Paul64

Hi Jason, I know what you mean, but just so you are aware the same company do sell off road trailers with roof tents. The first one is called the Chaser http://www.adventuretrailers.com/chaser.html and the second is called the Horizon http://www.adventuretrailers.com/horizon.html I have no connection with this company I was pricing them up some time ago when interested myself and heard that the build quality from this company is very good. Just thought the links may be useful to someone Cheers, Paul

I saw this on one of the Overland Expo videos Skip the first part and start watching at 2 mins and 5 secs. Great if you like comfort and have the money! They will ship to the UK too

I agree. My Vango dome is 16 years old now and still going strong. I also have a 1 second pop up tent that I bought for 25 EURO from a Decathlon store in Germany. I bought the smallest size which fits nicely on the roof rack Last time I was over in the UK I noticed that there was a Decathlon store at Thurrock. Never, went in but other kit I have bought from them in the past has been good too, especially heavy duty canvas trousers with big pockets to fill with rubbish

Hi, The standard of many camp sites in western europe especially is very good. I have used several in Holland and Germany and you get nice clean shower blocks and toilets often with a shop on site for food stuffs and a few camping spares like gas cylinders.

Been outside for another fiddle. The rain is a red herring as the power went off again today and it is dry and windy. Something interesting did come out of the afternoon though. I had a look at the main feed to the starter motor as suggested by Steve. I could only see the wire disappearing below the turbo manifold and to the starter, but I could just reach the connector with two fingers. I gave it a bit of a wiggle and pushed it in place as much as I could. Although it didn't feel loose when I turned the engine I noted the idle voltage crept up to 13.67 which is half a volt higher than yesterday. also did the same run as yesterday to compare readings. The reading did dip slightly but not as much as yesterday and hovered around 13.43V throughout the run. Cheers, Paul

Thanks Steve! What do you think Dave as the feed connector did fall off twice whilst you were over. I can't remember whether you changed it or nipped it up the last time it happened? Still not sure how that would lead to temporary total loss of power though? And does water reach right up there when driving through rain? Cheers, Paul

That was different Dave as the engine was turning but really slowly. You connected both batts and she started. With this problem, there is total loss of power - everything. By the way I went back to Big Mama's in January and had one of their big mama cheeseburger specials. No wonder our guts grew so big! Thanks Matt, but thus far this problem has only occurred when driving through rain? It has been dry this afternoon and didn't do it once? Cheers, Paul

Thanks Steve, I have not seen any fuses in the engine bay and I haven't checked any connectors at the starter. Are you saying that I should check the main feed connector to the starter motor? Cheers, Paul

Sorry, I missed this one Steve. The fusebox is just in front of the gear stick. Can sets of leads be bought, or is it better to buy cable lengths and make them up yourself? Any recommendations where to buy that does mail order? Cheers, Paul

Thanks David, but after that said I still cannot understand how a battery charged at over 12V can lead to a temporary but yet complete loss of electrics for the whole vehicle. Cheers, Paul

Wow David thanks for all that, but it is getting a bit complicated for my mechanically untrained mind My cousin David will vouch for my complete inability for most things mechanical! I don't have a solder gun or any asbestos gloves I have a REME electrician friend coming over sometime so I may ask him if he has any test equipment in his army workshop. That way I could fit my new alternator whilst the old one is being tested? I don't want to put a damper on all your good work, but at the same time I don't want you thinking that I am in anyway competent with electrics Cheers, Paul

I thought that too Dave, as the two batts are at over 12V when I loose all power. So there is charge getting to the batteries even if it is weak, but certainly enough to start the engine, so why the temporary and complete loss of power after the engine is turned off?. I should have also said that the 2nd battery is the one with the braided earth. Cheers, Paul

Thanks Steve

Thanks David, I will have to wait until Wednesday before I can continue with the testing. I am in Germany, an hour ahead and its getting dark now. Thanks for all your help with this and it is great that a picture is forming. Can you recommend a way of fitting the probe to alternator output or casing whilst driving? As a point of interest I did buy a new alternator last month as a back up. Do you think it is better to stick with the testing or just swap over to the new alternator? Cheers, Paul

Thanks David, I have just been out again. this time with the 2nd batt disconnected. Engine off - 12.37V Engine idle 13.25 during run volts went down to 12.79V. The difference this time was that when I stopped the volts returned on idle to higher than before run. However, the reading was jumping about between 13.45V and 13.7V. How do I check the alternator? Where do I place the probes? Cheers, Paul

