Date:         Wed, 3 Nov 1999 13:21:05 EST
Reply-To:     ThingGuy@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Lashley <ThingGuy@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Is battery isolator better than a relay?
Comments: To: m.radtke@elm.az05.bull.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

In a message dated 11/3/99 2:50:35 PM, m.radtke@ELM.AZ05.BULL.COM wrote:

<<On the other hand, the relay simply connects both batteries in parallel
while charging (ignition on).>>

To connect your relay to the ignition is maybe a bad idea.  If your spare
battery is dead, it will draw down your main battery when you try to start
the van.  Connecting the relay through the voltage regulator, will allow you
to only charge your spare battery when there is a voltage present, (engine
running)

On my '74 Westy, there is a blue wire that connects to the relay off of the
voltage regulator.  There is no voltage present on this wire when the engine
is not running, so the aux. battery will not drawn down the main battery.

Steve Lashley
'66 Westy
'74 Campmobile
'93 EV MV
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