Hi Everyone.  Whilst my van was in the shop getting the a/c fixed, I 
had them load test my battery, and it failed.  I posed this battery 
question to the list a few weeks ago, and I had chosen an Interstate 
battery.

Since I just got the van home yesterday with the a/c rebuilt, and new 
battery, I checked it all out today.

The Interstate battery is a special model for the Vanagon.  It vents 
out through a tube that goes outside the battery box and is visible 
in the wheel well.  The battery is 700 CCA, and has no problem 
turning over the engine.  In fact, this engine has never fired on the 
first turn over in the morning, until now!  Anyway, the battery fits 
nicely in the battery box, and has a carrying handle to make it 
easier to re & re.

I took out the battery today to check it all out, and water CAN be 
added to this battery.  It even has the plastic cover over the 
positive terminal.  The Vanagon battery is $7 CDN more than the 
regular batteries.  I paid $116 CDN for it, plus $5 environmental 
tax.

With my old battery, since the van was new, the battery meter by the 
sink would always go from green to yellow within 20 minutes of 
stopping the engine.  Now, the green led was on for 24 hours.. until 
I started it.  

Nice to be fully charged...
Harry.
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Harry Yates      Internet: hyates@bcit.bc.ca  Burnaby, BC
'90 Syncro Westfalia
'87 Golf Diesel