You're welcome and thanks Dan.

Caveat: I don't have a diagram to look at or know exactly how Jays'
kit installs.

I'm not suggesting that Jay's suggestion on fuse size is wrong (he
knows way more about this stuff than I do, has a great rep, great
products), but unless I've misunderstood something(s), IF the plastic
on the 20 Amp fuses melted but the fuse itself didn't fail, that seems
odd.

Neil.

On 9/30/20, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:

> thank you Neil,
>
> *Did a wire come loose from a relay unrelated to the headlight circuits and
> upgrade parts? *
> - No, no loose wire on any relay.
>
> *Was this the cause of the short or a result of another short? i.e. did
> something else go haywire and cause the 53 relay ground to heat up then
> short out to a neighbouring relay pin?*
> - No, no other short, nothing that I can see after close inspection, the
> relay looks fine, no burning or melting traces but I am not sure about the
> internal.
>
> *Bentley 88/89 Vanagon wiring diagrams show the stock headlight fuses at 10
> Amp each. There were 20 Amp fuses in those positions now replaced with 15
> Amp fuses?*
> - Thanks a lot here, Yes I replaced them with 20A but I will put 10A on
> fuses 20,21,9,10 as per Bentley but Jay Browns recommends 20A, I will pass
> this and go back to 10A.
>
> *I'd be curious if the relay ground wire touched the 87/30 wires or
> positive wire to relay coil (likely 86).*
> - Yes, it's the case here. The ground wire gets hot, melts the plastic
> sleeve, touches the 86  (+) wire and short everything. The 53 relays are
> coming soon from GoWesty.
>
> thanks again,
>
> dan
>
> On Wed, Sep 30, 2020 at 11:42 AM Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

>> I'm not overly familiar with the later (1988 ?) Vanagon fuse/relay
>> arrangement.

>> I assume you meant "1988 Carat". Bentley 88/89 Vanagon wiring diagrams
>> show the stock headlight fuses at 10 Amp each. There were 20 Amp fuses
>> in those positions now replaced with 15 Amp fuses?

-- 
Neil n

VE7TBN

1988 Westy 50º ABA swap: https://tinyurl.com/yap5hpwt

1981 Westy 15º ABA swap: https://tinyurl.com/y9n4xob8

VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>