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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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 Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:28 pm Post subject: aux schematic validation |
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Been reading aux battery setups til I started dreaming about it. Now time to do it...at least partway. I have a decent, standard DieHard from my previous truck. I'll hook that up for now under the sink until I get the cash for some UBs or the like (all cash now saving for tires, see other thread).
I've got the Yandina, just need to get some 8 or 10 guage wire. When I do, was thinking of wiring up like this.
Any thoughts? Anything wrong?!
If I can get this done properly, then once I've got a better battery solution, I'll wire in the radio and such.
Thanks!
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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82WestyMan
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2006
Posts: 1098
Location: Western OR
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| Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:33 am Post subject: |
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Just wondering why you still have the fridge/sink on the vehicle battery instead of the aux batt?
That would take away the option of running the fridge on 12v anytime you wanted instead of stock option of only using 12v when the engine is running.
On my Westy, the vehicle batt is dedicated to vehicle only (engine, headlights, etc.) and the aux batt runs all the interior lights, stereo & amp, sink and fridge.
That way I'm always sure I can start and drive away from anywhere I've been camping and all the items I might use camping are all running from the aux batt only
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"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
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82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:41 am Post subject: |
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Only due to time and not being sure how to rig everything. I figure small steps first! If this diagram is correct, I'll leave what exists as-is and just add-on....then when I get the real batteries, I'll move the fridge/etc over.
Additionally, the battery I have is a standard, not a 'deep cycle' so don't want to drain it totally, which running on the fridge would likely do. And I can just keep the fridge on propane/shore power for now.
Appreciate the reply!
Anyone else? Diagram looks good? Will be picking up some 8 gauge wire this afternoon and doing it, so any other thoughts appreciated!
KM
_________________
--
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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patruck
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2009
Posts: 34
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:56 pm Post subject: Re: aux schematic validation |
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| koolmoe wrote: |
Been reading aux battery setups til I started dreaming about it. Now time to do it...at least partway. I have a decent, standard DieHard from my previous truck. I'll hook that up for now under the sink until I get the cash for some UBs or the like (all cash now saving for tires, see other thread).
I've got the Yandina, just need to get some 8 or 10 guage wire. When I do, was thinking of wiring up like this.
Any thoughts? Anything wrong?!
If I can get this done properly, then once I've got a better battery solution, I'll wire in the radio and such.
Thanks!
KM |
Did this set up work? It looks to be the best diagram I have found so far, or at least the easiest for me to understand.
What was your total cost?
Thanks |
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6247
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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This is the basic set-up that I used too for connecting the yandina and aux. battery. The only comment I would make is that the negative side of the aux. battery and yandina can go to a seperate ground. It doesn't need to wire back to the main battery. I don't run the fridge on 12 volt so I left that wiring stock as you've shown. I have a large Trojan battery under the sink too. You can check my gallery for a pic. You may want to run a parallel #8 from the alternator to the starter too for added capacity. The diagram looks good to me!
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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Yeap, worked great. Only variations to actual implementation:
1. As PDXWesty states, no need to run the aux battery ground back to the main battery ground. I just grounded out everything in the aux battery box to a bolt in that box, put through what I assume is a hole for a battery clamp/down.
2. The Yandina is grounded to that same spot (and inside the aux box)
3. I have the inverter running from the new fusebox instead of right off the battery, which is a little silly since it has its own fuse, but I already had enough wires feeding in/out and inside the aux box and it was cleaner to just split everything off the new fuse block.
4. I only have one 12v external at the moment.
5. I paired two smaller batteries, in parallel, instead of one.
Here's the battery selection thread:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=378499
Here's my resulting setup thread:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4111424
I hope that's helpful. Good luck!
Oh, total cost...I'm not sure...
Ultimately two spools of 10 gauge wire from Radio Shack = $30? (though I had some red wire already)
Batteries, about $55 each?
'Connectors', two small boxes (I screwed up a few), $10?
DC outlet, $14
Inverter, I've had for years
Fuse Block, $30?
Fuses: $10?
Crimpers and such, already had...
So about $200 maybe?
KM
_________________
--
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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Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:16 am Post subject: |
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| There are some great marine stores in your area you should use tinned wire a ask for some advice there they do those setups all the time. |
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sanchius 
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2007
Posts: 1455
Location: IN
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 6:11 am Post subject: |
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| One thing I would do is add a switched shunt that would allow me to power all systems off either battery. That way if one battery needs to be changed out, you can temporarily power all the systems from the other battery. |
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6247
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:49 am Post subject: |
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The Yandina has a forced combined mode that will accomplish combining the batteries. I do it all the time. You can start this way too. No need to add anything more than what's on the schematic.
Check out this thread for cheap wire and stuff.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355800&highlight=wire
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 11:31 am Post subject: |
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| KM wrote: |
| 3. I have the inverter running from the new fusebox instead of right off the battery, which is a little silly since it has its own fuse, but I already had enough wires feeding in/out and inside the aux box and it was cleaner to just split everything off the new fuse block. |
All well and good so long as your aux fusebox has enough ampacity for your inverter plus whatever loads you are also powering thru it. At 350w the inverter wil be pulling a solid 30A, and it can surge to 1.5-2x that amount if you power up any small motors (coffee grinder?) or other appliances. Your response to that might be "I just won't use anything that big", but I've said it before and I'll say it again, build the system to be safe at its actual capacity because you'll forget your chosen self-limitation down the line or someone else will violate your rule.
Most small fuse panels to be found at a FLAPS have a 30A rating, and automotive accessory ratings should be treated with skepticism since there is no rating agency to test these things; they just pull a figure out of their butts for all we know. Marine stuff from suppliers like BlueSea is more likely to be trustworthy, because there is an actual marine rating agency and reputable manufacturers try to get their stuff rated for that market. In any case I would not set up a system that could cause even the rated amount to pass thru a small fuse panel for more than a few seconds, and certainly not more than the rating, ever.
You have to add all the loads the panel handles together to know what the maximum amps-in-use may be. When you add the inverter peak load to the refrigerator or whatever else you have on there, I think you may find you are underdesigned.
But one way to keep your wiring simple near the battery (a desirable goal) but take the inverter amps away from the aux panel (since the inverter has its own input fuses) is to attach the inverter DC positive input wire directly to the panel's DC pos input. Make sure the wire you use from the aux battery pos to that point is large enough to handle the total amps of all consumers added together. Then your fuse panel can handle the small DC loads while the inverter has the direct line it really should have. Ground the inverter negative directly to the vehicle chassis.
And finally, if you are wise you will also add protection against any short-circuit to ground on your entire aux power network by putting a Class T or R fuse right at the battery positive pole. Size it to be larger than all your anticipated loads combined, in your case I would probably use a 100A T. This fuse isn't there for service or convenience, it should never ever come into play, but in the event that any large conductor in your network is ever directly shorted to ground, these special class of fuses will open under the sudden high short-circuit currents that could flow and prevent a wiring or battery fire.
Now someone will surely pipe up to say this is overkill and that they haven't gone to these lengths and haven't had a vehicle fire (yet), and my answer is, I really don't care how you do it in reality, but this is best practice, and since you're asking that would be how you do it.
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