Date:         Wed, 3 Jun 2009 12:21:42 -0400
Reply-To:     Harold Teer <teer.vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Harold Teer <teer.vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Pictures of Vitrifrigo Installation, Surepower placement,
              Iota smart charger, Blue Sea fuse box, Volt~Minder installation,
              and wiring
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

Recently, I posted asking for advice in installing a Vitrifrigo, a battery
separator, a fuse box, etc in my 1991 Westy.

 Many people responded on list and off.  A big public thank you to Karl,
Richard, Bob, Loren, Mark, Keith, Dennis and others who provided assistance
and thanks for their patience in answering my questions.

Now that I have almost finished all of the work before we take off for a
good long trip this summer, I wanted to post some pictures and some
information that may help others.

*Volt~Minder *---  I wanted a way to accurately, but inexpensively monitor
my auxiliary battery and found it in a product called the Volt~Minder, a
device developed by a truck driver to sound an alarm when the battery
reaches a preset level that you can control.  It also provides a digital
readout to give you the voltage at the battery at all times and it only draws
25 milliamps.   While you can purchase the device from many online
merchants, I bought mine from the inventor and his $30 price includes
shipping and he tests each unit before it ships.  His communication is great
and he gives his phone number for any questions that you may have.   His
website is: "http://www.voltminder.com/ <http://www.voltminder.com/> "   You
could connect a switch to the wire from the Volt~Minder and then connect a
live line from the auxiliary battery and a live line from the starting
battery and then switch to see the status of either battery.  I didn't do
this since I left the display panel wired to the starting battery and I am
really most concerned about the status of the auxiliary battery.
Link to my pictures of the Volt~Minder installation:  “
http://picasaweb.google.com/teerhb/VoltMinder?authkey=Gv1sRgCOGL6dyyl9_o3gE#
”


*Vitrifrigo Installation * -- In installing the Vitrifrigo, I used
information from Karl, Richard, Bob and others to decide how Ito proceed.  I
decided to not install a drawer underneath the Vitrifirgo so that I could
use that space for a Iota DLS-30/IQ4 smart charger.  The Iota unit is an
inch shorter in heigth than the PD units and it fit under the fridge and is
connected to the fuse panel with 8AWG wire.  Communication with Iota tech
support was great when I phoned or emailed questions.  I reused the grill
from the old fridge to provide air flow for the Iota and the fridge.
Link to my Vitrifrigo installation:

“
http://picasaweb.google.com/teerhb/VitrifrigoInstallation?authkey=Gv1sRgCKDSsozy0-j4tgE#
”

*Surepower, Fuse Box, and four Battery Installation* --  I ran an 8AWG line
from the main battery box to the auxiliary box and used the Surepower 1315
to connect/separate the two batteries.  Since my wife and I go to some
pretty remote areas for extened periods I wanted as much battery capacity as
I could place in the auxiliary battery box.  I used Karl's idea of the four
UB12220 batteries and connected them with 6AWG wire to a Blue Sea fuse box
behind the drivers seat and connected the fridge, my Propex heater, my rear
bed light, the Iota smart charger, an inverter, and the radio/interior
lights to that fuse box.  I removed the old two fuse box and connected the
power line to the old relay to the display panel line and water pump and put
an inline fuse in that line.  I did that since I wanted the display panel to
provide me with the status of the starting battery.
Link to my Surepower, Blue Sea fuse box, UB12220 installation:  “
http://picasaweb.google.com/teerhb/UB12220BatteriesSurepower1315BlueSeaFuseBoxAndWiring?authkey=Gv1sRgCIOhiZXuu-WPCw#
”


*Rear Table Tube Modification * --  While searching this list and the Samba
forum for information on the Vitrifrigo, smart battery chargers, etc, I
stumbled across a couple of ideas people had for allowing the rear table to
be raised for access to the two rear storage cabinets rather than having to
swing the table out.  One idea seemed too complicated and the other used a
tube size I could not find.  In looking at my collection of odds and ends I
found an old piece of plastic water line that worked perfectly and
installation was extremely easy.  My wife is absolutely thrilled with this
modification.  If VW still made the Westy, I'll bet they would have done
something like this.
Link to Table tube:

“http://picasaweb.google.com/teerhb/TableTube?authkey=Gv1sRgCMWknsKatp2nCw#”


Perhaps some of the above is helpful to people who are considering any of
these additions or modifications.

Hope to see some of you on the road this summer.

Harold
___
Harold Teer
1991 Westy (Vangaux)
Harrisonburg, VA