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Date:         Sat, 12 Mar 2005 06:43:39 EST
Reply-To:     RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Optima battery
Comments: cc: cottonscrafts@YAHOO.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 11/03/2005 8:47:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is an Optima battery? I will be putting an aux battery in my van for the first time this year, and would like to know what one works best for everybody. I was planning on a marine battery- is Optima a brand name?

Barb, Optima is a brand. Optima Yellow Top is the best deep cycle battery to put in your Westy. It's the only one with enough amp hours, 55 amp hours, to make it worth the trouble and fits in that hole under the drivers seat. Well, almost fits and that's why the recent discussion. The best way to install this battery is to set it upright with side terminals facing forward. Cut two large holes in the battery cover to accommodate the top posts and the terminal connectors. Use some protective material on the edge of the cut-outs to insure there is no contact made with the battery terminals. Use the battery cover and a made up bracket that bolts to the battery hold down bolt hole that's already there to secure the battery in position. Swivel the seat and see if the seat frame clears the positive battery terminal. If not you will have to use a rotary grinder to relive part of the seat frame to insure good clearance. Regardless use a piece of cardboard between the battery top and seat when the seat needs to be turned as insurance against contact. Use the Sure-Power 1315 battery separator as the interface to the Westy electrical system. It will fit in the battery compartment right next to the Optima near the holes for the wires. Connect all camper electrics, interior lights and stereo functions to the Optima. Use a small trickle charger for deep cycle batteries connected to the battery to maintain charge while in a serviced campground. It can be mounted behind the drivers seat. You can also connect a small power inverter to the Optima for needed 120 volt supply if wanted. Don't forget to include some 12 volt power output recepticals to accommodate anything you may want to run. I have two in my set-up, one on the dash and one by the battery compartment where the Optima is under the drivers seat. The one on the dash has been connected to both batteries through a (SPDT), single pole double throw, switch so that I can also use a battery monitor to check the condition of both batteries. The one I'm using is a digital read out one that plugs into the 12 volt receptacle. It came from Camping World I believe but other vendors may have it or similar ones. I have seen and tried many different dual battery installations in the Vanagon Westy and for me this is by far the best. My opinion only !

Cheers,

Frank Condelli Almonte, Ontario, Canada _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2005 '87 Westy, '90 Carat & Lionel Trains Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_ (http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/) & _CCVWC_ (http://www.ccvwc.ca/) Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley _STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel Mufflers_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm) _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html) or http://frankcondelli.com


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