Hi folks,

After a excellent camp out at West River Westies this weekend we were just about the last foks to leave.  When I went to start the van it was dead. 

I have a house battery with the GW kit.  I’d been running the refrigerator for 5 days in hot summer sun.  Before that it had run a couple days at home on electric to cool it down and I pre loaded drinks into the refrigerator.  I’m not aware of running anything else off the house batter.  Being blind and there mostly on my own I didn’t run the lights and only rand the water pump a few times. 

Still why would my starter battery run down with the use of the house battery?  I don’t think they are connected.  Then again both do charge from the alternator. 

Tips on what might have happened are appreciated.

Luckily, I had my small jumper battery with me.  At first when we connected it the van only slightly turned over.  We wated about three or four minutes and tried again.  This time the van turned over just a little faster and the engine started!   That was easier then using jumper cables between two vans! 

It was a good thing I remembered the slightly unusual directions that came with the battery.  I believe it said connect battery then turn key and launch vehicle .  

It didn’t exactly launch but it did start.

I’d like to avoid this in the future.  Any suggestions as to why using my house battery resulted in the starter battery also being drained?

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto