I thought I'd buy a Redarc inverter, but I changed my mind and used that money to pay off my mortgage, take the family for a Queensland holiday and buy the wife and I a new car.
I appreciate your honest opinion of these products. All the product ambassadors are are quick to point out the positives of the gear but very rarely are critical of them. The more I watch your videos, the more I enjoy them. The honesty and passion from your videos is second to none. Thankyou and keep going.
This is no insult, but you have reached an audiophile level of nuance in your opinions on 4x4 gear. I hope that one day you can lose the OCD and just enjoy the tracks again.
Makes for good content! maybe if you don't like it make your own channel? Or you just like to complain about free content on the internet that's not specifically tailored to your interests? I actually quite liked this it's hard to get knowledge of this kind of experience.
@@joels2517 kind of agree with you there buddy. Honest reviews and tells it, albeit a long way around it to get to the point but still, how it is. Like anything in this world, if people don’t like it, they’re only more than welcome to NOT watch it....nobody is making them watch this content...😉👍👍
@@stuartmanuell4207 I think the issue of why some companies don’t want to work with him is because they’re fearful of his honest reviews and NOT paying credit when credits NOT due.
If only people did this more often maybe the manufacturers would improve on their product and listen to what people had to say about what is wrong. Anyone want to buy an ARB rooftop tent that'd been used maybe 3 times since new?
Funny thing about the National Luna system. I have had one in my old Landcruiser for 9 years. I use it for my camping trailer, so it is disconnected whenever we arrive at the destination. Also I installed very heavy cables to the connectors, mainly because I wanted to use the trailer battery as a booster for if I ever had to use my winch. I have no complaints - it recharges the trailer battery to about 95% when on the road. It may be because the batteries in the car and the trailer are the same semi deep cycle model. Semi deep cycle have a different charging characteristic to starting batteries. Another thing I must mention is after about 5 years the controller failed, so I went their HO. to see if I could get the controller alone. They sent a guy out to parking lot who confirmed that it was faulty and replaced it while I waited free of charge! Its seldom that you find companies who truly stand behind their product.
On one of my shitbox cars I wanted an auxiliary battery, easiest solution was to mount another alternator on the other side of the engine. Altogether better, I did fit a starter solenoid between the two so the car could get a jump start from the auxiliary battery. The separate alternators charging separate batteries meant no custom electronics. Just had to change the crank pulley for a double one.
Several years ago, I acquired 2 of the Nitecore headlamps after seeing them on one of Andrew's videos. I really like them and they still work great. They provide a good amount of light and I like the red light feature which has come in handy when camping in an area with lots of bugs flying around. I have not used them with gloves, but I have no issues finding the buttons with my bare hands. I would buy them again.
I agree 100% with your constructive criticism. Unfortunately many people will disagree with your comments (and mine 😊) but they are obviously the type of people that are easily duped of their money and have very little foresight or realisation into what actually represents good value for their money. You remind me of myself, as l’m also very critical of poorly designed products and the lack of value for money. Too many products are just rubbish and many of them are not exactly cheap either. Keep doing what you’re doing Andrew, l admire your, straight to the point comments on all things, good, bad and otherwise. 😊👍👍
The Redarc inverters are manufactured by Cotek in Taiwan. We have a 3kw version, but not used it yet. We are glad you covered some of the shockingly poor products pumped out by ARB and by REDARC. I was having a "lively debate" with their fan boys, and ARB themselves, about their latest iKamper ripoff tent they just released. I was explaining how I loved the brand, that they sold some lovely high quality goods, but also some rebranded very average, and therefore overpriced stuff. I exclaimed how disgusted I was that they blatantly ripped off iKampers design and that I expected better from a top brand. Especially a top brand who has itself been victim to ripoffs from cheapo China junk. The entire roof top tent market is now flooded by overpriced, any make china junk. Every social media channel is full of first timer noobs proclaiming they have the very best tent ever, despite not having a clue what they are talking about. Everyone has become a brand ambassador and talks utter garbage as they try and earn a few bucks by getting others to use their reference codes. I should know better, but I call them out most times I see it and end up in huge arguments as they team up waffling drivel. Had an ARB 47 litre fridge and loved it. A lot of friends got the Snomasters and they all started rust spotting which was disappointing. Friend bought one of the latest and most expensive Dometics and for over a year was having problems as Dometic wouldnt update the app software to the latest Android version meaning he couldnt use it properly, just annoying as hell to see that happen with a brand new product. We have an Indel Webasto fridge for our project build, some disappointing things found out already and we have not even installed it yet, such as the fact the small freezer section only goes to -5c, which means you cannot keep icecream for example. Useless!!!
@@ailo4x4 the overlanding scene is full of assholes, everyone trying to make a coin, so we just say it how it is, if people don't like that, we don't care.
Donegal, In America, we use the term 'chinesium' to describe worthless garbage products. Used in a sentence: "Breaking News -- Glorious Leader chinesium joe biden went all day without the embarrassment of changing his bloomers!"
@@DonegalOverlanding I hear what you’re saying and yes, there certainly are some well sponsored big channels that plug anything and everything for freebies however I can stand proud with hand on heart and say I ain’t one of them 🤣😉👍 honesty all the way bud 👍🇦🇺
If you're ever feeling depressed about 'brands', Drifta and their fans who always tow the party line no matter what are good for an exposing of waffling drivel. It's a cult thing where the head of the church does no wrong and if you don't agree you'll be struck down. Classic stuff.
Great to see you being honest with some of the brands that have sent you free stuff to try out.. If these brands take this constructive criticism to improve, I would buy them.. If they kick up a stink, I won't..
huge Redarc fan here as well, I've been fitting there stuff for a good 10 years now and will continue to because they build stuff well👍 I have always liked Engel, mine is 22 years old now, runs 24/7 and works flawlessly however I will agree with you about the lack of insulation, it does cycle a lot especially in a sealed up hot car, getting a transit bag and putting up solar shades does help a lot though, I run two aux batteries and a solar panel so I'm not too worries about how much it cycles
Thank you Andrew. So pleased with your review of Cadac burners. Their quality control is shocking! Many of their products out of the box are defective! Plus their customer service is non existent. The customer care line is nonfunctional and they do not respond to emails. I will never buy another Cadac product!
I think you need to take into account is smart charging alternators Andrew (modern vehicles) Most reasons why the second battery won’t charge properly is because the alternator recognizes the start battery is full so it drops out put to the second battery. You can get it turned off however.
Andrew you are such a negative complaining little chap. When I see you wave your arms about and curl your thumbs to make a circle with your middle finger tips I think here comes a negative rant.😅. It's time to smell the roses. Cheers.
Just added the Redarc SBI1212 between the starter battery and a new 110ah hybrid battery in our LC200 to link if and when winching. Great outcome and showing exact charging via a dual battery charge gauge!
Hema HX-1 Navigator deserves a mention .....unbelievably poor product....urban mapping didn't work/ difficult to charge and would freeze every day.....cost about $700 in 2017....I would rate it as the worst value for money product I have ever bought.
