[T3] Head lamps on left or right a idle , turn signals lash fast.

[William Jahn]

 I had another VDO voltmeter so I installed that. The one I had in it was
from around 1993. The new meter reads very close to what the DVOM does when
connected to the + & - of the voltmeter . You calibrate these using a small
screwdriver; they have a hole on the left. I could only raise the new meter
.5 volt the old one. I could go far more. I guess the old one lived past
usable life.

 Now it's pretty close even if I check the voltage at the battery . The
battery does hold over 12.8 V read after the surface charge dissipates. The
interstate battery  is now near 7 years old and now I can't get the same
brand here . If I need another auto zone is close or O'reilly

On Sat, Jul 8, 2023 at 12:20 PM William Jahn <willjahn975 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I got a new rubber tube from ISP west. That will stop water. I think there
> is a drain hole bottom of the lens.
>
>  I tried the volt test off the fuse box on fuse 12, at idle it would drop
> to 11.40 v. I have the vdo to the fuse box but through a relay of fuse 12
> and the buzzer relay I removed. If I connect there then the voltage lamps
> off idle in drive is the low 13.8 v.  Not sure why connected to fuse 12 the
> voltage reads low. I also connected the the battery to calibrate the vdo
> volt gauge. I know there is a voltage drop between the battery and fuse
> box , this is why I used a relay. I will do further tests and once the part
> shows up I will fix the water leak . I also ordered a new pair of headlamp
> bulbs, mine are from 1985. I know how I have the voltmeter connected
> through a relay offered a true reading and it,s all wired at the fuse box.
> Spoke to others on samba and with no relay their readings are low.
>
> On Sat, Jul 8, 2023, 9:43 AM Jim Adney <jadney at vwtype3.org> wrote:
>
>> On 8 Jul 2023 at 8:30, William Jahn wrote:
>>
>> > No, I never have the headlamps on in the day. I rarely drive at night.
>> My
>> > wife is back in the hospital. It's a 3 mile trip . But the traffic only
>> > moves at 20 MPH best case and it's constant stop and go, over 50% of the
>> > time I'm stopped. It takes a few minutes before the voltage drops below
>> > 13.5 V with the lamps on. As soon as I move again it climbs right back
>> up.
>>
>> In that case, I don't see that there is a problem here.
>>
>> >  As I said before I fixed the right turn lamp bulb connections which
>> were
>> > all corroded because water gets in through the missing rubber tube to
>> the
>> > bucket. The right side works much better . I just touched the bulbs and
>> > the right side flashed fast while the left didn't. This will not raise
>> the
>> > battery voltage but it will at least rule out some issues that need to
>> be
>> > addressed.
>>
>> That rubber tube is always broken anyway, so I started sealing where it
>> enters the boot with silicone sealant. If your boot is torn or missing, I
>> might
>> have a replacement, or you might be able to fabricate something or just
>> use
>> the sealant to seal up the backside of each socket.
>>
>> Also, make sure the lens gasket is good and that the drain hole on the
>> bottom is clear. (Isn't there a drain hole somewhere?) I have good
>> replacement white foam rubber gasket material available by the foot.
>>
>> I find a dental tool useful to clean off the socket contacts. Then add a
>> bit of
>> grease to prevent future corrosion. Add this to both the center contacts
>> AND
>> the grounds. Clean any grease off the glass before you run the bulbs and
>> get them hot.
>>
>> --
>> *******************************
>> Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
>> Madison, Wisconsin, USA
>> *******************************
>>
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>
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