Checking 12 volt systems.

[Tracker]

This little gadget gives you a good idea of battery condition and I find it handy to leave plugged in when not on ehu and not moving the van for a few days and also for showing me the charge rate from the solar panel.

 

It is particularly handy for those who find a multi meter confusing but would like to keep an eye on the condition of all their batteries.

 

I checked it against two multimeters and it is within .1 of a volt

 

Other similar devices are available!

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007CT6510/ref=pe_217191_31005151_3p_M3T1_dp_1

[Brambles]

Looks quite useful Tracker, as you say for those not akin with voltmeters. Also as a quick plug in for anyone to check battery voltage instead of probing with voltmeter leads.

Being a cheap led dislay I guess it will draw about 9 to 12mA when plugged in which is typical of little 3 digit volt dispay modules.

[Brambles]

Tracker, got a good website for a gadget supplier in china, yes they are reliable as a vendor. Fasttech.

 

http://www.fasttech.com/

 

Got loads of nick nacks and some gteat bits whoh might be useful. WOrth taking a browse as somewhere there will be something useful.

Just as an example as we are talking of voltmeters.

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1222902

 

Postage is free for slow boat, or very cheap or free to upgrade to airmail depending on size of order. Approx $15 its free for airmail.

They have loads of LED torches really cheap and this web supplier from china is proving extremely popular.

[Tracker]

It glows well at night so I just ease it out of it's socket enough to break the connection!

[Brambles]

Tracker - 2013-05-21 12:51 PM

 

It glows well at night so I just ease it out of it's socket enough to break the connection!

 

Nightlight!!!!

[Tracker]

Brambles - 2013-05-21 12:51 PM

 

Tracker - 2013-05-21 12:51 PM

 

It glows well at night so I just ease it out of it's socket enough to break the connection!

 

Nightlight!!!!

 

No bogeymen in our van so no need for another nightlight - fridge and control panel illuminations work well enough to see to do whatever needs to be done in the wee small hours!

[Wooie]

Hi Rich,

 

Firstly.................................Happy New Van.

 

Secondly............................Glad yours works OK.

 

I got one last year from Ebay as recommended on a different forum :-

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Display-Cigarette-Lighter-Electric-Voltage-Meter-for-Auto-Car-Battery-DC-12V-/160855458502?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2573bb82c6

 

Absolutely Bloody Useless...............................................LOL.

 

It shows 1.8 Volts less than the actual voltage and i`ve checked this on 4 different vehicles and using 3 different Multi-Meters.

 

I E-mailed the seller who instantly said they would send me another, that was in January and i`m still waiting.

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

MY van has a vehicle/leisure battery twin display on control panel...but then it is European 8-)

[Wooie]

JudgeMental - 2013-05-21 6:43 PM

 

MY van has a vehicle/leisure battery twin display on control panel...but then it is European 8-)

 

 

 

 

 

Ah yes.......... but isn`t your Steering Wheel on the wrong side ?

[Tracker]

Wooie - 2013-05-21 6:50 PM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-05-21 6:43 PM

 

MY van has a vehicle/leisure battery twin display on control panel...but then it is European 8-)

 

Ah yes.......... but isn`t your Steering Wheel on the wrong side ?

 

No - it's the driver who is on the wrong side - he should have been born in Germany!!

 

Many UK vans also have voltage displays (as does mine) on the control panel so it's not just a European thing - I just find it easier to read in a socket near where we sit!!

[Tracker]

Wooie - 2013-05-21 6:29 PM

Hi Rich,

Firstly.................................Happy New Van.

Secondly............................Glad yours works OK.

I got one last year from Ebay as recommended on a different forum :-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Display-Cigarette-Lighter-Electric-Voltage-Meter-for-Auto-Car-Battery-DC-12V-/160855458502?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2573bb82c6

Absolutely Bloody Useless...............................................LOL.