This x1000. Our Rural fire department ordered one under bad advice and it's the biggest piece of shit I've ever had the displeasure of (trying) to use. When you have units like the Garmin Overlander at only a couple of hundred extra, it's extremely frustrating.
Only issue with the small butane burners is them not working too well in very cold weather. Great most of the time, just not too good if you're camping at the snow!
I totally get your frustration with the head torch. I have an expensive Black Diamond one that is great when I can figure out how to turn it on. It has so many settings, I need the manual every time I want to use it. The best one I have was given to me by a friend who works at a coal mine and it's the one issued to all the miners. It's no nonsense, reliable and lights up the night.
You will always pay more for Australian made mate, it’s just the joys of manufacturing quality products in this country. Problem is, that redarc and GME and the like face here, is they’re trying to compete against products that are made by 10 year old kids in a sweat shop in China for $8 a month !!! No OH&S, no sick days, no super and certainly no workers comp so how could redarc compete making them here ? If they don’t have a cheaper imported alternative, they’d price themselves out of the market. Try to compete with a $1,500 Aussie made investor against the like of Kings crap for $300 - $500 - sure kings will last 12 months if you’re lucky but then you throw it in the bin and buy again 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️ that’s why redarc is perceived as ‘expensive’ 😉👍🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
@@4WheelingInNSW would make sense but their inverters are made in china. They charge multiple of $1000s of dollars yet are outperformed by $400 renogy inverter. Same goes with their lithium batteries made in China yet a huge mark up and are outperformed by many cheap brands
"Adhesive drawer bumper" is the solution for the buttons on the torch. You can buy them in sheets on eBay for next to nothing. Just stick one over the flush button and problem is solved. Also useful to stick on specific keys that you use in the dark.
@@jimmybarber4331 Don't forget there is a reason why buttons on the side of a torch are flush these days, it greatly reduces the occurrence of unintentional switching in the pocket.
Paused at 16.40... couldn't agree more with those $20 stove tops. They are light and work for ages. Enjoying this video by the way, love the honesty. Companies that give you products to test have credibility, because they know you call a spade a spade
Those single use gas canisters are so incredibly wasteful. Talk about products from the Stone Age. They’re like the new double A battery. Great for overland hikers and ok for once a year campers otherwise you just get a small 2kg gas bottle and refill it. Costs way less long term and reduces landfill.
Not to mention those long canister burners can be dangerous. They can leak and catch on fire. Ive tried cheap ones and more expensive ones and still have issues. 2kg refillable gas bottles are my go to now.
The solenoid system advice is a bit simplistic. Many cars have smart alternators that don't produce a constant voltage. They may adjust with temperature but they also have a shunt on the cranking battery that measures current and change voltage output as needed. I have found that for an under bonnet auxiliary battery that has the same chemistry as the cranking battery and using quality connections, a solenoid works well. The problems start when you mix battery types and use long cables with poor connections. An AGM also has a different charge profile to a normal SLA or deep cycle battery and cannot be properly charged just from the alternator, without a dcdc it needs an external charger every so often or it's life will be shortened.
This is solid and accurate advice. I've got standard SLA starting and AGM aux. National Luna fine while on the road/long runs but home base is always on the mains.
Yes, Redarc are over priced and poor value for money, full stop. Not just their inverters, but everything they sell. Nobody really needs it. It's not bad stuff, good for the people that can afford it or are sponsored by them.
So if i don't have Redvision and a BMS etc etc, what am i going to do out camping? Will i suffer anxiety if i don't have immediate and continuous access to the state of my batteries?
I owned BMS 1215S2, BMS1230S3 redvision in Kamper, now have Enerdrive ACDC and DCDC in Karavan. 200 runs 2 Redarc BCDC to run the 2nd and 3rd Lithium batteries. Redarc is good value, Enerdrive is expensive and next level
@@JohnRolyAU Victron's dearer again and even better than Enerdrive. Redarc has a lot of hype and it certainly is good, in fact I prefer some of their products over Enerdrive's versions, but Victron leaves them both for dead.
@@veysher3756 My brother runs Victron in his 4wd. Awesome gear. I guess we are lucky that we like to tinker and play, we test stuff and then replace. When I camp I chase sun and charge all the time.
Great informative vid ... Thanks for sharing your knowledge...... I just thought I would mention I have a evacool fridge freezer 12v and 240v It would be about 12 years old and has never missed a beat, also being fibreglass it still looks like new
We use the kovea stoves for our skottles and they are exceptional - they take butane or propane and 1 little bottle lasts about 2-2.5 weeks cooking 3 meals a day. Very efficient and if you've got the large propane bottle you'll never have to worry about refills for your entire expedition hehe
Split system solenoids aren’t the problem. Here’s the reason….. Toyotas for a lot of years have temperature sensing controlled alternators. They charge at over 14.6 volts on startup but drop to float charge very quickly once engine heats up. Travel the top end in 36 degree heat and I get full charge for 3 mins then drops to float charge. Only solution is dcdc charger. If your vehicles alternator pumps out over 14 volts all the time then you can run a solenoid system satisfactory.
You are absolutely right! Which is why i have my 2018 Tacoma ECU programmed to run at 14.7V with two AGM batteries hooked up for the last 3 years with zero charging problems.
Not only that, but once a battery gets discharged below 10.5 volts, it often gets damaged and loses reserve capacity. So even if you charge it up the night before with an AC charger, the battery will only run the fridge for half a day instead of a couple of days. Solenoid system work great and we've proven that, but 80% of the auxiliary batteries not taking a charge is the actual battery crapping on itself when used. Batteries also do not seem to be build as robust as they were 30 years ago. Many batteries fail in brand new cars within months.
Agree mate, no issue with split solenoid charging when using the redarc SB12 etc .... biggest issue is DC to DC chargers came out and we’re all told, by many influencers across all platforms, that we must use these as there the best.....often because they’re given free stuff that they must endorse for more free stuff down the track ... and this promoting continues to grow with the more free crap they get. My old man has used a solenoid style ( or the more common VSR style ) isolator for almost 15+ years now while grey nomading around this great country and has never had issues with charging batteries, his battery health or his state of charge. DC to DC charger as have their advantages but that’s not to say you can’t get out and enjoy the great outdoors if you don’t have one 😉👍👍
Hi Andrew. Just watching one of your videos about different travel products. You mentioned the cheap gas cooker and I agree they are really good, my issue with them is on really cold mornings the gas canisters freeze up. If you could buy canisters with propane gas there wouldn’t be a problem as it has a lot lower freezing temperature.
Tyre Dog TD 1300 simple, easy to set up, hi temp, low pressure alarms, back light via button, several years later still perfect and never had a pressure loss from the screw in sensors or theft issues, tip - use only hi quality batteries in the sender and receivers, or you will we changing them regulary.
