I’ve added a second battery under the drivers seat using the provided Hella relay.  The stereo, amplifiers, extra 12V accessory socket, 12V fluorescent lighting, and fridge (by default) are wired to the second battery.  The procedure is well covered at http://gerry.vanagon.com/.

   To charge the battery whilst the van is sitting idle, I’ve added a 1 amp solar panel and charge controller purchased from Canadian Tire.  The solar panel fits nicely in the luggage storage tray and is rugged enough to endure soft storage on top.  When the van is sitting for a long period I simply connect the extra 12 volt accessory socket to the cigarette lighter which keeps both batteries charged up.

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