Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:17:46 -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
In-Reply-To: <016601ca64de$54d1bfb0$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
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Scott o' Turbovans writes
> I have always been very impressed that on a traditional small airplane,
> like a basic Cessna, *everything* if fully manual control. You have to
> be smarter to operate something with fully manual controls and no
> automated features, , but it's simpler, more reliable, and has multiple
> modes of operation.
Me, too. I like having intelligent (read: my) control. I'm comfortable
with making decisions based on what my senses and instrumentation tell me.
That is, until my brain shrivels from age and self-medication.
Simpler, more reliable, with multiple modes of operation. The way I like
my women.*
==============
* Okay, that's stupid. I'm still refining my "that's the way I like my
women" line of humor.
--
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 7:55 PM Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> it was asked how much current a starter draws. up to 150 amps I'd say.
> and up to 100 easily, as a wild guess.
>
> here's how I do it. this is a 'manual control' system, but it 'does
> everything.' I have two batteries wired in parallel, with a battery
> switch on each one, on either the ground cable, or the hot cable, but
> each has a big fat battery switch.
>
> you assign say, your right side battery as the Starting battery. When
> you start up the van, you close # 2 battery switch, and then you are
> charging both batts.
>
> when you shut down, you open the # 2 battery switch, keeping it for
> 'house' use. If your Starting battery gets low, and you happen to have
> good power in your house battery, you 'jump start' yourself by opening
> the switch the starting battery, and starting off the house battery.
>
> if both are low ore weak, you close both switches and start off both
> batts. It's fully flexible this way. either battery can be the starting
> battery, and there is always the option of starting off both. ( you
> never want to wired full time in parallel, because if one is weak, it
> will suck power out of the good battery, and it's hard to tell which
> one is the weak one sometimes. )
>
> oh yeah, you do have to run full size battery cables to the house
> battery, but the starting capability is worth it.
>
> < btw, this is an example of a system or circuit that can still work,
> i.e. keep you moving, when something is not right. German engineers
> love to make things so they only work right when they ARE right - like
> if you have a great house battery, and weak starting battery
> ........other than removing both batteries, there's no easy way to
> access that good power in the house battery, - well, jumper cables, but
> that's a hassle, when you could just build the circuit to be flexible
> and redundant in the first place. >
>
> There is just one caveat. You must make sure *at least one* of the
> batteries is always connected. Running the engine with the alternator
> connected to NO battery, can harm the alternator for sure. As long as
> you don't screw up and open both battery switches while it's running,
> you're fine.
>
> On a non-swivel driver's seat, I mount the switch just aft of the
> parking brake, for the left side battery. On a westy with two swivel
> seats, I mount them near where your heels are ........and the front of
> the seat , down near the floor. Works perfectly. I have always been
> very impressed that on a traditional small airplane, like a basic
> Cessna, *everything* if fully manual control. You have to be smarter to
> operate something with fully manual controls and no automated features,
> , but it's simpler, more reliable, and has multiple modes of operation.
> Scott www.turbovans.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rocket J Squirrel"
> <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent:
> Friday, November 13, 2009 6:43 PM Subject: Re: A Current Question
>
>
>> 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
>>>
>
>
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