Engel and Crystalair (manufacturer of Travel Buddy) comes to mind that reminds me of CADAC, companies who hasn't moved on from their initial great product(s). While most of their respective competitors have released new products that has moved the goal post (particularly fridges), both Engel and Crystalair are happy to continue selling the same original design product(s).
I like supporting Australian made whenever I can, but I saw a video comparing the Travel Buddy (TB) and the Road Chef (RC). Looking at them from the outside, the RC is almost an identical copy of the TB. Based on this alone, it's a no brainer, I'd pick the TB every time. But when the video showed the internal components of the two, you can clearly see the better components used in the RC. The wiring was better routed and were thicker with heat insulation compared to the TB. This part will really test your loyalty. Should you get a product with inferior internal components simply because it's Aussie made or should you get the better product even if it's made from China?
I have found the Traxide ( Australian made) dual battery system to work perfectly on my D3. Aux battery always at full voltage and ready for camp with solar charge keeping aux topped up. Cranking battery in better condition too. Install and forget. Perfect.
Love your work ASPW You are certainly guessing regarding fridges. Engel sawafuji swing compressors don’t spin and their current draw is very very low.. In a 4wd application, they always use less than a Secop previously Danfoss unless you have massive insulation. In my humble opinion.
Current draw over 24 hours running is a lot more than a danfoss fridge unit especially in high ambient temperatures where they run nearly continuous to maintain temps. Have tested 9 different fridges in real world conditions so I know what I am talking about. People get caught up with amp draw rather than cycle time. Engels are reliable but do use more power in a 24 hr period especially noticeable if not driving a vehicle every day to charge up your battery. If you have solar 80w panel can keep most danfoss compressor fridge running. But you need 100 to 120 W for an Engel. Mainly because as Andrew started less insulation. But they do pull the temperature down more slowly so have to run longer.
I strongly disagree and think that all things being equal in insulation and cabinet that the sawafuji swing motor will use significantly less power than a Secop compressor. Did your real-world testing have identical cabinets with the same amount of insulation with the only variable being the type of compressor? if there were other variables, the test is useless.
Great video, and I agree 100% on the Nitecore torch issue. I too love them and use them exclusively in my kit, but the number of times I inadvertently press the USB charging port to switch the damn thing on drives me nuts ..... :-)
I have the small nitecore headtorch, its the best rechargeable headtorch I have ever used. Its really easy to read the manual for 1 minute and understand how the buttons work and then remember for good. The red light design is sublime for fishing and pissing in the night without killing your night vision.
Been running Redarc Isolator in my Cruiser for nearly 12yrs no issue with it. 2nd Battery gets a good charge around the 13.4 - 14 going in. The trick is Andrew having a Good Sparky and Mechanic. Have done 6+ week trips with NO AC Battery charging
@@4xoverland ok. But if my Auxiliary AGM is always at 12.8 to 12.9 and has been for years even when running the fridge and lights. Doesn't that say the isolator is charging it fully ? I'm sure I could throw a 20amp charger on and it would give it a better charge but it seems to be working fine. I made the mistake years ago buying a cheap projector isolator and it failed after on 3mths and killed my first agm.
Great tip on the tire review website, we are severely lacking on resources like this in the states. You are lucky if Motor Trend does a review, and they tend to be soft on the review.
I have a Waeco/Dometic 80l fridge that I bought in South Africa over 20 years ago. Took it to Dubai and used it their for five years and now using it in Australia. I want to buy a smaller fridge as I no longer have kids and don't need an 80l, but the damn thing just wont die.
I have the same waeco 80l. It was given to me after my brother sold the boat he had it on. 20+ years and it is still going. It is a power hungry beast, but why replace it with a newer and possibly inferior fridge.
I appreciate your comments/reviews on various items you find of poor quality. But I have to say, I've been running a Nat Luna dual battery system on my tacoma for four years and have never had the problems you have mentioned. It powers my Nat Luna fridge/freezer along with light bars and outlets and works very well. But thank you you for your honest reviews. Cheers
I don't know why, but expensive torch makers seem to like to hide the buttons. i have exactly the same problem with Fenix torches. great in every respect EXCEPT to stupid switches. The torches (much much cheaper) I get from Aldi, are lovely quality and have switches you can feel IN THE DARK... I don't know why the expensive torches have to be so frustrating.
While watching the torch reviews I couldn't help thinking. "Been locked away too long in W.A.?" ;-) No really, some very good points. Loved the reviews.
The first rooftop tents where devolved by Autohome in Italy back in 1958. They are the oldest company producing rooftop tents. Eezi-awn was funded in the 80s.
I agree with you on ARB's TPMS. I removed mine. As for the BF Goodrich, I'm a big fan. I've been using them for a little over 20 years. I currently have KO2s on my LC80. Will now check them tomorrow where mine where made. As for your Aussie shop, what no Troopy merch? 🤔
Giandel inverters on eBay are a brilliant bit of kit and cost next to nothing compared to Redarc. Also there are some issues with Redarc, Victron are superior at the moment.
I hate to cycle through 'strobe' mode on nearly every flashlight made today. You know its coming, wince in preparation, BOOM! Seizure-inducing disco party. I was hoping for your comment on newcomers in the fridge world, specifically Iceco. Pre chilled, kept at 36 deg (F) and filled with water containers in a 70 deg (F) environment, opening twice daily, my Jackery 1500 powered it over 6 days before the Jackery was down to 15%. This was the Iceco JP50 model.
Hi Andrew , You speak a lot of sense and state a lot of issues that you have with different manufacturers product.. Have you ever thought about redesigning and making alternatives to the ones available or reach out and work with the brand to improve some of their products. I enjoy your content and following you with great interest.
I absolutely love your red dirt travels. Was looking at a older video when you bought the Range Rover back and the morning red sky out in the wood lands Southern Cross way. Fabulous.
They were good for a while in the 1980s. This was when they had stopped using the small transfer mounted drum for the hand brake and used the main rear drum brakes for the hand brake instead. You can see this on some 60 series and early 70 series. After this they went to rear disc brakes with the small hand brake drums inside the rotor and the hand brakes were worse than ever before.
After 22 years of a 40 and 60L Engel in succession, The 60L is going in the Kimberley Kamper to sell it and the 4 year old National Luna is going in the 200 Series. Best Fridge I have seen, 44 degree day and it kept icecream frozen hard in the freezer and kept the fridge section at 2 degrees.
As for TPMS systems (I think I’ve mentioned this on the ARB video) - I bought a Chinese one off eBay for under $20 ($19.95 or something with free postage - got a second identical one later for someone else $29 odd). Zero issues. Installed in minutes. Has been working for 2 years - no problems. Display charges off a little solar panel (can be topped up with a supplied microUSB cable) and is mounted at the top right corner of the windscreen just below visor level so I can always see the screen. Screen has 3 brightness settings (bright for day, dimmed for night and off). Displays pressures and temps and has alarms for over-pressure (user defined), under-pressure (user defined) and over-temperature (user defined). Can’t fault it. And people spend up to $500 for these things!! All I’ve had to do is replace the batteries in the wheel sensors twice each. That’s a normal consumable cost one expects.
