Date:         Tue, 25 May 2004 07:07:05 -0400
Reply-To:     Brenda Clarkson <clarkson@MADRIVER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brenda Clarkson <clarkson@MADRIVER.COM>
Subject:      Propex heater and auxiliary battery install
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Folks,

We have a 1989 Westfalia Camper GL that we bought in October, 2000. I've been using
the information from the Vanagon Mail List since before we made the purchase - it's
made owning a Westy possible for us. Thanks so much to all of you who have
contributed to this incredible resource!

We've been working to fix and improve our camper since the day we picked it up, but
since we were such beginners, it was always easy projects. However, in the last
year, we've added a Propex heater and a second battery. Of course, I got all the
information on how to go about doing it from posts to the list, so there really
isn't anything new in what we did. However, there is one aspect of our setup that is
a bit different, so I thought I would share it in case it was of interest.

Two years ago, we removed the Dometic propane refrigerator and replaced it with a
set of shelves.  The fridge worked, but I just didn't really take to it, and since
it wasn't large enough to hold everything, I still needed a cooler.  We found that
one of the things we wanted most in the Westy was a place to store odds and ends,
books, maps and so forth.  So, the fridge came out and the shelves went in and all
we use now is the cooler.

We installed the Propex heater under the rear seat last fall, and by not having the
fridge, we could just connect the propane line directly to the fridge propane line,
which simplified things a little. Likewise, when we installed the second battery
this spring, we removed the fridge relay and connected the wires to a new relay,
which also made it easier. This made it quite similar to how the auxiliary battery
works in Weekender version of the camper.

I've been slowly adding information about the work we've done on the Westy to a web
site (even the easy stuff). I have pictures and details of the Propex heater install
here:

http://www.gmavt.net/~clarkson/projects04.htm

and the auxiliary battery install here:

http://www.gmavt.net/~clarkson/projects05.htm

These were definitely projects that we took on as amateurs. We may find that
modifications are needed in the future, especially with the auxiliary battery setup.
However, everything is working, and I did take a bunch of pictures of the heater
installation, so I thought it might be helpful to other folks like us who are still
trying to get through Westy maintenance 101!

Brenda Clarkson