Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 19:43:57 -0700
Reply-To: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Single battery setup using a marine battery
In-Reply-To: <113901.15975.qm@web45311.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
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Dear Battery complete with large hammer
I once had a Canadian tire 1000 amp battery when i lived in Fort Mcmurray
i mean it just made sense with the -40 c temperature most of the season
after january and well into late february ...
it actually melted ... the battery i mean ... the case started to melt
later i discovered there had been a recall on the battery ...
but oh when i tried to call canadian tire customer service ... what a
nightmare
those in the store refused to help cause they... (made up excuses)
finally i got tired of the games and went to the auto wreckers where a got a
very good interstate for 20$
now regarding your installation ... which you describe as very tight
well i am no electrical genius by any stretch of the imagination .. i do
know that electricity will arch when given the opportunity
not to mention over powering spark plugs .. or in your case glow plugs ...
anyway
good luck .. i am guess you know what you are doing ...
i am simply sharing that 1000 amp batteries are not what we would like to
think they are (in my experiance)
yours
On Sun, May 31, 2009 at 6:48 PM, Poppie Jagersand <poppie.jagersand@yahoo.ca
> wrote:
> Just to update, I did buy a group 27 100Ah marine battery and managed to
> squeeze it into the Diesel Westy. It was the biggest I could fit and needed
> some modifications as below. A group 31 would be both to tall and to long. A
> group 24 would fit with fewer mods, but only give about 70Ah,
> and fewer cranking amps.
>
> 1. I had to take off the dual purpose terminals, as they are too tall.
> (seen on the vendor photo on link below). Instead new posts are formed using
> the lead stubs sticking up from the batter casing. This gives about 1/4"
> clearance to engine lid. I used a holesaw in my drill press with
> approximately the right inside diam (note holesaws are marked with outside
> diam). I removed the pilot bit, then drilled down and removed the extra
> terminals. Then a bit of sanding shaped the remaining stubs into new post
> terminals. Note different diam and shape of negative and positive posts.
>
> 2. I sawed off most of the plastic ridge holding the battery handle to
> bring length down to 12"
>
> 3. To be able to slide battery all the way into the battery tray, I had to
> dent the box channel running inside the rear of the engine compartment a
> little bit. (It curves slightly forward just above the rear light, and I had
> to remove 1" of this forward curve). Was easily done with a hammer.
>
> 4. Now the battery fits in the box, but that doesn't mean there is a way to
> get it in there. Doh! Since the fit is so tight (1/8"), it cannot be lowered
> diagonally into the box, but has to slide in from the side. I had to remove
> the alternator to do this.
>
> 5. A slightly longer negative wire was needed to reach the post.
>
> At an 80A load (glow plugs and blower fan on high) voltage drop was .7V,
> about 1/2 that of my previous 50Ah starting battery.
>
> Martin
>
> --- On Thu, 5/7/09, Poppie Jagersand <poppie.jagersand@YAHOO.CA> wrote:
> > My battery use during camping is
> > relatively light, and so far I have
> > used regular starting batteries. They seem to die from age
> > rather than
> > use. I get 5-7 years out of one, and have had just as good
> > life with
> > inexpensive Walmart batteries as the more expensive Optima
> > red top.
> > Using a two battery setup seems unnecessary. I would just
> > be replacing
> > two batteries instead of one every 5-7 years.
> >
> > Now I'm looking to replace my 2002 Optima red top. A 55Ah
> > Optima
> > yellow top is relatively affordable at Costco (CAD 160 when
> > I last looked).
> > However, for less than that I can pick up a marine battery
> > with many more
> > Ah at Canadian tire. Marine batteries are marketed for
> > the use pattern I have (Summer use, mostly starting, and
> > some light appliance use)
> > Since I have a Diesel, with the battery in the rear I can
> > fit a larger
> > battery than stock. For instance, 70Ah is $99, 90, $114 and
> > 103Ah at $139.
> >
> http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/Marine/MarineBatteries/N~4294966494+24.jsp<http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/Marine/MarineBatteries/N%7E4294966494+24.jsp>
> >
> > These "Motomaster" Canadian tire batteries are made by
> > Excide (perhaps
> > at their Calgary plant). I have to check fit carefully (I
> > think batteries
> > are not returnable. Maybe I can negotiate to take one to
> > the parking lot
> > to try)
> >
> > Does anyone have experience with the longevity of Excide
> > marine batteries?
> > Have you used other marine batteries? Any significant
> > drawbacks compare to true deep cycle?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Martin
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________________________
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>
--
roger w
From Proverbs:
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