Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2011 23:26:33 -0700
Reply-To: Daniel Rotblatt <d.rotblatt@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Daniel Rotblatt <d.rotblatt@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Inverter/Aux Battery question
In-Reply-To: <003a01cc4ee0$f9927e70$ecb77b50$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Karl, Andrew, Mark, et. al,
Thanks for the info. The van in in the shop for some basic engine stuff that I don't have time to deal with now. When I get it back first thing I'll do is connect those posts. I also have no clearance - in fact I felt really uncomfortable having those open cut posts so close to the metal cover plate that I not only put a piece of silicon rubber I had lying around over them, but dished the cover plate over the two posts. I'll probably solder the posts, but being that they are lead, and the gap is so small, wouldn't it easy to use a punch and carefully expand the outer edge of the inner post to contact the outer sheath? I'm a sculptor who works in metal, so this seems a logical way to do it. I'll take a look at the posts and report back to the group.
Dan
Los Angeles, CA
"Winky" the '85 Westy Weekender
On Jul 30, 2011, at 10:49 AM, Andrew Martin wrote:
> Karl is correct. Each post has an inner and outer post that need to have
> good contact to make 12V. The battery will put out 12V to a multi-tester
> but the voltage output will plummet under any load.
>
> I recently cut the posts off a brand new Optima Yellow Top for a client. To
> reconnect the inner and outer post I drilled a 1/8" hole in the inner post
> and used a wood screw to attach a washer to the top that spanned the entire
> post (s). For my application I absolutely needed the posts/screws/washers
> to be nearly flush with the battery case; the wood screw head was nearly
> flush with the washer. I thought I had photos but I can't seem to find them
> :(
>
> You probably know this but... 12V fans are available and they are more
> efficient than using an inverter to make 110V to run 110v fans. Go Westy
> sells a 12v clip on fan that also oscillates and I've seem similar fans for
> less $$ in Camping World.
>
> No need for fans in the PNW! 50's at night, mid 70's during the day...
> Wife wants me to finish connecting the Propex furnace.
>
>
> Good luck,
>
> Andrew
> Bainbridge Island WA
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Daniel Rotblatt
> Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 9:50 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Inverter/Aux Battery question
>
> Karl suggested that the posts on the battery that I cut off need to be
> reconnected. I'll do that and see if that helps - it's a brand new battery.
> I'm charging the phones off the cig lighter. I was also hoping to run a few
> fans off the 120v for the trip. 2 fans, 2computers, 2 phones - a bit much
> amperage for the cig lighter I think... I'll see if I can get this to work
> before I switch to 12v. It SHOULD work...
>
> Dan
> Los Angeles, CA
> '85 Westy Weekender
>
> On Jul 30, 2011, at 9:19 AM, Rob wrote:
>
>> A bad battery would be my guess, take it back to where you got it and
>> show them. My 400w inverter works well off my house battery (it's the
>> same type/size as my start battery) but I only use it when I have some
>> that has to have 120v. My advice would be to get a 12v power source to
>> plug into the battery cigg plug, that's what I'm running my computer &
>> charging my phone with right now (Paradise Point State Park, Woodland
>> WA, site #31, with freeway noise :-(
>>
>> Rob
>>
>>
>> At 7/29/2011 02:17 PM,Daniel Rotblatt wrote:
>>> Well, I just got back from a trip to Mammoth Lakes (separate post on
> that) and got a chance to try out the aux battery and inverter I got. The
> problem I had was that with the car off, the inverter didn't get enough
> power to work. When hooked up (and I tried two inverters and got the same
> results), the voltage would drop from 12.6 to about 8.x volts - not enough
> to run the inverter and it would automatically shut off. Thus, the only
> time I could charge the computers (keeping the kids happy), etc., was when
> the car was running. Is this how it works? What is the need for a aux
> battery, i could have just hooked up the inverter to the main battery and
> not used it when the car wasn't going an saved $175 on the aux battery.
>>>
>>> Hook-up:
>>> -brand new yellow top battery
>>> -Stock attachement to the starting battery (had to replace the relay)
>>> -Inverter hooked directly to the terminals of the yellow top - about 4'
> of wire, (I tried just 8 gauge with about 3' of wire, and finally with 3' of
> 8 gauge and a few feet of 12 gauge hooked to that with a cigarette plug
> since that's what was on the inverter).
>>> -Inverter is a 375 watt Tripp-lite (good reviews on amazon).
>>> -Voltage at the battery (when new) was ~12.7 , with car running it's
>>> ~13.6, with car not running and inverter attached it's ~8.5 -All the
> inverters I saw shut off at a little over 10 Volts....
>>>
>>> So...is that what's supposed to happen or is something not right? I'm
> planning a trip to New Mexico next week, so it would be nice to have it
> working.
>>>
>>>
>>> Dan
>>> Los Angeles, CA
>>> '85 Westy Weekender
>>
>
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