83 air cooled full camper aux battery set up

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83AC
Getting Hooked!
Location: Columbia River Gorge
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83 air cooled full camper aux battery set up

Post by 83AC » Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:40 pm

83 air cooled full camper with factory installed 5-pin relay under driver seat. Wanting to add battery in order to primarily be able to install one or two 12v sockets in rear to run a fan at night and maybe charge phones when van is off (on the road currently and the south east is hot and muggy making for challenging sleeping). Relay currently is wired as follows (I know this isn't correct and have looked at a variety of posts and hence I am looking here for help):

terminal 30: red wire to fridge fan or camper indicator lights or fridge?
Terminal 87: red wire from starter batt

These two seem to be incorrect - I think 30 should be from starter and 87 would be to aux positive post

Terminal 87 center: also to rear/camper stuff
Confused on center terminal because as I understand that was for a cig socket under the pass seat on later models, but not sure about ours - thought it was supposed to be a 4 post unit. Would give power when alternator is running but not otherwise I think - nothing in the camp stuff was designed that way so ... it is a stock VW part though #411 915 511 B

Terminal 86: blue from alternator (correct)
Terminal 85: red/black ground (correct)

Other note: fridge fan works when van is parked/off.
Finally, suggestions on wiring in a 12v outlet would be great!

Many thanks in advance! Hoping to knock this out soon!
Say what you mean; do what you say.
1983 AC Vanagon camper - Penny Lane

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Amskeptic
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Re: 83 air cooled full camper aux battery set up

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:41 pm

83AC wrote:
Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:40 pm
30 should be from starter
87 to aux positive post
86: blue from alternator
85: ground



The relay should not be involved with serving as a junction post for cigarette lighters or alternative consumers.
The above designations will allow it to work as intended. Hook up consumers to battery positive post.

IF Volkswagen itself has done some creative assignations, fine, you can follow them.
I am confused about this red/black ground, that is not Volkswagen's usual ground color scheme.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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drober23
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Re: 83 air cooled full camper aux battery set up

Post by drober23 » Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:17 pm

Hi 83AC,

When I installed my auxiliary battery, I ran an 8 ga. wire from the positive battery post to a terminal block that I could run other wires from. I then ran wires from the terminal block to my consumer devices (12v port, fridge, and Propex heater for my installation). Then I ran ground wires to a good local spot on the body. I added in-line fuses between the terminal block and each device on the positive side.

Later, I upgraded to a solar panel. With the solar panel, the aux. battery circuit is completely separate from the normal battery. This made me run grounds back to the aux battery negative post instead of body grounds. You won't have this to worry about.
DJ

'75 Westfalia, '79 Deluxe
(plus more busses than sense)

In a time of chimpanzees I was a monkey

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