Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:03:42 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Aux. Battery Works! Yay!
In-Reply-To: <699b6e3f0808301037l714c6dffh725db206f58afb03@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
You would tell the auto electrician that you want the current
configuration determined and that you want a true 2 battery system with
automatic charge control/isolation of the house battery and house loads.
There are many options on how this should be done so ask about the choices
and benefits/disadvantages of each. Amongst the decisions will be the type
of battery.
The simplest of choices would be to use the existing fridge control and
wiring as the charge line. Performance here is minimal due to all the
voltage drops in the system.
You need to determine the level of performance needed. Keep in mind that
any deep cycle battery installation really needs a good charger to help
maintain the battery. Alternator charging properly done will take care of
most trip operation but batteries need absorption and equalizing charges
that only a smart charger can supply.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
PB
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 1:38 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Aux. Battery Works! Yay!
Yikes! That's the problem I was describing earlier in this post. When I
first got the camper, I was not told about the stereo kill switch. *
**This
was apparently installed to kill the equalizer, which drains BOTH
batteries
every 10 days, even if the stereo is turned off*. With the equalizer
killed
each time I turn off the stereo - no problem at all. So, what you just
described, about the batteries being wired in parallel, is probably
accurate. and they are definitely NOT a matched set.
How would one correct this problem, or what would one say to an auto
electrician? * I wouldn't TOUCH anything electrical in the van, unless it
was a direct replacement.* I have recently found an EXCELLENT VW mechanic
near where I live, and I know he could fix the battery wiring. He would
probably figure it out the problem on his own, but that would take more
time.
I would probably not ever run electrical devices with the van parked for
more than 1 day without driving it. * If I had a decent fridge, that would
probably be the only thing continuously drawing power while parked, so
what
would happen if I left the parallel wiring as it is for a while?*
Thanks again.
Patti
*******************************
On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 9:40 AM, Dennis Haynes
<d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:
> The concept of an auxiliary or house battery is that some load will be
on
> the house battery and the loads needed for driving remain on the chassis
> battery. If everything is still working including the ignition circuits
> with the chassis battery disconnected tells me that the two batteries
are
> simply wired in parallel. All this does is give you more time before you
> are stranded with two dead batteries. Also, if wired this way, both
> batteries should be a matched set.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of
> PB
> Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 3:02 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Aux. Battery Works! Yay!
>
> I was just about to have my auxiliary battery wired to power the
interior
> lights, fridge, and stereo when hubby told me to test it by
disconnecting
> the main battery. What a great surprise to see everything working,
> including the ignition - with the + battery cable disconnected! Now I
can
> invest that money in poptop shocks and a sunroof!
>
> My current aux. battery is an "Orbital" Deep Cycle, but I couldn't see
any
> specs on it (it was already dark and I was using a flashlight.) The
> battery
> is a little too tall and sticks above the cavity, but the previous owner
> built a neat little cover for it.
>
> I left the Dometic on for over an hour to see if it worked. The battery
> light on the side of the stove was green, but it didn't get cold at all,
> so
> I turned it off. Will the Vitrifrigo start getting cold right away on
12
> v? And how long will it run from the aux battery if the van is parked?
>
> Another thing I noticed - with the poptop up, right above the rear door,
> after the upper bed is folded down, there is a fairly large rectangular
> pocket of space available for storing soft goods.
>
> I'm glad hubby told me to check out the battery situation. When I first
> got
> the van, I had several weeks of battery problems because I didn't know
> that
> I had to use the kill-switch to turn off the radio. I actually thought
I
> had checked out the aux battery at that time, but I guess I didn't.
>
> Patti
> 90 Westy Automatic
>
>
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