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Post by Stealth on Apr 16, 2023 0:28:42 GMT 10
Following on from last year's thread and reviving it because I've had a sudden realisation. And a rather nasty one at that.
A couple of years ago I bought an Engel Series 2 Smart Battery box for $499. It's still literally brand new in box, haven't taken it out. Haven't put a battery in it. No use so far whatsoever because the couple of times we've been camping it was at short notice and we didn't feel the need to dash out and buy a battery for it to last a couple of days camping. We just took a really good esky and some solar lights and smaller power banks and had plenty of juice for what we needed. I was having a look this evening out of pure curiosity and they've gone up by $200! Same model, same everything. Turns out that (if you factor that price increase in alone) it was my best prepping decision for 2021. Despite not having used it yet, if we were to suddenly need it we'd have it.
But it's made me consider a lot of things that I've bought that at the time I thought were mildly offensive in their pricing given what they are. Sure, you can buy a battery box from Kmart now for about $0. I was mildly upset when I saw that given that I'd bought the Engel for $500 12 months before they appeared on the market. But after seeing how shoddy and easily broken they are I think we came out better on that one. I'm in a bit bigger of a rush to get a battery into it now because who knows how expensive they're going to get!
And for all that, I can't figure out for the life of me why battery boxes would go up by $200 in 24 months. I'm sure there's a reason, but I'm equally as sure that I have no idea what that reason is!
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Apr 16, 2023 7:07:45 GMT 10
Best decision I have made in 2023 so far is not to invest in pm’s. I had a lazy $50k sitting around, didn’t know what to do with it, almost bought a heap of physical gold. Bought a second cabin for my retreat instead, because steel and building materials are increasing in price a lot faster than gold. And the second cabin is more useful than gold sitting in a safe.
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Post by Joey on Apr 16, 2023 7:09:16 GMT 10
I had to look up what was so good about this Engel box that it was so expensive without a battery. Then I saw it has an inbuilt 240v invertor, dc-dc charger etc But still at $719 at BCF, you would expect it to come with an AGM battery at least. I'm eventually going to get around to putting a dual battery with solar panel in my navara, as I've got everything ready to do it now, but still tossing up how I'm going to do my tub layout if I go drawers etc as at the moment we don't do many trips away like camping etc but we want to in the future. So at the moment, the tub just gets used for our monthly trips to the big city for a bunnings run and big W run for the next month.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Apr 16, 2023 8:11:37 GMT 10
I have a product distributed by Jaycar some years ago. Its a 12 v, 20 amp battery and jumper leads, an air compressor, a 400 watt 240 v modified sine wave inverter, a work-light and has several cigarette lighter sockets on the front panel. I picked it from the tip, replaced the battery and away it went. Most useful is the compressor to pump up tires of wheelbarrows, kids bikes etc without running leads etc. The inverter is useful extending te run time of the laptop when out and about. I have since picked up another unit, this time without the internal battery, but Ive tested it and it works perfectly. I installed a duel battery system many years ago in my Triton, no need for a expensive battery isolator unit, just use a 60 amp relay. Connect the coil to the ignition switch, and the contacts from the positives of the battery's. Connect the negative of the extra battery to ground. The idea is that if the engine isn't running, the battery's will be isolated, but as soon as u turn on the key, they get connected. its not as sophisticated as the system that monitors the charge voltage and switches accordingly, but a lot simpler, cheaper and has worked for over 20 years.
There are other ways of achieving the same result. The ultimate is installing a second alternator and drive belt to charge the aux battery. I did this on my Landrover and it never gave any issues over 20 plus years of use.
Originally, my Landrover had a C40 generator, and I installed a second C40 generator, but as its output was only 22 amps, it took a few days of trips to recharge the power drawn from the 2 off 6 volt, 200 amp hour aux battery's that ran the refrigerator over the weekend. I then obtained a second hand Lucas alternator and regulator and that solved the problem of slow charge rate.
