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Which auxiliary battery to buy
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IOSilver
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Location: Clovis, Ca.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:32 pm    Post subject: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Hi all,

Looks like it's time to replace the auxiliary battery on my 1985 Westfalia & I'm looking for a good deal.
I have the relay kit installed from Go Westy.

Go Westy recommends this Interstate SLA 0190 for aprox. $160 shipped: http://www.gowesty.com/product/battery/4295/sealed-lead-acid-deep-cycle-battery-auxiliary-

I googled SLA 0190 & I also see this MightyMax Power Patrol replacement battery from Walmart for aprox $100 with free shipping:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/12V-50AH-Replacement-Ba...mp;veh=sem

I like the price of the Walmart battery more but am not sure it's a good choice for the Westy, although a reviewer says he has one in his Syncro.

3rd choice might be to find an Interstate dealer in my area & see if I can purchase the battery GoWesty recommends locally & skip the shipping charge.

Or......?

Hoping someone here can help me make the right choice because I'm not very technically savvy & don't want to harm the Westy by installing the wrong battery.

Appreciate any advice you can offer me.
Thanks in advance..
Cyndi
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ThankYouJerry
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Where is your existing aux battery mounted? Under the driver's seat, cabinets, rear bench, etc?
What are your power needs (fridge, stereo, Propex, etc) and for how many hours/days between charges?
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CessnaJon
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Sams club had t6 batteries on sale over the summer for $69. I bought one for starting and one for aux. they fit perfectly in the stock locations and work great.
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IOSilver
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Thanks for your help..

Whichever battery I buy needs to fit in the bay underneath the driver's seat.

The aux. battery powers the cabin lights, the sink water pump & the stereo (however, the stereo doesn't work with the engine off unless I turn the ignition key to on so it must be partially wired to the ignition switch. Not sure, but I think the reason it was probably installed this way is because the aftermarket Sony CD/mp3 player/radio has a digital clock that runs continuously even after the unit is turned off so would probably drain the aux. battery otherwise?) I know for sure the fridge in NOT connected to the aux. battery but no matter, I never use it anyhow.

I should mention that my late husband did a lot of the work on the Westy (such as adding the aux. battery relay kit & 2nd battery so I'm no expert on how it all works, but am trying my best to take care of it myself & want to hold onto it because I still enjoy camping in it.

I try & drive the Westy 1/2 - 1 hour once a week or so just to keep the oil circulated & tires lubricated, etc. The rest of the time it's stored in my garage between camping trips. I usually disconnect the batteries at the terminals & connect them to two battery tenders I have connected to a digital plug-in timer so that both batteries get charged a few hours per night, especially during winter months as the garage is uninsulated.

The starter battery is fine but the aux. battery will no longer hold a charge (I've been recharging & testing with a voltmeter & can see the voltage dropping. The display panel battery status indicator light also goes red when reconnected)

& there IS a Sams Club here in town, thanks for the tip. Not sure what T6 means but will check into these, thanks Smile

Cyndi
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ThankYouJerry
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Sounds like the standard aux bat location and size will work for you just fine. I think there is a thread here that discusses various batteries that will fit under the driver’s seat. An Odyssey PC1200 is a good quality AGM battery that will fit I’m pretty sure.
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westofcenter
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:02 am    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

I would recommend 3 UB12220 Universal wheelchair batteries ($40ish). Wire them up in parallel and they will power you up for a week! usage may vary Smile
They are 22Ah each so 66Ah is my math is correct.

Then using a kit from gowesty, wire them to lights, radio, cigarette lighter. I added a simple extra cigarette socket near the batteries as well.

Then add a battery tender and have it permanently plugged into the outlet under the sink. Just plug in your van when you need a little more juice. I believe it also charges from the alternator. been a while ...
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IOSilver
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:00 am    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Thanks for the advice,

I did research a bit on some other threads before posting here & became worried I might buy the wrong type of battery because I read a thread about someone frying their alternator after installing a Werker battery on their relay that was somehow incompatible with their starter battery (the technical jargon was over my head)
I also read there's no point in spending extra $$ on a Deep Cycle battery because GoWesty's relay kit is incapable of fully charging them anyway & complaints about the deception of GoWesty pushing them.
The more threads I read the more questions I seemed to have so I decided to create a new post (call it laziness, lol, I think I have a lot to learn)

Are physical dimensions & longevity all I really need be concerned with in choosing a replacement aux. battery? If so, I'm going to go on the cheap..


