Hang on -- did I totally order the wrong battery? Under the impression
that I could lay the battery on its side, as can apparently be done with
non-Westy Vanagons (correct? The compartment is larger?), I ordered the
version of the YellowTop that does not have side terminals. Am I reading
that a top terminal-only YellowTop is a mighty poor fit for my 84 Westy?
--

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
KG6RCR

Chris DeLong wrote:

> actually, you cannot ruin the battery (esp a gel cell) by cutting the top
> posts off. not to mention the fact that what you are suggesting is
> that one
> should cut the body of the vanagon (not replacable very easily) to fit
> something that will wear out. Kinda like modifying brake calipers to fit
> brake pads. On top of that, if you did notch the swivel this would not
> allow
> you to rotate the seat all around as the corner of the swivel would
> contact
> the top of the battery because you would have to shim the battery up
> so the
> terminals dont short on the body. Sorry for the run-on.
>
> I spent a long time on a customers van that insisted on a yellow top
> optima.
> there was no other option. as it is there is still very little clearance
> between where the side terminals are connected to the system with
> respect to
> seat swivel.
>
> regards,
>
> Chris DeLong
> Fine Tuning
> 206.522.5503
> www.finetuningperformance.com
> Seattle, WA USA
>
>
>
>
>
>> From: Tom Sinclair <neeemo@YAHOO.COM>
>> Reply-To: Tom Sinclair <neeemo@YAHOO.COM>
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Battery LEDs = Useful life?
>> Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:31:20 -0700
>>
>> I don't think you have to cut the posts off--in fact
>> you could ruin the battery doing that. You have to cut
>> notches in the seat swivel so the posts will pass
>> through when laying the Optima on its side with the
>> posts facing the front of the van.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>
>> --- Chris DeLong <green536@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> > in order to install an optima into a westy with
>> > swivel seats, the terminals
>> > on top must be cut off. That is of course if you are
>> > installing it under the
>> > front seat.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Chris DeLong
>> > Fine Tuning
>> > 206.522.5503
>> > www.finetuningperformance.com
>> > Seattle, WA USA
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > >From: Vince S <gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET>
>> > >Reply-To: Vince S <gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET>
>> > >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> > >Subject: Re: Battery LEDs = Useful life?
>> > >Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 13:40:29 -0700
>> > >
>> > >Mike,
>> > >
>> > >I don't know if all Vanagon Westy with shivel seats
>> > are the same though
>> > >I will be surprised if they aren't. Looks like Sean
>> > has a 90 Vanagon.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >- Vince
>> > >
>> > >http://gipsyflies.home.comcast.net
>> > >1989 Vanagon GL Camper
>> > >1993 Mazda Miata (for sale)
>> > >1996 Land Rover Discovery
>> > >2005 Mini Cooper S
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >-----Original Message-----
>> > >From: Vanagon Mailing List
>> > [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> > >Of Michael Elliott
>> > >Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 1:28 PM
>> > >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> > >Subject: Re: Battery LEDs = Useful life?
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >What?!? Because I have shriveled seats I have to
>> > hack and chop the
>> > >yellowtop Optima that I just ordered??? Rats. I
>> > thought the thing would
>> > >fit on its side.
>> > >
>> > >I was /wondering/ why the pictures on Sean's site
>> > >(http://www.vgonman.com/auxbat.htm) showed so much
>> > room under the
>> > >seats!!
>> > >
>> > >Grumble, grumble.
>> > >
>> > >Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> > >71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
>> > >KG6RCR
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Vince S wrote:
>> > >
>> > > >Bill,
>> > > >
>> > > >I assume your 87 Westy has shrivel seats. Given
>> > that the only car size
>> > > >battery that will fit in the aux battery
>> > compartment is the Group 41
>> > > >battery just like the one under the passenger
>> > seat. This battery is the
>> > >
>> > > >easiest to install it fits like a pair of glove.
>> > I used this for years.
>> > >
>> > > >You can order the battery hold down bar from VW
>> > or find one from a
>> > > >wrecked Vanagon.
>> > > >
>> > > >The drawback of the group 41 battery is it is a
>> > starting battery and
>> > > >down work well if you draw the battery down very
>> > low. On the flip side
>> > > >is you can get them so cheap so that may not
>> > matter.
>> > > >
>> > > >Many folks including myself installed the Optima
>> > yellow top (deep
>> > > >cycle) or red top (good starting battery) but it
>> > requires some
>> > > >modification to the battery which can be a lot of
>> > work. Vanagon without
>> > >
>> > > >the Shrivel seats can fit the Optima on it's side
>> > which requires
>> > > >securing the battery so the positive terminal
>> > does not short out to the
>> > >
>> > > >chassis. Either of the Optima battery performs
>> > significantly better
>> > > >than the group 41 due to the spiral wound glass
>> > fabric construction.
>> > > >
>> > > >I have a page on my site about the modification I
>> > have to perform.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >- Vince
>> > > >
>> > > >http://gipsyflies.home.comcast.net
>> > > >1989 Vanagon GL Camper
>> > > >1993 Mazda Miata (for sale)
>> > > >1996 Land Rover Discovery
>> > > >2005 Mini Cooper S
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >-----Original Message-----
>> > > >From: Vanagon Mailing List
>> > [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> > >
>> > > >Of William Alexander
>> > > >Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 7:35 AM
>> > > >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> > > >Subject: Re: Battery LEDs = Useful life?
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >Forgive me if I'm asking about a common knowledge
>> > question - but is
>> > > >there a preferred battery to buy for the aux
>> > battery space under the
>> > > >seat - I keep hearing mention that normal
>> > batteries won't fit there? I
>> > > >definitely plan on adding one to mine but am not
>> > sure which battery to
>> > > >purchase.
>> > > >
>> > > >A second similar question on a different subject:
>> > > >
>> > > >Is there a popular heater of some sort that folks
>> > use to generate heat
>> > > >inside the van on cold nights? some small
>> > kerosene heater or something
>> > > >like that?
>> > > >
>> > > >Thanks for the help
>> > > >
>> > > >William Alexander
>> > > >Roanoke, VA
>> > > >1987 Westy - searching for a name
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >On Sep 6, 2004, at 10:06 AM, Vince S wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >>Mike,
>> > > >>
>> > > >>Just returned back from a back to back trips,
>> > first into the Gorge
>> > > >>then to Southern Oregon. When I was in the
>> > Eastern Gorge amoung 25 or
>> > > >>so vehicles in the state park there were 8
>> > Vanagon Westfalia. At
>> > > >>Pistol River sailing spot there were 3 among 12
>> > vehicles! The weather
>> > > >>is cooler now making very comfortable camping in
>> > the Westy. Even got
>> > > >>to use the furnace in the cool morning a bit.
>> > > >>
>> > > >>For a few years I had only the primary battery.
>> > Those were the years I
>> > > >>
>> > > >>
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >>didn't have all the modern electronics as I do
>> > now. With one battery
>> > > >>you really have to be sure it is in good
>> > condition and secondly use it
>> > > >>
>> > > >>
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >>very sparingly and leave a lot of safety margin.
>> >
>> === message truncated ===
>>
>>
>>
>>
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