Me and My Aux Battery

[thatvwbusguy]

GoWesty switched from a standard relay to the silver solenoid years ago.

In my opinion (as well most people here), the GW auxiliary battery kit is a bad choice if you want to reliably charge an auxiliary battery.

The problem stems from the fact that the GW kit uses the stock wiring as part of the charging path. This is an awful design choice that significantly limits the amount of current that can get to your auxiliary battery.

Do a search for "Yandina" and you will find all sorts of information on what most people consider to be a vastly superior system for charging a small auxiliary battery in your van.
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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.

[Balonya]

[jlamberti]

I installed a GoWesty aux battery kit last year. I just found out it hasn't been working because the blue wire is not energizing the solenoid (now my battery is toast). Funny thing is, is that I can get the solenoid to change states by disconnecting and reconnecting the blue wire while it is running. Any suggestions why it does work at start up?

[AlanD]

As I remember from actually measuring it a few months ago, the Dometic refrigerator draws about 7 A. I installed the replacement GoWesty refrigerator fan, which is quieter than the stock one, and it draws 0.200 A (200 mA). If that side of the Westy is hot enough, just from the sun, that fan will come on, even if the refrigerator is not on.

I had problems with the aux battery not charging well. I installed the GoWesty solenoid kit and that helped some. There is a wire from the primary battery that winds up going to the aux battery solenoid to supply current for charging. I didn't trace it all the way, but I think it goes up to the dash, connects to some other things and then to the aux battery solenoid. I could measure a significant voltage drop between one end of that wire and the other end when the engine was running. That told me there wasn't as much current charging the aux battery as there should have been. I improved the current flow by adding a new 10 GA wire from the primary battery positive terminal directly to the aux battery solenoid. That minimized the voltage drop and the charging is now much better.

I imagine it is not good practice to supply current from two separate wires, so perhaps I should disconnect the initial one.

I wound up getting a Werker 44AH battery and that worked fine last year, but now, with no load at all, it drops to 11 V in less than two days after being charged to 12.7 V. Batteries Plus is checking the Werker right now to see what the problem is.

I see GoWesty sells a battery they call SLA1161 for the aux use. SLA probably means Sealed Lead Acid. Does anyone have any experience with this one?

I installed six overhead lights so we can see to cook and read after dark. They use type 1156 bulbs and each draws about 1-1/2 A as I remember. I recently changed two of the bulbs to warm white LEDs from SuperBrightLEDs.com and they, of course, help conserve the aux battery capacity.
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Alan

1989 GoWesty Camper-2.3 L engine-9% higher ratio AT
1999 Subaru Forester
1989 Toyota 4WD Truck

[Rodknock]

I ran my Aux battery down to 11.8v, and after a 3.5 hour drive home, it checked 12.4v. I have the GW Aux battery kit with the selenoid, and my alternator puts out proper v and amps to spec. Gives you an idea on how fast things charge back up.

I gotta get a solar panel.

[Royb]

I ran down my aux battery when one of the fuses behind the driver's seat burned out and a fan in the fridge decided to run continuously- another Westy failure while parked in the driveway!

Although we've been driving it back and forth across town while moving, the aux battery power light still reads yellow. It DOES charge slowly, but I suppose a lot of the extra charge goes to maintaining the main battery.

Looks like a longer drive is in order!
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1991 Westy

[foodeater]

[GWTWTLW]

Thanks Jeffrey! Lost lake would be fun! We should also do a Monday at the Lab sometime! I'm definitely in on the next PDX Westravaganza too!

I've ordered the 16 inch wheels and BFG's from Gowesty. They'll ship them up with my engine next week. Got the big brakes too! Woo-F-In-Hoo!! Thank you Nationwide Insurance!!
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89 Syncro Westy - GW 2.5, now with a double knob job
@gwtwtlw

[FNGRUVN]

[carterzest]

[GWTWTLW]

[carterzest]

[GWTWTLW]

[Perales]

[kevinbassplayer]

I don't think the Dometic would last even 2 hours on battery power, quite the energy pig

[GWTWTLW]

Thanks Ed. The AW did have a compressor. I'll make sure I leave it as is when I hook up my aux system.
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89 Syncro Westy - GW 2.5, now with a double knob job
@gwtwtlw

[erdonline]

I don't remember what the current draw is for the Dometic, but it is quite a bit. It powers an electric heater for the ammonia absorption system. I believe the AW had a compressor fridge.

Many Vanagon owners are installing Vitrifrigo refrigerators with efficient, quiet Danfoss compressors, which could last several days on battery, depending on what aux battery is installed.

Ed in CT

[GWTWTLW]

[kevinbassplayer]

Heres how I hooked up my aux battery system. I used a sub panel with a 10 AWG wire running from the battery to the sub panel then jumped everything off of that. I also ran a wire from the aux battery into the main fuse panel in order to run the radio, all interior lights and 12v power sockets off of the aux battery.

Here's a write up on the sub panel install and how I hooked everything up:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=244500&highlight=sub+panel

[dan macmillan]