I never knew a red wire meant that. Always knew it was + just didn't
know that it meant always live. But then I would always have treated
it as a live wire.

Looking at P97.14 it looks like wire remains #16 after hi/low switch.
 (unless I'm misreading the diagram)

But then my original observation is pointless as the headlights are
all using #16 !     ;)

Neil.

On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 5:44 PM, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
> Both high and low are normally supplied by that same #12 white/black wire.
>
> The #16 red wire is for a different purpose, the "flash". It is red to warn
> you it is always hot. It lights both bulbs while the hi/lo stalk is held up,
> whether the light switch is on or not and whether the key is on or off. This
> is a feature that many people have used to get home in the dark even when
> the headlight switch has burned out or the contact for the headlights in the
> key switch has fried.
>
> Mark
>
> neil n wrote:
>>
>> .........
>>
>> Of note, find it interesting that on the '81 gas, #12 wire supplies
>> the low beam, but hi beam is supplied via #16. Don't hi's take more
>> juice? Or is this done b/c #16 supplies the hi beam "flash"?
>>
>> Neil.
>>
>>
>

--
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines