What did you do to your van today?

[saxonborg]

Did you get these ones with the fans built into them Eric?

Hi Gordon, the ones that I have fitted just have a big heatsink screwed on behind the fitting flange, you can reverse the heatsink if you you don’t have enough space at the back of the bulb. Got them from classiscarleds they look well made so only time will tell if they are durable.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

Got its MOT done yesterday sailed through only done just over 7000 miles in 18 months.

 

[wildebus]

Well, dropped the van off yesterday for an expensive service and MOT today.
Still in the garage now but ... with my deerstalker hat on I can can what is going on .....

Got a message this morning from the automated surveillance camera system tell me there was movement at 8:00 (so someone got in it to move it into workshop)
Check on the Victron site what is happening ....
Well, the van is still pretty well in the place I left it


Checking what is happening electrically ...

So peak would be when moved to workshop, then engine runnng until about twenty to nine. restarted again briefly and then off until 10:35 for a couple of minutes and then off again.
Checked the .gov.uk MOT site and I see I now have an MOT until 4th December 2021, so passed with one minor advisory. So guessing the last engine running part was high revs for the MOT emissions test following the main test checking?

Next (I thought it would have been done first, but not my area of expertise by any means?) will be the service and timing belt + water pump.

Unless MOT done first thing between 8:15 and 9:00 - and then the service, etc, done between 9:00 and 10:30?
But wouldn't have thought there would have been enough time there for that kind of work in 90 minutes?

It is actually useful to be able to see this kind of thing as you can get a good idea (kinda!) when things are going on and what they are likely to be

 

[bartman]

Checked the .gov.uk MOT site and I see I now have an MOT until 4th December 2021, so passed with one minor advisory. So guessing the last engine running part was high revs for the MOT emissions test following the main test checking?

Next (I thought it would have been done first, but not my area of expertise by any means?) will be the service and timing belt + water pump.

Yes, I agree, you would have thought it best to change the timing belt before revving the nuts off it for the emissions test!

 

[saxonborg]

Well, dropped the van off yesterday for an expensive service and MOT today.
Still in the garage now but ... with my deerstalker hat on I can can what is going on .....

Got a message this morning from the automated surveillance camera system tell me there was movement at 8:00 (so someone got in it to move it into workshop)
Check on the Victron site what is happening ....
Well, the van is still pretty well in the place I left it
View attachment 57577

Checking what is happening electrically ...
View attachment 57578
So peak would be when moved to workshop, then engine runnng until about twenty to nine. restarted again briefly and then off until 10:35 for a couple of minutes and then off again.
Checked the .gov.uk MOT site and I see I now have an MOT until 4th December 2021, so passed with one minor advisory. So guessing the last engine running part was high revs for the MOT emissions test following the main test checking?

Next (I thought it would have been done first, but not my area of expertise by any means?) will be the service and timing belt + water pump.

Unless MOT done first thing between 8:15 and 9:00 - and then the service, etc, done between 9:00 and 10:30?
But wouldn't have thought there would have been enough time there for that kind of work in 90 minutes?

It is actually useful to be able to see this kind of thing as you can get a good idea (kinda!) when things are going on and what they are likely to be

How does the Victron site show your position please?

 

[wildebus]

How does the Victron site show your position please?

If you have a device running Victron Venus OS to gather info from the MPPT, BMV or whatever (I have a Cerbo GX, but there are other devices like the Venus GX, CCGX or the Raspberry Pi as well), you can just plug in a GPS receiver with USB connection into the GX/RPi device and you get that position info in real time.
I think most work - I bought this one initially and as it has always worked, just get the same again each time to make life simple -

https://amzn.to/3pZHDMG

You can also download the KML file for the journeys made (I've not ever done that) and also set up a 'Geofence' where you get notified if the vehicle leaves the area you define (perfect if you have your motorhome stored away from home).

 

[HurricaneSmith]

Fascinating information.......

Does the device draw much power from your batteries please?

 

[wildebus]

Fascinating information.......

Does the device draw much power from your batteries please?

Very little really
I have the following always on ...

1. Camera activated by motion
2. MiFi Router
3. Victron Cerbo GX

Those use a combined constant power of approx 9W.
But with batteries, it does all add up of course, so that is around 20Ah per day. In the summer with solar, 8W is just noise. In the wintertime it is something that does need to be considered maybe, but I would hope a solar setup should be able to keep things going reasonably longer.

 

[linkshouse]

Added a mural to the back wall.

 

[GMJ]

I gave mine a wash today as it was minging after our recent trip to (further) west Wales.

Given the propensity to rain here, I didn't bother drying it...which was just as well as it started raining after I had finished and moved on to washing the car!

 

[saxonborg]

If you have a device running Victron Venus OS to gather info from the MPPT, BMV or whatever (I have a Cerbo GX, but there are other devices like the Venus GX, CCGX or the Raspberry Pi as well), you can just plug in a GPS receiver with USB connection into the GX/RPi device and you get that position info in real time.
I think most work - I bought this one initially and as it has always worked, just get the same again each time to make life simple -

https://amzn.to/3pZHDMG

You can also download the KML file for the journeys made (I've not ever done that) and also set up a 'Geofence' where you get notified if the vehicle leaves the area you define (perfect if you have your motorhome stored away from home).

Thank you an interesting set up needs a bit more research on my part.

 

[Mr and Mrs Tupcox]

Just walked past it and thought if we can not use you .its time say good bye.while prices are high.

 

[Trotter]

Just walked past it and thought if we can not use you .its time say good bye.while prices are high.

That sounds like it came from the heart.

 

[2cv]

Just walked past it and thought if we can not use you .its time say good bye.while prices are high.

I look out at my expensive garden ornament and think of next summer.

 

[Mr and Mrs Tupcox]

That sounds like it came from the heart.

From the wallet.

 

[tonybvi]

I looked at mine and decided it needed a wash as the roads were filthy travelling back from Findhorn yesterday where we spent a few nights. At the moment we are fortunate enough to be able to still use ours provided we don’t venture into level 3 or 4 areas.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

Washed the solar panels today noticed from the bedroom window they had crap all over them.

 

[Trotter]

Washed the solar panels today noticed from the bedroom window they had crap all over them.

I'll wash mine Christmas eve. A couple of days before the Portuguese trip Train booked, hate to see it go without me.

 

[edina]

I'll wash mine Christmas eve. A couple of days before the Portuguese trip Train booked, hate to see it go without me.

Wish we were joining you Del. Our bus is rarin to go, but cos of family stuff, we'em stuck in the UK. Have a great trip

 

[Obanboy666]

Probably removing all the cushions, bedding, clothes etc if as expected with living on Teesside we are put in tier 3 meaning no unnessary travel outside my area.