Personally I don't like the idea of running unfused wires from battery to
battery, but you are right about the voltage loss. It can make the
difference between full and half-full (or half-empty  :-)

I used two fuse-strips of 80A, this is the type that is bolted down, not
plugged in, close to each battery (e.g.
http://www.littelfuse.com/cgi-bin/r.cgi/prod_type_series.html?TechnologyID=3&Family=3106
). You migt also consider hooking up to the alternator i.s.o. the starter
battery.

Jaap
'87 Caravelle Diesel

> Howdy,
>
> I picked up the Go Westy wiring kit for an auxillary battery in my 1982
> air cooled westy.  I have been comparing the instructions that came with
> the kit to several informative posts in the archives.  First, for
> anybody interested in learning more about this subject I reccomend
> reviewing the following three posts:
>
> Post 1: Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 10:49:32 -0800
>         Sender: harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EARTHLINK.NET>
>         Subject: Re: Flash Alert! Dual Battery Relay
> Post 2: Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 12:41:51 -0800
>         Sender: harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EARTHLINK.NET>
>         Subject: Dual Battery Relay - Part 2 (long)
> Post 3: Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 17:27:26 -0800
>         Sender: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
>         Subject: Auxiliary Battery Madness (looong)
>
> Ok, so the Go Westy kit comes with a solenoid that runs between the
> starter and auxilllary battery.  The instruction recomends running a
> wire from one side of the solenoid to the bottom of fuse 8 (power from
> starter battery).  The other side of the solenoid runs to the positive
> terminal of the auxillary battery.  This seems to contrast with the
> reccomendation of the above posts to connect one side of the solenoid
> directly to the positive terminal of the auxillary battery and the other
> side directly to the positive terminal of the starter battery.  I guess
> the rational is that there is a voltage loss between the starter battery
> and the fuse panel and that this will reduce how much the auxillary
> battery can get charged.  Any ideas on why Go Westy reccomends tapping
> into fuse 8 rather than directly to the starter battery?
>
> My second question regards the trigger wire for the solenoid.  Go Westy
> suggests tapping into a blue wire that can be found running behind the
> fuse panel for the trigger circuit.  They don't identify this wire, but
> I believe it comes from the alternator.  The posts I referenced above
> suggest tapping into the trigger wire circuit already wired to the
> fridge relay under the drivers seat.  I suppose both methods work as
> long as they only trigger the solenoid when the van is running (and NOT
> while the starter in engaged).  Any thoughts the relative merits of
> these two different trigger circutis.
>
> I love this listserve,
> Jake