Hi Newbie here - with a couple of questions

[Dodgey]

You don't need to sweat about the solar feed or the regulator.

In an ideal world you reconnect the regulator to the battery before connecting the solar as this is when the regulator decides whether you have a 12v or 24v battery. In amazingly rare circumstances you could generate so much solar power your battery topped over 20volts for a second and the regulator would go into 24v mode. Not going to happen in the UK.

As for the solar power lead - they are not much of a concern. Oddly, when you short circuit a solar panel they do nothing (I think it's the diodes inside). Often they are shipped with + and - joined together. When I install panels I've never worried about the solar end before connecting it. It's always insulated in the cable sheathing but still. I almost get the impression shorting a solar panel stops it producing current.

If your panel is plugged into your regulator, but the battery is disconnected, it does nothing at all. The regulator needs the battery power to run. Then, and only then, does it output power on the load terminals, or feed it back to the battery.

[AndyS95]

Thanks Dodgey,

Fitted the stereo easily enough - disconnected the neg on the LB - turned on the old stereo to check it had worked and was off and there was a 'pulsing charge' still going to it- the stereo didn't work but there was a faint pulsing on and off coming from the display - At the time I thought it might be coming from the SP but now after reading your post possibly it was from the starter battery? I pulled out all of the inline fuses leading to the LB and it stopped..

Am off next Saturday to have rear speakers fitted and grills made up - as am going to have to cut the existing ones out as I can't remove the o/s rear panel due to the bespoke side seat / storage unit. I was thinking off doing it myself but in the end thought best to let a pro do it..

I pulled the panel off the n/s and could see a grey wire with a connector rolled up- hopefully this is the speaker cable in-situ..? The auto - electrician guy on the phone said he does loads of campers but he seemed to think the cable would not be wired to the front just attached to the bodywork but the iso connector on the back had 8 speaker wires so I am hoping this isn't the case..

[philpdr]

That's exactly what I found,connected the speaker to it and worked no problem.

[AndyS95]

Hi all

Thought I would bump my old thread and say hello again!

Been waiting till I had some pics until I posted again, have some now so thought I would give an update

Firstly, thanks to everyone's help and advice, both directly and just via all the posts I have been reading up on.

Have now covered around 3500 km of completely trouble-free and totally joyous Bongoing around England and Ireland. Separate trips have included Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire and then Dublin, Galway, C Clare, C Kerry and C Cork.

Well I say trouble-free, we did have to tractored off Ireland's longest beach - Fermoyle, in Kerry! Completely my fault, I was sure we had a 4x4 but it's an SG3 - after all the research I did before buying, how I missed that I don't know.. But it all added to the adventure, walked up the road and found lovely Dermot and his tractor (I don't think he believed me when I said I thought it was a 4 x 4..) and he soon pulled us out!



Had 7 of us in and around it and the Electric Picnic Festival in C Laios



The Awning is an Andes Bayo 2m x 2m driveaway. Perfect for the needs of 2 of us, easy to put up and very reasonable - £117 from Amazon

I've fitted a RaspPI 'Carputer' I don't have those photo's with me, when I do I'll post in pimp my bongo, overcame a few issues to make it work, so will post all in case it helps anyone else. Inspired by Simon Jones' TV mounting, I copied his idea and we have a 19" connected to the 'Carputer'. Whilst searching for the seatbelt bolt size I came across a thread (now closed) that said they were m8 metrics, mine we UND 7/16's..



Have run out of lunchtime but will post in the show us your insides thread later..

Cheers!

[mikeonb4c]

Great to get your update and to hear you're having a great time with the Bongo. Mine's a 2WD and I keep a pair of Fiamma gripstrips permanently under my boot carpet, just in case. Only ever needed them once but when I did, they worked great.

[AndyS95]

Thanks Mike, they look like just the job! Will put them on the list.. Was lucky really it happened where it did, I had been confidently taking it down tracks in the middle of nowhere at night-time looking for camping spots - I wouldn't have if I'd known it was 2WD but it coped well..

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks Mike, they look like just the job! Will put them on the list.. Was lucky really it happened where it did, I had been confidently taking it down tracks in the middle of nowhere at night-time looking for camping spots - I wouldn't have if I'd known it was 2WD but it coped well..

I was in a muddy field with several 4WD Bongos when it happened to me. They were coping with the conditions without any problems but I was slithering all over the place. The gripstrips saved the day for me though they can't be a substitute for a 4WD. Biggest issue I reckon is they may allow you to get moving but then you have to stop at some point to retrieve them - hopefully firm ground not too far from where you left them

[AndyS95]

Thanks Mike, they look like just the job! Will put them on the list.. Was lucky really it happened where it did, I had been confidently taking it down tracks in the middle of nowhere at night-time looking for camping spots - I wouldn't have if I'd known it was 2WD but it coped well..

I was in a muddy field with several 4WD Bongos when it happened to me. They were coping with the conditions without any problems but I was slithering all over the place. The gripstrips saved the day for me though they can't be a substitute for a 4WD. Biggest issue I reckon is they may allow you to get moving but then you have to stop at some point to retrieve them - hopefully firm ground not too far from where you left them

An especially slow progress if you're on your own and having to get out and re-position every 3ft!

