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Date:         Mon, 21 Oct 2002 09:44:07 -0700
Reply-To:     Craig Oda <craig@ODA-INC.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Craig Oda <craig@ODA-INC.NET>
Organization: Craig Oda's Home
Subject:      Optima Battery - Yellow vs Blue
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I notice that people are using the Optima Yellow-Top in their Westies. I was down at Costco yesterday and they only have the Blue-Top. I think it was under $150. When I went to the Optima web site, it appears that the blue-top, not the yellow would be most appropriate for an auxiliary battery on the Vanagon.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/usingOptima/applicationsYellow.asp

http://www.optimabatteries.com/products/marine/index.asp

Do people recommend that I go for the blue-top in the future? I can't find a cheap place to get the yellow-tops here in the SF Bay area. Also, the blue-top actually looks better-suited for use as an auxiliary battery.

Right now, I'm using two Sears Diehard international batteries. Each cost about $100. I use one as my primary starter and have a relay connection to the auxiliary. (Note that my current auxiliary is NOT deep cycle.)

I have 2 flourescent lights running off the auxiliary. Each light has 2 tubes in it and draws about 30watts (I think). I also have an inverter on the auxiliary, which I haven't really used yet (I had a panasonic TV on it and the sound was a messed up). I just bought another 13" TV/VCR combo which accepts 12VDC directly and appears to work fine. I also have this coming off of the auxiliary. BTW, I'm putting the TV/VCR on the floor behind the passenger's seat. Is there a better place to mount this? I've been thinking about mounting it on the table behind the driver, but I'm worried about stability in sudden stops and turns when I'm driving. The TV is only for my son, who sits on the bench seat and gets real bored during long drives.


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