That's what I went for. Don't like a standard auto battery as an
auxillary, but there ya go. Starnge thing is that my second battery
case isn't under the driver's seat (that I'm keeping as a hiding place
for cameras and laptops), but in the engine compartment on the far
left. There's a cuddy hole there that has been wired for a second
battery. The costco 680 amp battery at 8" X 13" just fits. Given that
the only thing that will be running off this are a few interior
lights, radio, and maybe occasionally a 300 watt inverter for the
laptop, don't think I'll be draining it down too often. The old
Riviera setup had a built-in battery charger for when you are plugged
in, and I think I'll yank that and wire it up to the system. No point
in drawing down a battery when in a campground.

Nathaniel

On 2/11/07, RAlanen@aol.com <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> In a message dated 11/02/2007 12:06:22 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
> is used for the auxillary battery in the back of an '80 vanagon? None
> of the local vendors show anything in deep discharge that fits
> (they're all too tall).
>
> What are Canadians using for their second battery? It can't be higher
> than about 8".
>
>
>
>
>
>             Nathaniel, there is only one deep cycle battery that will fit in
> that compartment under the drivers seat.  That is the OPTIMA yellow top.
> And, it will not fit without a few minor modifications to the compartment
> lid.  After having three OPITMAs go bad on me and since they only have a 1
> year warranty and cost $275 I was not impressed.  So.......I am now using
> the Kirkland Group 41 standard car battery from Costco as my aux battery.
> They cost about $60 and are guaranteed, no questions asked, for 3 years and
> prorated for 100 months max.  I don't think you can come up with a better
> solution.  Another plus is that Costco is throughout Canada, US and Mexico
> so no problem for warranty when travelling.
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (Collection
> for sale)
> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> Frank Condelli & Associates
> Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems
> BusFusion a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007
>