It shows 1.8 Volts less than the actual voltage and i`ve checked this on 4 different vehicles and using 3 different Multi-Meters.

I E-mailed the seller who instantly said they would send me another, that was in January and i`m still waiting.

 

Hi Graham,

 

Thanks, 'new' van going well and only 1000 miles so far but indicated 37.5 mpg - probably nearer 35 in reality but a lot better than 21.2 of the Cheyenne!! Trouble is I find myself closer to 70 than 60 on the motorways now which does not help the mpg!

 

The 'Energy Tuning' module seems to be responsible for about 3 mpg of that but it's early days and I can't yet substantiate that with tank to tank figures.

 

Not so much space inside but lovely finish and ambience as usual from Autosleeper and it drives so superbly, so smooth and quiet, just like a car. Very pleased and impressed - so far.

 

Your meter looks to be the same as mine. I don't often buy from Fleabay these days as Amazon offers you better and swifter - and impressive - service both in delivery and in retribution should things not be quite right.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Tracker - 2013-05-21 7:07 PM

 

Wooie - 2013-05-21 6:50 PM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-05-21 6:43 PM

 

MY van has a vehicle/leisure battery twin display on control panel...but then it is European 8-)

 

Ah yes.......... but isn`t your Steering Wheel on the wrong side ?

 

No - it's the driver who is on the wrong side - he should have been born in Germany!!

 

Many UK vans also have voltage displays (as does mine) on the control panel so it's not just a European thing - I just find it easier to read in a socket near where we sit!!

 

personally prefer reading kindle...

 

 

[Tracker]

JudgeMental - 2013-05-21 7:19 PM

 

personally prefer reading kindle...

 

 

Just as well Kindle has it's own backlight then when yer battery goes flat!

[Tracker]

JudgeMental - 2013-05-21 7:19 PM

 

personally prefer reading kindle...

 

 

Just as well Kindle has it's own backlight then when yer battery goes flat!

 

For three quid it just seems an easy and idiot proof way of keeping an eye on your battery condition - nothing more - nothing less?

[Wooie]

Rich, glad your happy with the new van.

 

Did you ever get to the bottom of the " Pinking Episode " on the last van ?

 

There was something sadly wrong with the M.P.G. figures that you quoted from your trip.

 

Not been on much recently, a bit under the weather and all that Malarky.

[Tracker]

No Graham, never did get to the bottom of it.

 

Sorry to hear you have been unwell - given the weather you ain't missed much - if that helps at all? Malarky is a terrible affliction and there is no known cure - apart from a month in a motorhome in warm sunshine which cures all known ills!

 

Had it checked several times and no faults found - must be the way you drive it sir!!

 

Lots of suggestions about poor fuel quality, electronic glitches, egr valves (new one fitted made no difference), but without engine management lights coming on no faults register and even if they did there was no saying it would make any difference.

 

I drove several - as many as we could in fact - before we decided on the Warwick and I must say that in my limited experience the Peugeots drive much better than the Fiats. Smoother less harsh, quieter and generally more economical - although I did drive one Peugeot that had a similar 'pinking' harshness about it and the trip mpg readout was poor on that one too.

 

It always pays to reset the mpg trip when starting a test drive as for comparison you can then drive your own van over the same route. Extracting every last mpg is not critically important but it tells you a bit about the general state of the engine and is about all you have available for that crucial aspect.

 

[mikejkay]

Wooie - I think that you have just been unlucky. I've got one of these and it reads within 0.1v of two other measuring devices.

 

On my X250 the device only functions when the ignition is on so I can't use it as a nightlight. Still, less risk of coming back to the van after a week and finding that the battery is flat.

[Tracker]

mikejkay - 2013-05-23 11:00 AM

On my X250 the device only functions when the ignition is on so I can't use it as a nightlight. Still, less risk of coming back to the van after a week and finding that the battery is flat.

 

It can only measure voltage when voltage is there!

