Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:01:37 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: deep cycle: best place to put? best size?
In-Reply-To: <01C3B788-C762-4F54-B3F2-96A539251439@sheilah.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I am about to either change the location my second battery or to install a
third one in my 84 with no pop-top but with the other Westie furniture.
First, finding a deep cycle to fit under the driver's seat? No luck, so I
have a duplicate of my starter battery as my Aux. battery under there,
charging through a mechanical relay to keep from killing my starter
battery. One good thing about this set-up is that two identical batteries
take a charge equally and can be interchanged. Bad thing is a normal
starting battery of that size (don't have the group # handy) will only run
my 'stuff' for about one night out before it begins to fade. A regular
starting battery is just not adequate for use as an Aux battery for camping.
Second: Under the rear bench would certainly be better for the balance of
the vehicle. Think about under the driver's seat....All the major weight in
a Westie is already on the left hand side; adding a heavy battery up high
just under the driver, ahead of the left front wheel, is exactly the *wrong*
spot, if you want to make the weight distribution right. On the right side
of the bench, floor level would much better serve the traction and stability
of the Van.
I put a double electrial 12v outlet adjacent to the reefer vent grill. I
got one that was made to mount under the dash of a vehicle and mounted that
on the back of that small metal vent grill, with the rear of the outlets cut
into the panel on the outside wall. So to gain access to the back of those
outlets for wiring, etc you just have to remove that reefer grill and the
outlets come out with it. Works fine for me, though like anything in a
Westie set-up, there are times when it ain't just right.
Don Hanson
On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 9:20 AM, Sheilah Rogers <sheilah@sheilah.org> wrote:
> sorry, i forgot to mention where all this is going:
>
> in a 1986 Westy named Vanna White.
>
> s.
>
>
>
> On Mar 17, 2010, at 9:17 AM, Sheilah Rogers wrote:
>
> > hey listizens,
> >
> > so i'm moving my second battery around. anyone care to share the perfect
> solution for this?
> >
> >
> > option one: trying to decide whether i want to put it under the driver's
> side seat.
> >
> > pro: it's out of the way, easier to wire up.
> > con: it's a smaller battery (that i don't have yet) and i'm not sure how
> much power that would really offer (eg: camping for 3 days with radio and
> possibly a midnite movie, lights, etc)
> >
> >
> > option two: take existing larger deep cycle and move it to underneath the
> backseats.
> >
> > con: takes up precious space. wiring will include going under van and is
> a bit more complicated.
> > pro: i have that large battery already and it will power things longer
> than a smaller deep cycle will.
> >
> >
> > questions:
> >
> > 1/ has battery technology improved to the point that a smaller deep cycle
> is better now than it was...say... 10 years ago?
> >
> > 2/ does anyone use their deep cycle for extended 3+ days powering lights
> (and some extras they've installed), a movie (or two), and stereo and felt
> that the smaller deep cycle was plenty adequate?
> >
> > 3/ other issues?
> >
> > 4/ i'll probably have installed a second car lighter in the back so that
> i'll have a closer place to hook things in for power. apparently the walls
> back there are thicker than the install packet provides for (to ... uhm, i
> think.. ground it or something.) so has anyone found the "perfect location"
> for their second lighter install?
>
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