Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 2002, week 5)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
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
Comments: To: "Richard A. Jones" <Jones@COLORADO.EDU>
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


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.