'78 Aux Battery Wiring

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Our 78 Westy is missing the aux battery. So hense the fridge will not work on DC. I would like to install one but am at a loss of which wires are which for connecting it. I have also not been able to find a Westy wiring diagram for a '78.

I found two wires coming from the fridge direction hanging in the far left engine compartment where the aux battery should be. One black with half an inline fuse holder, the other brown.

Also from a little box (relay?) mounted to the outside wall to the left of the engine compartment door compartment, there is a larger black cable with a small crimped on termination ring. Is this possibly the positive line from the main battery to charge the aux battery?

Can someone take a quick look at their's and tell me the few connections to this Aux battery?

Thanks a bunch. Paul

[MrBreeze]

Take a peek here. You can get all of the diagrams you might need.

http://www.vintagebus.com/wiring/index.html

-=Rob

[westy78]

Just went and looked at mine. First the two wires that are hanging. The wire with the inline fuse holder is the + for the fridge. The brown wire is the - for the fridge. The relay has four spades, 87,85,30,86.
87 spade is + to auxiliary battery
85 spade is ground to body

Now the 30 and 86 spades on my relay are not hooked up(just realized this yesterday). Normally on a Bosch relay 30 is the power circiut input which I would assume would be the + wire from main battery. 86

[westy78]

whoops hit the reply button to soon...

86 is the relay switching (control) circuit input on a Bosch relay. This is the one I am not sure of where to wire it to. I would think the - from the main battery? I am not going to hook it up there until I know for sure though. Hope this kind of helps and I will be watching to see if anyone else knows where the 86 spade should be wired to.

Jasan C.

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Yeah, that sounds right - mine didn't have a battery either, had to wire everything up myself. Word to the wise, instead of hooking up the stock (if it is indeed stock) relay, you might want to look at a battery isolator from Shure Power. Been using one for a while, and it works very well. Also, I understand those 78 fridges use a heating element which really eats up amps, so make sure to get a high capacity battery or you won't be able to use it for long without the engine running. I put a Coleman Thermoelectric in mine for less than 80$, and once I pick up a higher amphour capacity battery I should be able to run it day and night with my moderate solar array on the roof.

Just out of curiousity, does your rectifier work? That's the thing under the rear seat/bed. If your fridge works while hooked up to city power, then it must work and be wired correctly. If it doesn't work, your fridge won't work, as it only runs off of DC. My heating element was burned out, and its 50$ to replace from my local RV store (PPL), so I opted for the Coleman. Make sure it works before you waste any cash on the system, as the 78 fridge is non-rebuildable (I did some checking when I first got my 78 and nobody would touch it, although I think it probably could be done) and that element is expensive.

Hope this helps!

amounra

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Thanks to all for the information.

The wiring diagram for the '79 Westy fridge did give me alittle clue, but does not show the fuse right at the battery to the fridge. Still curious on the size needed there.

I am not sure if the fridge works off of A/C. I know the outlet works since I use it to plug in a portable heater and a CD to jam to some DMB while camping through Oregon. I will have to plug her in tonite to see if it is a go.

Thanks again all.

[Joel Rosado]

i have all the diagrams for the wiring. i don't know if i should offer them, but in any case e mail me at [email protected] and i will scan them to you.

[ratwell]

The wiring diagram for the 2nd battery is here:

http://www.type2.com/dakhlia/wiring_diagrams.html

[Joel Rosado]

i bought the kit from BUS DEPOT and trhe wiring diagram is there to. In any case drop me an email;danny

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Thanks all.

in plugging the bus in to the house and trying the fridge, still a no go. Found the three point wire connector by the fridge thermostat completely fried. Got it off and will head to the auto parts store.

To answer Amourna's question, I believe the rectifier is working, (at least humming) but found the ground wire was loose to the frame. Will check further after repairing the wiring.

[Adventurewagen]

If you want a simple diagram of the overall flow of adding a second battery check out this guys site. Some very simple diagrams.

http://www.geocities.com/harald_nancy/isolator.htm

Make sure to ad an isolator or you'll drain your car battery. I repeated this in my bus and have been camping happy ever since.

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You shouldn't need the isolator if the relay is functioning and working correctly. Power is cut off to relay after ignition stops, and turns on when engine does run to charge both batteries up .....

An aftermarket installation may in fact need this ....