Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 17:25:57 -0700
Reply-To: "Steven X. Schwenk" <sxs@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Steven X. Schwenk" <sxs@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Subject: Re: Auxiliary Electrical System - Only CDN$1100
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Two comments for others contemplating this:
(1) Trickle Charger: As with the author of the post below, I installed
a trickle charger...mine is 1.5 amps...under the sink and back against
the wall out opf the way. In my experience, 1.5 amps. is not enough
amperage, but better than no charger. I am going to look around to see
if anyone sells a charger small enough to tuck up out of the way in the
cabinet under the sink...which can deliver 3 to 4 amps. It takes my 1.5
amp. charger about 3 days to charge my Optima after a winter camping
trip. Forget about charges on the road. The 1.5 is too limited in its
abilites and functions.
(2) Optima Battery: You need to lay your Optima on its side....then it
will fit and you will be able to swivel your seat and close the metal
lid, no problem. There is a metal tab the length of the battery box
that must be removed, but that is easy to do even with a hack saw. The
exact details about installing the battery on its side are in the
archive and i think on http://WWW.VANAGON.COM/
The battery discussed in the archive is a side-mount, I believe. I have
a top-mount Optima (which delievrs a little more in amp. hours). I cut
barely 1/4 inch from the posts to asist in fitting it into the box. If
you do this, be sure to heat up the lead of the already cut surface
until it begins to melt....otherwise the inner post (which you may not
be able to visually distinguish) will separate and thus the outer
portion of the post will get no power, nor will whatever you have hooked
up to it. If you do not have a propane torch, any battery shop will do
this in 2 seconds, maybe for free. (Perhaps a better method to assist
in getting the top-mount battery into the box might be to cut two
notches in the metal for the posts to slide past instead of cutting the
battery. Plenty of extra metal from the remenants of that lip to do
this. I didn't do it as all I had was a hack saw, which doesn't quite
hack it :~) . The metal is thick there...no risk of cutting through to
the outside.)
I used a couple of rubber computer mouse pads to insulate the posts
while installing the battery, on its side, into the battery box. These
worked great. I can imagine the explosion if you slipped and shorted
the posts on that fresh-cut metal! The mouse pads remove this risk.
Once it's in the box, there's plenty of room for everything...all you
have to do is secure it in place so it can't move around (I used wood
blocks/wedges..."0" movement).
anyway....that's all.
steve
sh@interlog.com wrote:
> After many months of trying to find someone who understood what I
> wanted on
> the 82 Westy (forget traditional VW mechanics) and was willing to do
> the
> work, I finally found an RV place outside the city (Toronto) and gave
> him
> the job. Here's the details, for others who, like myself, have to
> rely on
> (and pay) others to do the work. All prices in Cdn$.
>
> PARTS - Optima 750U deep cycle battery-$200, ½ amp trickle
> charger-$40,
> Headlight Alarm-$14, 12V Propane Detector-$35, extra 12V outlet-$12,
> 12V
> meter+switch-$54, interior light and velcro kit-$24, isolator-$15,
> miscellaneous wiring, fuses, receptacles & covers, etc.-$26 = $420
>
> LABOUR - Install all of above, with all accessories and interior
> lights
> (except small light over driver's door), tape deck/radio, propane
> detector,
> etc. now wired to draw only from new house battery, both batteries
> charge
> while engine is running, trickle charger wired in to 110 volt circuit,
>
> change single 110 volt outlet (under sink) to double, (charger plugs
> in
> there with fridge), extra 12V outlet mounted near back table, new
> light
> mounted on ceiling of pop top, removable with velcro (now occupants up
>
> there can read at night)
> Total Charge - 8.5 hours @$62 = $527
>
> TAXES - various levels take total of 15% = $142
>
> Add some gas to get there and back a couple of times with 2 vehicles,
> and
> we're just over $1100!
>
> If anyone else in this area is interested, the labour hours required
> to do
> the job again would probably come down, now that I've paid for his
> learning
> curve! (first time he's worked on VW's - they are used to large
> motorhomes).
>
> Disappointments: - The voltmeter has a switch to read either "house"
> or
> "starting" battery, but unfortunately he mounted it on the trough
> above the
> sink, so I can't see/check battery condition while driving
> - Optima top battery posts are a little higher than I thought, so the
> driver's seat won't swivel anymore!
> - He couldn't find a 110V circuit breaker to replace the original VW
> one
> that often pops (and gets stuck) when plugging in a small heater. I'm
> not
> crazy about spending over $100 for a VW original - anyone have any
> ideas
> for a replacement?
>
> Happiness: - I'm all set for more self sufficient, well lit camping,
> and
> can run the tape deck and other accessories as long as I want, without
>
> drawing down the starting battery or getting stranded. From other
> posts,
> this Optima should serve me well.
>
> Many thanks to all those who responded to earlier questions when
> planning
> the job.
| 
