Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:51:52 -0800
Reply-To: Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: was fav 12 V acc, now 2nd battery relay system
In-Reply-To: <be6.fe2c178.330d804d@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi Frank, I'm not seeing any normal conditions where my relay system is
at a disadvantage when compared to the 1315. My starter battery is
always connected to the charging source, just like in a system using the
1315. My aux batter is connected to the starter battery/charging source
under only two conditions:
1. The alternator is putting out enough voltage to extinguish the dash
ALT lamp. What's that -- 13 volts or more? Bridging the aux battery to
the starter battery under these conditions is appropriate unless the aux
battery has suffered a major failure, in which case all bets are off
with my system.
2. I have operated a switch to manually bridge the aux battery to the
starter battery/charging source by applying voltage from the aux battery
to the relay coil. This would be done in the case where the starter
battery is low and I need to steal some power from the aux battery to
pump up the starter battery. There also should be no problem unless the
starter battery has suffered a major failure.
I did use the phrase "normal conditions" in my opening paragraph, and I
noted above two unusual conditions which involve the near or total
meltdown of one or both batteries. In the situation where the aux
battery was hosed, the 1315 would allow a fellow to keep driving because
it would refuse to connect the bad battery, whereas my system has no
such safeguard. If the starter battery is low, both systems allow a
fellow to bridge the aux to it for starting, but if the starter battery
was massively failed neither system would help.
The 1315 does not require metering: it appears to be smart enough to not
connect ugly-dead batteries to the system. So that's an advantage -- but
to me, not much of one because I like meters -- even with a 1315 I'd
monitor battery voltage.
So, unless I'm missing something, the 1315 only provides two advantages
over the relay system: no-brainer operation (always useful when you have
a squirrel's brain) and it refuses to connect a hosed aux battery. Those
two may be advantages enough for some folk to recommend the 1315 to
them, but to say that "relay systems work but not well," is a bit much.
--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR
Frank Condelli typed:
> In a message dated 20/02/2007 3:11:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
> Using the Sure Power 1315 Battery Separator solves all your problems. The
> batteries are NEVER, NEVER, EVER, connected to one another. That's the
> whole
> point of using the Sure Power device ! We've been over this a gazillion
> times if not more ! Relay systems work but not well, isolator systems
> work a
> little better but still not correct.
>
>
>
>
>
> OOPS ! Big screw up here ! Now's it's me giving out false information. My
> good friend Mike brought this to my attention. After re-reading the
> document that comes with the Sure power 1315 I see that the two batteries are indeed
> connected together under two circumstances. One, when the aux start feature
> is connected and the main battery is found to be below the level of the aux
> battery at starting then the aux battery is connected to the main battery to
> aid in starting the vehicle. Two, when both batteries reach a charge of 13 ~
> 13.5 volts, both battery banks are connected together. Sorry for
> propagating false information.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
> for sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007
>
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