At 02:51 AM 12/21/2001, Steve Lashley wrote: >In a message dated 12/20/01 7:40:36 PM, dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET writes: > ><< If the aux battery were totally dead or shorted, as soon as you > >turned on the ignition, it would try to pull everything from the starting > >battery all at once, and the relay would let it. The result of that sudden > >massive current transfer could be a fire or explosion. No, it is not a huge > >risk, but it is a real one, just as there is that potential when you try to > >> Of course I didn't write that, Ron Salmon did. But I'm sure he knows that the connection happens when the alternator starts charging, not when the key goes on.
>The original Westfalia setup only draws current from the alternator and then >only when that current is available. Well...under the right (wrong) circumstances it could possibly draw from the starting battery -- if the aux battery were so far down that the alternator couldn't pull the system up above 12.6 volts or so. It wouldn't be a lot, or for long, though -- unless there really were a massive short (not just one cell) in which case you'd either have the popping fuse -- or the burning harness. david -- David Beierl - Providence, RI http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage" '85 GL "Poor Relation" |
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