Another way is to extend the 3 phases from the existing alternator out and connect to another 3 phase rectifier unit. This then connects to the aux battery and it works well too.
The philosophy of investing in our future by building infrastructure on the farm, has paid off big time, even in good times like now. Just the peace of knowing you have done something for your families future is worth it. “There would be little chance of recovery to pre-nuclear-war conditions in an impoverished and devastated world.”
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Post by Stealth on Apr 16, 2023 14:03:48 GMT 10
I had to look up what was so good about this Engel box that it was so expensive without a battery. Then I saw it has an inbuilt 240v invertor, dc-dc charger etc But still at $719 at BCF, you would expect it to come with an AGM battery at least. I'm eventually going to get around to putting a dual battery with solar panel in my navara, as I've got everything ready to do it now, but still tossing up how I'm going to do my tub layout if I go drawers etc as at the moment we don't do many trips away like camping etc but we want to in the future. So at the moment, the tub just gets used for our monthly trips to the big city for a bunnings run and big W run for the next month. That was part of my logic when I bought it at $500. I thought that with the inverter and other functions it was pricey but worthwhile given the good reviews for them. If I'd had to buy a battery on top of the current price it'd probably be in the 'eventually, but not right now' box because there's a few other things we need to do first. The only thing that I could think of for the price increase was perhaps if the chip in the inverter might have become difficult to source given the shortages out of Taiwan. We're also having the same thoughts, I'm hopefully taking delivery of a Navara in the coming months and making sure that we can fit everything in when we go camping/bug out is a concern. We're looking at an A-frame rack for above the tray because I'm getting a roller tonneau put on it which will further shorten the tub size, and that will allow us to pack upwards as well as give us strapping-space on the sides of the A-frame. We also want to put a rooftop camper on it (we do plan to go camping even more often once we've done that) and I'm considering a roll-out drawer set up on one side of the tub for things like the battery box and tools that we don't want to dig in the tub for. Hopefully the whole set up will become my 'best 2023' prepping decision lol. I think at this stage my 'worst' decision so far has been to be a bit lax about paying extra off the mortgage. We're paying it off way faster than we need to, don't get me wrong. But there's that little existential "but what if the economy spuds in?" voice that tells me that having our incomes free for saving money for a rainy day will be pretty vital in the next few years.
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Post by Joey on Apr 16, 2023 17:41:34 GMT 10
I had to look up what was so good about this Engel box that it was so expensive without a battery. Then I saw it has an inbuilt 240v invertor, dc-dc charger etc But still at $719 at BCF, you would expect it to come with an AGM battery at least. I'm eventually going to get around to putting a dual battery with solar panel in my navara, as I've got everything ready to do it now, but still tossing up how I'm going to do my tub layout if I go drawers etc as at the moment we don't do many trips away like camping etc but we want to in the future. So at the moment, the tub just gets used for our monthly trips to the big city for a bunnings run and big W run for the next month. That was part of my logic when I bought it at $500. I thought that with the inverter and other functions it was pricey but worthwhile given the good reviews for them. If I'd had to buy a battery on top of the current price it'd probably be in the 'eventually, but not right now' box because there's a few other things we need to do first. The only thing that I could think of for the price increase was perhaps if the chip in the inverter might have become difficult to source given the shortages out of Taiwan. We're also having the same thoughts, I'm hopefully taking delivery of a Navara in the coming months and making sure that we can fit everything in when we go camping/bug out is a concern. We're looking at an A-frame rack for above the tray because I'm getting a roller tonneau put on it which will further shorten the tub size, and that will allow us to pack upwards as well as give us strapping-space on the sides of the A-frame. We also want to put a rooftop camper on it (we do plan to go camping even more often once we've done that) and I'm considering a roll-out drawer set up on one side of the tub for things like the battery box and tools that we don't want to dig in the tub for. Hopefully the whole set up will become my 'best 2023' prepping decision lol. I think at this stage my 'worst' decision so far has been to be a bit lax about paying extra off the mortgage. We're paying it off way faster than we need to, don't get me wrong. But there's that little existential "but what if the economy spuds in?" voice that tells me that having our incomes free for saving money for a rainy day will be pretty vital in the next few years. NP300? You'll want to get a "hot pipe upgrade" from CRG tuning after a little while as the factory hot pipes crap out after a short time and leak oil down the back of the engine
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Post by Stealth on Apr 16, 2023 18:33:08 GMT 10
Yep, it was only manufactured early this year though, is it possible they've sorted it by now? I'm going to guess no. We all know what big companies are like with 'little problems' so I'm not holding my breath. I'll keep CRG on speed dial. Or maybe just order one regardless and get it changed over before it's even a problem.
