Unexpected Expenditure

[Dr Bob]

....but forgetting all this nonsense of charging the domestics, what about Parahandy's "maintenance fanatic" and his unexpected expenditure? Shirley if you are a fanatic you would monitor you engine start voltage? I upgraded my BMV 701 to a BMV 712 so I could see the voltage on my ageing engine start battery. The poor thing is on its last legs. I was thinking of taking it to the vets to get it put down. 10 years old. Nearly died of dehydration last summer till I gave it some water. During the winter the beta 43 needed some cranking but now I see it being chagred at 14.4v and a low tail current via a clamp meter .......but the nice thing is ..that's it's easy to see the at rest voltage on an engine start battery.....no solar to get in the way....and in the morning it's reading 12.6V. Not perfect but it's still ok and whilst the voltage holds up it will start the engine. As soon as I see a deterioration then I will invest in a new one......and that will be planned and not 'unexpected'.

Ok a new BMV 712 is not cheap but a £10 voltmeter from eBay would be ok for a maintenance fanatic, Shirley?

[ditchcrawler]

11 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

  now I see it being chagred at 14.4v and a low tail current via a clamp meter .......but the nice thing is ..that's it's easy to see the at rest voltage on an engine start battery.....no solar to get in the way....and in the morning it's reading 12.6V. Not perfect but it's still ok and whilst the voltage holds up  

Mine died the beginning of this trip, yes it was charging at 14+ and in the morning the voltage was still well above 12 but turn the switch and it went doh. cell down

[rusty69]

Nobody expects the unexpected expenditure! 

[Dr Bob]

13 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Nobody expects the unexpected expenditure! 

Amongst our weponary are such diverse elements as a .....

 

 

.......duck?

 

 

eta....really, do you know what a duck costs to keep?

Edited May 21, 2018 by Dr Bob

[Nightwatch]

2 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

You are wearing a blue shirt and have an analogue voltmeter, that's all it says

Detective Roland. I did notice I had inadvertently taken a selfie.

Tales of the unexpected.