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Date:         Thu, 13 Jun 2002 13:44:11 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Hannink <tjhannink@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Hannink <tjhannink@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Simple auxillary battery question
Comments: To: "Royston, Jerry" <gmr@OBPA.USDA.GOV>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Its really a matter of how far you intend to discharge the battery when using it and how willing you are to keep an eye on the level of charge. Regular car batteries will last through 5-10 deep discharges before crapping out entirely. If you will just be running convenience items on it, a regular battery would work well as long as you monitor the level of charge and disconnect the load when the level of charge gets around 50%, and then recharge it immediately.

If you wanted to use a 12V appliances for an extended time period, the deep cycle battery is the way to go - you can't just unplug a 12V fridge when battery level reaches 50%, you'll lose all of the food inside it.

My last regular 12V battery that I used as an auxiliary battery lasted less than two years. It ran my 12V fridge occasionally and my audio/video system full time. I just swapped it out with an Optima and will be trying out an isolator instead of the stock relay setup my camper came with since I don't like the idea of parallel charging it with the starting battery.

BTW, I purchased my Optima this week at my local Interstate battery warehouse for $140.00 +tax, they had a special.

Good luck,

Tim Hannink Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition Winter Park, Florida http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink Vanagon Album

----- Original Message ----- From: Royston, Jerry <gmr@OBPA.USDA.GOV> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 1:27 PM Subject: Simple auxillary battery question

> Here's my dilemma. I will be installing a 2nd battery next week in my > camper and still can't get myself to spend $160 on an Optima. All I want to > do is wire my power converter to it and be able to watch a 2 hour movie in > the middle of nowhere on my 13" TV/VCR combo (rated at about 65 watts) and > maybe run a small light or fan for a while. And I don't plan to live in the > van for extended periods so this would be only a once in a while need. What > I need to know is whether a regular starting battery would suffice and how > long would it last. Are there cheaper deep cycle batteries that would fit > under the driver's seat? If a regular battery is all I need, is there one > particular kind/model/power rating that I should look for. Thanks. > > Gerry Royston > '87 Westy


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