Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 09:48:34 -0600
Reply-To: George Thorburn <thorgk@ACCESSCOMM.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: George Thorburn <thorgk@ACCESSCOMM.CA>
Subject: Re: Batteries, 12v & DIY
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Rob wrote:
>>All this talk of using the 12v on the van got me thinking about how
>>to do it? I've seen criticism but no DIY suggestions.
>>I have no doubt that in the archives are detailed instructions on
>>what to do if you want to put a second battery in your VW (not
>>necessarily a Westie).
>>With luck they would start at the basics like where do you put the
>>2nd battery?
>>What type of switch do you need to put in to isolate the 2nd battery
>>when the engine is turned off & where do you put that switch?
>>What size wire should you run to the extra 12v outlets?
>>Are each of these 'new' outlets fused? Is there a best central place
>>to put the fuses?
>>I know that someone has already done the engineering on this, made
>>the errors, found out what works best & found the best ($$) place to
>>purchase what's needed. Is there a web site out there with this? Is
>>there a message # to look for in the archives? Is there a group that
>>has all this in their FAQ?
>>Can anyone help?
Rob,
You are right, there has been lots of discussion about installing a second battery on the list. People like Harold and Nancy http://www.geocities.com/harald_nancy/index.htm have detailed instructions on their web sites. Harold used an Isolator, many people prefer to us a Separator. Mark Drillock is also a great resource for things electrical.
For years I used a simple 3 outlet 12V block (3 lighter type sockets) wired to the main battery to charge small items like cell phones, I used the same outlets to attach a small portable solar panel that I used if we were stopped for a few days.
This spring I added a small lead acid battery (group 42 I think) under the driver's seat. Lots of people install Optima deep cycle batteries but I wanted to start small and see how it all worked. I used a Sure Power 1315 battery separator (Mark's suggestion) and followed the Sure Power directions for wire size and hook up. With the battery I used the separator fits in the same box as the battery. I got an old fuse box from a Beetle and I have been switching Items like the stereo and camper stuff to the auxiliary battery. ( I left the fridge 12v feed attached to the stock relay so I would not kill either battery when the alternator was not spinning.) I also wired in a small 300-watt inverter so I can have access to 120 volts for items like a laptop or the charger that came with my digital camera. If you want to stay simple you can get 75-watt inverters that plug into a lighter style outlet, this should be lots for charging camera batteries. (The 300-watt Xantrex inverter I bought from Canadian tire came with a bonus 75-watt inverter)
I mounted the inverter and the 12v block on the cabinet behind the drivers seat and I mounted the fuse block to a plastic box that was mounted to the inside of the cabinet. If you do not have the Westie cabinet you can use the back of the pedestal that the drivers seat sits on.
I hope this helps,
George
'85 Westfalia
