Date:         Fri, 23 May 2008 08:32:06 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Battery Woes/Choice
In-Reply-To:  <4cb8e63b0805230407y2bd5c5f6pb8a7d0fda61501b2@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

The group 41 battery or its clsoe cousins is not Vanagon specific. It is
used in many VWs and Audis. As battery manufacturers are consolidating many
of the European batteries are becoming harder to find.

Many folks tie into the chassis battery for charging a house battery. One
thing to note is that the chassis battery is fed by basically a number 10
wire from the alternator to the starter cable. This also carries the current
for most of the vehicle loads. The battery is not the normal source of power
when the engine is running, the alternator is. Thus, the wireing from the
alternator needs to be upgraded or the charge line should be sourced from
there. This also should be considered when looking for brighter lights and
other auxillary loads. VW even realized the problem when they strted wiring
the AC feed from the alternator.

If you are only looking for battery charging and support of reasonable
loads, a #8 from the alternator will work very well. If looking to support a
large inverter (1,000 watts +)consider a self resetting circuit breaker to
limit current surges and protect the alternator from extended overload.
I like to limit inverters on the stock alternator to 800 watts. At that
point, I would go with #6 from the alternator to te battery.

If you also want to use the house battery as a boost for starting, then a
minimum of #4 and the best connection will be at the starter lug. You also
need to beef up the wiring between the starter lug and alternator, #4 or #2.

Dennis


>From: Tom Rowsell <86westy@GEOEXPLOITS.ORG>
>Reply-To: Tom Rowsell <86westy@GEOEXPLOITS.ORG>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Battery Woes/Choice
>Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 08:07:30 -0300
>
>On the east coast (of Canada), it appears that COSTCO no longer carries the
>Group 41 battery. On visits to 2 Costcos recently (Halifax and St. John's)
>I
>could not find that particular battery. Costco typically referred to it as
>"Fitment Size 12". The label for that size was still shown on their
>rack/display, but the Kirkland Book hanging on a chain no longer lists it.
>Perhaps the lack of Vanagons out this way prompted some sort of local
>discontinuation  :)
>
>Tom
>
>On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 6:09 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:
>
> >
> > 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
> >