Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 11:13:10 -0600
Reply-To: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Surepower 1315, auxiliary fuse block,
Progressive Dynamics charger,
and Vitrifrigo installation questions
In-Reply-To: <ffd6b090905010912p1964f67bo929847ce47f20b11@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Harold, I'll just resond to the things I know something about from
installing the 1315 in my van, with Propex and Vitrifrigo.
"Am I also correct that I should just "tape up" the westy
blue wire from the alternator and the ignition switched on wire?
Yes. I pulled the relay and very thoroughly taped the rest of the wires up
and together and tucked them under the seat pedestal just out of the main
part of the aux battery box.
Also: I wanted all the dash stuff (cig lighter, radio, etc) to run off the
aux battery so I ran a wire (about 8 gauge) directly to the #3 fuse in the
main fuse block up front. I also ran a large (about 6 gauge) red wire from
the 1315 directly to the + post on the aux battery, so the 1315 is connected
to both the main battery and aux battery by the same gauge wire and is the
"smart relay" that does all the charging-thinking to keep the batteries at
the proper level, depending on use. I also do NOT have the automatic
starting feature wired in. I put a hole in the outside of the top front of
the aux battery box to run that wire over from the 1315 and grommeted the
wire/hole. The wire comes out inside the aux battery box just ahead of the
main battery space, where there is a sort of hidden hole under the driver
seat. Makes it easy to run that red wire over to the + post on the aux
battery.
Vrifrigo Fridge wiring: You can just wire the new fridge red wire to the old
Dometic red wire right at the cabinet wall that separates the fridge area
from the rest of the cabinets where the 110 plug socket is. I had to remount
that socket due to the design of the back of my model of Vitrifrigo. The
Danfoss was in the way of the 110 socket fixture, so I turned the socket
upside down and rotated it 180 degrees so the back of the plug resides in
the cabinet area right of the fridge.
Also: Richard Jones installed an on/off switch on his Vitrifrigo so he can
air it out, leaving the door open without the light coming on to drain the
aux battery. That can be installed just inside that cabinet right of the
fridge, just routing the red wire over to your new on/off switch, then up to
the old red Dometic wire....which goes directly to the aux battery, through
the fuse block directly behind the driver seat, on the cabinet wall down by
the seatbelt anchor point.
My Propex is also wired directly to the aux battery so almost everything in
the van is run off the aux battery, except starting and running. You may
find that you need more AH from your Group 41 than it can provide as time
goes on. I took both Karl Mullendore and Richard Jones leads and installed
the motorcycle/wheelchair batteries (4) (UB12220, 88 combined AH) in the aux
battery box. No real camping experience with them yet, but that will change
beginning this weekend and next week.
Bob Stevens
'87 Syncro Westy
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