Thanks - just been for another drive, this time a short 5km blast. I should have mentioned that this mornings autobahn run was in the rain. Also both batteries are identical and new, bought in January this year. My last 5km short run was in the dry. Engine off and not running for 4 hours. Main battery 12.46V Ancillary battery 12.67V Engine on - tick over Main battery 13.10V Ancillary battery 13.10V Then I left the multimeter attached to the main battery when went for drive. Same thing happened - Volts dropped slowly to 12.78 and did not pick up when stopped and on tick over. After 5 mins tick over I turned engine off. Voltage continued to drop over 5 more minutes whilst engine off to 12.70 I then turned engine back on and tick over voltage went up to 13.26V Is the plot thickening or is this beginning to make sense? At this point I left both batts connected and are x-eng split charged. Cheers, Paul

Thanks David and David for all the info. I went for a 20km run this am along an autobahn. I connected the 2nd ancillary battery to the multimeter. It started off idling at 13.22V, then I started driving at a steady 65mph for 20kms. The voltage gradually went down slowly to 12.63V. I then pulled off the autobahn into a lay-by. I left the engine running for five minutes but when idling once more the volts did not pick up at all. I then turned the engine off and the volts slowly reduced to 12.45V, then all the power cut out as before. When I tried to start the engine there was a slight clicking in the starter motor, but not enough to turn the engine, and then all the remaining power quickly drained away to nothing. After 5 minutes the power came back, I started the engine and the idling reading returned to 13.2V. I then stopped the engine once more, took the keys out and armed the alarm system. After 15 seconds with me sitting in the car the alarm sounded. I then put the keys quickly into the ignition but the vehicle was immobilised. However, the lights did illuminate on the dashboard when I tried to start the engine with the alarm sounding. Does any of that give you any clues as to what is going on? Cheers, Paul

Thanks David - just had a quick look at that braided strap and note that there is a section in the middle that is a frayed with some unbinding. It is intact, but looks a little rough where it bends down to meet the gearbox. Do you think if water was being thrown up from the ground and soaking this area of damage, that this would be enough to cause problems?

Thanks - I noticed that only the starter battery neg strap is insulated. The second battery has a braided like negative strap without insulation, is that bad? David - both these negative earthing straps are only connected at terminal ends by the bolt that connects them to the gearbox Cheers, Paul

Thanks Dave. I checked both batts with multimeter as soon as electrics were lost. 12.3V in one and 12.6V in the other. This ones a mystery!

LOL - I used to keep the fire extinguisher under my seat, but now have it to hand in the cabin The headlamp on and off unit on the steering is separate to the flasher lever. I changed the on off unit last moth as the headlamps used to turn themselves off, which was a little frightening at night! Thankfully the new unit resolved that problem. My cousin had the dash off last year and removed 20 metres of unused cables from old projects! He inspected every cm of cable that he could get to and managed to eradicate the wiper activation when turning lights on for a few months, although we never knew how. You will see from company website, business is on hold for a while whilst I work on a contract in Germany, so only a few hundred miles away at the moment Thanks for your help as always David Thanks for the tip although my power cables look OK Cheers, Paul.

Thanks David, there is a lot in your reply to get me started. The only other item I noted when driving through rain was slight flickering of the headlamps which was also noted on the headlamp dash light. Not sure whether this is coincidental with the actual problem or associated. The alarm immobiliser is a cobra system, but I only have the guarantee rather than the workbook, so not sure if they are still building these systems since mine was fitted in 1994. I will try and contact them regarding the actual mechanism of the immobilisation. When I was cleaning both battery negative earths, I noticed both cables were joined and were fitted to the gearbox at the same point. I have been having other electrical gremlins as you which I'm not sure will help with this thread or just muddy the water:( The windscreen wipers activate the first time I switch the headlamps on and every time when flashing with high beam. Both batts are fully charged, but the alternator is suspect as the volts drop when engine revved. One muddy picture hey Cheers, Paul

Just got back from the UK. Had a problem with my LR Total loss of electrics on two separate occasions after driving through rain storms. It only happens after stopping the engine. Nothing works, no ignition lights, refuses to start etc. Then after about 10 mins fires up. Checked and cleaned up earths to gearbox and bulkhead, but all looked pretty clean already. Not sure if it is water getting in somewhere? My cousin reckons it may be my alarm immobiliser, but this has never been a problem before. However, he may have a point as I have 2 batteries (Split charged) wired up to separate things, but all goes off when problem kicks in. Any ideas would be appreciated? Cheers, Paul

I thought it had something to do with that, but looked a bit elaborate for inflating and deflating. Yes, that little plastic coupler looks a bit vulnerable. I think rocks would be more of a danger to that system in the desert :-)

Hi, Just been looking at some expedition photos in the desert. Can anyone identify what this is? I also like the look of this :-) Cheers, Paul