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vwmaniaman
Samba Member
Joined: June 07, 2005
Posts: 562
Location: Grand Rivers,KY
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 Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:07 pm Post subject: Battery for Vanagon |
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Who still sells a battery for a vanagon Westy?
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Working on a VW is like fun with a friend!
65 Beetle
75 Westy "Pumpkin Van"
86 Westy "Brown Betty"
87 Cabrio |
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WiboBusMan
Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2009
Posts: 141
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: Battery for vanagon |
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Your local FLAPS - common to many VW models - a group 41 size battery will fit
W
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Science has sacrificed Truth on the altar of its narrative. |
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dhaavers
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Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7922
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: Battery for vanagon |
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You can find a battery wherever car batteries are sold. Whether the one needed is in stock due to supply issues is another matter.
| WiboBusMan wrote: |
Your local FLAPS - common to many VW models - a group 41 size battery will fit
W |
For a Westy, get a T5... much better size for the cramped box.
_________________
~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Italjohn
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Joined: October 29, 2016
Posts: 193
Location: Molde, Norway
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Silverghost500
Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2018
Posts: 1088
Location: Atlanta, GA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 5:57 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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Inspect the date code on the battery if you find a Type 41 at a FLAPS. In my area when I needed a replacement battery the newest battery out of all the stores was one made over a year and a half before from time of purchase.
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1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia "Von Westy"
Honda K24A converversion-Road Testing Phase
3-Speed Automatic
Von Westy YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhyZYxJEQrUuLnMbLleeIA |
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cmayna
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2014
Posts: 1148
Location: SF Bay area, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:34 am Post subject: Re: Battery for vanagon |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
You can find a battery wherever car batteries are sold. Whether the one needed is in stock due to supply issues is another matter.
| WiboBusMan wrote: |
Your local FLAPS - common to many VW models - a group 41 size battery will fit
W |
For a Westy, get a T5... much better size for the cramped box.
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Yup! Both my westy and '50 chevy truck use this battery. It is smaller than a group 41 battery, so if you felt it was needed, you could cram a chunk of a small piece of a 2x4 down next to the battery to fill in the gap. Again, IF you felt it was needed.
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'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Craig
Last edited by cmayna on Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:56 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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In my limited experience, while group 41s have a consistent width and depth, the height seemed to vary a bit from one label to another. And on the Vanagon the compartment doesn't have much leeway on height.
Date stickers on batteries (especially at the FLAPS) can be misleading. Some stores put a new date sticker on each time they recharge a battery on the shelf.
I also use the T5. Walmart turns over so much inventory that something like the popular T5 will be fresh. |
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 9935
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:08 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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I've never seen much variation in the height dimensions of any battery factory labeled as Group 41 and never seen one that was too tall. The length certainly varies, largely because some add straps that increase the length.
With a compartment that still has the added "sealed" junk many Westys came with the smaller length T5 seems like the way to go.
Group 48 was a size that sometimes used to fit great but they all became too tall a few years back as they were built to the actual BCI dimension specs.
Mark |
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bobbyblack 
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:09 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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| vwmaniaman wrote: |
| Who still sells a battery for a vanagon Westy? |
Only one reply thus far seems to be directed to the Westy (possibly) having two batteries. The Start, and the House are possible in the Westy, thus while there are mostly replies to what fits in the Start batt location, there should be some recognition for the house batt.
Now days, the House seems best addressed with LFP batts.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9799474
For Start batt, give your local NAPA Auto Parts store a call. Good warranty, can get you one tomorrow if they don't have one today. Further, the guys at my local NAPA assure me that their batteries are damn fresh, and built only a couple hundred miles from me.
That said, I am moving all my accessories (radio, power plug, etc) to the House side, so I will go with a T5 next time I need a new Start batt.
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SCM
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3118
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Battery for vanagon |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
You can find a battery wherever car batteries are sold. Whether the one needed is in stock due to supply issues is another matter.
| WiboBusMan wrote: |
Your local FLAPS - common to many VW models - a group 41 size battery will fit
W |
For a Westy, get a T5... much better size for the cramped box.
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Ooooh, I like that.
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Mulcheese
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Maple Grove, Mn
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:10 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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I just replaced the house battery with one from Napa. I have been buying batteries from Napa for many years now.
Instead of the stock 41 Napa has a 40R. Same battery just not as long and it comes with handles. Much easier to get in and out.
The last one I have lasted at least 5 years and maybe even 6 but I dont have a lot of energy draw and now have solar to recharge.
