RE: Heat from 80/100W lamps?

[Ilias Glavinas <elias@tesla.wustl.edu>]

On Sun, 21 Sep 1997, Bradley Peet wrote:

> Yeah, power dissipation under heavy load due to (normal) resistance in the 
> wires will do that.
> 
> Those 100 watt lamps draw a lot of current (15 amps or so for the pair) ... 
>  a good deal more than stock.  You should use a relay to reduce the load 
> (current) that has to pass through the ignition switch and the headlamp 
> switch.  Place the relays as close to the headlamps (near the battery is 
> good) as possible and sufficiently large gauge wire to handle the current.
> 
> Otherwise, you can cook your headlight switch and wiring in no time.  I 
> actually ruined (melted) my headlight switch one time by hooking up trailer 
> lights on my 16V (was towing a Corrado at the time!).



You are right, but I thought that the relay in my '85 was enough. 

Granted, I have never even looked at the relay wiring in my car, I simply 
trusted it as being stock (which I think it is for Sciroccos of that 
period) and thus correctly wired to handle the load properly. 

Are you hinting at installing a _second_ relay? Or replacing the current 
one? Mine is mounted at the driver side end of the front of the car, 
right around the area where the base for the hood-rod is, and wires run 
to both headlights (although I am not sure if they run to both the 
inner and the outer beams). 


Thanks,
	Ilias

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