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Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:35 am

I got a '78 bus and had 2 4x6 speakers, 2 5x9s, a 10 inch sub, and a 200 watt amp. So, im driving to a music festival and stop at a gas station, and cut it off. Get back in, it wont start, tried to jump it off with a ford f-150; no luck. Thus, we had to do the clutch pop jig.
Once we got it started, i unplugged the sub woofer. This seemed to fix the problem, because when we arrived at our site, i tried cranking it back up.... and it did!!
My question is, how do i maximize the amount of power supply in my bus?
I got a CB im wanting to put in, a charging outlet, and somehow an outlet like the ones in the camper editions.
I was thinking mabey a dual battery relay kit?? A bigger, better alternator???

i just dont understand what can be done.

thanks & love
-jake

Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:11 am

2 questions first...

do you own a volt ohm meter?

did you tighten and clean the cables at the battery, starter, and chassis grounds straps?

Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:09 am

I doubt that your 200 watt amp is the problem, unless it is defective and has a short in it. The stock 55 Amp alternator is more than able to handle that.

When you say it wouldn't start and wouldn't jump, do you mean that the bus was completely dead (no lights etc) or simply that it wouldn't crank?

It is common for these buses, as the starters and wiring age, to be difficult to get the starter to engage especially when the engine is hot. This is known as the "hot start issue" and a common fix is installing a "hot-start relay", although you'll get some argument as to whether this is a true fix or a band-aid solution.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:20 am

^^^ :lol: :lol: ^^^ :lol: :lol:

WhirledTraveller wrote: and a common fix is installing a "hot-start relay"
and a common fix is just fixing it. Bad connections, etc.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:44 pm

I am curious/confused why the truck was not able to start it. I really think that you should check those grounds (at the batteries and the transmission) like Randy suggested.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:17 pm

no, sadly my bus is the "bare bones edition." So i dont have a volt ohm. I had planned on installing the triple gauge cluster that has that.

But yeah, the truck couldnt jump it, however, the radio could still play, lights etc. I really feel it has something to do with the alternator as this has happened before when playing the radio ON THE ROAD during long drives. I charged the battery the night before the drive, then when it wouldn't start the next day at the gas station my battery tester read "Low-dead"
And seeing as how unplugging the sub and amp resolved the problem, i think it may be drawing to much from the battery than can be re charged within the drive.
No i haven't cleaned/tightned the cables :(

Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:12 pm

you have a sticky solenoid. Next time tap (not hit) the side of the starter with a hammer or wrench etc and see if that doesn't make it start. It is not your sound system. If you were using 100% of your 200 watts it would only draw 16 amps. However I'll bet it takes like a 5 amp fuse so at most it is 60 watts and the 200 watts is "peak power" while drawing som energy stored in the circuits and not a sustained 200 watts. If the fuse that came with it is a 20 amp fuse then it might be 200 watts sustained. Regardless it won't tap out the 55 amp alternator.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:00 pm

hippieguy123 wrote: no, sadly my bus is the "bare bones edition." So i dont have a volt ohm. I had planned on installing the triple gauge cluster that has that. :(

Ummmm....... A volt/OHM meter is a tool not a gauge you install, you use it to test all sorts of things on the bus, around your house and even amaze your friends with your electrical wizardry by testing thier stuff occasionally :P You can even find out if the batteries in your remote or handheld videogame are still good :wink:

Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:56 pm

hahahah....sorry bus daddy....thats sad isn't??? Whats worse is i DO have one and i didn't know what to call it! I used it on the trip to.

Man its got to be the system.....why else when i unplug the amp and sup would it crank back up...as oppose to having everything hooked up and going down the road for two hours and it not starting?? Not trying to be defiant....just a bit confused.
Also, is the dual battery relay what i need to have 120v power outlet installed in my bus? If so, can someone explain how that allows me to sustain power while NOT driving??
thanks so much/...learning
-jake

Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:01 pm

hippieguy123 wrote: i dont have a volt ohm (dash mounted volt meter?).

the truck couldnt jump it the next day at the gas station my battery tester read "Low-dead"

No i haven't cleaned/tightned the cables :(

Bingo- You havn't assured that your cables and terminals are in wonderful like new condition. Forget your sounds, sound system, extra battery, and wall outlet and whatever else. Get to the basics. That's whast you have to be most concerned with.
And no beating on the stater is going to get it started if your battery is "Low-dead". A jump start is only as good as the attachment to the cables and condition of your cables and their connection to body grounds and the starter.
So don't waste your time with anything else until you know that your battery and cables are top notch. Then get a multi-tester. A $4 one from Harbor Freight is a real great one. Then you can start knowing the condition of your battery and everything else. And track down whatever problems you have. In dealing with electrical and starter, charging problems you need a Bentley manual. Like I said- basics and priorities.
A volt meter on the dash is a great instrument for monitoring the overall condition of your electrial system. All it would tell you now is that you have electrical problems which you already know. But that sure isn't your priority.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:08 pm

After you get all your cables and terminals clean and tight the dual battery is just that, a second battery that is exclusively for tunes, inverters and other things you use while you are driving or parked. You can run it down to nothing (not recommended) and the original battery is still charged and ready to start the bus, the tunes, etc. have no access to it but the relay will charge it when the bus is running.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:04 pm

Thanks guys!!!
Yeah, the cables aren't corroded/rusted like our transam, but i'm a going to look at them more closely the next time i'm out as well as tighten them!! (I didnt think banging anything on a VW was ever a good idea to start with! hhahah )

And also, as far a the the manual, .....I've got a Haynes but you all know how that is :p hahh.....People have been telling me i need a Bentley, but now i think is the time!!! lol
I hope to get my pictures up of the panels i recovered, curtains, and the '85 Chevy captain's chairs i installed....what an experience!
thank you all so much!
this helps tremendously
much love,
-jake

Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:15 pm

I had the same prob on the 71 Bay. Went out and, nothing! Lights were bright and the radio with the 2 twelves and 400watt amp still were wanting to blow out the window seals.

I could push start it no problem (well, the kids pushed). I finally took the battery terminal cables and the wires to the starter off. Cleaned them with a wire brush on the wire side and component side and put some of that anti-corrosion stuff on.

Started like a champ and I have about 100 starts so far. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.