A camping forum for VW bus and camper owners.

Aux battery powers fridge only?

So I was reading the 79 camper manual and it turns out the aux battery only runs the fridge. What's the protocol if you want to run the radio and over head lights from the aux battery? Complete wiring?

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Permalink Reply by Bill Witz on April 8, 2011 at 9:00am

I would check on the Samba I bet you will find a lot of info. I do not have any way of knowing your wireing layout to give you any helpfull information.

Bill Witz 84 westy (happy with Go Westy aux. battery setup).

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Permalink Reply by Romy on April 9, 2011 at 10:18pm

Hey, another Oaklander!

I'd agree that the samba would be the place to check this, or just trace the wiring. In my bus, I've hooked the two batteries together in parallel after my isolator died and it's been fine for the past 3yrs. Although not ideal (because if one battery dies it'll drain the other) it does work. Prior to me doing that, the second battery just powered the fridge and rear 12V socket. I think it would be mighty tedious to rewire the bus so that the lights and radio are on the second battery only.

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Permalink Reply by Dharma Van on April 19, 2011 at 11:49am

I figured out what it was.... the two batteries try to balance when they reconnect- I have since disconnected my aux battery and wired the interior lights, fridge, power converter (400W add on) and additional cigarette accessory outlets to the aux battery ALONE. This battery will be charged by my 80w panel, I'm SOL if I have no sun, so I might add a second panel (I know, fuzzy logic here) - I think I will need the second panel anyways because I also just installed a diesel ESPAR furnace. My aux battery is a deep cycle 95Ah.