Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Vitrifrigo trip results, wiring, battery life, charging issues, etc
From:David Beierl
Date:Wed, 5 Aug 2009 19:35:02 -0400

At 07:15 PM 8/5/2009, Jeffrey Vickers wrote:
>So the moral of the story is: run a big charge wire to your setup. In

Or transfer your voltage regulator sensing connection from inside the
alternator to the battery terminal, so it will actually do what it
thinks it's doing.  Cheaper than running monster wires.

You'll get even better results (at a price) by using a voltage
regulator that understands about three-stage charging, like the ones
at www.amplepower.com .  The price was around 400 bucks when I bought
one ten years ago.  Plus if your alternator can't take the heat
(literally) of extended full-output charging, you'll have to arrange
to cool it or replace it with a "hot-rated" alternator, which may
also be a bit spendy.  But you'll be amazed at how charging improves.

  --
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"