Auxiliary battery wiring

[Whiskey Tango 801]

Ok new poster here go easy on me.

I have a 84 westy with a solar panel that is hooked up to charge a second battery. The second battery is tied to the main battery through a Sun Force 150amp micro processor controlled battery isolator.

So my questions are

1 I don't really know how the Sun Force works cant find any paperwork on it. Does it tend both batteries? I am assuming that the water pump and the other hard wired electric stuff (interior lights, stereo) are still running off the main battery. I can disconnect the main battery and test this but I'm 99% sure they run of the main. SO does the main stay topped up with the solar panel through the Sun Force?

2 Can i easily switch it so that the auxiliary battery runs all the electric not the main?

[Gnarlodious]

I found some minimal instructions here:
http://sunforceproducts.com/prodinfo/manuals/60113_150AmpBatIsoManual.pdf

Not to worry, the device is modern and does everything automagically. The only thing I am unclear about is wether it will charge the cranking battery while the aux battery is being charged. One of the points in the instructions says:

“You can charge the auxiliary battery with a battery charger without affecting the battery isolator…”

This suggests that it is unable to connect the batteries while the auxiliary side is being charged. However it may be the result of poor instructions or me misreading them. You may need to determine that empirically. If needed, it does have a manual connect so you can charge your cranking battery.

To be honest, you are probably better off getting a more mainstream isolator like the Yandina or Blue Seas.

Its not too hard to rewire your lights, radio etc to run off the auxiliary battery. Interior lights probably run off of fuse #8, which also powers dashboard lighter and brake lights (smart wiring was not the Vanagon’s forte). Radio runs off of fuse #9, along with emergency flashers. You are going to have to find the relevant wires and separate them from their fuses.
_________________
Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[Whiskey Tango 801]

Thanks for those instructions, Had a hard time digging anything up. We just got the westy a few weeks ago so i am still getting up to speed on it all.


Looks like it should work out fine even if i don't re wire, since it should charge up the starting battery as needed off the aux and solar. I have noticed when camping that the battery indicator under the stove goes down to the yellow even red once then back up to green without ever starting the engine so it must be doing something. lol

I have installed a digital volt meeter on the aux along with usb ports and 12 volt plugs so i can see very actually what the aux battery is reading.

Also seems that it will charge up the Aux battery when the car is running off the alternator. Was unsure if it did this or if only the solar was charging the aux battery.

[crazyvwvanman]

That is a uni-directional isolator device. It lets whatever charging source is wired to the starting battery also be shared with the aux battery, under certain common conditions. It isn't meant to share charging in the other direction.

So if the solar is wired to the aux battery it WON'T also charge the starting battery. Under certain conditions it sometimes might but don't count on it.

The whole point of the aux battery is to let you use battery power while stopped with no worry about draining the starting battery. If you set it up properly there is no need for the solar to charge the already full starting battery and your model of isolator will dedicate the solar to the aux battery most of the time.

Mark

[Whiskey Tango 801]

Thanks Mark,

Its making more sense now. Still a couple questions

1- Any explanation (other than its just not very accurate) for the battery indicator under the stove (main battery I assume) to show all the way down to red then later the same day back to green. Van was not started at all so no alternator charging.

2- I totally agree on having the auxiliary battery power all the electronics (lights, water pump, stereo) and only having the main battery used to start the van. Is there a simple wiring diagram that will show me how to make it work like this?

[crazyvwvanman]

One explanation would be that the kitchen led panel is hooked to the aux battery. You need to find out.

Mark

[fxr]

[Whiskey Tango 801]

[Paulbeard]

So what is your aux battery doing? Where do the camper equipment wires (connected to the relay under the seat in stock configuration) go?
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[DLJ]

Many of the Kitchen LED panel switches are prone to short out a little.
Try and wiggle the small switch on the panel, if led battery light flucuates you have a minor
short. Take panel out and re-solder.

[Whiskey Tango 801]

[Paulbeard]

so those work but the camper stuff that usually gets wired to the auxiliary doesn't?

Seems to me you would want all of that wired to run from the aux so you don't run down the starter battery. Is there a fuse panel somewhere with all of that that can moved to the aux?
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[Whiskey Tango 801]

[Paulbeard]

Well, share a picture/diagram of what you have in place so that we can see where you are.

I have a fuse panel behind my seat that connects all the camper stuff and my TruckFridge to the aux battery.

You should have a relay like this (the silver gray object top left) under your drivers seat with the sink pump and lighting wires going to it.

My battery lives under the bench with a BlueSeas ACR connecting them.

There are many ways to do this. Some put their battery under the sink or in the cubby next to the water tank. No battery of any useful size will go under the driver's pedestal though you might get away with if you have solar charging always on. Those are usually 44aH or so where most recommendations are for 150 aH or more.

A fuse panel and a well-known ACR are a must, I think. And I don't know what kind of solar charge controller you have. Is that part of what the SunForce things does?
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[Whiskey Tango 801]

Its pretty simple set up so far.

Solar panel runs to a "solar controller"
http://e-bluelight.com/goods-57-WELLSEE+WS-MPPT15+15A+1224V+battery+charger+controller.html

Then to the auxiliary battery, A 1500 watt inverter is taped strait to the battery.

The auxiliary battery is linked to the main battery with the "sun force 150 amp battery isolator"

[fxr]

It's possible the PO added the aux battery just to provide power to the inverter. However, I suspect most here would agree with me that an inverter is unnecessary as just about everything portable that could be powered by an inverter can much more efficiently be powered by 12V to (whatever volts) DC to DC converters. So 12V-USB or 12V-19V laptop converters.

In which case, I'd suggest removing the inverter, and after study of the Bentley wiring diagram, decide which house circuits would be better served by the aux battery, and move them over. This would normally be all those things you'd like to use while the engine isn't running. Lights, radio, 12V outlets, USB outlets etc.
_________________
Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[Paulbeard]

What Jim Crowther said. It's not really an aux/house battery as most of us know the term. It's a power source for an inverter (and other tech power draws) that may not be necessary.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[Whiskey Tango 801]

[fxr]

Yes, as I stated above, "after study of the Bentley wiring diagram, decide which house circuits would be better served by the aux battery, and move them over. This would normally be all those things you'd like to use while the engine isn't running. Lights, radio, 12V outlets, USB outlets etc."

Disconnect the battery grounds (both of them). Run a fused wire (14ga is OK, fuse it to 20A) from the aux battery, under the seat (I assume the battery is under the driver's seat) and under the carpet and up to behind the fuse panel. Remove wires (that feed the things you want powered with engine off) from the fuse-panel, and connect them to this wire you've just run in. A selection of insulated spade terminals and a decent crimp tool can help here.
_________________
Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[Whiskey Tango 801]

Ok I have finally started this project, I have installed the sub fuse panel under the sink that is where i will wire the sink pump and whatever else i need to off of. I have wired the sink pump to it easy enough. But when i started looking around for a 8 amp fuse to put into it it seems that none exist. So should i do a 7.5 or a 10? Or is there some secrets source for the 8 amp blade fuse.