At this stage I'm still rolling my eyes at the hope that it'll arrive by mid-year. We were told late March at the latest but apparently it hasn't even shipped yet. Considering I only started investigating buying it in November I suppose that's not unexpected with how slow purchases are at the moment in the new car market. But I accepted a different colour because it was supposed to get into the country faster than the one I actually wanted. Anyway, that's a minor grumble really. It'll give me the chance to put aside money for extras like the A-frame and hot pipe upgrade lol.
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tactile
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Post by tactile on Apr 16, 2023 18:48:35 GMT 10
I wouldn't like to have a warranty claim on a Nissan after modding it like this. They would have to be the worst Jap manufacturer in this regard...
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Post by Joey on Apr 16, 2023 20:43:18 GMT 10
Yep, it was only manufactured early this year though, is it possible they've sorted it by now? I'm going to guess no. We all know what big companies are like with 'little problems' so I'm not holding my breath. I'll keep CRG on speed dial. Or maybe just order one regardless and get it changed over before it's even a problem. At this stage I'm still rolling my eyes at the hope that it'll arrive by mid-year. We were told late March at the latest but apparently it hasn't even shipped yet. Considering I only started investigating buying it in November I suppose that's not unexpected with how slow purchases are at the moment in the new car market. But I accepted a different colour because it was supposed to get into the country faster than the one I actually wanted. Anyway, that's a minor grumble really. It'll give me the chance to put aside money for extras like the A-frame and hot pipe upgrade lol. Warranty will cover it for the first 3yrs, but like mine, they factory one they replace it with will just blow out again. They have a poor design by being rolled steel and they split near the seals. My CRG pipe is solid with CNC machined seal flanges. The other common problem with the NPs is the rear main seal which over 5 generations of the ute still hasn't been fixed. Some people go a year before it starts to leak, I've heard of one guy who's seal went within a week of picking up from the dealer, some who have done 3-5 seals in a couple of years. The other issue with the design, is one of the intercooler intake elbows which has the air temp sensor glued into it, which has a reputation of blowing out on the road and you lose all engine power as the ECU can't register the air intake temperature. a get home fix is to use a couple of zip ties to hold it in to get home. CRG also do a replacement for this pipe issue as well where the sensor is screwed into the new elbow pipe. But warranty will cover all these things for the first few years. If any of these things do happen and the dealer tries to fob it off for whatever reason, just complain directly to Nissan Aust and it'll be sorted quick smart and the dealer will get a spanking. As the well and truly know of these common faults but won't fix them or issue a recall notice to fix them. www.crgfab.com.au/product/hot-pipe-suits-all-twin-turbo-np300/www.crgfab.com.au/product/np300-throttle-body-pipe-suits-all-np300/
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Apr 17, 2023 5:00:09 GMT 10
Just buy a triton. A much better car with no inbuilt issues.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Apr 17, 2023 8:18:06 GMT 10
My Triton duel cab ute now has 795,000 km on it, original 4 cyl carby engine, converted to lp gas/petrol 25 years ago. Still starts on the first turn of the starter, even after sitting for months as a farm ute. Has a 80 watt solar panel and homemade regulator screwed to the bonnet to keep the battery charged. Was starting to use a bit of oil between oil changes, around a liter or so every few weeks, but it didn't matter at that stage. No computers or any fancy gear likely to be destroyed by an EMP/CME, just a electronic ignition module in the distributor, that's easy to change and I carry a spare wrapped in alum foil in the glove box. 5 Minutes to change and away it goes again after the EMP.
