Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 14:51:27 -0600
Reply-To: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
Subject: Re: Battery Blankets for Cold Climes?
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
I have successfully installed the battery blanket around the battery.
The main problem was the lack of space around the battery, and the lack of access to the side of the battery closest to the Westy's bow.
I did the following:
Removed the passenger seat, removed the rotating assembly. This gave me complete access to the battery.
Covered the circumference of the battery with the blanket, and started "jamming" it down into the thin space between the battery and batterybox. I used a screwdriver to carefully push it all the way down.
In the areas where it could not go all the way down, I just folded it over the top of the battery. Then, I put the battery cover plate back on, replaced the revolving seat assembly ( the hardest part of the entire process) put the passenger seat back on again.
Finally, I plugged the blanket into the internal outlet, and plugged the Westy electrical hookup through an extension cord directly to the mains!
It worked! And my Westy now starts!
BTW: An engine at -20C needs 230% more power to be turned over, yet at battery at the same temperature only has about 18% of its normal power. Thus, the battery blanket was born of necessity.
Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy all bundled up
<snip-----Original Message-----
snip>
OK, here's a dumb idea: There is an opening just behind the front right tire that goes directly into the battery compartment (there should be a cover plate on it - if it has not rusted off). How about taking some 110 volt heat tape (like ones used for wrapping around basement water pipes to keep them from freezing) and wrap the heat tape around the battery (wont require much room) and then run the plug out the battery box hole and then plug that into the mains??? Just a thought. Malcolm S
Marshall Ruskin wrote:
I think a battery blanket is a good thing, and will help. Do any other Cannucks (local idiom for Canadian) have any opinions or experience with this? Non Canadian opinions are grudgingly (suspiciously) accepted as well. ;)
There are two concerns I have:
1. There isn't much free space in the area for the blanket
2. I will have to run an extension cord through the window, I think. Any solution, even magical, to this?
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