Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2003 11:00:55 -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
In-Reply-To: <20031001173358.71800.qmail@web40801.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
You can use relay and still have both batteries get the same charging
voltage. This is the simplest way to go as it leaves the original
vehicle wiring alone.
The Westy fridge relay gets 12 volts from the relay panel which gets it
from the main battery. There is a voltage drop due to the long distance
and small wire size. Plus when the fridge is running on 12 volts that
drops it down even more at the Westy fridge relay. You should verify the
voltages with the engine running, first at the main battery positive
terminal and then at the red wire of the relay. Then turn the fridge on
to 12 volt setting and see it drop even more. The lower voltage will
keep the second battery from charging as fully and as quickly as possible.
There is plenty in the archives about adding a separate relay for a
second battery. I don't have time now to go into it but later I might.
Mark
Travers Fenton wrote:
> I actually have a deep cycle marine battery that I
> would like to use heavily. I'm still researching this
> but should I use the x switch I've read about. Any
> tips or leads on how best to set this up so that it
> will get the full voltage of the alternator would be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Fenton & Jessey
> 84 Vanagon
> 97 Jetta
> --- mark drillock <drillock@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>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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>>
>
>
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