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Date:         Mon, 24 Jul 2006 13:44:09 -0400
Reply-To:     dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Trickle Charger (follow up 182 Amps)
Comments: To: Brian McCartney <monoscope@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <3a5856020607241014r4ec60764v1cf8b687d2f52427@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

340 watts is a about a 28 amp draw. Way to much for the Optima for any lenght of time. Batteries should be sized for a 5 hour discharge to 80% DOD, (depth of discharge), minumum. The Optima is rated at ~ 55 A/H to 100% DOD. You really need 3 to do the job. 2 will do for short time periods.

Dennis

----- Original Message ----- From: Brian McCartney <monoscope@GMAIL.COM> Date: Monday, July 24, 2006 1:14 pm Subject: Re: Trickle Charger (follow up 182 Amps)

> I'm curious if you had problems with the Surepower isolator… > …I've got one and an optima that's always been a little bit of a pain > in the ass. > The Surepower isolator was recommended to me by an electrical guy

> as I > run a pretty big amp (340w) off the spare battery. >

>

>

> On 7/24/06, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote: > > RE: Aux Batteries > > I've stayed out of the various recent battery threads because I

> don't have > > anything to contribute beyond what was being said. But Dennis

> just made a > > good point that I want to second based on my experience over the

> last 10+ > > years, first with an '85 Westy with a Surepower isolator and the

> last four > > plus years with a '90 Westy and the basic relay setup. I've

> only used a > > stock Group 41 lead acid starting battery for the aux battery

> from day one. > > Simple reasons: ease of install and cheap. I went through 2

> 1/2 batteries > > in ten years in the '85, one so far (replaced the battery that

> came with) on > > the '90. For the price of a Group 41 at Costco (no longer

> carrried in my > > local store) or at Wallyworld I can go through three or four

> batteries> before I meet the cost of an Optima yellow top and

> don't have the hassle of > > mounting the Optima. I play the stereo a couple of hours a day,

> run a > > laptop an hour a day or so (process pictures and watching the

> news on TV) > > and have gone to all LED bulbs internally (stock lighting plus

> three other > > lights I've added). I just came in last night from six days and

> nights> parked without starting the Westy and when I packed up to

> leave there was > > still plenty of juice left in the aux battery when I checked the

> meter I've > > installed just to see. > > So if you are a little miserly with the electric usage the

> cheapest and > > easiest way to go is the stock Group 41 starter battery under

> the drivers > > seat. KISS > > > > Footnote: If I were fulltimeing or doing a lot of extended

> camping I'd pick > > up a little Honda generator, fill my spare gas can, fire up,

> plug in, sit > > back and relax. > > >


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