We used it..... and this happened to us too! We ended up increasing the
fuse size to 20 amp, now it appears to be working fine.

At 11:44 AM 12/13/2001 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi Ron & all,
> I am wondering if anyone other that Sean B & myself
>have tried the Hella battery relay from Bus Depot &
>found it to be worthless?
>
>I installed exactly like the instructions & when you
>turn on the ignition, the fuse pops immediately. Sean
>had the exact same problem & he feels it's the tiny
>little wires can't handle the load. I feel the same. I
>went with Sean's solution of using a large relay from
>Newark Electronics, (idea originating from Mark
>Drillock) & have had no problems.
>
>I was wondering if anyone had the Hella actually work
>& if they can explain their installation? Ron, any
>comments or complaint stories?
>
>I am afraid of the starting battery being effected by
>a low aux. But am considering adding a toggle to
>disconnect the aux for starting after heavy usage.
>
>Any insight appreciated.
>Thanks,
>
>David K.
>
>
>Ron Wrote:
>
>Date:    Wed, 12 Dec 2001 07:15:05 -0500
>> From:    The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
>> Subject: Re: Battery isolator
>>
>> Just a reminder for those interested in adding a
>second battery, that
>I
>> sell
>> a genuine Hella dual-battery relay kit designed
>specifically for this
>> purpose. The kit includes a fused relay, wiring, and
>instructions.
>When
>> the
>> van is running, the two batteries are wired in
>parallel and the
>alternator
>> "trickle-charges" the camping battery; when the van
>is shut off the
>two
>> batteries are separated so you cannot kill your
>starting battery even
>if
>> you
>> completely drain your camping battery. The use of a
>relay for this
>> purpose,
>> as opposed to an isolator, eliminates the intrinsic
>voltage drop
>caused by
>> the diodes in an isolator. Also, in my experience it
>is more reliable
>than
>> an isolator, and less likely to leave you stuck with
>a dead starting
>> battery
>> in the event of failure (which has happened to me
>several times with
>> isolators in VW vans)  The third advantage is cost -
>just $18.95 for
>the
>> kit.  Part # 1738.
>>
>> - Ron Salmon
>>   The Bus Depot, Inc.
>>   (215) 234-VWVW
>>   www.busdepot.com
>
>=====
>David Kelly
>1990 Syncro Vanagolf 15"
>1963 Comet Convertible
>Seattle
>
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