The original tub rusted out, so I put an aluminum drop side tray from a Toyota ute on it. Added led tail lights many years ago, all still perfect.
I bought a 2nd hand Mazda 2600, which looks exactly like the Triton mechanically, except fuel injected, and it turns out it was a basically rebadged Triton, so a win win.
Never buy a Nissan, perhaps Toyota if you can get a good deal, but if I ever buy another ute, it will be a older Triton.
You have the rest of your life to solve your problems. How long you live depends on how well you do it.
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tactile
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Post by tactile on Apr 17, 2023 9:24:19 GMT 10
Sounds like you two have the Tritons before and after the head gasket/warping dog they made a decade or so ago.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Apr 17, 2023 14:16:23 GMT 10
My Triton is a 1982 model, well before any of the built in, made to fail issues. The main thing to watch is to use good quality coolant and don't let it overheat, otherwise its a new head gasket kit.
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Apr 17, 2023 16:07:45 GMT 10
I bought mine brand new in 2017. Never had an issue with it.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Apr 17, 2023 17:24:05 GMT 10
I just realized, my Triton is over 40 years old !!
Like driving a 20's unrestored Chevy in the 60's, Geeze, am I that old !!
When disaster strikes, the time to prepare has gone.
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Post by Stealth on Apr 17, 2023 20:15:50 GMT 10
Actually the Triton was high up on my list of preferences. In fact it came in second place. I did trial driving one and unfortunately while I really liked it on paper and the research I did on it seemed to be mostly promising, I very quickly realised that there were minor things that would drive me nuts very quickly. The Navara didn't have those problems for me and that's what clinched the deal.
And at the end of the day there's always people who've had a great experience with their particular car and just as many who've had a horrible time with them, so if I changed my mind every time someone said "that's a terrible car" I'd never buy one. There's no vehicle that every single person that's ever owned one has universally loved and not had problems with. I've got a lot of 4WDing friends who all responded favourably to both options. They were all equally pissed when I told them I was getting a 2WD model 🤣.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Apr 18, 2023 8:26:12 GMT 10
Just checking the maintenance record for my old Triton, its had a new set of wheel brake cylinders, a new LHS rear wheel bearing, new rear uni joints, a head machine and gasket kit due to me loosing a radiator hose, new radiator hoses, quite a few tire sets (its rather heavy on rear tires as it has a factory standard limited slip diff at the rear), a new front FW hub as the old one got smashed on a rock, a re-cored radiator, a few fan belts, battery's, wheel alignments, etc and a clutch at 600,000 km. A new rear transfer case oil seal, and a few gearbox/transfer box oil changes as required and that's it, still the original gearbox/transfer box, diffs and engine at 795,000 km.
Its the 2.6 liter, carby, 4 cyl, version converted by me to LPGas many years ago, and still working on LPG (I fill it with a caravan bottle and adapter hose).
We also had the Mitsubishi Pagero 4wd station wagon, with the same engine, and had no issues with it either. Only traded it as we needed a bigger, 6 seater, wagon for the family.
Chap across the road has a new (2022) Triton and loves it, best 4wd he's ever had, so he says.
If I was after another vehicle, as if there aren't enough around here as it is !, a Triton would be no 1 on the list, second probably a Mazda B series, had one of those as well and it was a good truck. Only sold it when I was told I could no longer drive. Then a Toyota, wife has a 3.4 liter petrol Prado and its a good car, a bit under powered when towing, but absolutely no issues at all, and its got nearly 400,000 km on it.
Never let someone or something that threatens you get within ‘arms length’ of your position.
