The batt. is not an active device, like an electric > motor, but a passive one, and will not suck your cranking batt dry at > start-up (Unless you are running Massive gauge wire to the aux. batt. That is > exactly why VW went with smaller relays and wire gauge.) Beckett... More likely VW was just saving a couple of bucks on the relays and wire gauge. If I understand your explanation of the battery not being an active device, it seems to me that as a passive device a discharged auxiliary battery will not be able to compete with the starter (active device). The starter will get all or nearly all the juice from the starter battery. Once the engine starts and the alternator turns the flow is reversed and the deeply discharged auxiliary battery (and the starter battery) will then get the charge. I certainly have experienced no problem starting my van with a discharged auxiliary battery connected to my starter battery with #4 wire. In fact, one of the advantages of the larger wire is that if my starter battery is drawn down I can flip a switch that by passes the relay and use the auxiliary battery to assist the starter battery. Bill |
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