Date:         Thu, 13 Nov 2003 10:57:51 -0800
Reply-To:     Galleons Lap Photo <glphoto@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Galleons Lap Photo <glphoto@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: vanagon Digest - 12 Nov 2003 (#2003-1084)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Now I remember why we never had kids (just kidding :-)   )

Again, I believe that this is not stock.  From what I
understand, a dual battery setup was only offered as an option
on  the camper Westfalias, however they did not come with a
selector switch.  I have no experience with this, however I do
know that there has been alot of discussion on the subject, and
some good webpages written. If you can't find what you need in
the Vanagon archives, I will try to dig something out of my
archives.  However, as a starting point.  Get the batteries
tested at shop you trust.  Should be free.

In a stock Westy, as I understand it, the main battery (starter)
is located under the passenger seat.  I think you have to rotate
the seat to access.  If an auxillary battery was factory/dealer
installed it went under the driver's seat.  You have to slide
the seat forward and off the tracks, and remove to access this
battery.  Many owners believe that the auxillary battery should
be a deep cycle.  ( See Archives).  As the compartment is pretty
small, and the number of deep cycle batteries that fit is
limited to (IIRC) one pricey one, many have elected to locate
the second battery under the bench seat.  Where are your
batteries?  Is you westy gasoline or diesel powered?  That also
affects the main battery location.

Beyond this, someone else with electrical experience will have
to help.  An RV shop should be able to help too.

One final note

unless your engine has be subsequently converted to something
else, it is an aircooled engine.  We get to ignore all the
questions about the cooling system on this list.

Whew

Seth
1980 westy

On Thu, 13 Nov 2003 00:00:01 -0500, Automatic digest processor
wrote:

>Date:    Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:02:21 -0800
>From:    Skip Emmert-Keaton <skip@SKIPEMMERT.COM>
>Subject: Newbie Question Flood - Hot start
>
>Whew!  Tired of me yet?  I feel like a 3 year-old.  Mommy, what's that funny
>thing on the Westy?
>
>Here's the big one.  The van has two batteries with a selector switch.
>"Battery 1" and "All" will not turn over the starter.  "Battery 2" will
>start the engine ... sometimes.  Driving around town is no problem, but
>coming in off the highway the van will not start.  No action from the
>starter at all.  No clicking.  Nothing.  Sit down and eat dinner and go back
>out and try again in an hour and it will start.  There has been one occasion
>when I got the no start when the engine was cold, too.  Half-an-hour later,
>it fired right up.  PO replaced the alternator, one battery, and starter
>recently.  Also has new plugs and plug wires.
>
>Sorry I don't have a pic of us watching the Westy cool.
>
>
>Thanks for any help and thanks so much for your patience as I get my feet
>under me,
>
>Skip Emmert-Keaton
>1980 Westy <unnamed>
Galleons Lap Photography
glphoto@attglobal.net

Tel: (604) 298-0186