Michael,

I agree - the basic relay system works just fine.  While the Sure power
1315 is a nice device, it is unnecessary as an alternative to a properly
setup relay system.

Frank Condelli was right when he said that this issue had been discussed
many times before, but, based on what I have read, not in his
conclusions about the inadequacy and substantial inferiority of the
relay system.  It is a perfectly adequate system to handle the auxiliary
battery for a Vanagon.  VW used it for the job.

This supposed inferiorities and inadequacies of the relay system have
been debunked long ago on the list past by engineering types who wrote
lengthy technical essays explaining why the relay system sold by Bus
Depot or its equivalent would work just fine and, in fact is better than
many of the supposedly superior solutions other people advocate.  They
explained why all sorts of imagined problems that purportedly could
occur with a relay system just wouldn't happen.  I have just posted two
of these explanation to the files section of the Vanagon@yahoogroups
list page.   I set up a folder under my last name and under it a
subfolder for 2nd battery installation information.

They are two files are composted of posts that I found in the list
archives and saved.  These files primarily have information from Beckett
Cantrell and Frank Grunthaner.

In fact, after re-reading these files, I am going to rewire my Syncro's
second battery system going back to the charging wire and fuse capacity
that came with the Bus Depot kit in the first place, removing the larger
wire and heavier fuse that I installed based on other information.
Should have read what I had stored on my computer more carefully.

I will be creating other subfolders and uploading other information to
the Vanagon@yahoogroups page soon.

Sam

--
Sam Walters

Baltimore, MD