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randywebb
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005
Posts: 3815
Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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 Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:25 am Post subject: |
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"I used 8AWG wire to run between the two battery boxes,.."
- I thought you were not supposed to add any wire to the red (hot) wires on the Yandina. Did I misread your post?
re the GoWesty kit vs. Yandina -- the Yandina seems a more advanced solution to me. |
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randywebb
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005
Posts: 3815
Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:31 am Post subject: |
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| 1991VanagonCarat wrote: |
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The main question I had was for hooking up the aux fuse panel. How much wire and what gauge I would need. I am going to be hooking up both of my power amplifiers and power inverter directly to the aux battery. I think the only other things running to the actual aux fuse panel is my stereo, interior lights and cig lighter. I am planning on buying the Blue Sea 5025 6 circuit with negative bus.
http://bluesea.com/category/5/21/products/5025 |
1st - you need to determine the total current draw at any one time -- i.e. what will you ever have on at the same time
2nd - how far are the wiring runs going to be?
3rd - go look up the size wire needed based on the above
Then either size a single wire for that -- or, more likely - run multiple wires for each circuit from different fuses on the panel, recognizing that it is still all going thru one fat wire from the aux. batt. to the fuse panel... |
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GWTWTLW
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2008
Posts: 2174
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:31 am Post subject: |
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| randywebb wrote: |
- I thought you were not supposed to add any wire to the red (hot) wires on the Yandina. Did I misread your post?
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It's OK to add wire, just not shorten the wire that came with it.
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89 Syncro Westy - GW 2.5, now with a double knob job
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singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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| rsxsr wrote: |
The appeal of the Yandina aside from cost and ease of wiring is that if you have a battery charger or solar panel tied to your auxilary system, the Yandina will maintain the charge on your Starter battery. This way, I can have my vanagon plugged in while resting in the garage with my Battery Tender hardwired and keeping both batteries up. Auxilary fusebox install this weekend and then the accessories will be tied in.  |
So, if I wire the Yandina directly to the alternator or starter rather than the main battery, will this still happen? I think the answer is 'yes' but I can't seem to get anyone to comment in other threads.
You are right RSXSR, "one thing at a time". I went with the Yandina b/c I will eventually install a TruckFridge or equivalent, which will in effect draw the aux. battery down farther on routine use while remote camping. Comments by Tencentlife and others suggest the Yandina will manage this scenario better than a relay. So, I'm designing and spec'ing the system with that in mind even if I don't get to the fridge purchase immediately.
I'm in the process of drawing up my plans in a diagram and will post ASAP for review/comment. |
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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17112
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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In the end you should end up with two independent positive busses. One for the starting system and on for the auxilary system. The Yandina connects/combines the two independent busses. You can connect to anywhere on the positive side of the starting system this would include the positive terminal of the starter battery, the battery cable end of the starter solenoid, or the positive terminal of the alternator or anywhere else you feel comfortable. The auxilary positive system can have the Yandina connected directly to the auxilary battery positive or the positive bus of your auxilary fusebox if you add one.
Yandina does specify to not shorten the two red leads, but lengthing them is ok. Ohm's Law will dictate how efficent your system is. The longer the runs, the larger the wire size should be used. Good connections are also important. The Yandina came with solderless aluminum wire eyelettes. I cut those off and soldered in heavy duty copper eyelettes. Too thin of wire over a long run and poor connections add resistance and can cause overheating of the circuit and a voltage drop across the distance. Anytime you have a "HOT" wire, it should be secured and covered so as not to chaife to ground and short out. The recommendation of slow blow fuses is in case there is a short in one of the hot circuits. Both the auxilary and the starting circuit can share the same ground boss. I am learning this as I go along. I am not expert, but am in the process of adding this system, so I have given it some thought.
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singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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It doesn't have to have the negative bus due to steel of the vehicle??Grounded version for fiberglass boats, etc... ?? |
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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17112
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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| singler3360 wrote: |
It doesn't have to have the negative bus due to steel of the vehicle??Grounded version for fiberglass boats, etc... ?? |
True, but it is handy to have the ground bus. Many accessories come with the positve and negative wire combined. If you are routing to the auxilary fuse box, why not take advantage of the auxilary ground bus? No need to drill holes into sheet metal just for grounds. But yes, both systems share the same ground.
