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Date:         Tue, 9 Sep 2003 13:32:29 -0400
Reply-To:     Laurence Smith <laurence@ALANASMITH.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Laurence Smith <laurence@ALANASMITH.COM>
Subject:      Re: Auxiliary Battery Issue
Comments: To: Josh Greenberg <josh@JOSHGREENBERG.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <00dc01c376f5$5a029690$1e16a8c0@netlibrary.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I had the same thing happen to me with my aux battery. I tested the aux battery voltage with my hand held meter and discovered that the aux gauge I had installed had "deteriorated" somehow and was now off by -0.5 volts. So now when I see the gauge reading (say) 12.5 I remind myself that is actually 13.0 volts.

- Laurence

---------------------------------------- Laurence Smith Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 90 Westy (fanumbos) 87 GL / 91 Subie 2.2 ----------------------------------------

> -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List > [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf > Of Josh Greenberg > Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 1:11 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Auxiliary Battery Issue > > > Volks, > > About six months ago, I installed an auxiliary battery into > my Westy. Since the rely was already present it was a > relatively painless job and the installation went smoothly. > I didn't have the money to purchase a deep cycle Optima > battery and decided to use a standard Diehard instead. > Since installation, I've worn down and recharged the > Diehard numerous times. I understand that regular > automotive batteries aren't meant for that type of use. I > also directly wired in a voltage meter so I can monitor the > amount of juice left in my auxiliary battery. All that > being said, here is a description of the issue I am experiencing. > > When I power up the engine the voltage meter DOES read > higher. However, now it only reads marginally higher. For > example, the voltage meter might go from 12.8 to 13.0. It > used to read significantly higher, say from 12.8 to 13.5. > At first, I thought the rely might be fried. Yet, it does > seems as though the rely is working. I checked all of the > wiring and it does look intact. Another piece of > information that my help is right around the time all this > began, I had entered my Westy to find that my auxiliary > battery had been completely drained. I assumed I left the > stereo on accidentally, which is also directly wired to the > auxiliary battery, and I recharged the battery using an AC > battery charging system. > > Could my alternator be going bad and not outputting enough > juice? Has my auxiliary battery been effected by the > constant charging and fully draining process. Could the > rely be fried? Or, does this behavior sound perfectly normal? > > Thanks In Advance, > Josh


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