Bongo Fury

Hi everyone take it you all had ample to eat and drink yesterday!! Well back to semi normal now and I have a couple of Qs . I don't use the Bongo as an everyday vehicle it has been nowhere since the Buxton bash (Still laughing)and I am wondering about whether or not I should run it periodically maybe up to temp and if so how often or not to do this. I have made a lead so I can plug the Bongo into the mains which I believe will charge my LB but not the main battery. Is it ok to charge the Battery whilst it is in situ or not or is it not neccesarry? Anyway enough from me I look fwd to your advise Turkey gobblers ..
Tim,Mandy,Harvey the Moggy

Personally, I'd take it for a run every 2-3 weeks to clean the rust of the brake discs and keep everything working - things have a habit of seizing up through lack of use.

Our Bongo is a dedicated camper and doesn't get used much in the depths of winter, other than fetching and carrying big stuff (it will be in use at the weekend, for example, as a removal van for one of my sons).

Our routine is. Park it, lock it up. When you use it again, unlock it, start it, use it!

Last year when I was laid up, and didn't use it for about 12 weeks, it needed half an hour on a battery charger on the main battery, to restore enough charge. The alarm/immobiliser was probably enough to discharge the battery a bit over that period.

But for a month or six weeks, ours always starts like you used it yesterday.

Hi tim, if your bongo isn't used so much during the winter, i'd stick 50 p.s.i in the tyres,and keep the fuel tank brimmed to cut down on the amount of condensation inside the tank.

If it was my bongo i'd leave the handbrake off too,but chock the wheels of course.

As well as the occasional run, its also a good idea to operate all the electrical switches from time to time.

and run the aircon

granitetim wrote:Hi everyone take it you all had ample to eat and drink yesterday!! Well back to semi normal now and I have a couple of Qs . I don't use the Bongo as an everyday vehicle it has been nowhere since the Buxton bash (Still laughing)and I am wondering about whether or not I should run it periodically maybe up to temp and if so how often or not to do this. I have made a lead so I can plug the Bongo into the mains which I believe will charge my LB but not the main battery. Is it ok to charge the Battery whilst it is in situ or not or is it not neccesarry? Anyway enough from me I look fwd to your advise Turkey gobblers ..
Tim,Mandy,Harvey the Moggy

The one bit of vital info that is missing is.....


Where is it parked inside, outside but under cover, or completely outside at the mercy of the elements?

Each case needs a slightly different answer.

But in all cases you need to avoid

Too much build up of condensation inside the body cavities and fuel tank, as it can reach the point where it never properly dries out.

Allowing the tyres to stand in one position long enough to take a "set" so that the plies permanently deform.

Allowing the discs and drums to get badly corroded except where the pads protect them so that when the rust burns off you end up with a high spot.

I would definitely find somewhere to take it for a good 15-20min run at least once a month if not sooner.

The Bongo is left outside in the elements . I do however open doors and windows to air it through when weather is right..

Or roof up tim? You can keep the bongo locked that way...

Long periods of inactivity are never a good thing with vehicles of any description. I would give it a run out at least once a month, or more frequently if possible. Definitely not less than 5 miles though, as short journeys are equally bad, especially in cold weather as the engine doesn't get a chance to warm up properly.

granitetim wrote:Hi everyone take it you all had ample to eat and drink yesterday!! Well back to semi normal now and I have a couple of Qs . I don't use the Bongo as an everyday vehicle it has been nowhere since the Buxton bash (Still laughing)and I am wondering about whether or not I should run it periodically maybe up to temp and if so how often or not to do this. I have made a lead so I can plug the Bongo into the mains which I believe will charge my LB but not the main battery. Is it ok to charge the Battery whilst it is in situ or not or is it not neccesarry? Anyway enough from me I look fwd to your advise Turkey gobblers ..
Tim,Mandy,Harvey the Moggy

OK....look at aldi specials. The is an inteligent charger coming up on offer at £12.99 I think (must have to keep battery alive if car is stored).

But have to ask...............why dont you do what I do...........use it.....

Only thing I found with the intelligent charger someone suggested to me was that it didn't handle a battery with the amp/hr rating of either my leisure battery (11o) or starter battery (95) as it was aimed at m/cyclists. no doubt this one will be fine but check!

Charger here

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_4632.htm

12v 1.2 to 120Ah
6v 1.2 to 14Ah

Thanks for the advice everyone I have just been for a spin in the Bongo and all is spot on..

The Great Pretender wrote:Charger here

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_4632.htm

12v 1.2 to 120Ah
6v 1.2 to 14Ah

Got one of these today. Has lots of modes, from charging a virtually dead battery to keeping one topped up. The The GP says is charges batteries up to 120AH, so fine for anything fitted to a Bongo. Also picked up a Li-Ion cordless screwdriver identical to one in Screwfix but 1/3 the price, while I was there.