Date:         Fri, 29 Sep 2000 11:07:03 -0700
Reply-To:     Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject:      Re: What Specific Model Optima Auxiliary Battery Should I Buy?
              Any Comments on the Hella Kit?
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> At 11:30 9/29/2000, 1980 VW Westfalia \"Pokey\" wrote:
> >2) Did we ever determine if there was any advantage to the Hella kit over
> >the fridge relay modification on <http://www.vanagon.com>www.vanagon.com?
>
> If you leave the original 2.5mm supply wire to the relay, the battery will
> charge slower.

David.... slower than what???
Sure... we know that a 2.5mm wire will supply less juice than the 6mm
wire... but the question asked us to contrast two choices... the original
2.5mm wire and the Hella kit; not changing to 6mm wire. I have heard that
the Hella wire is even smaller than the 2.5mm (not verified)... so it would
seem that the stock 2.5mm wire would charge faster than the Hella wire...
but then that depends on the route the Hella wire takes too... if it's
direct from the starter battery that would be a much shorter route than the
stock route via the main fuse panel...

If you change to 6mm the way VW did it, you *might* shorten
> the life of the relay, in which case you could replace it -- however rumor
> has it that the existing relay has a fairly hefty rating.  The Hella kit
> makes sense if there is not already an installation (and if you look
> closely at the label on the Hella kit, I think you'll find it says
> "fridge/aux batt" or equivalent).  I don't know what size wire Hella
supplies.
>
> >3) I want to be able to start from the auxiliary. To do this with the
> >fridge relay I have to jump to the starter battery, do I have to do this
> >with the Hella Kit?
>
> Absolutely.  A parallel arrangement that would let you actually start from
> the aux battery would involve starter-size cables

I don't think so.. ... the starter-sized wires are in the 00 size range...
If you go to the FLAPS you will see that jumpers are typically either 4, 6
or even 8 gauge for the cheapie... and longer than would be required to go
directly from the auxiliary battery to the starter battery.

Bill

and monster switches.
>


> david
> David Beierl - Providence, RI
>   http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
> '85 GL "Poor Relation"
>