Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:26:56 -0400
Reply-To: Frank Lee <techedteacher@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Lee <techedteacher@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: proper battery fit
In-Reply-To: <20110924124409.X1GNI.1844007.imail@eastrmwml34>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Is it just the diesels or diesel na that have the battrey in the engine
room? My 82 camper does. Both seat boxes are open. Drvr side has the
referg relay. Id like to add high amp-hr battery, inverter.
Frank Lee
On Sep 24, 2011 12:55 PM, "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> Mike, and all who responded, thanks a great deal. I finally got everything
properly in place. there is something to be said for leaving a job when one
has become tired and frustrated, and taking a fresh start.
>
> So far as the clamp: I taped it to the front of the battery, made sure the
cables and vent hoses were well clear of the corners of the battery, tipped
the battery slightly and slipped it into the box. Wow! Slid right in place,
no wrestling, no twisting, no forcing. Everything fit! Made sure the clamp
was positioned properly, fitted the screw into the hole, tightened it down.
It worked like it was made to go into place that way!
>
> the positive cable is a bit of a tight fit, too. It has to be exactly
right (and the smaller, red cable fit with the bolt head that holds the
terminal in place turned down, as Dennis said) in order for the terminal
cover to fit into place and cover everything. It is still a close fit. Done.
Terminal cover in place, though there is barely room for the terminal under
it. The cover does touch the insulation on the cable.
>
> Now the lid. Gasket is worn, lip to which it fits is beat up. Straighten
that lip as much as possible. Oversize clips because the holes are worn and
original screws, who knows where. New gasket material fitted over the old
(foam weatherstrip leftover from a long ago fix of a leaky side door to the
garage). Covered the battery first with a double thick piece of old
innertube picked up from a tire shop sometime (must have been, I haven't had
a tire that used tubes since my mother's '52 Studebaker). New screws, fit
the lid in place, job done.
>
> This battery is too difficult. I suppose it is not in the engine bay
because of heat, but good grief! If I recall correctly, the six volt battery
on my mother's old studebaker was mounted to a frame under the floor of the
car, with a lid that accessed it. This battery could have been that way, if
VW wanted it away from the engine heat. There are other vulnerable parts
under the van, like the gas tank, and brake lines. Why not a battery?
>
> Thanks again to all who responded. Dennis's hint about taping the clamp to
the front of the battery was particularly helpful, but others also offered
insights that I needed -- particularly just the idea that it could be done.
>
> mcneely
>
> ---- Mike <mbucchino@charter.net> wrote:
>> AFAIK, the battery boxes are all the same. Keep the battery you have and
>> wrestle the hold-down clamp into place. I had to partly lower the batt
with
>> the handle (or buy a handle!) while holding the clamp against the side of
>> the batt, then lower them both into the box. The clamp bolts up high, so
>> it's not too tough to install once the batt's in place. As someone said,
>> make sure the positive post has the plastic cover in place (orient the
>> wiring terminal so it'll cover it properly), add a neoprene mousepad on
top
>> and screw down the steel lid. I can't go anywhere, if you install it with
>> proper care, patience and attention to details. Hope this helps.
>>
>> Mike B.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Dave Mcneely
>> Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 10:02 AM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: proper battery fit
>>
>> So, I just called the vendor (Pep Boys) and asked if I could return the
>> battery, exchange it for a 42, despite maybe a scratch or two from
fitting
>> it into the box repeatedly, trying to get it to fit. Answer was, "sure,
we
>> will exchange it." You're saying that would not make it any easier to get
>> the clamp in place? If true, then I would be giving up amps without any
>> useability gain. I am really uncomfortable not having a battery locked
down
>> in case of an accident. Others seem fine with that, but somehow, I
imagine
>> a battery getting loose and wreaking havoc. Maybe I am just overly
>> concerned.
>>
>> Is the battery box bigger on non-campers? Otherwise, why would it be just
>> the campers where it is hard to get the clamp in place?
>>
>> mcneely
>>
>> ---- Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> > The water cooled Vanagons came with Group 41 batteries. Same dimensions
as
>> > 42 except length. Still tough to get that clamp in place on the
campers.
>> >
>> > Dennis
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of
>> > Dave Mcneely
>> > Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 10:43 PM
>> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> > Subject: Re: proper battery fit
>> >
>> > So, the original from factory was a group 42. This is the first battery
I
>> > have bought for the vehicle. The PO had put in a smaller battery, that
>> > was much smaller than the box. It would have just roamed around in
there
>> > had I not done some shimming and fitted the clamp on top rather than
the
>> > front (no "lip" on the case). But every vendor quoted me a group 41,
not
>> > a group 42 as the proper battery for the beast. Clearly, that is an
>> > option, but the 42 would fit better. I'm not sure we need the extra
amps,
>> > but what do I know.
>> >
>> > mcneely
>> >
>> > ---- Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > > That clamp is designed for the original Group 42 battery, which is of
>> > > course smaller. I used no clamp when I upgraded to the 41. No
>> > > problems with any non-essential movement because it's a rather tight
>> > > fit. The mouse pad is a good idea - I used a thin sheet of neoprene
>> > > to insulate the top.
>> > > --
>> > > Jim Thompson
>> > > 84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
>> > > 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
>> > > 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
>> > > 75 914 1.8 "Nancy"
>> > > Full Timing Since March 1999
>> > > oldvolkshome@gmail.com
>> > > http://www.oldvolkshome.com
>> > > ***********************************
>> > > On Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 2:49 PM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net>
wrote:
>> > > > I finally got my proper, group 41 starting battery into the battery
>> > > > box today. Wow, extremely tight fit. With the hoses for gas and the
>> > > > cables, the battery is almost squeezed into the box. Now, there is
a
>> > > > clamp. My understanding was that it fits down the side of the
battery
>> > > > facing front, and onto the "foot" on that side of the battery case.
>> > > > There is a fitting on top of the box for a bolt to hold the clamp,
and
>> > > > thus the battery, in place.
>> > > >
>> > > > But -- with the battery in the box, the clamp cannot be fitted in
>> > > > place -- there simply is not room between the front of the box and
the
>> > > > front of the battery case for the thing to slip in.
>> > > >
>> > > > Does it fit on TOP of the battery? That is how I had my old, small
>> > > > (group 58 I think, but much smaller than this thing, anyway)
clamped
>> > > > in. But this battery is also taller.
>> > > >
>> > > > Help! McNeely
>> >
>> > --
>> > David McNeely
>>
>> --
>> David McNeely
>>
>
> --
> David McNeely
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