you are correct sir. If you plan to put it in a Westy. I have a yellow top
in my semi converted westy (non swivel) and have no problems. It is also
mounted upright. In order to fit the yellow top into a westy with the swivel
seats you will need to put it on its side and use the side terminal model
battery.

Chris DeLong
Fine Tuning
206.522.5503
www.finetuningperformance.com
Seattle, WA USA

>From: Rocket J Squirrel <j.michael.elliott@adelphia.net>
>To: Chris DeLong <green536@HOTMAIL.COM>,  vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Battery LEDs = Useful life?
>Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2004 19:44:32 -0700
>
>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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