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Date:         Sun, 30 Jul 2000 20:46:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Phil Baird <mypactor@pacbell.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Phil Baird <mypactor@pacbell.net>
Subject:      Re: Running fridge with an aux battery
Comments: To: Bill Davidson <wdavidson@thegrid.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Excuse my ignorance, but I just may have learned something. Am I to assume, gentlemen, that the 12v power option on the frig only works while the engine is running?.....assuming, ofcourse, that I don't have an aux. battery?

....Phil in Bakersfield '85 Westy

Bill Davidson wrote:

> > Bill: > > > > Yes - I think you are absolutely correct - the fridge draws more amps than > > the wire from the alternator can supply - well ,actually it is just > > following the path of least resistance. If I am understanding the > > schematics correctly, the fridge draws power from a 6mm wire directly from > > the alternator (the feed circuit to the main battery) when there are no > aux > > batteries. > > No. I would expect your wire to be 2.5mm (per Bentley) unless you have a > weekender that originally came with an auxiliary battery (then it would be 6 > mm per Bentley). The Westies imported into the U.S. did not come with an > auxilary battery option so they did not wire them for that... Also, the > alternator power does not go directly to the auxiliary battery unless > someone changed the stock wiring... it goes: alternator> starter > starter > battery > main fuse panel > under carpet between seats to auxilary battery > box and fridge relay. > > Still, 2.5 mm wire is sufficient to supply the 7 or 8 amps to the fridge... > unless there is something wrong with the wiring or the relay or the > alternator.. > > >With the aux battery setup, the shortest path to power becomes > > the loop to the aux batteries, and they in turn are fed by the 6mm wire > from > > the alternator line. > > > > I think what is called for is some sort of diode to prevent the flow of > > current from the aux batteries, or a relay/transistor that can switch the > > fridge to the starting battery/alternator circuit when the engine is > > running, and then switch back to the aux batteries when in "camp" mode. > > This would essentially work the reverse of the existing relay. > > > > Does this all make sense? > > No. If the alternator is supplying enough power and the wires and relay are > delivering it, the fridge will run off it and not draw down the auxiliary > battery. I have a relay system and do no have the problem you are > describing. > > You're assuming that your system is working properly but poorly designed... > This is not the case. The relay system will work properly... there is just > something wrong with the wiring or the alternator. > > Do the ammeter test I suggested in the previous post... find the problem. > > Bill > > >I'm pretty confident that the fridge is working > > well, since I am not blowing fuses or creating weird puffs of smoke, etc. > > :-) > > > > Brent Christensen > > '89 GL Syncro Westy > > Santa Barbara, CA > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Bill Davidson <wdavidson@thegrid.net> > > To: Brent Christensen <bpchristensen1@home.com>; > <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > > Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2000 5:59 PM > > Subject: Re: Running fridge with an aux battery > > > > > > > Brent, > > > Assuming that, like you say, the wiring is correct and the relay is > > working > > > properly .... > > > > > > My guess is that the fridge is just drawing more than is being supplied > > > though the relay from your alternator... so it makes up the difference > by > > > drawing down the auxiliary battery... > > > > > > The stock wiring should easily supply the fridge since it was designed > to > > do > > > so.... so what are the possibilities?.... > > > > > > Could be you are drawing more than the 7 or 8 amps the fridge is > supposed > > to > > > draw (perhaps other accessories... or even a short)... > > > > > > Could be the alternator is just not putting out enough juice to run the > > > fridge and what ever else you are running off the starter battery > > system... > > > > > > Both of the above? > > > > > > Easy enough to check... just use an ammeter in line between the > auxiliary > > > battery and the relay... start the engine, turn on the fridge and wee > > what > > > the alternator is supplying. > > > > > > Bill > > > > > > Easy enough to test > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Brent Christensen" <bpchristensen1@home.com> > > > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > > > Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2000 4:23 PM > > > Subject: Running fridge with an aux battery > > > > > > > > > > OK, just when you thought there could be no more written about this > > > > subject... > > > > > > > > Here's a tricky one for y'all: > > > > > > > > I have a pair of auxiliary batteries wired up using the stock relay > and > > > > harness (yes, yes, they are wired correctly). The lead from the > starting > > > > battery attaches to terminal 30 of the relay, and the fridge and > > auxiliary > > > > batteries are attached to the two #87 terminals. Everything works > > dandy, > > > > and has for over a year now, with one exception. If I want to run the > > > > fridge on 12v while underway, it now pulls from the aux. batteries > > rather > > > > than the alternator. (I have found this to be empirically true, since > I > > > > have arrived at camp with the aux batteries drained down to 50% or so > > > after > > > > driving a couple of hours with the fridge set to 12v) > > > > > > > > After poring over the Bentley wiring schematics, this seems to be a > > design > > > > limitation. (Needless to say, I drive around with the fridge running > on > > > > propane when going to a camp site) Or am I missing something? > > > > > > > > Any brilliant ideas on modifying the wiring so that the fridge would > run > > > > from the aux. batteries while camped, but from the alternator while > > > > underway? > > > > > > > > BTW, whatever solution I (we) come up with will be documented (with > > > > pictures) on www.vanagon.com for the enjoyment of the community... > > > > > > > > Thanks! > > > > > > > > Brent Christensen > > > > '89 GL Syncro Westy "Klaus" > > > > Santa Barbara, CA > > > > > > > > > > >


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