Date:         Mon, 3 Apr 2000 15:51:52 -0700
Reply-To:     BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Battery Under Back Seat
Comments: To: Mark McCulley <transporter99@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

My impression has been that when running the charge gets "soaked up" (excuse
my use of layman's terms) by the battery that needs it (i.e. has the lowest
voltage).  Is this not the case?  My limited experience with electrical
issues has been that in most cases electricity behaves just like water, and
will follow the path of least resistance, as well as flowing into the "most
empty bucket"

I'd be interested to hear the electrical engineers speak up on this topic...

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark McCulley [mailto:transporter99@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 3:29 PM
> To: bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Battery Under Back Seat
>
>
> A relay provides isolation only when the alternator is not
> running. In this
> setup a drained aux battery will drain charge from the main
> battery when you
> start the engine and the relay closes.
>
> There is a solid state battery isolator that works well with
> Vanagons--I've
> been using one for over a year now.
>
> Mark McCulley
>
> >From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
> >Reply-To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >Subject: Re: Battery Under Back Seat
> >Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 13:27:33 -0700
> >
> >Yes - you need to isolate the two batteries from each other,
> otherwise one
> >will drain the other if there is even the slightest
> difference in voltage.
> >(They will try to equalize each other).  This can have
> catastrophic effect
> >due to the amount of current that can suddenly surge through
> the wiring.
> >
> >Traditional "battery isolators" don't work well in a Vanagon
> due to the
> >voltage drop.  (Didn't work well in my old Jeep, either -
> wish I'd thought
> >about the relay trick back then).  You need to separate the
> two batteries
> >with a stout relay (I have a 75 amp relay) that is only
> switched on when
> >the
> >alternator is kicking out juice.  Then power all your
> accessories from your
> >aux. battery by shunting to the hot side of the #3 fuse terminal.
> >
> >Takes a bit of crawling around and snaking wires, but well
> worth it.  I
> >wish
> >I'd been willing to give up the space under the seat for a
> pair of golf
> >cart
> >batteries!
> >
> >Brent Christensen
> >'89 GL Syncro Westy
> >Santa Barbara, CA
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Vanagon Mailing List
> [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> > > Of Jay L Snyder
> > > Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 10:08 AM
> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > > Subject: Battery Under Back Seat
> > >
> > >
> > > I am thinking about installing a battery under the rear
> seat by simply
> > > running a heavy wire to the starter (which would in turn
> > > connect it to the
> > > existing battery) and grounding to engine or chassis.  Would
> > > I need fusible
> > > link/fuse on this wire?  What gauge wire?  I realize this
> > > will only give me
> > > additional power when cranking or with ignition switch
> on.  This setup
> > > seems too easy--am I missing something?
> > >                                                         Jay
> > >
>
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