Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 13:34:57 -0700
Reply-To: Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Battery Woes/Choice
In-Reply-To: <476738.60101.qm@web50511.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
What the heck, Dave -- you sending out HTML-formatted email to the list?
Please stick with plain text.
--
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
On 5/23/2008 7:52 AM Dave Mari wrote:
> Frank,
>
> I have had great results with running two secondary 80 amp hour G/N/B Marathron batteries. I had one in the rear behind lights and under the cabinet, now have both in the spare tire carier under the front. I also have used the 155 A/H G/N/B Marathron battery with great results. They are just built well and last.
>
> Dave,
>
> Syncro - Westy - Zetec - 200 Amp Alternator with ECU Control Charging
>
> --- On Fri, 5/23/08, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote:
>
> From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
> Subject: Re: Battery Woes/Choice
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Friday, May 23, 2008, 5:09 AM
>
> In a message dated 22/05/2008 10:05:04 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
> I've been spending a lot of time lately charging, testing and retesting
> reserve battery capacity of my odyssey 1200. As one person mentioned last
> week,
> the best thing about odyssey batteries is their advertisement;)
>
> In terms of reserve capacity (AH) I"m told the better way of determining
> actual AH rating is to take the reserve time (in mins) x 25 amps and divide
> this
> figure by 60. In the case of the odyssey that's about 33 AH. It's
> rated at
> 44AH. That figure assumes you're going to run the battery all the way down
> to
> 11 volts or less, which from what I've learned is not a good thing to do--
> at
> least if you want your battery to last any length of time.
>
> The figures I've heard are ideally 50% discharge, but as much as 65%. A
> resting voltage of no less than 12.2 or so. I just did a test last night
> running
> my Vitrifrigo C51 for about 13 hours. The best I can figure, this
> refrigerator runs about three minutes out of every 10, so I rounded that off
> to 20
> minutes out of an hour. That works out to about 11.2 AH. In theory, the
> odyssey
> battery should be able to handle that, but my resting voltage this morning
> was at 11.8. This does not even include lights, stereo or my Atwood furnace
> that I need to run. I'm thinking I probably now need a 100AH or better
> auxiliary
> battery.
>
> So, looking for some options here:
>
> 1:) I can simply flip a switch that I have installed and link together my
> starting battery and reserve battery. The danger of courses is running the
> starting battery down too much and being stranded.
>
> 2:) install a second battery and link it to the odyssey under the rear bench
> seat
>
> 3:) Buy a whole new 100AH capacity battery and install it under the rear
> seat and eliminate the odyssey or use it as a starting battery.
>
> Since all my wiring is now behind the rear driver's seat, I'd like to
> do
> this as painless as possible.
>
> So, suggestions for a good battery to buy, whether it be a simple flooded
> style that would not be deeply discharged or go with one of the expensive
> optimas or other AGM's. I'm located in Alaska, so shipping is a
> consideration as
> well.
>
> I think I've heard more than one person using a standard flooded battery
> with good success, purchased at Sears or Wally world for quick exchange if
> needed.
>
> I need to get something done quickly here, so any help would be appreciated.
>
> While I love this new refrigerator, it has definitely caused share of
> problems with battery usage!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Troy and any others interested in this subject. I have said this before and
> here I go again. I use, have used and continue to use, for myself and all
> my customers, a Group 41, 42, 48 or 49, standard automotive battery as the aux
> battery under the drivers seat. I prefer the Kirkland battery from COSTCO
> because, first it is $82.35, price including taxes, paid last week at COSTCO
> in OTTAWA for a Group 41. Secondly because it is guaranteed, no questions
> asked, no tests, for 3 years. And thirdly that guarantee is good at ALL
> COSTCO
> locations in Canada, USA and Mexico. I spent this past winter in Mexico,
> 5-1/2 months, _ZamoraBlog_ (http://poolio.net/zamorablog/) , stealth camping,
> using my aux battery, solar panel charger, WAECO 12v ~ 120v fridge setup,
> radio, lights and the battery is still performing flawlessly. BUT, when it
> grows
> week, as it will certainly do, I will just drop into a COSTCO and exchange
> it for a new one and keep on truckin'. This is my plan until someone
> comes up
> with a proper deep cycle battery of good AH rating that fits in that hole
> under the drivers seat.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June12 ~ 15, 2008
>
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