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Date:         Mon, 12 Apr 2004 09:10:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Eric O'Dell <eodell@SFRONT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Eric O'Dell <eodell@SFRONT.COM>
Subject:      Aux battery question
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Hello,

I recently acquired a 1980 ASI Vanagon camper conversion. The previous owner replaced the front passenger seat with the swivel seat from a Transporter. To accommodate the swivel bolt, which protrudes into the battery compartment, he replaced the stock battery with a somewhat smaller model.

(pause for knowing and sympathetic nods)

Anyway, the beast starts okay nine days out of ten, although the alternator and EGR lights flicker most of the time. On the tenth day out of ten, such as this morning, I use a portable battery pack to jump start it.

Now leaving aside the obvious solution of ditching the swivel chair and installing a proper battery (I don't want to discuss what the previous owner *welded* into place right now -- the grief is too fresh), there's space under the driver's seat for a secondary battery whose main purpose is to power the refrigerator and water pumps.

Question: Obviously, the secondary battery is charged by the generator, just the same as the main battery. But if the main battery dies, will the system draw on the secondary battery to do useful work, like driving the starter and providing current to the alternator and the coil, or is it just for nonessentials like the fridge? In other words, can I quietly overlook the imprudence of the previous owner just by installing the secondary battery?

Regards, Eric


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