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Post by ausprep130 on Apr 18, 2023 8:57:25 GMT 10
Regardless of the make, some cars are just plain lemons while others are abused by their previous owners. Sounds like you got a good one and looked after it.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Apr 18, 2023 9:33:13 GMT 10
It was my Business vehicle for many years, as a renewables electrician and went to all sorts of places, usually towing a car trailer full of solar panels and battery's and never once complained.
If you think wellness is expensive, try illness
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grumble
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Post by grumble on Apr 18, 2023 22:01:34 GMT 10
Following on from last year's thread and reviving it because I've had a sudden realisation. And a rather nasty one at that. A couple of years ago I bought an Engel Series 2 Smart Battery box for $499. It's still literally brand new in box, haven't taken it out. Haven't put a battery in it. No use so far whatsoever because the couple of times we've been camping it was at short notice and we didn't feel the need to dash out and buy a battery for it to last a couple of days camping. We just took a really good esky and some solar lights and smaller power banks and had plenty of juice for what we needed. I was having a look this evening out of pure curiosity and they've gone up by $200! Same model, same everything. Turns out that (if you factor that price increase in alone) it was my best prepping decision for 2021. Despite not having used it yet, if we were to suddenly need it we'd have it. But it's made me consider a lot of things that I've bought that at the time I thought were mildly offensive in their pricing given what they are. Sure, you can buy a battery box from Kmart now for about $0. I was mildly upset when I saw that given that I'd bought the Engel for $500 12 months before they appeared on the market. But after seeing how shoddy and easily broken they are I think we came out better on that one. I'm in a bit bigger of a rush to get a battery into it now because who knows how expensive they're going to get! And for all that, I can't figure out for the life of me why battery boxes would go up by $200 in 24 months. I'm sure there's a reason, but I'm equally as sure that I have no idea what that reason is! Just a little bit of FYI in regard to those battery boxes I own one I bought it in 2019 and used it heavily until mid 2021 and I mean I used it constantly. It spent around 50000 kilometers in the back of my Hilux powering my Engel fridge in freezer mode and then it would be plugged into power at the field camp as a back up in case the generator failed it served me well then last year my century AGM battery died I wasn't too worried as I didn't use it much now but what I didn't realize was the actual bult in smart charger had failed and killed the battery so when i recently bought a new AGM battery for it I hooked up the smart charger and that's when I noticed it didn't work So that when the real fun started trying to get it repaired or should I say trying to get the price of the replacement part to work out if it was just cheaper to start with a new one or repair it. Engel flat refused to give me a price said I had to go to the authorized service agent so I rang the agent and the pointedly told me that I'd have to bring it in and pay a $66 diagnostic fee and then they could give me a price on whatever parts were needed. I said I know what part i need i just need to know how much it was to which the just repeated themselves and told me that I wont find a price on the web as only they have the parts at which point I said yeah nah have a nice day I then rang Engel back and had a nice conversation and pointed out that I understood that I can only get he parts through them and i was ok with that but I was not willing to pay $66 to know what I already know. The chap i talked to was very understanding and put me through to another guy who was tech support for the corporate side not the end user and he was also very sympathetic and could see why it was a stupid move to make me pay to find out a price so then he handed a phone number to call and it was the number for the actual battery box manufacturer in Australia with the parting word of I don't recommend you call this number and ask to speak to XXXXX and tell him ZZZZ sent you and I don't recommend that you ask for a retail pricing on part N#**** for XXXXX battery box because these guy make the boxes and have their own brand and the only difference is Engels or red and black and theirs are less red and black but the actual components are very tightly licensed and protected to stop China making them however they are a bit more open to selling their parts as they don't have a system like us with authorized service agents now by this time I was over the stupid built in charge so what i did was bought myself a 240volt 15 amp smart charger and hooked it up to the two external poles that run to the battery and i need a new charger anyway so it was a win win and by doing it this way it bypassed the failed smart charger but the LED still gives you all the information like normal and allows you to set up what type of battery it is and son on to this point charging it with solar works well and so does the smart charger that i hooked up to it and for anyone that is interested in the box here is the less red and black version www.arkcorp.com.au/product/arkpak-730-2/
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