An often overlooked issue with simple solenoid isolation is hooking up two batteries in parallel that have different capacities. Crank batteries rarely have an Amp Hour capacity greater than the Auxiliary battery. Simple example: the start battery in my 4x4 has an 85Ah capacity. My auxiliary battery has a 120Ah capacity. Simply in parallel, the auxiliary would never fully charge. For basic solenoid isolation, both batteries must be same chemistry and same Ah capacity. DC-DC chargers allow safe and effective charging to 100% for any auxiliary battery.
At 17:30, the term you are looking for is "tactile feedback"; at 16:30 the single burner butane stoves, made in Korea or China are great, butane will not flow below about 0°C however. There is an inexpensive torch that takes the same butane canisters that is great for starting a campfire in the evening, and you already have the canister. At 30:36 I gave up on BFG tires after my second set lasted only 9000 miles! (in the mid 1980's) before the tread was completely and evenly worn out. My father had warned me, he had bought a set during WWII and they didn't hold up at all. He was right, terrible tire.
Those small gas cans are sold here in Bunnings for $6 for a pack of 4, I cooked all my meals on these cookers for 6 year's in my home plus have one in my car and used have one on my truck when I worked, 4 cans lasted me 4 weeks on average, most other stores sell the cans for twice the price, ☺.
I hear you, @Andrew -- bought a pre-fitted VW split-charger which I shouldn't have: turned out to be dead right from the start. This, in turn, I only realised when the aux battery seemed constantly flat -- maybe similar to, at least, the poor charging you experienced. So curiously continuing to watch for further lemons here -- and better solutions that may come up in the course of your video
Great video🤙🏻 Very very interesting 🤔 I was very sad when the video ends. Could watch this a day long. 😅💪🏻 good content and one of the best off-road channels in the 🌎 greetings from Germany 🇩🇪 hopefully we are in Esperance in two weeks.
Totally agree with cable and manual switch ran that set up on and my 110 for 5 years without any issues. Keep it simple, less to go wrong. And also agree with you on the Cadac bought one in 2010 used it on one trip went through so much gas I couldn't believe it. Sold it last year after it sat in my garage for eleven years.
Hi! I live in a very extreme weather environment and for my torch/flashlight I use and recommend 101% OLIGHT,give it a try to the OLIGHT WARRIOR 3 which has a tactical switch which I think you will like and for headlamps BLACK DIAMOND. Bests regards from a Venezuelan follower!
Batteries linked just with a heavy cable in a vehicle with smart alternator is the problem regarding getting second battery fully charged. This is why a Dc to Dc charger is the way to go, especially with solar input and solar panel mounted uptop.
I just bought a new Engel 57L upright because I have two excellent 40L and needed the upright for my trailer. That 57L is so damn loud “68db” I would say a 4 cylinder Deutz would be quieter .
Thanks for tip on sourcing BFG tyres. Its my next tire upgrade. Wrt gas cookers, being from RSA the small boilers & cookers from Jetboil have cured me from the Cadac culture. Only use Cadac stuff for emergency use at home (hardly ever). Those flat gas cookers with small long canister are indeed a winner and together with Jetboil stuff our gas cooking kit takes up less space than in the past and is more gas/propane efficient.
When you're talking about fridges. What does it mean when it comes out of the same factory but rebranded ones are better quality? Wouldn't it be the same?
I'm a crane operator and somewhere cranes had Bridgestone tires and they always failed the tires will come apart. Obviously michelin's were much better but also much more expensive but the bridgestone's will sometimes fail before even the crappy Chinese ones.
Only if they will send a few free samples to ASPW will they be looked at. I have a few they are excellent. PS I bought them with my hard earned $$$, I didn't beg.
I love a good rant, and boy oh boy, this video, unlike the products featured in it, does not disappoint! "So I need a torch, to operate the torch, to operate the torch!" -9/10 rant-rating* sir. *( 0-10 rant-rating scale where 10 is "No pomegranates!")
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I thought I'd buy a Redarc inverter, but I changed my mind and used that money to pay off my mortgage, take the family for a Queensland holiday and buy the wife and I a new car.
🤣😂😅👍🍺
😂😂😂
I appreciate your honest opinion of these products. All the product ambassadors are are quick to point out the positives of the gear but very rarely are critical of them. The more I watch your videos, the more I enjoy them. The honesty and passion from your videos is second to none. Thankyou and keep going.
This is no insult, but you have reached an audiophile level of nuance in your opinions on 4x4 gear. I hope that one day you can lose the OCD and just enjoy the tracks again.
Makes for good content! maybe if you don't like it make your own channel? Or you just like to complain about free content on the internet that's not specifically tailored to your interests? I actually quite liked this it's hard to get knowledge of this kind of experience.
@@peterb3473 why not just delete TH-cam
Agree. He's lost a lot of objectivity in his commentary. No wonder a lot of companies won't work with him.
@@joels2517 kind of agree with you there buddy. Honest reviews and tells it, albeit a long way around it to get to the point but still, how it is. Like anything in this world, if people don’t like it, they’re only more than welcome to NOT watch it....nobody is making them watch this content...😉👍👍
@@stuartmanuell4207 I think the issue of why some companies don’t want to work with him is because they’re fearful of his honest reviews and NOT paying credit when credits NOT due.
Almost 40 minutes of ASPW having a little grumble at stuff. Absolutely loved it!
If only people did this more often maybe the manufacturers would improve on their product and listen to what people had to say about what is wrong. Anyone want to buy an ARB rooftop tent that'd been used maybe 3 times since new?
Funny thing about the National Luna system.
I have had one in my old Landcruiser for 9 years. I use it for my camping trailer, so it is disconnected whenever we arrive at the destination.
Also I installed very heavy cables to the connectors, mainly because I wanted to use the trailer battery as a booster for if I ever had to use my winch.
I have no complaints - it recharges the trailer battery to about 95% when on the road. It may be because the batteries in the car and the trailer are the same semi deep cycle model.
Semi deep cycle have a different charging characteristic to starting batteries.
Another thing I must mention is after about 5 years the controller failed, so I went their HO. to see if I could get the controller alone.
They sent a guy out to parking lot who confirmed that it was faulty and replaced it while I waited free of charge!
Its seldom that you find companies who truly stand behind their product.
On one of my shitbox cars I wanted an auxiliary battery, easiest solution was to mount another alternator on the other side of the engine. Altogether better, I did fit a starter solenoid between the two so the car could get a jump start from the auxiliary battery. The separate alternators charging separate batteries meant no custom electronics. Just had to change the crank pulley for a double one.
Several years ago, I acquired 2 of the Nitecore headlamps after seeing them on one of Andrew's videos. I really like them and they still work great. They provide a good amount of light and I like the red light feature which has come in handy when camping in an area with lots of bugs flying around. I have not used them with gloves, but I have no issues finding the buttons with my bare hands. I would buy them again.
