Date:         Wed, 1 Oct 2003 07:26:00 -0700
Reply-To:     mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: wiring for a 2nd battery
Comments: To: Travers Fenton <fenton_travers@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20031001033807.46659.qmail@web40802.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Yes, use terminal 30 to connect a wire to the AUX battery. Be sure to
put a fuse in the wire. 20 amp should do it.

Leave the existing red wire connected to terminal 30 also. You can buy a
tiny splitter that will plug onto terminal 30 and give you 2 places for
wires to connect. Plug the existing wire and your new wire into the
splitter. RadeoShack and many auto parts stores sell the splitter.
$1 should buy 2 or 3.

What you are doing is a common and easy way to add a second battery. The
drawback to this method is that the second battery WILL NOT get the full
charging voltage as seen by the main battery. If you use a car battery
and don't need to use it heavily it should work fine and many have done
it this way.

Mark

Travers Fenton wrote:
> I have an 84 Westfalia that I'd like to set up so that
> the alternator charges the auxiliary battery.  I
> believe I have the relay that some articles said was
> usually included.  I found a 5 connector relay under
> the drivers seat.  Three wires are coming from the
> front, a blue one connected to 86 on the relay, a red
> one connected to 30 on the relay and a red one with a
> black stripe connected to post 85 on the relay.  Then
> I have two red wires heading into the back, one is
> connected to post 87 and the other is connected to the
> center post.  The posts are in a cross formation.
>
> Now following 6 steps in the directions on vanagon.com
> for setting up a second battery it says ( in step 4 )
> to connect terminal #30 to the positive terminal of
> the auxiliary battery.
>
> My question is, should I also leave what is already
> connected to the #30 terminal on the relay and add the
> auxiliary battery to this connection or should I
> disconnect this wire from the #30 and replace it with
> the connection to only the positive on the aux.
> battery?
>
> Is this indeed the relay that is factory installed in
> many westy's?  Some of the numbers on this relay are:
> 411915511B & SR9813.  12Vmax30A.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Fenton & Jessey
> 84 Vanagon
> 97 Jetta
>
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