One more thing: I saw a thread but can't find it now where someone's top o/s rear vent panel had fallen out. This has happened to mine, I've tried glue, double sided tape, silicon but nothing worked. In fact, when I tried superglue the roof fabric actually started to smolder!! I think I recall a solution with washers and screws via the rear but I can't quite picture exactly how..

Oh - another thing.. Had some LEZ fun.. I hadn't really considered the LEZ issue, I've seen signs around London but not really looked into it, I had a vague recollection of seeing an ad for a Bongo saying it was LEZ exempt and that was it. So I got a fine through the post for being on the A2 and not having paid my LEZ charge: £250 and if I didn't pay within 28 days: £750!!! then a couple of days later another one (basically the return journey). Funny thing was, it said Make: Ford, Model: Unknown - so we don't know the model but we'll fine you anyway..

Anyway, once again BF came to the rescue - I had to email photo's of every side, the interior and the chassis plate. Also had to send a scan of the log book. That was to get it on the register. In the meantime I had to contest the fines with another dept at TFL. Luckily all this could be done online and via email so I didn't have to talk to an actual TFL numpty.. and then I got a letter from them saying both fines had been cancelled and I was officially not liable for LEZ. It was a relief but I wasn't too concerned as I took screen shots and web logs of their own website that said that after completing an online Q&A that it was LEZ exempt.

[mikeonb4c]

Your LEZ experience is interesting. I have to take the Bongo to London shortly, so just checked and I seem to be OK. But like you, I've taken a screen snapshot just in case!

[AndyS95]

Your LEZ experience is interesting. I have to take the Bongo to London shortly, so just checked and I seem to be OK. But like you, I've taken a screen snapshot just in case!

So did you go https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-em ... s-affected and then entered your reg number? If you did and it came up with under status "Not subject to LEZ" then that's pretty cast iron and means you are on the register. Mine wasn't but when you click "check by vehicle type" instead of "check by number plate" and answer the questions it will tell you the same thing..

[mikeonb4c]

Your LEZ experience is interesting. I have to take the Bongo to London shortly, so just checked and I seem to be OK. But like you, I've taken a screen snapshot just in case!

So did you go https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-em ... s-affected and then entered your reg number? If you did and it came up with under status "Not subject to LEZ" then that's pretty cast iron and means you are on the register. Mine wasn't but when you click "check by vehicle type" instead of "check by number plate" and answer the questions it will tell you the same thing..

I think it was a slightly different URL but I ended up in the same place and it confirmed that from '17 Sep 2015 to onwards' my registration number was 'Not Subject to LEZ'. Fingers crossed for no aggravation

[AndyS95]

Your LEZ experience is interesting. I have to take the Bongo to London shortly, so just checked and I seem to be OK. But like you, I've taken a screen snapshot just in case!

So did you go https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-em ... s-affected and then entered your reg number? If you did and it came up with under status "Not subject to LEZ" then that's pretty cast iron and means you are on the register. Mine wasn't but when you click "check by vehicle type" instead of "check by number plate" and answer the questions it will tell you the same thing..

I think it was a slightly different URL but I ended up in the same place and it confirmed that from '17 Sep 2015 to onwards' my registration number was 'Not Subject to LEZ'. Fingers crossed for no aggravation

I'm almost certain you will be fine as your vehicle is obviously on the register. If not just send them an email with the screen grab and it will be sorted. It is quite unpleasant to get demands for potentially £1500 from TFL even when you know you're in the right.

Its even more annoying when you realise it's the same TFL that's responsible for your unreliable, hugely over-priced commute into London everyday and the same TFL that are responsible for Oxford Street being the most highly polluted street for particulates in Europe if not the world! And then when you try and get into the country and away from them they try and f**k you up again!

rant over

[Gasy]

Tie a bit of string to your slippy mats and then to your tow hitch
You will pull them out with you and can drag them with you till it's safe to stop and retreave them
Also less mucky tham digging them out the mud
My mate used to send his boy into the back of the landy to open the door and pull them in with out stopping

You can get some which are a lot stronger than them , think we used to call them waffle boards in the 4x4 days , they will bridge holes etc can be used as ramps etc

[AndyS95]

Tie a bit of string to your slippy mats and then to your tow hitch
You will pull them out with you and can drag them with you till it's safe to stop and retreave them
Also less mucky tham digging them out the mud
My mate used to send his boy into the back of the landy to open the door and pull them in with out stopping

You can get some which are a lot stronger than them , think we used to call them waffle boards in the 4x4 days , they will bridge holes etc can be used as ramps etc

That's an excellent tip - very good idea!

[mikeonb4c]

Tie a bit of string to your slippy mats and then to your tow hitch
You will pull them out with you and can drag them with you till it's safe to stop and retreave them
Also less mucky tham digging them out the mud
My mate used to send his boy into the back of the landy to open the door and pull them in with out stopping

You can get some which are a lot stronger than them , think we used to call them waffle boards in the 4x4 days , they will bridge holes etc can be used as ramps etc

Brilliant tip. I've a feeling I'd heard that one before, only to forget it again

The stronger ones may be more bulky? The flimsy ones are handy for being able to slip them underneath the boot carpet without hassle.