Secondary Battery Options...

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The Optima D900 M deep cycle battery is about $160 - $180 and puts out 65
Amp Hours
see http://www.dcbattery.com/optima2.html
Supposedly this fits in the driver side battery box with some hack work. (no
thanks)

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The Sonnenchine A212/55 for $207 + ship puts out 55 Amp Hours and supposedly
JUST fits into the battery box... Nice fit, but MUCHO bucks!!!
http://webnz.com/apeacock/battery/sonnena2.html

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Powersonic makes a 40 Amp Hour battery that easily fits into the box and
costs $100 + ship. It's called the PS-124000.  Good price, but lower battery
hours.

so..... why not pick up a Powersonic PS-12600
(http://www.twdc.org.uk/PS-12600.html) 60 Amp Hour battery for $123 + ship,
screw the whole idea of making it fit into that stupid little box behind the
drivers seat, and do what Jason suggested a while back. (see SNIP)

I mean heck... it's a VAN!  There are a million places to mount a sealed
battery and run the wires to the box behind the seat, and if you have a
Westy, there are a million and a half locations.

<SNIP>
From: Jason M. Yasment <vanagon@NYCAP.RR.COM>
>Rather than spending $180.00 for an Optima battery, I had this idea:
>
>1.   From the terminals on the relay beneath the drivers seat run
extensions
>out of the compartment.
>2.   Obtain a boat battery box and whatever size battery you need to run
>your accesories for whatever time you need.
>3.   Whenever you are in need of the deep-cycle you can secure it with
>bungee cords and hook it up.  When you are traveling it will charge from
the
>alternator.  When you are not a simple solar tricle charger should suffice
>in keeping it topped off.
>
>From looking around different FLAPS and bulk discount stores, I estimate
you
>can do this for less than the cost of an Optima and easily have twice the
>capacity.
>
>Jason

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Steven Shane, Columbus, Ohio
My $.02 worth.
- Peace Volks!