In a message dated 05/07/2006 8:09:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

Like  many listees, I have an Optima Yellow Top under the driver's seat to
use as  an auxiliary battery. I had my mechanic arrange it so that the
interior  lights, stereo, and inverter would draw power from it when the
ignition was  off. However, I've never managed to get it to stay charged. The
first  Optima Yellow Top I bought died after a couple of years and would not
take  a charge. When I was at GoWesty for some other work I had them check
the  wiring and they said it looked fine. Nonetheless, the Optima - which  I
thought could not be killed - was dead.

It was thought initially  that the culprit was a small dash display from my
CD changer - it was an  LED readout that said "Stand By" whenever the CD
changer was off, so it was  a small but constant drain on the aux battery
system. Recently I got a new  stereo and had them remove the CD changer to
eliminate that draw. Then I  bought a new Optima and put it in two weeks ago.

When I got in the bus  yesterday, I noticed that the interior lights didn't
come on. Bad sign. I  have a voltage meter I can check the aux battery with
and it was down to 7  volts. I have no idea what could be drawing any power
from the aux battery  now.

Any similar experiences or suggestions? I'm frustrated that I  can't get the
system to stay charged. When I take it back to my mechanic  this time I'd
like to be armed with some ideas on what the problem might  be.

Chris, how is the Optima being charged ?   Using a relay or battery separator
?  The Optima battery does not like to  be charged in conjunction with
another battery as what happens when using a  relay.  A battery separator system
such as the Sure-Power 1315 is what I  use and works fine.  I have already been
down the road your on.  This  issue as been discussed several times in the
past, check the archives.

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg  (Forsale) & Lionel Trains
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa  Valley
_Frank Condelli  & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,  2007