Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:18:55 -0800
Reply-To: obeechi@RUNBOX.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark C <obeechi@RUNBOX.COM>
Subject: Re: battery in engine compartment
In-Reply-To: <000001c70478$1a77e480$6400a8c0@MASTERPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
It was made for europeans, who weight about the same as an american child... and since the german army and businesses used the vanagon.. I don't think its correct to say it wasn't intended to carry seven adults...
MacBook Pros.. aren't the most miserly in energy usage, to my chagrin... and at some point I'd like to be able to spend the weekend somewhere isolated and have enough power for the laptop.. so I really think two golf cart batteries of six volts wired in series is a reasonable addition to the vanagon... esp since there is plenty of room under the rear seat, and I really don't care to keep things there that I want to access anyway... since to me, its a real pain... a motor home is too big in my opinion... and could never serve as a daily driver... and any more cities are so antagonistic to motor homes it doesnt make sense buying one.. LA for example wants everyone to get a permit every two days to park on their streets...
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: battery in engine compartment
> Weight definitely needs to be considered. Just because it has 7 seats
> doesn't mean it can carry 7 adults and 175 pounds is not the standard. A
> combination of adults and children is the plan. Also, while a Vanagon may be
> rated 3/4 ton, everything is really engineered at the limits. Look at a real
> 3/4 ton American truck. Nothing on the Vanagon comes close as far as tires,
> suspension, brakes, power etc. I'm not saying that the placement of a 60
> pound battery is a major issue, but a bunch of issues adds up quickly.
>
> Personally, I think that some of the additions folks want on or in there
> vans are signs that they have outgrown them. A second battery, yep, makes
> sense. 130+ pounds of golf cart batteries needs some consideration. That's a
> chunk of the ~1,500 pound capacity. If you buy an American Class C motor
> home, a single group 27 house battery is what you most likely will get.
> Inverters! My last motorhome had a 400 watter. That ran the 2 TV's for an
> evening on one pair of GC2's. And the furnace for a night. More required
> generator charging.
>
> I agree about the extra gas cans. Especially on rear racks or the can in the
> spare tire well. As scary as propane tanks on the back of fire trucks.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Daniel Stevens
> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 8:58 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: battery in engine compartment
>
> How to start..
>
> well all of the Diesel vans put the battery on a shelf in the engine
> compartment for a shorter battery supply cable.
> so it's been done factory, just not for a air/wasserboxer..
> in our sunroof van we put the starting batter in the passanger side
> taillight compartment..
> so YES they do fit in there. have to slide it out for service.
> as for yadda yadda yadda weight distribution..
> 1 why would you assume that you would remove the batt from the front
> location.
> save the westy weight?? man I hear that all the time one would think
> that weight worry died with kids ripping the AC and power steering from
> their Neons..
> it's a freakin 3/4 ton rated VAN.. camper at that.. rated to carry up
> to 9 adults.. well maybe 1 child but .. say 9x175lbs thats 1575lbs..
> Oh wait add some gear/stuff/groceries OVER THE BACK DECK.. cause
> thats where thats designed to carry stuff..
> your wstfalia cabinets maybe account for the weight of 2~3 adults..
> nah.. not even that heavy.. try the Riviera cabinets.. 3/4" particle
> board
> and loaded down with building supplies (12 bags of 60# concrete,
> several 4x4x10 posts et al). along with 2 adults and tank of fuel.
>
> in hvy snow like we get here all winter, my van likes to have 2 bags
> or 'tube/traction sand' over the back deck..
> so either 40-80 lbs of sand with little additional use or1-2 extra
> batteries that allow me to not live by candle light if it's raining and
> i'm just kicking back reading/listening to music with the furnace on.
>
>
> sooo yeah add some freakin batteries.. fire up the illumination and
> dvd.. make it comfortable..
> I do laugh when I see campers @ westy events who ran their 1 battery
> down overnight.. *shrugs, I just pull out the jump pack..
> I guess thats heavy too. *shrugs..
>
> Oh and TAKE THAT DANG GAS CAN OFF THE OVERHEAD LUGGAGE RACK.. (thats
> my biggest PEEVE)
> if 2 gals of gas is gunna save yer butt. buy more gas at the last
> station you passed.
>
> 1980 ASI Riviera w/ Turbo Diesel conversion.
> and 4 batteries. 1 each front seat, 2 under the back seat.
>
>
>
> From: Mike Bucchino <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
> Subject: Re: Type 2s battery in engine compartment
>
> Same deal, only even worse in this spot on the Vanagon.
> I looked into mine by removing the right taillight today. I don't
> believe
> it's got enough headroom in that location (even considering that a
> european
> battery is a bit shorter than others).
> There would be plenty of cool air from the side vent grill above, but
> the
> air cleaner horn protrudes several inches into it for a cool air source
> for
> the engine. I'm sure there's a way to reroute this horn, if you
> really
> wanted to.
> This would take away ballast from the front (where it's needed) and
> move
> it to the rear (where it's definitely not needed).
> Battery access would be very difficult for jumpstarting, checking,
> cleaning,
> and replacing.
>
> Overall, your percieved benefit of shorter main wire length is greatly
> outweighed by all the negative factors.
>
> Request disapproved; resubmit in 30 days for further
> disapproval........
>
> Mike B.
>
----- End Original Message -----
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