I have always used Napa as one of my main parts source for the van, other than Bus Depot. Between those two I get great prices and can usually have any part with in days.
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Schuylersister
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 7:42 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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For those of you who replaced a group 41 for a T5 is there enough slack in the positive cable to allow for the 2" difference in length? I'm hoping to install T5 all the way to the passenger side door (ground cable) side to make room for an ANL fuse for my new DCDC charger.
Last edited by Schuylersister on Thu Sep 01, 2022 9:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jan Steinman
Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2022
Posts: 175
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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| bobbyblack wrote: |
| … I am moving all my accessories (radio, power plug, etc) to the House side… |
I just did that exercise! Wasn't fun. Don't forget the overhead lights! As I recall, there are three wires you have to cut off the stock fuse block, and of course, you'll have to run a hot lead from the house battery to the fuse block.
While I was at it, I ran a fourth lead clear to the back for the backup camera that came with my stereo. You'd think they would have phantomed that power on the video lead… |
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Corwyn
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009
Posts: 2238
Location: Olympia, Washington
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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Doesn't anyone SEARCH TheSamba, before asking questions like this? Go ahead, slap my hand and delete the post . . .
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'90 White Westy ("The Longship")
FAS Gen V 2.0
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 9935
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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You don't really have to cut any wires off the stock fuse panel.
No such butchery is required.
You don't even need to access the back of the panel.
Simply pull fuse #3 and leave it out from now on.
Then measure the voltage of each the 2 holes where the fuse #3 was pulled from.
The one that has 12+v leave alone.
The other 0v hole is where you plug in the new fused wire from your aux battery.
Done
EDIT!! As Kam points out below my comments above apply to the later fuse panel used in Vanagons begining with 1986 model year.
Sorry for any confusion, I should have made that clear from the start.
Mark
| Jan Steinman wrote: |
| bobbyblack wrote: |
| … I am moving all my accessories (radio, power plug, etc) to the House side… |
I just did that exercise! Wasn't fun. Don't forget the overhead lights! As I recall, there are three wires you have to cut off the stock fuse block, and of course, you'll have to run a hot lead from the house battery to the fuse block.
While I was at it, I ran a fourth lead clear to the back for the backup camera that came with my stereo. You'd think they would have phantomed that power on the video lead… |
Last edited by crazyvwvanman on Fri Sep 02, 2022 7:34 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Schuylersister
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 11:04 am Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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| Corwyn wrote: |
| Doesn't anyone SEARCH TheSamba, before asking questions like this? Go ahead, slap my hand and delete the post . . . |
Many of us do search. I do always. Sometimes it leads down a rabbit hole. Wondering why this bothers you Corwyn? Slap!
crazyvwvanman just answered the question like the gent he is. He’s always a big help! Thank you crazyvwvanman. |
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Jan Steinman
Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2022
Posts: 175
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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| crazyvwvanman wrote: |
| You don't really have to cut any wires off the stock fuse panel. |
Well, yours is different from mine and from the Bentley, then.
According to the user book, any fuse you simply "pull" disables something you want.
The cigarette lighter, radio, and dome lights connect to two different fuses. |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7922
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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| Jan Steinman wrote: |
| crazyvwvanman wrote: |
| You don't really have to cut any wires off the stock fuse panel. |
Well, yours is different from mine and from the Bentley, then. |
The later vans use what is known as the CE1 panel, which utilizes 22 ATC fuses and has 2 rows of relay sockets. The fuse 3 modification referred to above only applies to these later panels.🍺
_________________
~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Jan Steinman
Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2022
Posts: 175
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2022 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: Battery for Vanagon |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
| The later vans use what is known as the CE1 panel, which utilizes 22 ATC fuses and has 2 rows of relay sockets. The fuse 3 modification referred to above only applies to these later panels.🍺 |
My 1982 T3 Westy has ceramic (not ATC) fuses, and the Bently shows that interior lights and cigarette lighter are on the same fuse as the stop lights. You don't wanna pull that one!
The radio is on the fuse called "Accessories," but that fuse also runs the emergency flashers. I guess you can pull that one if you don't plan to break down beside the road, or go up a mountain pass in 1st gear.
It wasn't really that much work. I dropped the fuse panel and buzzed the connections to fuses 8 and 9. As I recall, one had its own spade female; the other two had two wires going into a common spade, so I figured out which one stayed and which one got clipped.
Then I attached all three of those wires together to the one coming from the house battery through a 15A fuse. |
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