Very cool!

On Wed, Jun 23, 2021 at 6:43 AM Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:

> I did the same thing with Cibie Airports. I installed a switch below my
> dash that operates the front lights in one direction and a very bright rear
> LED light for backing into campsites at night, etc. both are relayed. The
> switch sits on a metal bracket with a graphic of a westy side view.
> Throwing the switch in the front or rear direction of the graphic operates
> the respective lights.
>
> Jim
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jun 22, 2021, at 5:50 PM, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Here's an emergency set up in my van...
> >
> > A long time ago during my first years I got a headlight switch problem
> (no
> > low beam, high beam is OK if I hold the headlight stalk up)... So I
> bought
> > a set of Hella Rally lights (or fog lights) and bolted them on the front
> > bumper, wired to a switch on the dash with a relay, independent from the
> > headlight switch...
> >
> > oh yeah ... later on the famous headlight switch failed again at night
> > during a trip ... so I turned those Hella Rally lights ON and kept
> going...
> >
> > just a thought... Those Hella Rally lights do help on twisty roads... a
> > real plus...
> >
> >> On Tue, Jun 22, 2021 at 2:44 PM John Rodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Thanks for the guidance on this, Folks. Tracking down electrical
> >> gremlins always gives me migraines!
> >>
> >> On Tue, Jun 22, 2021 at 4:26 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Intermittent headlights usually indicate a bad wiring connection. Could
> >>> also be a bad switch. Going back to 1971 the headlights are powered off
> >> the
> >>> X contact on the ignition switch. On the Vanagon the high lever is
> >> powered
> >>> directly from the fuse box, battery connection. So operating the lever
> >>> bypasses the ignition and headlight switch. Since the lights do work
> with
> >>> the lever pulled the ground is good. Bad ground would have only the
> high
> >>> beam indicator light but no lights. If ignition switch than other stuff
> >>> operated by the X contact such as the heater fans would also not work.
> >> The
> >>> X contact also operates the load reduction relay. On the later vans the
> >>> contacts at the back of the fuse box do fail so you may need to
> >> diagnose. I
> >>> would start at the headlight switch. Get the Bentley, follow the
> circuit,
> >>> and test for the failure.
> >>>
> >>> Dennis
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of
> John
> >>> Rodgers
> >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2021 1:28 PM
> >>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >>> Subject: Headlights
> >>>
> >>> Headlights have started cutting off and on. The  high beams fail more
> >>> often than the low beams but they both do it. By pulling the switch
> stalk
> >>> on the steering column they will stay on as long as I hold it back. Has
> >>> anyone with ideas as to what this is all about? Do I need a new
> headlight
> >>> switch. Or other?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks
> >>>
> >>
>