And the winner was....
FUSE #8!

All is well, and now every light on the bus works!
Next weekend it should be on the road!

-Craig

On Fri, Aug 26, 2011 at 10:55 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> lol....
> tip for the future ..
> when the little tits on the bulb are staggered , like one higher than the
> other..
> that means the bulb only fits one way.
>
> and ..many a time people have put in a two filament bulb where a one
> filament bulb goes, and vice versa ..causing all kinds of weirdness.
>
> right side front parking light and right rear tail light could easily be on
> the same fuse.
>
> here is how to intelligently check fuses..
> energize the circuit you are working on.
> if there is power on both ends of the fuse ...it's good.
>
> on the 'tooth' style fuses used in 86 and up ..
> the good ones have a test point on the tops..
> you just turn on the key and light circuits, rig your test light to look
> for power ( the key itself is always a good ground ) and go down the line..
> check each fuse for power on both ends..
> a dead on or one not making contact will have power on one end only.
>
> the early type fuses easily don't make contact..
> it's effective to first ..always spray them down with a mist of wd-40.
> then go down the row, twisting each one a little to re-establish contact.
> I never leave the cover on those fuses.
> and moisture can get in there.
>
> and of course..
> it only makes sense to have a different fuse for each tail light..
> that way you are unlikely to loose all tail lights at once due to fuse
> blowings.
>
> and typically, one tail light is bundled with one front parking light.
> and it's not the components so much ..
> it is corrosion and poor contact here and there.
> if you see a working bulb, but the inside is dark..
> it's on it's way out, might as well replace it.
>
> I have seen several cases where a new bulb was brighter than a working used
> bulb.
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "craig cowan" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 6:17 PM
>
> Subject: Re: Front Blinkers are super Dim
>
>
>  Okay gang, I've learned alot. I've rebuilt sockets and figured out the way
>> the bulbs go in matter. I have mastered the drivers side and it is working
>> well. I even made a "tool" composed of a bulb with 3 wires soldered to it
>> with spades at the end to bypass the socket completely and see the the
>> terminals are at the right spots.
>> However, the passangers side will not seem to work properly. I can get it
>> to
>> work well as a blinker but it will not operate at all as a side marker.
>>
>> Interestingly, I have now noticed that the rear corner light of the tail
>> light assembly no longer works. I believe it did (and i've tested the
>> bulb,
>> bulb's good), so it seems they have failed together. Is this possible? Do
>> they share anything in common?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> -Craig
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 6:09 PM, Rocket J Squirrel <
>> camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>  Even a headlight doesn't draw enough current to cause a 4-volt sag in the
>>> wiring.
>>>
>>> How about this: your voltmeter does not respond quickly enough to catch
>>> the
>>> full 12 volts during flasher ON when you probe the bulb. It only gets up
>>> to
>>> 9V during the "on" cycle before the voltage falls to zero for the OFF
>>> moment.
>>>
>>> If that's the case, then the 9V is a red herring, and the bulbs may in
>>> fact
>>> be the wrong kind.
>>>
>>> Whatcha got there? A digital or an analog voltmeter?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>>> Bend, Ore.
>>> 1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people.
>>> 1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct company in
>>> San
>>> Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westrailia.
>>>
>>> Sent from my kitchen.
>>>
>>> On 08/25/2011 02:59 PM, craig cowan wrote:
>>>
>>>  gowesty sold me the bulbs, there previously were no bulbs and thus no
>>>> data.
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 5:43 PM, Rocket J Squirrel
>>>> <camping.elliott@gmail.com <mailto:camping.elliott@gmail.****com<
>>>> camping.elliott@gmail.**com <camping.elliott@gmail.com>>>>
>>>>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   It would take some seriously wrong bulbs -- bulbs with far more
>>>> wattage
>>>>   than would fit those sockets -- to drag the voltage down from 13V to
>>>> 9V.
>>>>
>>>>   BTW, voltage isn't current. Current is amperes.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   --
>>>>   Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>>>>   Bend, Ore.
>>>>   1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people.
>>>>   1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct company
>>>> in
>>>>   San Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westrailia.
>>>>
>>>>   Sent from my kitchen.
>>>>
>>>>   On 08/25/2011 02:39 PM, Karl Wolz wrote:
>>>>
>>>>       I was thinking "wrong bulbs", but if the current is actually 9V,
>>>>       that's
>>>>       obviously not the problem, although he said the problem occurred
>>>>       when he
>>>>       replaced the bulbs, so they're still my prime suspect.
>>>>
>>>>       Karl Wolz
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>       |-----Original Message-----
>>>>       |From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.**
