Date:         Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:43:37 -0800
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: A Current Question
Comments: To: John Meeks <vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <d81c42190911131810p11f32e7cw89a39b25e413732c@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Howdy John,

According to St. Bentley, the gauge of the wire from the engine battery to
the starter is 2 gauge. So if you suck all the starter current through the
6 gauge wire and them Powerpoles, you'd be putting thinner wire in the
circuit than the VW engineers thought advisable.

However, if you connect the two batteries and wait a bit -- a couple
minutes -- to let the charged battery put some oomph into the starter
battery, then I expect the starter battery will have little difficulty
providing the needed current through the aforementioned 2 gauge wire.

On the other hand, if your starter battery is verklempt then you'll be
wanting the power from your other battery to power the starter. No telling
what will happen then.

Try it and get back to us?

Me, I'd feel pretty confident that for one-time usage, a short run of 6
gauge wire and a pair of Powerpoles would do well enough to get me out of
tight spot.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Bend, OR
KG6RCR



On 11/13/2009 6:10 PM John Meeks wrote:

> Hi Group,
>
> I'm conspiring to set up both batteries (standard lead acid starting) with
> Anderson Power Pole connectors mounted just outside the battery boxes.
> They'll tap into the batteries with short lengths of marine grade 6 AWG
> wire.  With this setup, I'll be able to make a jumper to connect the two
> batteries for a jump start if needed and a set of jumper cables with the
> Power Pole connectors at one end and the standard alligators at the other
> end for road rescues of other vehicles.
>
> It occurs to me that I have no clue how much current is drawn by a starter
> motor drawing juice thru a dead battery jumped to a good battery.  My Power
> Poles are rated at 50 amps and the wire is good for 37 amps. Will the
> connectors and the wire do the trick or will I have a meltdown or worse?
> Anyone?
>
>
> John Meeks
> '91 Multivan
> Northern Michigan
>
> Vanagon Rescue Squad
> http://www.vanagonauts.com/Vanagon_Rescue_Squad74.htm
>
> Radio Call:KC8ZFN
>