Twist switch on dash?

Bus, Microbus, Transporter, Station Wagon, Vanagon, Camper, Pick-Up.

Moderators: Sluggo, Amskeptic

Post Reply
cegammel
Addicted!
Location: Thomasville Georgia
Status: Offline

Twist switch on dash?

Post by cegammel » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:27 am

So, what I thought was an empty hole turns out to be a twist switch in my 1980 Vanagon. It is on the dash, to the left of the heater controls, and behind the steering wheel...it sparks when you stick a knife in it... Any idea what it controls? Does this van have a blower motor? The ones with blowers I have seen have switches integrated into the heater levers...

Thanks!

luftvagon
Old School!
Location: Little Rock, AR
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by luftvagon » Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:06 pm

That's a +12v accessory power plug. Good thing you didn't burn your van down. I believe it's powerlet form factor.

Some aircooled vanagons had a rear blower, which drew fresh air from under the bench seat, and pushed it through Eberspacher heater booster located under the van.

Otherwise, squirrel cage off crank would be the only thing pushing the air into the cabin.
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

cegammel
Addicted!
Location: Thomasville Georgia
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by cegammel » Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:24 pm

What kinds of accessories? It is nothing like the traditional cigarette plug...

luftvagon
Old School!
Location: Little Rock, AR
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by luftvagon » Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:28 pm

Anything traditional cigarette adapter would take. Google powerlet adapter.
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

cegammel
Addicted!
Location: Thomasville Georgia
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by cegammel » Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:57 pm

Ooooo...that's interesting.

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:48 am

cegammel wrote:
Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:27 am
So, what I thought was an empty hole turns out to be a twist switch in my 1980 Vanagon. It is on the dash, to the left of the heater controls, and behind the steering wheel...it sparks when you stick a knife in it...
A twist-to-turn switch would be a heater blower switch if it was immediately adjacent to the levers. Late water-cooled Vanagons ran the rear seat heater to the left of the controls, defroster blower switch to the right.

If it sparks when you stick a knife in it, don't stick a knife in it.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

cegammel
Addicted!
Location: Thomasville Georgia
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by cegammel » Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:49 pm

Yeah...the inner post really looked like it had a notch for a switch, and it spins...and then it sparks... I was really hoping for a heater blower, as that van is coooooold. I also need to find a new place to put a radio cut off to save my battery.

luftvagon
Old School!
Location: Little Rock, AR
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by luftvagon » Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:01 am

Take a picture, will ya.
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

cegammel
Addicted!
Location: Thomasville Georgia
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by cegammel » Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:52 pm

After looking at pictures of powerlets, I'm sure you are correct...I had never heard of such a thing.

User avatar
SlowLane
IAC Addict!
Location: Livermore, CA
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by SlowLane » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:40 pm

Hmm, I had never heard of "powerlet" before, but ratwell has a page dedicated to what he called the "silver socket", for lack of a better term.

This powerlet thing seems to be fairly recent adoption of the silver socket by the powersport industry. Which is great, 'cause it increases the utility of the socket for us (heated jacket, anyone?) :geek:
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

luftvagon
Old School!
Location: Little Rock, AR
Status: Offline

Re: Twist switch on dash?

Post by luftvagon » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:32 pm

It's very popular on motorcycles. BMW motorcycles come with powerlets.
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

Post Reply