>>>> **__com
>>>>       <mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.****com <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
>>>> >>]
>>>>       |On Behalf Of Rocket J Squirrel
>>>>       |Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 1:52 PM
>>>>       |To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.**
>>>> **COM<vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.**COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>>
>>>>
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>       |Subject: Re: Front Blinkers are super Dim
>>>>       |
>>>>       |He says the side marker lights are nice and bright. Don't they
>>>>       |share the ground with the turn indicators? Poor grounds on
>>>>       |both sides of the vehicle is not impossible, but I don't know
>>>>       |how a ground could favor one filament over another.
>>>>       |
>>>>       |AND the man writes to say that, "I seem to be getting around 9
>>>>       |volts to the blinkers while 13 volts is measured in corner
>>>>       |marker mode with the engine running."
>>>>       |
>>>>       |Far better to investigate where the missing four volts have
>>>>       |gone. Me, I'd be eyeballing the blinker relay thingy.
>>>>       |
>>>>       |--
>>>>       |Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>>>>       |Bend, Ore.
>>>>       |1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people.
>>>>       |1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct
>>>>       |company in San Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The
>>>> Westrailia.
>>>>       |
>>>>       |Sent from my kitchen.
>>>>       |
>>>>       |On 08/25/2011 01:19 PM, Greg Potts wrote:
>>>>       |>  Measure continuity from ground side of the bulb connection
>>>>       |to ground.
>>>>       |>  If it's more than 0 Ohms, you have found the problem.
>>>>       |>
>>>>       |>  Happy Trails,
>>>>       |>
>>>>       |>  Greg Potts
>>>>       |>  Toronto, Ontario Canada
>>>>       |>  197x Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
>>>>       |>  1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop (ND Graphics graphics wrap)
>>>>       |>  1988 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop (Colleen's ride) Engine
>>>>       conversion
>>>>       |>  blog: http://www.pottsfamily.ca/__****wordpress/<http://www.pottsfamily.ca/__**wordpress/>
>>>> <http://www.**pottsfamily.ca/__wordpress/<http://www.pottsfamily.ca/__wordpress/>
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>> <http://www.pottsfamily.ca/****wordpress/<http://www.pottsfamily.ca/**wordpress/>
>>>> <http://www.**pottsfamily.ca/wordpress/<http://www.pottsfamily.ca/wordpress/>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>>       |> www.pottsfamily.ca <http://www.pottsfamily.ca>
>>>>
>>>>       |>
>>>>       |>  BUSES OF THE CORN - AUGUST 12-14th, 2011
>>>>       www.busesofthecorn.ca <http://www.busesofthecorn.ca>
>>>>
>>>>       |>
>>>>       |>
>>>>       |>  On 8/25/2011 3:36 PM, craig cowan wrote:
>>>>       |>>  What ground goes to the blinker?
>>>>       |>>  The relay is labeled number 21 and it looks like it's in
>>>>       really nice
>>>>       |>>  shape.
>>>>       |>>  Contacts are perfect. Any way to test?
>>>>       |>>
>>>>       |>>  -Craig
>>>>       |>>
>>>>       |>>
>>>>       |>>  On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 3:10 PM, Rob<becida@comcast.net
>>>>       <mailto:becida@comcast.net>>  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>       |>>
>>>>       |>>>  if it's VW, electrical&  a problem add a ground.
>>>>       |>>>  Seriously, add a ground or at least super clean what you
>>>> have.
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>>  Rob
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>>  At 8/25/2011 09:42 AM,craig cowan wrote:
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>>>  In getting all the lights to work on my project syncro
>>>>       ('87), i'm
>>>>       |>>>>  finding
>>>>       |>>>>  that the front blinkers are SUPER dim. Uselessly so. This
>>>>       |is despite
>>>>       |>>>>  new
>>>>       |>>>>  bulbs and cleaned up housings. As side marker lights with
>>>>       |either the
>>>>       |>>>>  ignition off or on, they are wonderfully bright. However,
>>>>       |as blinkers,
>>>>       |>>>>  only
>>>>       |>>>>  a single element lights and poorly. I seem to be getting
>>>>       around
>>>>       |>>>>  9volts to
>>>>       |>>>>  the blinkers while 13 volts is measured in corner marker
>>>>       |mode with the
>>>>       |>>>>  engine running.
>>>>       |>>>>
>>>>       |>>>>  I really have no idea why this would be, as it seems to
>>>>       |me there's good
>>>>       |>>>>  power and ground since the marker mode works well.
>>>>       |>>>>  Any ideas as to where to start? I'm completely at a loss
>>>>       so any
>>>>       |>>>>  suggestion
>>>>       |>>>>  would be good.
>>>>       |>>>>
>>>>       |>>>>  Thanks!
>>>>       |>>>>
>>>>       |>>>>  -Craig Cowan
>>>>       |>>>>
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>>
>>>>       |>>
>>>>       |-----
>>>>       |No virus found in this message.
>>>>       |Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com>
>>>>
>>>>       |Version: 10.0.1392 / Virus Database: 1520/3856 - Release Date:
>>>>       |08/25/11
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>