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- May 29, 2008
- Messages
- 938
Lots of good stuff, Thanks Guys.....Dale
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Stranded in Vehicle
- Thread starter the lone gunman
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2003
- Messages
- 1,850
battery failure has been a big worry for me when we camp out , I deal with it by having a smallish truck battery that is usually on a solar trickle charger when at home ( gentle charge , keeps it topped up but doesnt boil the water out )
that battery travels with us in whatever vehicle we are taking bush .
Its enough we can start the big diesel in the bus as long as there is SOME kick in the original battery .
Itll easy kick over the smaller petrol van.
having the second battery saved my backside a lot of times over the years and helped out a lot of other folk I met as well . Same as the can of fix a flat , and the 20 litres of waster and can of bars leaks that ride along "incase" as well have been called on a couple times a year , usually to fix other folks problems but occasionally my own too .
I have done a crude version of the battery warm up to make a dead battery work , a couple times , just sitting it next to the fire , moving some coals aside to give it some hot dirt to sit on , wait till its a bit too hot to touch but the plastic isnt melting quite ... wrap it in a t shirt or something to carry it back to the car and away ya go . it does work , but has potential to make a bit too much fumes near the fire and explode on ya too , so I hear anyway .
The cold here doesnt get desperate where I go , but wrapping up like you are a homeless person sleeping on a park bench works for the bit of cold we get , ends up being you have a toasty warm cocoon to sleep in , even tho everything else is freezy cold around you . My experience anyway , I been both the homeless guy , and the guy sleeping in the car .
them silver foil and cardboard reflectors meant to save your car interior from the sun make a good reflector that keeps your heat from all escaping out the windscreen too , covered windows shed heat slower than exposed ones it seems to me anyway .
the bigger hassle here can be heat in the summer , sleeping in the car provides some protection from snakes and bugs getting into your gear but if the car is closed up in day time and youre in it having a snooze , the interior temps can get pretty high , enough to cook eggs in their shells left on the dashboard , just not quite hot enough to make them explode .
that battery travels with us in whatever vehicle we are taking bush .
Its enough we can start the big diesel in the bus as long as there is SOME kick in the original battery .
Itll easy kick over the smaller petrol van.
having the second battery saved my backside a lot of times over the years and helped out a lot of other folk I met as well . Same as the can of fix a flat , and the 20 litres of waster and can of bars leaks that ride along "incase" as well have been called on a couple times a year , usually to fix other folks problems but occasionally my own too .
I have done a crude version of the battery warm up to make a dead battery work , a couple times , just sitting it next to the fire , moving some coals aside to give it some hot dirt to sit on , wait till its a bit too hot to touch but the plastic isnt melting quite ... wrap it in a t shirt or something to carry it back to the car and away ya go . it does work , but has potential to make a bit too much fumes near the fire and explode on ya too , so I hear anyway .
The cold here doesnt get desperate where I go , but wrapping up like you are a homeless person sleeping on a park bench works for the bit of cold we get , ends up being you have a toasty warm cocoon to sleep in , even tho everything else is freezy cold around you . My experience anyway , I been both the homeless guy , and the guy sleeping in the car .
them silver foil and cardboard reflectors meant to save your car interior from the sun make a good reflector that keeps your heat from all escaping out the windscreen too , covered windows shed heat slower than exposed ones it seems to me anyway .
the bigger hassle here can be heat in the summer , sleeping in the car provides some protection from snakes and bugs getting into your gear but if the car is closed up in day time and youre in it having a snooze , the interior temps can get pretty high , enough to cook eggs in their shells left on the dashboard , just not quite hot enough to make them explode .
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2007
- Messages
- 610
Just random, stream-of-consciousness ramblings:
If you're mildly handy, it's not difficult to wire the second battery to charge from the alternator and install a solenoid to let you start the engine off the backup battery. I have a Group 31 deep cycle powering an inverter in the truck that I use for battery chargers and to run a jigsaw onsite. If anyone's interested, I'll post a schematic and parts list.
Before that, I used a booster pack - an 18Ah battery with a 300W inverter attached. They pack a decent punch, mine would start a diesel half a dozen times on a charge. With my 4cyl gaspot and redux starter I never drained it. Plus you can charge cellphones and run a laptop off the inverter.
Obviously, recovery gear (practice!) and good judgment can keep you from getting irretrievably stuck and maintenance keeps the truck healthy, so my big concern is breaking stuff. I do keep epoxy resin and some cloth in the truck for get-er-home repairs, along with a healthy supply of JB Weld and a couple pieces of sheetmetal. Canned sealant/inflators are great, but carry several, plus a little 12V compressor. An expired propane tank make a great onboard air tank (after changing the fittings of course).
I can see a few potential uses for a can of expanding foam as well, gonna have to play with that one a bit...
As you can tell, my focus would be on getting the wheels turning again. It would be a shame to scrap your ride home because of a simple repair if only you had the materials.
My truck is a 5 speed, and I once used the reco gear not to get unstuck, but to drag the back end up a little rise so I could get it rolling to start it.
Cold temps and snow aren't much of a threat here either. The hazards are winter rains and a greasy mineral mud that makes everything...well...greasy is the best way to describe it. Combining that with the steep rocky terrain means that sliding off an embankment and rolling down a hill is a scenario that local responders always have to deal with and train for.
At one camp I worked in, they had similar candles made from rags and old oil filters. They were used mainly as smudge pots for insects because they were pretty smoky. Definitely not a good idea in an enclosed space !
Years ago, I was looking at getting a German surplus parka that doubled as a sleeping bag. Would be a great addition to a vehicle kit if the space allows. As it is, my old CF parka lives in the truck for a few months of the year.
If you're mildly handy, it's not difficult to wire the second battery to charge from the alternator and install a solenoid to let you start the engine off the backup battery. I have a Group 31 deep cycle powering an inverter in the truck that I use for battery chargers and to run a jigsaw onsite. If anyone's interested, I'll post a schematic and parts list.
Before that, I used a booster pack - an 18Ah battery with a 300W inverter attached. They pack a decent punch, mine would start a diesel half a dozen times on a charge. With my 4cyl gaspot and redux starter I never drained it. Plus you can charge cellphones and run a laptop off the inverter.
Obviously, recovery gear (practice!) and good judgment can keep you from getting irretrievably stuck and maintenance keeps the truck healthy, so my big concern is breaking stuff. I do keep epoxy resin and some cloth in the truck for get-er-home repairs, along with a healthy supply of JB Weld and a couple pieces of sheetmetal. Canned sealant/inflators are great, but carry several, plus a little 12V compressor. An expired propane tank make a great onboard air tank (after changing the fittings of course).
I can see a few potential uses for a can of expanding foam as well, gonna have to play with that one a bit...
As you can tell, my focus would be on getting the wheels turning again. It would be a shame to scrap your ride home because of a simple repair if only you had the materials.
My truck is a 5 speed, and I once used the reco gear not to get unstuck, but to drag the back end up a little rise so I could get it rolling to start it.
Cold temps and snow aren't much of a threat here either. The hazards are winter rains and a greasy mineral mud that makes everything...well...greasy is the best way to describe it. Combining that with the steep rocky terrain means that sliding off an embankment and rolling down a hill is a scenario that local responders always have to deal with and train for.
At one camp I worked in, they had similar candles made from rags and old oil filters. They were used mainly as smudge pots for insects because they were pretty smoky. Definitely not a good idea in an enclosed space !
Years ago, I was looking at getting a German surplus parka that doubled as a sleeping bag. Would be a great addition to a vehicle kit if the space allows. As it is, my old CF parka lives in the truck for a few months of the year.