Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2012 11:32:13 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Second battery in Westy
In-Reply-To: <4F539294.7050601@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
There really should be some thought and engineering to add a 2nd battery to get good results and not created any hazards. Except for the most minimal of uses the wiring and relay for the refrigerator is not adequate. The following should be considered.
The charging wire has to have capacity for both charging the battery and supporting any load connected to it.
If you're going to add say a 400 watt inverter (40 amps) and the Fridge (7 amps) and the battery is bulk charging (10-20) while the engine is running you can have a >60 amp load there. #8 wire minimum.
You also should give thought to control strategy. There are a lot of options. You will also need to add wiring for the dash stuff (stereo) and the interior lights.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of mark drillock
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2012 11:05 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Second battery in Westy
The stock aux battery setup works. What Harold is describing is something else and that text is not a clear about things as it could be.
Over the years people have installed an aux battery by many different means. He is addressing one of the poor choices that some some people have implemented, not the factory method.
Mark
mcneely4@cox.net wrote:
> thanks Mark. Do you, or Alistair, or anyone else know the reliability of this report:
>
> http://www.vanagonauts.com/Flash-Alert!-Dual-Battery-Relay201.htm
>
> after a little more review of what I thought I knew, this is what came up in both my head and computer records where I had filed things for when I might put the auxiliary battery in. I also have some other materials which essentially come down to saying the same thing. If you want the auxiliary battery to run things, recharge, and be properly isolated, you need to go beyond the factory setup.
>
> thanks again, David
>
> ---- mark drillock<mdrillock@COX.NET> wrote:
>> Look at page 97.9a, shows batteries in both locations, one labeled
>> Auxiliary battery
>>
>> Page 97.29 Camper wiring index, under Camper- Auxiliary battery
>>
>> some diagrams 97.34, 34a, 34b
>>
>> there is more
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>> Dave Mcneely wrote:
>>> ---- ALISTAIR BELL<albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>>>> What makes you say?
>>>>
>>>>> I don't think either VW or the Bentley would have directions for
>>>>> this, because the camper simply did not come with an auxiliary
>>>>> battery as an option or standard.
>>>>
>>>> Because that statement is absolutely wrong. Please read your Bentley manual next time, it has wiring diagrams for camper aux battery.
>>>
>>> ok. that was my understanding, that the camper did not offer that
>>> option, but that the box was there because other vehicles on the
>>> same chassis did. I, like Zoltan, was unsuccessful at finding the
>>> instructions for the wiring in the Bentley, but if you say it is
>>> there, it is. I'll try again. mcneely
>>>
>>>>
>>>> alistair
>>>>
>>>>
>
> --
> David McNeely
>
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