Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2015 11:49:37 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Finding the PERFECT starter battery! (UPDATE!)
In-Reply-To: <pkim1q00S17jzEJ01kinjV>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Patti, your old battery appears identical to mine, which I bought at Pep Boys 4 years ago. If it has the nipples for vent hose attachment, it IS identical to mine, including the strap. Pep Boys also sells the vent hoses in case a PO removed them from your compartment.
The new battery, as you observed, does not have the cover for the positive post. That is a dangerous situation, and since you observed that the lid contacts the post, it is simply not an acceptable battery for your van. Even with the post cover, I still cover the battery with a rubber sheet to prevent contact with the metal lid. I know that folks say that there is a rubber lining on the lid, but mine does not have one, just bare metal. There is a foam gasket around the edge, but no rubber liner.
I am disappointed to learn this, because I thought that when I came to need a new battery, I could go back to Pep Boys. Are you certain that the one they provided you is the one listed for the van, or is it one that they had in stock, and thought would fit? Such things happen. Does it have the foot for the factory bracket? If you look at the base of your old battery, it has a foot molded on the bottom that has a slot where one end of the factory bracket (clamp) fits, or at least mine does. This is a very secure way of holding the battery in place. Batteries without it really need to be shimmed with blocks of wood or some non-conducting material so that they do not move around in the compartment.
mcneely
---- PB <pbrattan@gmail.com> wrote:
> When I opened my battery compartment, it looked like I already HAD the perfect
> battery
> <http://s74.photobucket.com/user/edtech2000/media/2015-07-07%2018.58.35.jpg.html>!
> It already had a strap and a terminal cover, so I went to Pep Boys to swap
> it out for a new one. The new battery they brought out was a group 41
> Bosch, but NOT THE SAME BATTERY!!! The new one was slightly taller and
> narrower from side to side than the old one. We did decide that including
> the height of the strap on the old one, they were both actually the same
> height. However, this new one didn't have a strap or a terminal cover.
> Pep Boys claimed that my old battery
> <http://s74.photobucket.com/user/edtech2000/media/2015-07-07%2018.58.35.jpg.html>
> was discontinued and replaced with this new model
> <http://static.pepboys.com/images/productImages/56564100/BOSCH-BATTERY-41-675B-TOP.jpg>,
> which ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THIS PHOTO, so I decided to keep my
> core until I was sure of the fit.
>
> My husband, who was helping me with the install, fashioned a way to lower
> the battery into the compartment by using some ratchet straps that I
> already had. Once the battery was in the compartment, the bolt on the
> positive battery terminal connector stuck up high enough to prevent the
> compartment lid from closing properly. Since it was already dark when we
> discovered this, I decided to wait until tomorrow to check this local place
> that specializes in batteries of all sizes and shapes
> <http://www.batterypower-inc.com/home.nxg>. In fact, "Battery Power" has
> already BUILT a discontinued battery for an electric bicycle I have. I
> have also been able to find several motorcycle batteries of very odd sizes
> and shapes, in stock for immediate purchase! Had I known that Pep Boys did
> not have an EXACT replacement for my battery, I would have gone to Battery
> Power in the first place. I am sure that one way or another I can count on
> them to either resolve the bolt issue, or sell me a new battery that will
> fit as well as the old one. They may even have battery carrying straps and
> terminal caps in stock!
>
> By the way, while my starter battery was removed from the car, I discovered
> that my stereo, dome light, and fluorescent light all worked. I don't know
> if that means that I already have this kind of battery relay system
> <http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=2418&category_id=&category_parent_id=>
> installed. Tomorrow I will take a look at the aux battery to see if I can
> figure it out. I do know that there is a 12-volt receptacle attached to the
> aux battery, and I have used it many times.
>
> An up date will follow!
> Patti
> 90 Westy Automatic
> Los Angeles
>
>
>
> *♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪♪♫**♥**♫♪*
> If it's not on my Smart Phone, it doesn't exist...
> ●▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬♥▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬●
--
David McNeely
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