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singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks to McVanagon and rsxsr for the posts. |
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singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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| rsxsr wrote: |
| The Yandina came with solderless aluminum wire eyelettes. I cut those off and soldered in heavy duty copper eyelettes. |
If the Yandina is mounted on the aux. battery side of the vehicle, then what is the best way to extend it's lead over to the starter battery? Can I butt splice in the 6ga. wire I bought today? |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: |
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Pretty sure that's what I did - ran new wire from the positive post on the main battery...
(behind the carpet on the passenger seat support, behind the rubber corner protector in the alleyway, then up behind the carpet on the driver seat mount)
...into the aux battery box and spliced it with the existing Yandina main-battery wire with a butt splice and a foot or two of electrical tape 
KM
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Current: 1990 Westy GL (Savannah. Good to be back!)
from '95 til 2008: 1995 Pathfinder (frame rusted out, charitable parts donation)
from '91-'95: 1982 Westy Diesel (Smokey. Traded in for far too little!)
from '87-'91: 1980 VW Rabbit (my econoPorsche - passed on) |
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buildyourown
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009
Posts: 1668
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:06 am Post subject: |
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Just buy you own parts.
You'll need some adequately sized wire, some Sta-kons (available at autoparts or big box stores) and the Yandina.
If you want to get fancy, buy a Blue Sea fuse block. This will take care of the fuse issue and make connects super easy. The stereo hook-up is simple too. Find the right wire, splice in the aux power, and pull the #3 (?) fuse.
It's intimidating to cut that wire, but it's easy.
If you by the GW kit, your spending a lot of money on wire and Sta-kons. |
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singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:17 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the responses, as always. Below is the response I got back from the Yandina folks. The 80A inline fuse I planned between the starter batt and the Yandina is too small, and now I fully realize why TenCent recommended a 400A Class T fuse in there.
MESSAGE:
Hi,
I'm finally getting around to installing my Yandina C100 into my VW Westfalia camper. Is it ok to extend the leads by running 6 ga. wire? Is it ok to cut the ring terminal off the Yandina lead going to the starter battery and use butt slices? Your recommendations to the following are appreciated:
house battery --> ring terminal of Yandina lead #1 --> Yandina <-- Yandina lead #2<-- butt splice <-- 2-3' 6ga. wire <-- 80A inline fuse <-- starter battery
Is this setup acceptable or even recommended?
RESPONSE:
Yes you can extend with whatever gauge you like.
It is OK to cut the existing terminals off.
I would omit the fuse. At times when the Combiner closes you can get currents over 200 amps for a short period of time so you may get nuisance blowing of a fuse. Uless the wiring is exposed in a steel boat, the fuse is nearly useless for protection.
Regards,
Ann-Marie Foster,
[email protected] |
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iiigoiii
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2008
Posts: 307
Location: Bay Area, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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| singler3360 wrote: |
RESPONSE:
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I would omit the fuse. At times when the Combiner closes you can get currents over 200 amps for a short period of time so you may get nuisance blowing of a fuse. Uless the wiring is exposed in a steel boat, the fuse is nearly useless for protection. |
interesting that she said that about the steel boat - that's essentially what we have. she's contrasting that to say a fiberglass boat, where if the wire's damaged it's still not likely to short into any metal. on our vans, you need to look carefully at how protected the wire is - if it is damaged it'll likely find a path to ground (say by something sliding into it and cutting the insulation, or is under a carpet where foot traffic will wear it). also - running wire through a hole you drilled in sheet metal is another possible short.
however, if the wire is well protected, and you've used grommets in any holes, you could consider skipping the fuse.
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singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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| iiigoiii wrote: |
on our vans, you need to look carefully at how protected the wire is - if it is damaged it'll likely find a path to ground (say by something sliding into it and cutting the insulation, or is under a carpet where foot traffic will wear it). also - running wire through a hole you drilled in sheet metal is another possible short.
however, if the wire is well protected, and you've used grommets in any holes, you could consider skipping the fuse. |
Drilling the holes in the battery compartments today took a lot longer for these reasons. Over on the starter side, the sheet metal was 2 layers thick, so the rubber grommet only protected half the depth. I wrapped the 6ga. wire extensively with e-tape. On the aux. battery side, I put it up through the same hole where the stock relay wires run and wrapped it with e-tape also. Tomorrow I'll finish and post my pics of the install in a separate thread. I'll wait a few days to glue the carpeting back down in case I need to redo this run from the main battery to the Yandina in the house battery compartment. In theory it seems ok, but I'll keep it open to detect any hot wires etc... |
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