Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:46:46 -0800
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Power Inverter advice requested
In-Reply-To: <1321027263.1793.11.camel@Mirror-57H26>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 8:01 AM, Will Taygan <lists@alaskabiodiesel.org>wrote:
> I've got a SureSine-300 installed in the little cabinet next to the
> water tank. It's a bit of overkill, but the PO was doing video editing
> and wanted an inverter with no noise. It will charge the laptop, but
> only if it's turned on. The cell phone isn't enough of a draw to flip
> the inverter on by itself. Of course this thing is pretty savvy, and I
> can just flip a dip switch to keep the inverter on and charging, but
> it's annoying to dig around in there to flip the switch.
>
> I've also got a Marinco (6amp single battery) smart charger mounted in
> there, tied into the 120v plug inside the Westy, so the batteries charge
> when hooked to regular shore power.
>
> This is in a '82 diesel Westy with the stock battery moved behind the
> rear right tail light (It BARELY fits) which is used only for the glow
> plugs and starter. I use a second optima blue-top as the house and
> running battery in the stock battery tray. They are tied together with
> a Blue sea Systems Battery Link ACR - a "smart" relay. I really like
> the smart relay, it doesn't lose voltage like a diode isolator, but it
> does monitor voltage and connects the batteries after a minute of higher
> voltage (alternator working) and disconnects them after a minute of low
> voltage (usually after I pull some draw with the engine off.)
>
> Have Fun!
>
> Will in Alaska.
>
> You must have somewhere indoors to work on your van, Will.....and those
long winter nights....I see where you may have spent a few, sorting all
those "smart" electronics out and making it all work. I think you have
more in your Vanagon than I have in my whole
house....electronics-wise....(I am jesting, just joshing you)
I've found "smart" anythings to be a real pain in the butt....they are
so smart they almost never work for dumb ol' me when I simply want to turn
something on...do the job...then turn it back off....Instead, I have to
figure out how to 'fool' the smart chargers or whatever into just working
despite what their programming tells them to do or not to do... I guess I
should just "do without" when my Smart-Whatzit tells me I don't need it
working for some odd reason.....I should know better than to try to charge
a dead battery. Everyone knows 'only use a smart charger on a battery that
is in need of a charge"...not one that is really voltless.
Really, I am a believer in Keep It Simple, ___________! One of the
reasons I don't own a fancy new vehicle or a complex RV is because all that
stuff is not 'Owner Friendly' when it breaks....Unless that is all the
Owner wants to do...Learn how and then play quite often with the equipment
to keep it functioning.... Yeah, when everything is working properly, it's
really great, but it seems to me that most complicated systems...RVs,
Boats, new vehicles, etc etc....they have a 'sweet-spot' a time frame when
everything usually works properly.....after the bugs are sorted out by the
dealer until just before the warranty runs out, usually a year or so...I
guess we're only supposed to keep them that long, then buy again...
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