Electrical and charging system question

[crazyvwvanman]

Well, you have a Subaru. The Subaru alternator does not have a very strong output on the "battery indicator light" circuit and the GoWesty clunker relay pulls too much activation current for it. You need to unhook the GoWesty clunker from the blue wire circuit of the Vanagon fuse/relay panel. I assume they had you plug the blue wire into G4? If so, simply move it over to G1 or G3 instead. That should let the charging light go back the way it was and allow the the GW clunker to clunk on when the key is on, but not during starting.

Mark

[1-9-06]

[1-9-06]

The same Bently image of the rear view of the fuse panel is shown on page 97.119
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1987 Syncro 2.2L Sub

[crazyvwvanman]

Yes, connect to G1 or G3 but don't use a tap splice. Depending on options your van has you may find both G1 and G3 have wires on them already but if so there should be a dangling wire end free on one of them. Black/yellow wire with yellow plastic cover on a male spade. It should have power when key is on but not during starting. Plug your blue wire from the clunker into that.

If you turn to 97.68 there is an enlarged view of all the pin locations on the back of the 86-91 fuse/relay panel. The positions of the different G pins are easily located.

Mark

[1-9-06]

Thanks a ton Mark!

Found the wire you were talking about. Totally worked!
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1987 Syncro 2.2L Sub

[thatvwbusguy]

Maybe it would be worth touching base with GoWesty so they can include this information for future installers with Subie conversions. This same problem comes up on a pretty regular basis, but there has never been any mention of it in the GW documentation that I am aware of.

I get that they are trying to support their business model of using their parts combined with their engines etc, but that is just not a realistic way of thinking in this day and age of multiple engine conversion options becoming more prevalent in the Vanagon community.
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Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

[1-9-06]

Well spoken Thatvwbusguy!ell And good catch Crazyvwvanman. Im glad I at least had my Subaru conversion in my signature.
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1987 Syncro 2.2L Sub

[syncrogreg]

Hey there, Just installed the Gowesty kit and encountering the same issue with the Subaru alternator...

That said, my G3 terminal does output 12v when the key is on at ingition so before I crank the 2nd battery solenoid is already hooked up... not good!

In an event where the 2nd battery would be totally dead, at the time you let the ignition on the 2nd battery suck all the juice from you main battery. not good !

Let me know if you have an idea.

Thanks

Greg
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conversions: www.boxeer.com Common rail TDI and NOW PDK transmissions!!

travel pictures:
http://instagram.com/crepeattack/

- the Pastis build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=434656&highlight=subaru+diesel

[crazyvwvanman]

Yes, G1 and G3 have power when the key is on but only in the "run" position. When you turn the key to the "start" position there is no power on G1 and G3 so the batteries are not combined during starting.

Mark

[syncrogreg]

I get this but but battery are like connected together are like 2 bottles of water connected together at the base with a petcock. As soon as you open the petcock (ignition on) the filled bottle will start to flow in the other bottle and equalize.

So if your 2nd battery has been worn out during a night. The next morning if you put the ignition on and don't crank immediately by accident you main battery will loose all the punch to the 2nd worn out battery.

I see it as an maybe setup as it is very easy to let the ignition on...

There got to be a better solution that connects only when the engine is running.

Greg
_________________
conversions: www.boxeer.com Common rail TDI and NOW PDK transmissions!!

travel pictures:
http://instagram.com/crepeattack/

- the Pastis build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=434656&highlight=subaru+diesel

[crazyvwvanman]

If a given configuration makes the risk of current flow between the batteries too great then one of the various ACR products is called for. I like the SurePower 1314A and 1315A but the others can work about as well with pluses and minuses for each.

In reality this does not happen so much as in theory. The current that flows into a battery is highly dependent upon the voltage difference between what is already in the battery and what is outside the battery on its posts. A typical drained battery may be near 12 or slightly less while the full battery is at 12.5 or slightly more. This small voltage difference is usually not enough to make much sustained current flow into the empty battery. Plus there is the effect of the wiring between the batteries. Most times it is small enough and long enough that Ohms law comes into play and prevents much current flow, acting in concert with the small voltage difference. The voltage drop of the wiring makes the small voltage difference seen by the empty battery even smaller. If you left the key on long enough the batteries would eventually even out.


I am far from being a fan of the GW aux battery relay kit but it can be made to work in a meager and generally insufficient way. My suggestion for the problem earlier in the thread was specific to the configuration he had, with the actual GW kit installed according to GW instructions. I would never use such a weak setup myself.

Mark