I ❤ the rants about crappy stuff! Right up my alley ☺
I think on your website you should start a list in various areas like sleeping, cooking, TPMS... and list products you used, appreciate, approve, etc.
That’s an excellent suggestion. 👍👍
I agree 100% with your constructive criticism. Unfortunately many people will disagree with your comments (and mine 😊) but they are obviously the type of people that are easily duped of their money and have very little foresight or realisation into what actually represents good value for their money.
You remind me of myself, as l’m also very critical of poorly designed products and the lack of value for money. Too many products are just rubbish and many of them are not exactly cheap either.
Keep doing what you’re doing Andrew, l admire your, straight to the point comments on all things, good, bad and otherwise. 😊👍👍
I love your videos! No beating around the bush at all!! Keep up the good work👍Andrew your a legend 👌
The Redarc inverters are manufactured by Cotek in Taiwan. We have a 3kw version, but not used it yet. We are glad you covered some of the shockingly poor products pumped out by ARB and by REDARC. I was having a "lively debate" with their fan boys, and ARB themselves, about their latest iKamper ripoff tent they just released. I was explaining how I loved the brand, that they sold some lovely high quality goods, but also some rebranded very average, and therefore overpriced stuff. I exclaimed how disgusted I was that they blatantly ripped off iKampers design and that I expected better from a top brand. Especially a top brand who has itself been victim to ripoffs from cheapo China junk. The entire roof top tent market is now flooded by overpriced, any make china junk. Every social media channel is full of first timer noobs proclaiming they have the very best tent ever, despite not having a clue what they are talking about. Everyone has become a brand ambassador and talks utter garbage as they try and earn a few bucks by getting others to use their reference codes. I should know better, but I call them out most times I see it and end up in huge arguments as they team up waffling drivel. Had an ARB 47 litre fridge and loved it. A lot of friends got the Snomasters and they all started rust spotting which was disappointing. Friend bought one of the latest and most expensive Dometics and for over a year was having problems as Dometic wouldnt update the app software to the latest Android version meaning he couldnt use it properly, just annoying as hell to see that happen with a brand new product. We have an Indel Webasto fridge for our project build, some disappointing things found out already and we have not even installed it yet, such as the fact the small freezer section only goes to -5c, which means you cannot keep icecream for example. Useless!!!
Sooo...how do you really feel? Let it out, man. You are amongst friends here! ;-)
@@ailo4x4 the overlanding scene is full of assholes, everyone trying to make a coin, so we just say it how it is, if people don't like that, we don't care.
Donegal,
In America, we use the term 'chinesium' to describe worthless garbage products.
Used in a sentence:
"Breaking News -- Glorious Leader chinesium joe biden went all day without the embarrassment of changing his bloomers!"
@@DonegalOverlanding I hear what you’re saying and yes, there certainly are some well sponsored big channels that plug anything and everything for freebies however I can stand proud with hand on heart and say I ain’t one of them 🤣😉👍 honesty all the way bud 👍🇦🇺
If you're ever feeling depressed about 'brands', Drifta and their fans who always tow the party line no matter what are good for an exposing of waffling drivel. It's a cult thing where the head of the church does no wrong and if you don't agree you'll be struck down. Classic stuff.
thanks for the fireside chat andrew! i appreciate the videos you make as they help when im having a bad day. cheers from texas yeehaw
Great to see you being honest with some of the brands that have sent you free stuff to try out.. If these brands take this constructive criticism to improve, I would buy them.. If they kick up a stink, I won't..
huge Redarc fan here as well, I've been fitting there stuff for a good 10 years now and will continue to because they build stuff well👍 I have always liked Engel, mine is 22 years old now, runs 24/7 and works flawlessly however I will agree with you about the lack of insulation, it does cycle a lot especially in a sealed up hot car, getting a transit bag and putting up solar shades does help a lot though, I run two aux batteries and a solar panel so I'm not too worries about how much it cycles
Big Engel fan, I cannot bring myself to buy the cheap China frigs
Videos like this are so helpful for new comers like me. Thank you so much.
Thank you Andrew. So pleased with your review of Cadac burners. Their quality control is shocking! Many of their products out of the box are defective! Plus their customer service is non existent. The customer care line is nonfunctional and they do not respond to emails. I will never buy another Cadac product!
Love spending my night watching Andrew yell about torches
I think you need to take into account is smart charging alternators Andrew (modern vehicles)
Most reasons why the second battery won’t charge properly is because the alternator recognizes the start battery is full so it drops out put to the second battery. You can get it turned off however.
It's true, but if you can afford a new 4x4 you can afford 600 on a dcdc rather than 200 on a solenoid haha
@@Snook_ what you said
Andrew you are such a negative complaining little chap.
When I see you wave your arms about and curl your thumbs to make a circle with your middle finger tips I think here comes a negative rant.😅. It's time to smell the roses. Cheers.
Just added the Redarc SBI1212 between the starter battery and a new 110ah hybrid battery in our LC200 to link if and when winching. Great outcome and showing exact charging via a dual battery charge gauge!
Hema HX-1 Navigator deserves a mention .....unbelievably poor product....urban mapping didn't work/ difficult to charge and would freeze every day.....cost about $700 in 2017....I would rate it as the worst value for money product I have ever bought.
This x1000. Our Rural fire department ordered one under bad advice and it's the biggest piece of shit I've ever had the displeasure of (trying) to use.
When you have units like the Garmin Overlander at only a couple of hundred extra, it's extremely frustrating.
Yep not a fan of mine either….
Only issue with the small butane burners is them not working too well in very cold weather. Great most of the time, just not too good if you're camping at the snow!
Easily solved by using a small propane bottle instead of Butane.
Desert around Alice in winter, and I got almost zero heat from the cheap butane models.
I totally get your frustration with the head torch. I have an expensive Black Diamond one that is great when I can figure out how to turn it on. It has so many settings, I need the manual every time I want to use it. The best one I have was given to me by a friend who works at a coal mine and it's the one issued to all the miners. It's no nonsense, reliable and lights up the night.
Ive allways wanted to know why the RedArc inverter was so expensive when other brands seem to be the same and cheaper. Thanks for clearing that up.
You will always pay more for Australian made mate, it’s just the joys of manufacturing quality products in this country.
Problem is, that redarc and GME and the like face here, is they’re trying to compete against products that are made by 10 year old kids in a sweat shop in China for $8 a month !!! No OH&S, no sick days, no super and certainly no workers comp so how could redarc compete making them here ?
If they don’t have a cheaper imported alternative, they’d price themselves out of the market. Try to compete with a $1,500 Aussie made investor against the like of Kings crap for $300 - $500 - sure kings will last 12 months if you’re lucky but then you throw it in the bin and buy again 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️ that’s why redarc is perceived as ‘expensive’ 😉👍🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
Oops I’ve just purchased a 1500W Redarc inverter to go with my Manager 30. Damn!
