Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2002 10:24:29 -0700
Reply-To: Debra Clark <clark10006@COX.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Debra Clark <clark10006@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Auxilary battery
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I like the sound of this set-up. Richard, could you p-mail me with more
information. What kind of switch are you talking about. What guage thin
positive wire, etc. I know a PO did the set up but anything you could
supply to me (a complete novice) would be much appreciated. This set-up
would be fine for my family since we also only camp a few days at a time. I
have searched the archives but the posts reveal bits and pieces of DIFFERENT
types of set-ups so it's hard to understand how to follow through on one
particular type.
I would appreciate anyone's input on this. I think Dawn would too. Thanks
for bringing up the question Dawn.
90 Multivan
Debra Clark
Santee, California
clark10006@cox.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard A. Jones" <Jones@COLORADO.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2002 8:34 AM
Subject: Re: Auxilary battery
> Dawn:
>
> Congrats on your new Westy. Enjoy it!
>
> Indeed aux batteries have been beaten to death. Fat wire, thin wire.
> Relays, isolators. Optima, starting. This topic is like religion or
> politics--or tires--go with what you believe and call all the others
> wrong. ;-)
>
> As Chuck pointed out, marine electricals are where the real deep-cycle
> stuff is.
>
> To give another alternative, I'll describe my setup, which I did not
> design or install. It was done by a PO.
>
> I have a battery switch behind the driver seat and a second battery
> under
> the driver seat. The positive wire to the electrical system is
> switched.
> Only the main battery under the passenger seat has the BIG wire going to
> the starter.
>
> Operation: normally the main battery is selected and drives everything.
> To charge the aux battery, "both" is selected. When camping, the aux
> battery is selected and drives everything. In my case, the aux battery
> is a regular group 41 starting battery like my main.
>
> Drawbacks: It is a manual system and I have to remember to turn the
> switch; I have forgotten a time or two. Because the wire to the starter
> comes from only the main battery, it starts the car unless the switch is
> in "both" in which case, both do. When running, charging comes back
> only
> to the main battery, so "both" is the only way to charge the aux
> battery.
>
> Advantages: the battery fits under the driver seat with no mods so no
> space
> is lost anywhere else. The switch switches everything--lights, stereo,
> etc
> --with no wiring mods other than the switch. The battery switch is "on
> before off" so there is no loss of power when switching and my stereo
> doesn't forget anything. I switch to charge while driving--unless I
> forget!
>
> I don't consider a starting battery as the aux a drawback. It doesn't
> go
> down much in 3-4 days, which is about the max I camp without driving
> (and
> charging.) It will probably last several years this way.
>
> If I didn't have this setup, I'd probably wade into the archives and web
> pages, pick my religion and swear it is the best--and the others can't
> really work. [There is plenty of that in the archives....] As I say,
> I didn't design or install this system but inherited it. I like it.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Richard A. Jones
> Boulder, Colorado
> '81 Vanagon Mr Bus
> '87 Syncro Westy El Jefe
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