Type Three Tuning Page -- Windshield cleaning system

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6V to 12V Windshield Wiper Motor Reducer.
This is written with Beetle wipers in mind; I wonder if (larger) Type 3 wipers might use more current. This could need a minor change to resistance value(s).
Dave.
UK VW Type 3&4 Club
http://www.hallvw.clara.net/

Here's the deal - from a VW mechanic here in Australia.
By Lance Plahn, Australia, and reproduced with his permission.

More and more VWs have been converted to 12volt. This confronts us with problem of the wiper motor, running 12volt through the 6volt unit thus causing the motor to go so fast, resulting in the linkages to prematurely wear out, hard to turn the wipers off, and the motor to burn out.

One way that works is to fit 12volt wiper motor from a later model, but firstly a good secondhand unit is hard to find, not to mention the high price tag. By fitting a resistor of the correct values it will overcome the forementioned problems, with no commercially made to resistor on the market made for this purpose, you will have to make one. This is a very simple operation, taking approximately one hour, costing under $10.00. NOTE: this resistor is designed to work only on the wiper, it doesn't reduce 12volts to 6volts, it is a current limiter.

Obtain the following from an electronic supplier:-
1- 330 OHM 1/2 watt resistor
1- 470 OHM 1 watt resistor
1- TIP 142 transistor (NPN 10amp 100 volt rating)
1- TO3 insulation pack (mica and nylon washer)
1- tube heat-sink compound

You will also need the following:
100mm of aluminium angle ( 25mm x 25mm x 3mm )
some automotive wire in brown, red and blue

Now to assemble, take the TIP142 transistor, hold with part number up and the three legs pointing towards you. Bridge (connect) the left hand leg to the middle leg by using the 330 OHM 1/2 watt resistor, soldering into position.

Solder the 470 OHM 1 watt resistor to the end of the left leg and then a length of wire (brown) to the other end of that resistor. Solder a length of wire (red) to the middle leg. Finally then, solder a length of blue wire (approx. 6" to 12" long, depending on where you mount the resistor) to the right hand leg.

    |--------------|
    |  TIP 142     |
    |              |
    |              |
    |--------------|
     |     |      |
     |     |      |
     |-330-|      |
     |     |      |
    470    |     blue
     |    red     |
    brown  |     wiper
     |    fuse   switch
    earth

Because the transistor generates heat, it is necessary to fit it to a heat sink to ensure maximum life. I have used this method on vehicles for over eight years now without any problems. Some aluminium angle 4" long will do. Drill a hole in the angle larger than the bolts to be used, fix the transistor to the angle, placing the insulation (mica) between the transistor and angle and using a small amount of heat sink compound (to aid the heat transfer) on both sides of the mica. Place the nylon washer between the nut of the retaining bolt and the transistor. Meaning that the transistor should not make electrical contact with the aluminium angle but be mounted to it. Now drill two holes in the aluminum angle (other side) to enable mounting to the body of the car, again use the heat sink compound (between the aluminium angle and the body) to aid heat transfer.

Now connect to the vehicle. Remove the power wire from the fuse box to the wiper switch. Hold the transistor as before (part number up, wires pointing towards you). Connect the wire on the left to an earth. The wire in the middle is connected to the fuse box, and the wire on the right is connected to the wiper switch.

I guess you could fiddle a bit with the resistor numbers to get different speeds for the wiper. Now there's a thought, two speed wipers by 'switching' different resistors! I'm not familiar with the actual circuitry here - I never got past valves (showing my age!), so I'm not sure which resistor or which values to try. THE END

> The 6V wiper motor on my car (65 Notch) had 3 wires coming out of it. The only 12V
> one I can find has 4 wires (out of a 69 Square). I've got it hooked up
> and working by trial and error. One wire has nothing hooked to it. The
> only problem I have with it is that when I turn it off, the wipers just
> stop where ever they are. Is there a way I can hook it up so that they
> park automatically?

I suspect that 6V motor was just a single speed motor (although used with a rheostat for reducing that speed.) The 12 V motor is a 2 speed motor.

Each motor will have:

a ground wire
a wire for each speed
a hot wire to allow "parking"
You have probably not hooked up the last wire to 12V. This should be 12V even when the wiper switch is off, but should turn off when the key is turned OFF.

Intermittent Wiper System by Per Lindgren
The wiper lever with the washer switch valve is the same as on the 72-up Beetle and Superbeetle. Also very early Rabbits had the same switch, but without the washer valve. The electrical part is the same, and can be transferred to the type1/3 switch. The benefit is that the early Rabbit often had intermittent wipers, with the necessary contacts inside. They also had the electric washer, with the proper contacts. The type3 had an automatic wipe feature when you washed, all contacts are there (just like new cars). A cool extra, no problem to install. A bit of wiring to do, though.

PerL
73 Variant L (w/ intermittent wipers)