@@greenestmachine71 just buy some cheap earplugs. 🍺
@@4WheelingInNSW would make sense but their inverters are made in china. They charge multiple of $1000s of dollars yet are outperformed by $400 renogy inverter.
Same goes with their lithium batteries made in China yet a huge mark up and are outperformed by many cheap brands
@@4WheelingInNSW j
Thanks for your rant ! You’ve got my wife laughing in the background and saying he’s always right !
"Adhesive drawer bumper" is the solution for the buttons on the torch. You can buy them in sheets on eBay for next to nothing. Just stick one over the flush button and problem is solved. Also useful to stick on specific keys that you use in the dark.
That’s a great idea. Thank you for that. 👍🍺
Great tip thanks. What a pity we have to add a 10c part to a $100- $200 tool to make it truly functional.
@@jimmybarber4331 Don't forget there is a reason why buttons on the side of a torch are flush these days, it greatly reduces the occurrence of unintentional switching in the pocket.
Paused at 16.40... couldn't agree more with those $20 stove tops. They are light and work for ages. Enjoying this video by the way, love the honesty. Companies that give you products to test have credibility, because they know you call a spade a spade
Those single use gas canisters are so incredibly wasteful. Talk about products from the Stone Age. They’re like the new double A battery. Great for overland hikers and ok for once a year campers otherwise you just get a small 2kg gas bottle and refill it. Costs way less long term and reduces landfill.
Not to mention those long canister burners can be dangerous. They can leak and catch on fire. Ive tried cheap ones and more expensive ones and still have issues. 2kg refillable gas bottles are my go to now.
I refill my 1lb canisters and they work fine. Extreme low temps (below zero f) can cause a struggle but other than that, I like the simplicity.
The solenoid system advice is a bit simplistic. Many cars have smart alternators that don't produce a constant voltage. They may adjust with temperature but they also have a shunt on the cranking battery that measures current and change voltage output as needed. I have found that for an under bonnet auxiliary battery that has the same chemistry as the cranking battery and using quality connections, a solenoid works well. The problems start when you mix battery types and use long cables with poor connections. An AGM also has a different charge profile to a normal SLA or deep cycle battery and cannot be properly charged just from the alternator, without a dcdc it needs an external charger every so often or it's life will be shortened.
This is solid and accurate advice. I've got standard SLA starting and AGM aux. National Luna fine while on the road/long runs but home base is always on the mains.
Love your ranting about the torches. Exactly what I was thinking: you need a pre-torch to operate the final torch. 🙈😂😂
Yes, Redarc are over priced and poor value for money, full stop. Not just their inverters, but everything they sell. Nobody really needs it. It's not bad stuff, good for the people that can afford it or are sponsored by them.
the DCDC units are very reliable, dont reduce output in higher temps like many DCDC units at even minimal temp increases.
So if i don't have Redvision and a BMS etc etc, what am i going to do out camping? Will i suffer anxiety if i don't have immediate and continuous access to the state of my batteries?
I owned BMS 1215S2, BMS1230S3 redvision in Kamper, now have Enerdrive ACDC and DCDC in Karavan. 200 runs 2 Redarc BCDC to run the 2nd and 3rd Lithium batteries. Redarc is good value, Enerdrive is expensive and next level
@@JohnRolyAU Victron's dearer again and even better than Enerdrive. Redarc has a lot of hype and it certainly is good, in fact I prefer some of their products over Enerdrive's versions, but Victron leaves them both for dead.
@@veysher3756 My brother runs Victron in his 4wd. Awesome gear. I guess we are lucky that we like to tinker and play, we test stuff and then replace. When I camp I chase sun and charge all the time.
Your Voice over adventure is gold
Great informative vid ... Thanks for sharing your knowledge...... I just thought I would mention I have a evacool fridge freezer 12v and 240v It would be about 12 years old and has never missed a beat, also being fibreglass it still looks like new
dometic CFX3 ( still marketed as Waeco in Aus) are outstanding fridges. Try one. You will be surprised.
It's been two years I'm enjoying your channel, And I'm falling for you every time
Happy March fellow Man
#respectMen
Nice to see there are people who are not afraid to say what they think 👍
We use the kovea stoves for our skottles and they are exceptional - they take butane or propane and 1 little bottle lasts about 2-2.5 weeks cooking 3 meals a day. Very efficient and if you've got the large propane bottle you'll never have to worry about refills for your entire expedition hehe
Split system solenoids aren’t the problem. Here’s the reason….. Toyotas for a lot of years have temperature sensing controlled alternators. They charge at over 14.6 volts on startup but drop to float charge very quickly once engine heats up. Travel the top end in 36 degree heat and I get full charge for 3 mins then drops to float charge. Only solution is dcdc charger. If your vehicles alternator pumps out over 14 volts all the time then you can run a solenoid system satisfactory.
You are absolutely right! Which is why i have my 2018 Tacoma ECU programmed to run at 14.7V with two AGM batteries hooked up for the last 3 years with zero charging problems.
Not only that, but once a battery gets discharged below 10.5 volts, it often gets damaged and loses reserve capacity. So even if you charge it up the night before with an AC charger, the battery will only run the fridge for half a day instead of a couple of days. Solenoid system work great and we've proven that, but 80% of the auxiliary batteries not taking a charge is the actual battery crapping on itself when used. Batteries also do not seem to be build as robust as they were 30 years ago. Many batteries fail in brand new cars within months.
@@georgecarousos6735 100% agree mate
Agree mate, no issue with split solenoid charging when using the redarc SB12 etc .... biggest issue is DC to DC chargers came out and we’re all told, by many influencers across all platforms, that we must use these as there the best.....often because they’re given free stuff that they must endorse for more free stuff down the track ... and this promoting continues to grow with the more free crap they get.
My old man has used a solenoid style ( or the more common VSR style ) isolator for almost 15+ years now while grey nomading around this great country and has never had issues with charging batteries, his battery health or his state of charge. DC to DC charger as have their advantages but that’s not to say you can’t get out and enjoy the great outdoors if you don’t have one 😉👍👍
Hi Andrew. Just watching one of your videos about different travel products. You mentioned the cheap gas cooker and I agree they are really good, my issue with them is on really cold mornings the gas canisters freeze up. If you could buy canisters with propane gas there wouldn’t be a problem as it has a lot lower freezing temperature.
Good call on the Red Arc inverter Andrew
On the ARB tire pressure monitoring system, 100% agree. In my own experience, a complete waste of money and never worked reliably.
Tyre Dog TD 1300 simple, easy to set up, hi temp, low pressure alarms, back light via button, several years later still perfect and never had a pressure loss from the screw in sensors or theft issues, tip - use only hi quality batteries in the sender and receivers, or you will we changing them regulary.
