Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2015 20:17:22 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Batteries and solar panels!
In-Reply-To: <E930BF92366A4F31811276785E161438@BayouBillards1>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
My 84 vanagon I think works pretty well the way I have it wired up for the
aux. battery. I do not use the 12v fridge, but I do spend long periods of
time "off the grid" and I do have stuff that takes electrons...Lap top,
phones, lights, Sirus sat radio, music radio..emergency-only use to charge
tools, etc. My set up is pretty simple and it's been good now for about
4-5 years...
Two group 41s (if that is what a stock battery is) batteries from
NAPA...because every small town in the US has a couple of NAPA stores, most
are locally owned...and they have a good battery warrantee/guarantee... The
starter battery is connected to the aux battery through one of those big
cannister relays that are standard stuff for American cars and trucks that
have the tow-package..The relay (any NAPA store has these, I think) is
mounted under the drivers seat, as is the aux battery..which fits in there
perfectly...When the relay activates it give an audible 'click' or
'clunk'....So you know for sure it has done connected the two together.....
I powered this big dependable relay (I've had them in many pickup trucks
with campers, and American conversion vans, never had one ever fail) from
the X-relay under the dash...or any other source that is only hot after the
van is running...So when you are starting the van you are using the
isolated starter battery only. All my electrical aux stuff is wire to a
fuise panel inside the cab. under the sink, right on the other side of the
aux battery box under the driver's seat and it runs without the motor
on...the relay is not hot until the motor is on.......I also put a lighted
toggle switch just under the front of the drivers seat in the power lead to
the relay....so if I've run the aux battery waay down....I can switch the
whole aux system out of the charging system until I know I'll be driving
for long enough to charge both batteries...I've been told if you have two
batteries connected and one is almost dead...they 'equalize'...I try to
keep my starter battery in perfect shape...the Aux battery gets
abused.....When it dies, I get another and swap the starter battery over to
the Aux side and begin again....
If I want to assure myself that the relay is working, I just flip that
little toggle switch (the activator of that relay) and I hear a nice big
'clunk-clunk'...off-on-off...I usually just leave the relay activated all
the time....remember, it's off until the engine is running and then it's
on, connecting the aux battery to the starting battery and the
alternator.......I can check also by looking at the lighted toggle switch...
The power comes from the starter battery and goes right though the relay
when it's 'on'...they are designed that way...I did all this on my own
because I added some of a Westie interior to my tin top...I also put a
fusable link on either end of the wire that takes the voltage across the
chassis just behind the gas tank....for safety.....
On Sat, Jul 4, 2015 at 7:12 PM, Raceing Cajun <raceingcajun@communicomm.com>
wrote:
> You might try a "Group 41" battery. Came with Audi 5000's under the rear
> seat, so the gas's needed a vent. Fits the Vanagon box, and has the same
> post arrangement, as a Group 42. The Diesel version has 850 CCA, and will
> spin a 2.1 pretty good. You will need to drill a hole for the hose, be sure
> and paint the edges, and use a grommet to seal it from the elements. Aim
> your drill well !!!
>
> Skipper
>
>
>
> Very few available batteries have the vents on the ends to vent hydrogen
>> gas to the outside of the van. Frankly, I don't even remember the brand I
>> have, I would have to open up the compartment and look. But it has the
>> vents.
>>
>
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