Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:46:44 -0500
Reply-To: John Meeks <vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Meeks <vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: A Current Question
In-Reply-To: <016601ca64de$54d1bfb0$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Thanks for the input. Sounds like a totally flexible system as long as you
keep your switch positions straight. What I really want is to be able to do
is tap a jump start without moving the seat to access the battery
compartment.
I already have my house battery charging with a SurePower 1315 separator
which works really well. Maybe I'll just wire up the aux battery assist
function. All I'd need then is one PowerPole to plug my modded jumper cables
into.
Since most jumper cables are 6GA wire, I'm thinkin' my 6 gauge from battery
to connector be otay. I'll post some pix somewhere when I get it set up.
Thanks,
John
On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 10:55 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> it was asked how much current a starter draws.
> up to 150 amps I'd say.
> and up to 100 easily, as a wild guess.
>
> here's how I do it.
> this is a 'manual control' system, but it 'does everything.'
> I have two batteries wired in parallel, with a battery switch on each one,
> on either the ground cable, or the hot cable, but each has a big fat
> battery
> switch.
>
> you assign say, your right side battery as the Starting battery. When you
> start up the van, you close # 2 battery switch, and then you are charging
> both batts.
>
> when you shut down, you open the # 2 battery switch, keeping it for 'house'
> use.
> If your Starting battery gets low, and you happen to have good power in
> your
> house battery, you 'jump start' yourself by opening the switch the starting
> battery, and starting off the house battery.
>
> if both are low ore weak, you close both switches and start off both batts.
> It's fully flexible this way.
> either battery can be the starting battery, and there is always the option
> of starting off both.
> ( you never want to wired full time in parallel, because if one is weak, it
> will suck power out of the good battery, and it's hard to tell which one is
> the weak one sometimes. )
>
> oh yeah, you do have to run full size battery cables to the house battery,
> but the starting capability is worth it.
>
> < btw, this is an example of a system or circuit that can still work, i.e.
> keep you moving, when something is not right. German engineers love to
> make
> things so they only work right when they ARE right - like if you have a
> great house battery, and weak starting battery ........other than removing
> both batteries, there's no easy way to access that good power in the house
> battery, - well, jumper cables, but that's a hassle, when you could just
> build the circuit to be flexible and redundant in the first place. >
>
> There is just one caveat. You must make sure *at least one* of the
> batteries
> is always connected. Running the engine with the alternator connected to
> NO
> battery, can harm the alternator for sure. As long as you don't screw up
> and open both battery switches while it's running, you're fine.
>
> On a non-swivel driver's seat, I mount the switch just aft of the parking
> brake, for the left side battery.
> On a westy with two swivel seats, I mount them near where your heels are
> ........and the front of the seat , down near the floor.
> Works perfectly.
> I have always been very impressed that on a traditional small airplane,
> like
> a basic Cessna, *everything* if fully manual control.
> You have to be smarter to operate something with fully manual controls and
> no automated features, , but it's simpler, more reliable, and has multiple
> modes of operation.
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rocket J Squirrel" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 6:43 PM
> Subject: Re: A Current Question
>
>
> Howdy John,
>>
>> According to St. Bentley, the gauge of the wire from the engine battery to
>> the starter is 2 gauge. So if you suck all the starter current through the
>> 6 gauge wire and them Powerpoles, you'd be putting thinner wire in the
>> circuit than the VW engineers thought advisable.
>>
>> However, if you connect the two batteries and wait a bit -- a couple
>> minutes -- to let the charged battery put some oomph into the starter
>> battery, then I expect the starter battery will have little difficulty
>> providing the needed current through the aforementioned 2 gauge wire.
>>
>> On the other hand, if your starter battery is verklempt then you'll be
>> wanting the power from your other battery to power the starter. No telling
>> what will happen then.
>>
>> Try it and get back to us?
>>
>> Me, I'd feel pretty confident that for one-time usage, a short run of 6
>> gauge wire and a pair of Powerpoles would do well enough to get me out of
>> tight spot.
>>
>> --
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
>> Bend, OR
>> KG6RCR
>>
>>
>>
>> On 11/13/2009 6:10 PM John Meeks wrote:
>>
>> Hi Group,
>>>
>>> I'm conspiring to set up both batteries (standard lead acid starting)
>>> with
>>> Anderson Power Pole connectors mounted just outside the battery boxes.
>>> They'll tap into the batteries with short lengths of marine grade 6 AWG
>>> wire. With this setup, I'll be able to make a jumper to connect the two
>>> batteries for a jump start if needed and a set of jumper cables with the
>>> Power Pole connectors at one end and the standard alligators at the other
>>> end for road rescues of other vehicles.
>>>
>>> It occurs to me that I have no clue how much current is drawn by a
>>> starter
>>> motor drawing juice thru a dead battery jumped to a good battery. My
>>> Power
>>> Poles are rated at 50 amps and the wire is good for 37 amps. Will the
>>> connectors and the wire do the trick or will I have a meltdown or worse?
>>> Anyone?
>>>
>>>
>>> John Meeks
>>> '91 Multivan
>>> Northern Michigan
>>>
>>> Vanagon Rescue Squad
>>> http://www.vanagonauts.com/Vanagon_Rescue_Squad74.htm
>>>
>>> Radio Call:KC8ZFN
>>>
>>>
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