Engel and Crystalair (manufacturer of Travel Buddy) comes to mind that reminds me of CADAC, companies who hasn't moved on from their initial great product(s). While most of their respective competitors have released new products that has moved the goal post (particularly fridges), both Engel and Crystalair are happy to continue selling the same original design product(s).
I like supporting Australian made whenever I can, but I saw a video comparing the Travel Buddy (TB) and the Road Chef (RC). Looking at them from the outside, the RC is almost an identical copy of the TB. Based on this alone, it's a no brainer, I'd pick the TB every time. But when the video showed the internal components of the two, you can clearly see the better components used in the RC. The wiring was better routed and were thicker with heat insulation compared to the TB. This part will really test your loyalty. Should you get a product with inferior internal components simply because it's Aussie made or should you get the better product even if it's made from China?
I have found the Traxide ( Australian made) dual battery system to work perfectly on my D3. Aux battery always at full voltage and ready for camp with solar charge keeping aux topped up. Cranking battery in better condition too. Install and forget. Perfect.
Love your work ASPW
You are certainly guessing regarding fridges.
Engel sawafuji swing compressors don’t spin and their current draw is very very low.. In a 4wd application, they always use less than a Secop previously Danfoss unless you have massive insulation. In my humble opinion.
Current draw over 24 hours running is a lot more than a danfoss fridge unit especially in high ambient temperatures where they run nearly continuous to maintain temps. Have tested 9 different fridges in real world conditions so I know what I am talking about. People get caught up with amp draw rather than cycle time. Engels are reliable but do use more power in a 24 hr period especially noticeable if not driving a vehicle every day to charge up your battery. If you have solar 80w panel can keep most danfoss compressor fridge running. But you need 100 to 120 W for an Engel. Mainly because as Andrew started less insulation. But they do pull the temperature down more slowly so have to run longer.
I strongly disagree and think that all things being equal in insulation and cabinet that the sawafuji swing motor will use significantly less power than a Secop compressor.
Did your real-world testing have identical cabinets with the same amount of insulation with the only variable being the type of compressor? if there were other variables, the test is useless.
Great video, and I agree 100% on the Nitecore torch issue. I too love them and use them exclusively in my kit, but the number of times I inadvertently press the USB charging port to switch the damn thing on drives me nuts ..... :-)
I have the small nitecore headtorch, its the best rechargeable headtorch I have ever used. Its really easy to read the manual for 1 minute and understand how the buttons work and then remember for good. The red light design is sublime for fishing and pissing in the night without killing your night vision.
Been running Redarc Isolator in my Cruiser for nearly 12yrs no issue with it. 2nd Battery gets a good charge around the 13.4 - 14 going in. The trick is Andrew having a Good Sparky and Mechanic. Have done 6+ week trips with NO AC Battery charging
Isolators work very inefficiently. This is a fact. So while you think it's doing just fine, it isn't. It can't. Physics won't allow it.
@@4xoverland ok. But if my Auxiliary AGM is always at 12.8 to 12.9 and has been for years even when running the fridge and lights. Doesn't that say the isolator is charging it fully ? I'm sure I could throw a 20amp charger on and it would give it a better charge but it seems to be working fine. I made the mistake years ago buying a cheap projector isolator and it failed after on 3mths and killed my first agm.
The honesty alone gets a 👍 from me
Good rant.. Looking forward to you actually overlanding again. V happy with my BFG KM3's. Cheers Andrew
You forgot the worst product mate, bloody patrols, bunch of bogans driving them.
Long Haired, ungamely LARICONS such as yourself Mr Thompson haha
haha
Lmfao here
I love Ledlenser torches
Coming Soon at a theatre near you
GRUMPY OLD MEN IV
Andrew has palpitations on everything when he goes camping
⭐⭐⭐⭐ best comedy of 2022
Great tip on the tire review website, we are severely lacking on resources like this in the states. You are lucky if Motor Trend does a review, and they tend to be soft on the review.
I have a Waeco/Dometic 80l fridge that I bought in South Africa over 20 years ago. Took it to Dubai and used it their for five years and now using it in Australia. I want to buy a smaller fridge as I no longer have kids and don't need an 80l, but the damn thing just wont die.
I have the same waeco 80l. It was given to me after my brother sold the boat he had it on. 20+ years and it is still going. It is a power hungry beast, but why replace it with a newer and possibly inferior fridge.
Lovely vid, IMO here in QLD our local made Trailblazer fridge freezers are tops
Yes I agree with you.
I appreciate your comments/reviews on various items you find of poor quality. But I have to say, I've been running a Nat Luna dual battery system on my tacoma for four years and have never had the problems you have mentioned. It powers my Nat Luna fridge/freezer along with light bars and outlets and works very well. But thank you you for your honest reviews. Cheers
O light for me. Have been using them for years now. PERUN 2, doubles as a head torch. It's a side head style, love them.
Love the shows and the commentaries. We don’t have to agree with you but we love the shows
Good. If anyone agrees wth everything I say, that's not healthy.
I don't know why, but expensive torch makers seem to like to hide the buttons. i have exactly the same problem with Fenix torches. great in every respect EXCEPT to stupid switches. The torches (much much cheaper) I get from Aldi, are lovely quality and have switches you can feel IN THE DARK... I don't know why the expensive torches have to be so frustrating.
While watching the torch reviews I couldn't help thinking. "Been locked away too long in W.A.?" ;-)
No really, some very good points. Loved the reviews.
The first rooftop tents where devolved by Autohome in Italy back in 1958. They are the oldest company producing rooftop tents. Eezi-awn was funded in the 80s.
I agree with you on ARB's TPMS. I removed mine. As for the BF Goodrich, I'm a big fan. I've been using them for a little over 20 years. I currently have KO2s on my LC80. Will now check them tomorrow where mine where made. As for your Aussie shop, what no Troopy merch? 🤔
Andrew use petzl head lamps, best in the business, i do night trail running and can highly recommend them.
Giandel inverters on eBay are a brilliant bit of kit and cost next to nothing compared to Redarc. Also there are some issues with Redarc, Victron are superior at the moment.
Love my Giandel for the last 2 years that I've owned it :) $110 for 1000w pure sine
I hate to cycle through 'strobe' mode on nearly every flashlight made today. You know its coming, wince in preparation, BOOM! Seizure-inducing disco party. I was hoping for your comment on newcomers in the fridge world, specifically Iceco. Pre chilled, kept at 36 deg (F) and filled with water containers in a 70 deg (F) environment, opening twice daily, my Jackery 1500 powered it over 6 days before the Jackery was down to 15%. This was the Iceco JP50 model.
Hi Andrew , You speak a lot of sense and state a lot of issues that you have with different manufacturers product.. Have you ever thought about redesigning and making alternatives to the ones available or reach out and work with the brand to improve some of their products. I enjoy your content and following you with great interest.
I loved the torch episode most!
