[T3] Never really knew....

[Jim Adney]

On 29 Aug 2012 at 22:24, Stephen Breitrich wrote:

> OK...this just popped into my head! Over 30 years now I still dont
> really know the truth,and you guys are my "wikipedia"!:)  My
> Notch,63-64 has the push button controls (6 volt),and back then in
> 1981-82 I was told if I convert to 12 volt and use the
> controls,lights,wiper,dimmer,whatever,I will burn up the unit.I was
> scared to drive @ night or when it rained,so I didn't. I drove my bug
> instead. So ,it just dawned on me that since 1983? or so, I put a
> 1835/48's and 12 volt conversion of course, I have never driven @
> night or in the rain to this day. Got mixed feelings on that,kinda
> sad...:(  So, who knows the the answer to this? 

Not completely sure what your question is, but I'll try to answer the 
obvious ones.

If you've changed ALL your light bulbs, including the instrument 
bulbs, I don't think there's any chance that you'll damage the 
dimmer.

If you have changed the turn signal relay to a 12 V version and 
replaced all the TS bulbs, you should be able to use the TSs without 
fear.

If you have replaced the headlights and hi/lo relay with 12 V 
versions you should not have any problem with those lights.

All the other bulbs will be fine as long as they are now 12 V bulbs.

The wiper speed rheostat is the hard one. To keep from damaging it, 
and you REALLY don't want to do that, you should replace your 6V 
wiper motor with a 12 V motor. The best way to do this is to find a 
'70 wiper assembly and use all those parts. '67 to '70 will all have 
12 V motors, but only the '70 has the greatly improved attachment to 
the wiper arms.

And, yes, if you don't replace the wiper motor, it will run really 
fast and it will rather quickly burn out the wiper speed control. 
There are other ways to get around this problem, but none of them 
work nearly as well as putting in a 12 V motor.

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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