Date:         12 Jun 96 18:14:00 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         GOLDBERG_DAVID@austin.austnsc.tandem.com
Subject:      Re: Help installtion Aux.battery 1985 westy

SyncroHead@aol.com wrote in reference to the solid state coach battery
blocks:
> "They have an inherent voltage drop across their internal diodes that
>prevents the battery from becomming completely charged."

Then John Wakefield adds:
> Thanks for the good tip.  I just went out and measured one, and it drops
>.6 volts, just as you suggested.  I agree that the the charge rate to the
>coach battery would be slowed, but since there's easily more than .6
>volts to spare with a healthy alternator charging system over the 100%
>full charge 12 volt battery voltage, I'd think that it would ultimately
>get fully charged, though slower.  That's assuming the alternator can
>"see" the load as a partially discharged battery.  I'm not sure.  Just
>how will a standard charging system respond to a .6 volt demand impaired
>coach battery?

To which I add:

I have seen a FAQ, unfortunately I cannot remember from whence it
came, that described how to overcome the voltage drop.  It was a one
liner so it is not too difficult to do.  The procedure entailed
putting the voltage regulator after the relay, or what ever you use,
rather than before.  That way the alternator would "see" the actual
voltage being passed to the coach battery.


Cheers,

David
74 Thing
79 Westy