The Odyssey PC1200 IS a very good quality battery & lasts a long time (I had one previously) but at $240 is a bit more than I can afford right now.

Since GoWesty's recommended replacement battery is 50ah, I think I'm going to go with a cheaper 50ah battery from Walmart or Sams Club that'll fit under the seat if size/location are the only restrictions.

Thanks for all your help.
Much appreciated Smile
Cyndi
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HackAl
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Take a look at the thread here.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8849235&highlight=#8849235

I'm the guinea pig. If you can wait a week or so, I can let you know how I make out with might be a really good option.

I was also concerned about the GW auxiliary kit compatibility but apparently not an issue.
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Slimvest
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:15 am    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

My recent experience with the Power Patrol Might Max. Had to put the battery on it's side to fit.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8792615&highlight=#8792615
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IOSilver
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Is this this battery you ordered HackAl?
https://www.amazon.com/VMAX-MR86-50-Cycle-Sealed-Battery/dp/B00TPC2L9M
Looks like a nice option & would easily fit under the drivers seat.

I think I'll skip the Power Patrol battery since it only fits on its' side.
I like having the terminals on top for easy access.

I also see this one from Batterys Plus that would fit under the seat: https://www.batteriesplus.com/battery/sla-sealed-lead-acid/12/slaa12=44c_fr
But it's only 46ah & I'd have to back order it & wait 2 weeks.

The Vmax 50 looks like the best deal & biggest bang for bucks.

I'm going to call Interstate now & see what sort of deal they can offer (if any) on the battery GoWesty recommends before making my final choice.

Thanks for the great info everyone! Now I know what my options are & can make an informed decision..
Much appreciated! Smile
Cyndi
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HackAl
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

Yep. It arrives tomorrow but I'll install over the weekend. Of course, it may take a season or two for any real feedback. I can at least post pictures of the install though.

If it works, thank Davevickery.
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HackAl
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

It came today (90% charged) and I installed it. It fits fine standing up with room to spare and the lid closes even with the connections.

I had to install it with the terminals facing the rear of the van because I needed the + side on the inside for my positive connections to reach. I just had to lengthen my ground wire to reach the negative terminal on the outter side. I had originally envisioned the terminals in front with the lid gap providing the height for the connections. In the end, it didn't matter.

Time will tell if this was the right choice, but so far, so good. Thanks again, Dave.

(Where to I get the battery bracket to hold the battery down? I've seen it some pictures. Small, simple metal-finish bracket with one screw.)
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IOSilver
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:16 am    Post subject: Re: Which auxiliary battery to buy Reply with quote

That's great! Thanks for posting your results.

Been reading & trying to educate myself on battery types & proper charging & it appears a deep-cycle battery is the best possible choice to power components. (Can't ever be used to start the engine though.
& I learned you shouldn't use a trickle charger as overcharging can destroy them - always use a smart charger. & it's best to fully charge them prior to install. I found this handy guide online: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+tell+how+di...#kpvalbx=1

Sounds like the 50ah VMAX will work just fine for me so I'm going to order one too.

I was hoping to find a battery for less than $100 but after shopping around I didn't find any that really fit the bill.
This VMAX w/free standard shipping from Amazon comes out to about what I'd pay for GoWesty's after shipping.
I called Interstate & they couldn't give me a price on the one GoWesty sells which I think is this one: https://products.interstatebatteries.com/Product/Details/421059
They don't have it in stock locally & their pricing/ordering guy is on vacation.
I want to go camping end of this month & I think I can get the VMAX quickest.

The terminals on my existing battery face rear so I don't think I'll have any problem getting the cables to reach. I actually prefer that orientation for ease of access.

Is this the battery bracket you're looking for? Should fit your '91: http://www.mk1autohaus.com/Battery-Hold-Down-Clamp-Bracket-Kit-W-Hardware_p_7658.html

Hope the VMAX works out well for you/us & lasts a good long time...

Thanks for the help & info. Really appreciate it Smile
Cyndi
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