Steering affects headlight brightness.

[gavs]

Just as a side note, on my factory bi-xenon equipped polo the drls or headlights don't dim as I turn the wheel at idle. The cornering lights turn on and off however

[nomadx38]

Generators are more basic in principle but due to the requirement of brushes and the coil spinning instead of the magnet I see it as having a more complicated construction / service and replacement.

An alternator will technically last forever so long as the coating on the wires doesn't deteriorate or the solid state DC rectifier doesn't fail.

With a generator it is a guarantee that the brushes will wear down and make the generator useless.

[nomadx38]

Also Gavs the Xenon globes go through a ballast and can absorb the slight loss in power and won't effect it's output. A filament bulb will show it as it has no capacitance to store power.

My Xenons don't do it but my old halogen use to dim (just like the interior lights until I went to LED)

[amazeer]

Actually a old DC genaerator uses the old technology of pretty much turning a DC motor by an external source. The problem with this was that they were more complicated and the brushes (communicators) wore out. This also made them heavier and could only be spun at same speed of an engine (or they would fall apart).

My other VW has a generator. The crank pulley diameter is twice the size of the genny pulley. So even in stock configuration VW decided they could spin at 9000rpm. Its never going to fall apart. When the brushes wear out its $2 and 2 minutes to replace. 20 years down the track on the 4th set of brushes you pull the rotor out, machine the commutator in 5 minutes, and reassemble. Generally pretty bullet proof, just not enough amps for modern day accessories. Voltage regulators not so reliable, gone through a few of those.

[gavs]

Also Gavs the Xenon globes go through a ballast and can absorb the slight loss in power and won't effect it's output. A filament bulb will show it as it has no capacitance to store power.

My Xenons don't do it but my old halogen use to dim (just like the interior lights until I went to LED)

I know, i was being facious But, in seriousness, the interior lights don't dim on mine.

[nomadx38]

Are you sure? try heavily turning around a carpark slowly with the door open. It's only the yellow interior lights that dim. The red instrument lighting doesn't dim...

[Bassik]

Are you sure? try heavily turning around a carpark slowly with the door open. It's only the yellow interior lights that dim. The red instrument lighting doesn't dim...

None of my internal lights dim either when under heavy load.

[gavs]

Are you sure? try heavily turning around a carpark slowly with the door open. It's only the yellow interior lights that dim. The red instrument lighting doesn't dim...

Tried it and.... No dimming.

[nomadx38]

Tried it and.... No dimming.

Haha did you try at night? With headlights on, Aircon off and all interior lights on? As I said its a very small dim so if you are looking at it you won't see it. It's more the ambient light that dims. Could also be that the GTI has less assistance for the power steering to give that sporty feel...

[GTI JOE]

LOL...perhaps we should try with every single light and air con on