Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 21:09:47 -0800
Reply-To: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: problems installing second battery
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The isolator is not wired according to the maker's directions. You
mentioned this as item 3 in your list of possible problems. The wiring
diagram on your web page is from a 1974 that someone wired a second
battery to. Yours is nothing like that and can't work as shown.
Waterboxer Vanagon batteries are not wired in a typical way found on
most cars. The simple reason for this is that the front mounted battery
is so far from the alternator. Your problem could probably have been
avoided if the installer had a vehicle wiring diagram to look at,
assuming he can read one.
The main point I have to make is this. AT THE BATTERY END, the wire that
connects charging voltage from the alternator to the battery is the huge
BLACK wire that connects from the starter to the battery and NOT any of
the red wires. There is a red wire that takes the charging voltage from
the alternator to the starter but then it becomes a huge BLACK wire and
continues to the battery. The red wires at the battery are all for
things that draw from the battery, not charge it. You must connect the
isolator in the charging wire and that means leave the red wires in the
battery compartment alone as they are not charging wires.
The common way to install an isolator in your vehicle is to mount it in
the engine compartment near the alternator. Then move ALL of the red
wires from the alternator to the starter battery output post on the
isolator. Make a new red wire to connect the alternator to the input of
the isolator. You can mount the isolator elsewhere but that makes the
wiring job a lot more involved. Keep in mind as I already said, the
waterboxer charging wiring is not done in a way that is obvious to most
people unless they look at the right wiring diagram.
Mark
Joy Hecht wrote:
>
> My friend Steve (who's very mechanically minded) and I got together to
> install my second battery. We ran into some trouble, and we're looking for
> advice.
>
> The full detail, along with a couple of pictures to explain, is on the web
> here: http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/batteries. The basic situation is that I
> bought an Optima yellow-top, and on the instructions of someone in an RV
> shop we bought an isolator (the type with two diodes inside to direct
> current) that is used by RV folks to connect their second battery. Steve
> first wired the old battery to the isolator, and with just that connected
> the van wouldn't start. He checked it and played with it but couldn't
> figure out why it wouldn't work. It was dark out by then, so we couldn't
> experiment further, but he also felt he needed more knowledge than we had.
>
> If you think you might have any suggestions, please take a look at the
> website, which includes the wiring chart we're following, photo of the old
> battery explaining what we connected (bad quality, unfortunately, it was
> dark when I took it), and a list of hypotheses as to what might be wrong.
> And if you reply, PLEASE copy Steve on your email (all those ormswyn
> addresses - I don't know which he actually checks) so he'll be able to mull
> over your thoughts. He's not on the vanagon list.
>
> Thank you! At least we didn't have any trouble getting the yellow-top in
> the space, drilling out holes for the top connectors to stick out, and so
> on. Unlike me, Steve isn't phased by mechanical stuff, and does have tools,
> and does know cars and electricity!
>
> Joy
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Joy Hecht
> and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
> and Henrietta, sad-eyed orangutan who waltzes with Matilda and me
> and Bicycle and Kayak, who ride on Matilda
> and my 2002 green Prius, waiting for our return from the vanadventures
> For musings about life and the vanadventures:
> http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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