New Battery setup

After a few months of research on the internet and YouTube along with some feedback from others I decided to upgrade the house battery in the Vanagon. As all the available storage areas are fully used, one of the main goals was to continue utilizing the original space under the drivers seat. I discovered that the best option for our needs could be handled by installing three 22Ah batteries in parallel which would give me 66Ah and a 30+% improvement over my previous setup. I managed to find 3 UB12220 Universal Batteries on eBay for $115 with free shipping so I pulled the plug.

Using 8 gauge wire throughout, I attached the batteries together with some double sided tape and they fit perfectly in the stock location under the seat.

I have seen others manage to fit 4 batteries in the same space but I wanted to keep my battery isolator in its current location and am optimistic that 66 Ah will be enough in conjunction with the 80W solar panel. One of my other goals was to really understand the power consumption of my electronic devices so I installed a GT Power Watt meter and Power analyzer. Here is another shot with all the wiring in place.

I was reluctant to drill holes in my kitchen cabinet but wanted a clean look for the 12V receptacle I installed which will mainly be used for the Dometic cooler we use in between the front seats. Here is the final shot with 400watt inverter, MPPT solar charge controller, Watt meter, and Power analyzer.

I realize that there is so much more to learn about power and electronics but am happy that I now know the difference between Volts and Amps....along with a few other things. We are anxiously awaiting our first big test during our trip to Buses By the Bridge 2015.