 

In the cab it's only when the ignition is on and in the hab it's only when the ignition is off and the 12v control panel is on.

 

Simples!

[maggyd]

JudgeMental - 2013-05-21 6:43 PM

 

MY van has a vehicle/leisure battery twin display on control panel...but then it is European 8-)

 

So has ours and ours is U.K >:-) but that didnt stop O.H who is a gadget man from immediately sending for one as soon as he saw this thread. (lol)

[747]

Brambles - 2013-05-21 12:50 PM

 

Tracker, got a good website for a gadget supplier in china, yes they are reliable as a vendor. Fasttech.

 

http://www.fasttech.com/

 

Got loads of nick nacks and some gteat bits whoh might be useful. WOrth taking a browse as somewhere there will be something useful.

Just as an example as we are talking of voltmeters.

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1222902

 

Postage is free for slow boat, or very cheap or free to upgrade to airmail depending on size of order. Approx $15 its free for airmail.

They have loads of LED torches really cheap and this web supplier from china is proving extremely popular.

 

Thanks for the link Brambles. I have been looking for a journey recorder for a while and have opted for one from your link. It is free airmail (9 to 14 days).

[Brambles]

Hope delivery is speedy for you and product is good. Can you post a link to the one you ordered.

 

I ordered this a while ago http://www.fasttech.com/products/1205/10000443/1047201-elm327-usb-interface-car-scanner-tools for scanning OBD codes and linking to laptop. It is a clone ELM327 but works better than my 'professional' one on the Ducato. Mind you my old one is a bit dated and was primarily developed for use on particular Truck cabs.

 

I have tried using multicescan free version which is limited to 20 mins use, and it works fine with the cheapy code reader and can be found and down loaded easily but searching for it with google. (i.e. I cannot be bothered to search for it again just now. Multiecuscan is dedicated to Fiats.

 

It found my Glowplug fault which my original fault code scanner failed to read because it was not a stored fault but an active fault which does not get stored.

 

 

[747]

Hi Brambles,

 

I opted for the first one on the page after comparing it with the last one. The last one has the option of not starting automatically as the van and the car have permanently live cigar sockets. However I liked the features better on the first one.

 

It is quite a saving on buying the same model from a .co.uk site, they had it reduced from £199.99 to £149.99. As they will have bought multiple units at an even lower price, there is quite a big profit margin.

 

http://www.fasttech.com/search?car%20video%20camera

 

 

[Brambles]

http://www.fasttech.com/category/2006/digital-video-car-dvr-camcorders

 

Did you see the other ones as well?

 

Part of the reason they are much cheaper than a UK seller is because Uk sellers will always be paying import duty and VAT. Buying one off you may get away with custom duty and VAT as Fasttech wil mark the package with a rediculously low value, and also as a gift or as parts.

 

You will only get caught for duty if customs open it. Just be aware this could happen for large value items. You will not have duty as it is below the amount but you would have VAT and the Post Office handling charge to collect. So just be careful with high value items. I have just received an item value $33 but they marked the customs label $10 and as a replacement part.

 

Uk Sellers will always be more expensive, they have duty and vat, other overheads and often lose out on warrany or faulty items and they are entitled to a profit. Many chinese suppliers will only give Dead on arrival or 3 months, some 6 months and a year is unusual.

 

Fasttech have 6 months on most things which is very good.

 

..not trying to teach how to suck eggs - really written above for those who do not know.

[747]

Hi,

 

Yes, I thought there may be an additional charge but it should not be much.

 

Quite a few people are buying MPPT solar controllers direct from the Far East.They are paying around the £75 mark and often have to pay an extra cost at this end. It seems to average around £16 duty.

[Brambles]

You may have to pay Customs Duty on goods with a value that exceeds £135

You will have to pay import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £15

Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under. Vat is stil has to be paid though and the Post Office charge a handling fee for collecting the VAT which I think is currently is £8.