http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van_1299275510577/page_1536_1339/solar-powered-12v-trickle-charger-5-watt.html
or somewhere else at a lesser price....
to keep your battery in shape...
On Sun, May 10, 2015 at 3:40 PM, Dennis Jowell <dennisjowell@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Thanks to all of you for your information. I've charged the batteries up
> to full capacity and now have run the Truckfridge refrigerator for 20 hrs.
> Batteries are at 12.4 amps. Tomorrow will recharge them to full and shut
> the refrigerator down. Then watch the amp/ volt drop for several days to
> see what is going on.
>
> Thanks again for all the help.
>
> Laters,
>
> Dennis
>
> Dennis Jowell
> Scotch Hollow Farm
> Newbury, Vermont
>
>
> > On May 10, 2015, at 3:04 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > It's warm while maintaining my batteries, but I haven't had to charge a
> discharged battery lately, though I'd expect it to get pretty warm. I've
> heard about QC problems with some of those batteries you are using, which
> is why I suggest doing the leak down test. They should remain at 12.2-12.4
> for at least a week with nothing connected to them after you have them
> charged to the green light on the CETEK.
> >
> > Stuart
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Dennis Jowell [mailto:dennisjowell@gmail.com]
> > Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2015 1:33 PM
> > To: Stuart MacMillan
> > Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: Aux battery hookup
> >
> > Stuart,
> > Does your CTEK 3300 unit run quite warm when charging ? Both of mine run
> almost to hot to touch ( 3300 & MUS Polar)Is this a typical experience with
> CTEK chargers? I just finished installing the 3300 in my 88 Westy. I am
> concerned about the charger over heating. The manual says it has a auto
> shut off if the unit overheats.
> >
> > Dennis Jowell
> > Scotch Hollow Farm
> > Newbury, Vermont
> >
> >
> >> On May 9, 2015, at 12:12 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I also have a 3300, and it automatically detects the type of battery,
> including AGM. I just use the car icon setting (standard) in normal
> weather.
> http://blog.techbatterysolutions.com/the-ctek-multi-us-3300-charger-review/
> Use both the 3300 and Polar in the winter, one for house batteries and
> the other for the chassis battery with the 3300 on the winter setting.
> >>
> >> If you don't drive every week, use the NAPA charger on the chassis
> battery, and keep the CETEK on the house batteries.
> >>
> >> Batteries should last a long time.
> >>
> >> Stuart
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Dennis Jowell [mailto:dennisjowell@gmail.com]
> >> Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2015 3:02 AM
> >> To: Stuart MacMillan
> >> Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >> Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: Aux battery hookup
> >>
> >> Stuart,
> >> I just bought the CTEK multi US 3300 and the CTEK MUS 4.3 Polar
> Charger. I had the NAPA blue trickle charger on board the VW before the new
> battery install and ran this NAPA unit for 24 hrs with the new batteries
> by mistake. Hopefully no damage to the batteries. The CTEK US 3300 has 4
> choices of charging. 1)<14 amp 2) standard vehicle 14.4 rate, 3) 14.7 rate,
> 4) cold weather. Which one would be correct ? The new batteries are 22 amp
> per battery. Last night I tried the 14.4 rate. Any thoughts?
> >> Dennis
> >>
> >> Dennis Jowell
> >> Scotch Hollow Farm
> >> Newbury, Vermont
> >>
> >>
> >>> On May 8, 2015, at 8:30 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Stereo stand-by draw will drain most batteries in two to three weeks.
> I keep a "smart" trickle charger on all my stored cars (don't ask how
> many), or they won't start after sitting that long, and I've killed the
> battery after a few times.
> >>>
> >>> Do you have the right charger for those batteries? They are AGM type,
> and require a special charging profile. I use the CETEK 56-158. You
> should be able to charge all three in parallel properly with this unit.
> >>>
> >>> Be sure to do the leak down test I mentioned earlier too.
> >>>
> >>> Stuart
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> >>> Behalf Of Dennis Jowell
> >>> Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 4:02 PM
> >>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >>> Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: Aux battery hookup
> >>>
> >>> I've got to see if my stereo face plate does come off, then I'll keep
> checking the battery for constant draw down. So far the 3 -22amp batteries
> are at 12.3 after charging for 24 hrs.
> >>>
> >>> Dennis Jowell
> >>> Scotch Hollow Farm
> >>> Newbury, Vermont
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> On May 8, 2015, at 11:17 AM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> I also had enough draw from my stereo that it was draining my aux
> >>>> batt over time. noticeable if the van sat for a couple weeks. I
> >>>> never checked with the faceplate off because I definitely do not want
> >>>> to have to fuss with that every time I park the van. The stereo does
> >>>> have a remote. I wanted to be able to use the stereo with the key
> >>>> off, such as when camping so I connected the wire that is supposed to
> >>>> go to the key circuit directly to the aux battery circuit. I changed
> >>>> that to run through an extra rear defogger switch I have in the
> >>>> instrument cluster in one of the blank spots.
> >>>>
> >>>> On Thu, May 7, 2015 at 12:54 PM, Richard Smith
> >>>> <richard_smith@gnwc.ca>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> My brother has this problem with his: the faceplate on his stereo
> >>>>> has a significant draw (electro luminescent, not LED/LCD), and
> >>>>> whoever installed it didn¹t use the ³two 12v leads, one of which is
> >>>>> switched with the key² option that most stereos permit. So, what he
> >>>>> has to do is remember to remove the face of the stereo every time he
> >>>>> gets out of the van. My van is wired so the stereo is switched with
> >>>>> the key (but gets power from the system when the key is off to hold
> >>>>> the station memory and clock), and so I don¹t have this problem.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> On 2015-05-07, 8:30 AM, "Neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I agree with stereo unit draw.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> 1 Amp / 24 = .042
> >>>>>> So:
> >>>>>> 0.042 Amp per hour?
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On 5/7/15, Dennis Jowell <dennisjowell@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>>>> .... all power to the
> >>>>>>> fridge, solar panel setup are not connected yet. The problem that
> >>>>>>> is happening is the batteries are being depleted of power
> >>>>>>> continuously. The first 24 hrs it dropped from 12.9 to 11.9 amps.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> --
> >>>>>> Neil n
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> 1988 Westy Images
> >>>>>> <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical
> >>>>>> <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
> >
>