My favorite head lamp at this time is the led lenses MH5 rechargeable awesome 👌 has very good feel for the button and ease of use
Petzl head torch /Surefire torches 🔦/Dewalt 18v tools /Cetek dc-dc /Dometic CFX /NDS inverters/Leathermans multi tools/511 clothing/ stiff teddy 🧸 just my suggestions of course 👍🏻🤫
I absolutely love your red dirt travels. Was looking at a older video when you bought the Range Rover back and the morning red sky out in the wood lands Southern Cross way. Fabulous.
Land Cruiser hand brake not getting mentioned ... Toyota has 40 years to improve its design.
They were good for a while in the 1980s. This was when they had stopped using the small transfer mounted drum for the hand brake and used the main rear drum brakes for the hand brake instead. You can see this on some 60 series and early 70 series.
After this they went to rear disc brakes with the small hand brake drums inside the rotor and the hand brakes were worse than ever before.
I wouldn't categorise a handbrake as an accessory. But I agree. LC-70 handbrake is such a poor design.
After 22 years of a 40 and 60L Engel in succession, The 60L is going in the Kimberley Kamper to sell it and the 4 year old National Luna is going in the 200 Series. Best Fridge I have seen, 44 degree day and it kept icecream frozen hard in the freezer and kept the fridge section at 2 degrees.
Which model national luna?
@@Snook_ 90L Twin
As for TPMS systems (I think I’ve mentioned this on the ARB video) - I bought a Chinese one off eBay for under $20 ($19.95 or something with free postage - got a second identical one later for someone else $29 odd). Zero issues. Installed in minutes. Has been working for 2 years - no problems. Display charges off a little solar panel (can be topped up with a supplied microUSB cable) and is mounted at the top right corner of the windscreen just below visor level so I can always see the screen. Screen has 3 brightness settings (bright for day, dimmed for night and off). Displays pressures and temps and has alarms for over-pressure (user defined), under-pressure (user defined) and over-temperature (user defined). Can’t fault it.
And people spend up to $500 for these things!!
All I’ve had to do is replace the batteries in the wheel sensors twice each. That’s a normal consumable cost one expects.
An often overlooked issue with simple solenoid isolation is hooking up two batteries in parallel that have different capacities. Crank batteries rarely have an Amp Hour capacity greater than the Auxiliary battery. Simple example: the start battery in my 4x4 has an 85Ah capacity. My auxiliary battery has a 120Ah capacity.
Simply in parallel, the auxiliary would never fully charge. For basic solenoid isolation, both batteries must be same chemistry and same Ah capacity.
DC-DC chargers allow safe and effective charging to 100% for any auxiliary battery.
At 17:30, the term you are looking for is "tactile feedback"; at 16:30 the single burner butane stoves, made in Korea or China are great, butane will not flow below about 0°C however. There is an inexpensive torch that takes the same butane canisters that is great for starting a campfire in the evening, and you already have the canister. At 30:36 I gave up on BFG tires after my second set lasted only 9000 miles! (in the mid 1980's) before the tread was completely and evenly worn out. My father had warned me, he had bought a set during WWII and they didn't hold up at all. He was right, terrible tire.
Maybe try Olight lights. I have found them to be bright and easy to use. There are still some areas for improvement though.
Wow dude, another excellent video!
Those small gas cans are sold here in Bunnings for $6 for a pack of 4, I cooked all my meals on these cookers for 6 year's in my home plus have one in my car and used have one on my truck when I worked, 4 cans lasted me 4 weeks on average, most other stores sell the cans for twice the price, ☺.
I have the same issue with the Nitecore flashlight, PIA, however a SLR ProDot Shutter Button fixes that button locating problem.
Unreal feedback to these manufacturers. I need a torch for the torch,that’s gold right there.
I hear you, @Andrew -- bought a pre-fitted VW split-charger which I shouldn't have: turned out to be dead right from the start. This, in turn, I only realised when the aux battery seemed constantly flat -- maybe similar to, at least, the poor charging you experienced. So curiously continuing to watch for further lemons here -- and better solutions that may come up in the course of your video
Great video🤙🏻 Very very interesting 🤔 I was very sad when the video ends. Could watch this a day long. 😅💪🏻 good content and one of the best off-road channels in the 🌎 greetings from Germany 🇩🇪 hopefully we are in Esperance in two weeks.
Totally agree with cable and manual switch ran that set up on and my 110 for 5 years without any issues.
Keep it simple, less to go wrong.
And also agree with you on the Cadac bought one in 2010 used it on one trip went through so much gas I couldn't believe it.
Sold it last year after it sat in my garage for eleven years.
Hi! I live in a very extreme weather environment and for my torch/flashlight I use and recommend 101% OLIGHT,give it a try to the OLIGHT WARRIOR 3 which has a tactical switch which I think you will like and for headlamps BLACK DIAMOND. Bests regards from a Venezuelan follower!
I totally agree with you about the cadac burners
Batteries linked just with a heavy cable in a vehicle with smart alternator is the problem regarding getting second battery fully charged. This is why a Dc to Dc charger is the way to go, especially with solar input and solar panel mounted uptop.
Haha so funny Andrew! Great feedback without any intense ranting.. fantastic video👌
Had a National Luna solenoid in my car for 20 years, still working and never had an issue haha. Maybe I am lucky
They work. And not unreliable. But the charging is very inefficient. This is physics. But if that is sufficient for your needs, then okay.
We own an Eezi Awn roof top tent and an Engel fridge. These products you are reviewing are just hilarious.
I had such a great time......wonderful
Thank you for chapters
I just bought a new Engel 57L upright because I have two excellent 40L and needed the upright for my trailer.
That 57L is so damn loud “68db” I would say a 4 cylinder Deutz would be quieter .
Thanks for tip on sourcing BFG tyres. Its my next tire upgrade. Wrt gas cookers, being from RSA the small boilers & cookers from Jetboil have cured me from the Cadac culture. Only use Cadac stuff for emergency use at home (hardly ever). Those flat gas cookers with small long canister are indeed a winner and together with Jetboil stuff our gas cooking kit takes up less space than in the past and is more gas/propane efficient.
When you're talking about fridges. What does it mean when it comes out of the same factory but rebranded ones are better quality? Wouldn't it be the same?
thanks Andrew, some well expounded experiential insights
Lekker Andrew!
I'm a crane operator and somewhere cranes had Bridgestone tires and they always failed the tires will come apart. Obviously michelin's were much better but also much more expensive but the bridgestone's will sometimes fail before even the crappy Chinese ones.
Have a look at olight torches. Eacy one handed operation . The M2R Pro has a dim 5 lumen mode for dim light at night
Only if they will send a few free samples to ASPW will they be looked at. I have a few they are excellent. PS I bought them with my hard earned $$$, I didn't beg.
Great reviews, thank you, Andrew.
You are the reason why I bought a troopcarrier
I love a good rant, and boy oh boy, this video, unlike the products featured in it, does not disappoint!
"So I need a torch, to operate the torch, to operate the torch!" -9/10 rant-rating* sir.
*( 0-10 rant-rating scale where 10 is "No pomegranates!")