new relay for the new lights. The only current that
> will flow through the new switch will be the very small amount needed to
> activate the relay. What he is asking for are suggestions of where to
> get main power for the relay from. I would want that to come from the
> battery with a new 8 gauge wire and fuse at the battery end. If it was
> me I would use that wire to power the hi-beams as well on another relay
> but that is more than he asked for.
>
> Mark
>
> Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> nice strategy on the 'only when hi beams are on' ..........
>> On a regular 4 contact relay ............
>> they way you plan it right now ...........the load current would have to
>> come from your high beam circuit. Not the best.
>> what you want is a more evoled relay ,
>> they have 5 or 6 contacts......perhaps that's what you have in mind
>> already.
>> With one of those two conditions have to be met to make the load part
>> connect.........
>> you have your KC lites switch on, AND hi beams are on............
>> but the high beam cirucit is not the load source..........
>> it only allows the real load souce to make connection.
>> And you get that voltage off the fat wire feeding the fuse box or light
>> switch .........
>> or even your own dedicated fat wire from the battery or whaever, fuse
>> protected of course.
>> ...............
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 12:46 PM
>> Subject: Aux driving lights question..best easy power source..?
>>
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>>  I am installing some KC Daylighter lights onto my 84 vans front bumper.
>>> These came from my now retired big Ford.  100 watt bulbs, you see em
>>> everywhere on showboat trucks and buggies, the big round ones with the
>>> 'smiler face' covers sometimes.
>>>
>>>  Anyhow, I used these on my pickup in Baja and on deserted roads and
>>> they've saved me a few cow and deer encounters so now they are going
>>> onto
>>> the van.
>>>  So far, I have all the stuff and the hardware is in place, with the
>>> lights
>>> drilled into the bumpers right under my headlights.  I also have a
>>> genuine
>>> VW auxiliary light switch for the blank position in my dash switch
>>> panel.
>>> Here's my plan..see if it makes sense.  I plan to take a small lead from
>>> my
>>> high beams, probably from the fuse panel and run that to the aux light
>>> switch.  I will use the aux light switch to control a 30 amp relay to
>>> power
>>> the lights, but the aux. light switch will only get power through the
>>> switch
>>> if the high beams are on.  So, if I want the aux lights on, I have to
>>> run
>>> the high beams..and if I dim the high beams, the aux light switch
>>> will no
>>> longer power that relay, so the auxiliary lights will go off also.  Just
>>> in
>>> case I am on a mountain road and come round a corner encountering a
>>> stray
>>> vehicle with my driving lights on, a quick dip of the high beams will
>>> kill
>>> em. (as is mandated by law, too, I think, though the KC lights aren't
>>> highway legal anyhow.)
>>>
>>>  So the question is, where is a good place to get some power for the
>>> power
>>> side of the light relay I plan to install as close to the lights as
>>> possible.  Shorter is better, right?  But I don't want to chance
>>> overloading
>>> a critical circuit so what would be good?  I could come forward from my
>>> coach battery (under the driver seat) or maybe from the fan power
>>> supply.
>>> Not the headlights..as I'd hate blowing a fuse and being lightless at
>>> speed..
>>>  any suggestions, any 'gotchas' with my plan?
>>>  Thanks,
>>> Don Hanson
>>>
>>>  I don't care if it doesn't look 'factory'.  I can live with extra
>>> visible
>>> wires.  Easy of install overrides beauty, but durability and function
>>> trumps
>>> all.
>>
>>