Date:         Wed, 27 Nov 1996 15:12:44 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Derek Drew <drew@interport.net>
Subject:      Re: Battery Relay for Aux Battery.

I must interject that I read in horror about this relay every time it is
mentioned on this list because of the idea that list members will try to use
it to connect and disconnect their auxiliary batteries. I don't like this
relay for this purpose for about five major reasons, none of which I have
the time to comment on here a this time, but here is a really crudely
written, hasty try: 

1. The relay is too small to switch in a big battery for starting purposes,
and also too small to operate auxiliary items that drive a lot of power,
like 12 volt chainsaws, winches, or killer stereos. I prefer to use 600
amp/200 amp relays from Wrangler and wire things up with 2 aught (spelling)
cable.

2. The relay hookup presumed with this thing is to disable the drivers side
battery when the vehicle is off, yet an optimal setup disables the
*passenger side* battery when the vehicle is turned off. Here really
important: the drivers side battery is the deep cycle model, and so should
be on duty when the car is not running, not the other way around. 

At 01:51 PM 11/27/96 -0600, you wrote:
>If you note the top of the teensy relay can that's behind the drivers seat in 
>the battery well, you'll see a tiny diode mark between two of the terminals.
>
>This is the wee gadget that keeps the relay open when the alternator is
running.
>
>Check it out.  It's not the ordinary 40A relay.
>
>--
>--
>         ___  / __   __/   ____/         Al Knoll HP Performance Technology /
>        /    /      /     /             Center    Roseville, CA, USA 95747 /
>       _____/      /     /             916.785.9453    (Telnet 785-9453)  /
>      /           /     /             email:  alf@hpptc38.rose.hp.com    /
>   __/         __/   ______/         ___________________________________/
>
>
>
>
___________________________________
Derek Drew                           New York, NY
drew@interport.net (main address for e-mail)
derekdrew@aol.com (alternate/backup, checked infrequently)