Date:         Tue, 10 Dec 2002 13:35:52 GMT
Reply-To:     chris.smith@AQUILA.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
Subject:      Deep Cycle Batts.. A Journey
Content-Type: text/plain

T.U.R.D. has been a user of deep cycle batts for quite some time.  I have learned both good and bad things about the use of power without end (or my dreams thereof).  Here are just a few observations:

1) Optima batts are really cool.  They are rugged beyond belife, look cool, but they cost a fortune and don't have any longer life in a westy than most other types.  You can find a set of giant gel-cell batts for very little cost by hitting your surpluss dealers.  Also a great way to find cheap solar cells.

2) Deep Cycle is a term for wet-cell type batts.  Great cost efective solution if the batt is NOT in the living space (such as inside a westy).  They are not spill proof and still need to be vented.  This wet-cell technology is long prooven, but the gasses must be vented like they are in the main batt case under the passanger seat.

3) Gell-cells are the greatest invention since sliced bread.  They don't spill, out-gas (noticeably) or rot your floor.  They are prone to plate dammage like a wet-cell though, so never store them on a cement floor.

4) trickle charging is the key to long life.  Any camping batt in storage needs a small trickle charge to keep in top shape.  Solar chargers are especially good at this and cost nothing to operate.  Winter is the when the batts need to be cared for the most.  Many times spring has come around only to find that my camping batts were trashed due to freezing with no charge (or so it seems).  Now with the solar and A/C chargers hooked-up (depending on weather she is parked inside or outside) that problem has gone away.

5) Propane still beats batts for running your fridge.  140 amp/hours of gell-cells still won't provide a full day of fridge use.  However it will run the gas heater for a day or a killer stereo cranked for a week or a TV for a month.

6) that space under the driver's seat is not enough for any serious storage capacity.  Under the rear seat is where I now have (2) 70 amp/hour gell-cells.  Under the drivers seat area does hold 2 A/C chargers, solar charge controller, AUX fuse panel, isolator, wiring diagram print-out, spare fuses, crimper and 50' of hook-up wire.

These are just my experiences trying to live in the T.U.R.D. for any time.  I love all my powered toys.  There is no better joy than to set-up in the parking lot of a Jimmey Buffett concert, pop the top, crank the tunes and hook-up the industrial size blender to the hard-wired inverter.  For concerts that take ages to clear the lot, party lights, and an LCD projector and screen are a great way to wait out the lot traffic jam.  Oh yeah, camping is fun too.

Fins Up
Chris Smith
Electrical gremlin designer
T.U.R.D.