Well this VW battery is worth considering for a third and fourth battery under the rear seats. But for the main house battery, the only reasonable place to put it is under the rear seat. Thats where my Engine battery is too. So yes, I agree, discussions about under the front seats, are a waste of time, unless its for a third or fourth battery, which makes me wonder how you would link four batteries together, do you need three switches, where one switch switches between the the other two switches, which in turn switch between a pair of batteries?... 

From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Solar Panel: Charge Controller & Vents

> In a message dated 06/05/2008 8:27:06 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
> 
> Okay  then, so which batteries do you guys think is best?
> 
> 
> 
>                 This  subject has been discussed audnauseum to say it mildly.
>  THERE IS NO PROPER  DEEP CYCLE BATTERY THAT WILL FIT IN THAT HOLE UNDER THE
> DRIVERS SEAT !   That's it that's all !  Now what I do is this, and it worked
> for 5-1/2  months, traveling around, see the _ZamoraBlog_
> (http://poolio.net/zamorablog/) .  I use a normal group  41, or 48 battery from COSTCO that fits
> perfectly in the battery boxes under the  seats.  Cost $58 ? if I remember
> correctly, comes with a 3 year, no  questions asked guarantee.  So when you think
> the battery is not performing  to your expectations, just drop into your local
> COSTCO anywhere in Canada,  US or Mexico and give it to the girl or guy at
> the counter and they will  give you a ticket to get a new one !  Until someone
> comes up with a proper  deep cycle battery that fits in that hole then I'm
> sticking with my way as it  works just fine !  NOW, all that crap said, here's
> another option I am just  now investigating.  You can get from VW, only, a glass
> matt battery used as  a house battery in the Eurovan campers.  It is a 61 AH,
> 330 A battery, part  # 000 915 105 AD, that "supposedly" can take repeated
> recycling.  I have  one coming here this week and will try it out in a customers
> AUX battery set  up.  This battery will fit perfectly in that hole under the
> seat, is only  available from VW, supposedly made by Johnson controls for VW
> under some kind of  special contract.  More news at this test progresses.  Stay
> tuned for  more AUX battery banter !
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June12 ~ 15,  2008
> 

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