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little things

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Hi Guys
Just returned from a holiday in France and just noticed a few things I would
like to get your opinion on as usual.
I had a roof rack on top and althought I didn't use it I could feel a drag
from it so moved it back further back on the roof which improved things. Has
anyone any idea of the drag versus fuel consumption of having a roof rack
unladen on.
Noticed when driving at say 80 mph on the french motorways and then faced
with a hill of about 5 degrees over a 1-2 km or so the cruiser would start
to lose speed slowly dropping down to 70 then 60. This was when really
unladen on the way there. On the way back I was fully laden and had the same
issue, this made me think how can it be the same unladen and fully laden
unless this is normal.
My head beams decided to stop working again all of a sudden in the middle of
somewhere in France which was really great and slowed down the driving a
lot. The last time this happened it was the relay which was fixed by a guy.
That time I lost my dipped and head beams where as this time I only lost
head beams. Has any one had this problem. Could it be the faulty relay that
needs to be replaced or could it be wiring that is causing the relay to be
faulty. Could it be higher wattage bulbs I put in, I think they are 85watt.
I also found it difficult to keep the beam deflectors on and lost a pair.
Could this be due to extra heat generated by the bulbs.
I also would like to know why three sets of cig splitters would melt at the
plug. You know the type that allows you to use a few gadgets using the cig
lighter. I can use one gadget with out any problems but as soon as I use the
splitter it melts. I think it has to do with taking too much power from the
socket. So if that is the case ill hook up a direct line to the battery for
the splitter.
John C
92HDJ80 1HDT Ireland
 
Welcome back John! We missed you!
Where in France did you go? Did you have a good time? We want a full
report you know, with pictures!!! :)
The uphill slowing down thing is the same in my petrol cruiser, they're
not noted for top end pull. Not sure about diesel though.
Headlamps if they're high power bulbs maybe the wiring is not up to the
job? Put a relay in the headlamp circuit with heavier guage cable to the
lamps themselves maybe?
Don't bother buying expensive beam deflectors - just cover the
"deflector" area with electrical insulating tape. Does the same job.
Cig spliters melting!? What are you running off it? An electric fire ;-)
?? Wire a bank of DIN sockets direct to the battery with heavy guage
cable and put an appropriate fuse in line. That should sort it.
Once again, welcome back.
Pete
John Byrne wrote:
 
Hey Peter
Thanks for that. Will yea stop with all that im quite sure you all had a
peaceful time while I was away and are thinking about sending me on another
holiday very soon. Im only running a small portable fiidge, a camera
detector, a dvd player and two screens. So I dont think its much to ask to
power these esential items. No Pics just a family holiday in a place called
Duras near Toulouse. A bit too far to go maybe, the jury is still out on
that.
We did just over the 2300 miles from home to that place through the UK
return.
John C
92HDJ 80 1HDT Ireland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Browning" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 10:40 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] little things
 
The small portable fridge could be your problem. They usually need some
watts to drive them.
Regards, Clive.
On 11/8/05, John Byrne <[Email address removed]> wrote:
>
> Hey Peter
>
> Thanks for that. Will yea stop with all that im quite sure you all had a
> peaceful time while I was away and are thinking about sending me on
> another
> holiday very soon. Im only running a small portable fiidge, a camera
> detector, a dvd player and two screens. So I dont think its much to ask to
> power these esential items. No Pics just a family holiday in a place
> called
> Duras near Toulouse. A bit too far to go maybe, the jury is still out on
> that.
> We did just over the 2300 miles from home to that place through the UK
> return.
>
> John C
> 92HDJ 80 1HDT Ireland
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Browning" <[Email address removed]>
> To: <[Email address removed]>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 10:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [ELCO] little things
>
>
> > Welcome back John! We missed you!
> >
> > Where in France did you go? Did you have a good time? We want a full
> > report you know, with pictures!!! :)
> >
> > The uphill slowing down thing is the same in my petrol cruiser, they're
> > not noted for top end pull. Not sure about diesel though.
> >
> > Headlamps if they're high power bulbs maybe the wiring is not up to the
> > job? Put a relay in the headlamp circuit with heavier guage cable to the
> > lamps themselves maybe?
> >
> > Don't bother buying expensive beam deflectors - just cover the
> "deflector"
> > area with electrical insulating tape. Does the same job.
> >
> > Cig spliters melting!? What are you running off it? An electric fire ;-)
> > ?? Wire a bank of DIN sockets direct to the battery with heavy guage
> cable
> > and put an appropriate fuse in line. That should sort it.
> >
> > Once again, welcome back.
> >
> > Pete
> >
> > John Byrne wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Guys
> >> Just returned from a holiday in France and just noticed a few things I
> >> would like to get your opinion on as usual.
> >> I had a roof rack on top and althought I didn't use it I could feel a
> >> drag from it so moved it back further back on the roof which improved
> >> things. Has anyone any idea of the drag versus fuel consumption of
> having
> >> a roof rack unladen on.
> >> Noticed when driving at say 80 mph on the french motorways and then
> faced
> >> with a hill of about 5 degrees over a 1-2 km or so the cruiser would
> >> start to lose speed slowly dropping down to 70 then 60. This was when
> >> really unladen on the way there. On the way back I was fully laden and
> >> had the same issue, this made me think how can it be the same unladen
> >> and fully laden unless this is normal.
> >>
> >> My head beams decided to stop working again all of a sudden in the
> middle
> >> of somewhere in France which was really great and slowed down the
> driving
> >> a lot. The last time this happened it was the relay which was fixed by
> a
> >> guy.
> >> That time I lost my dipped and head beams where as this time I only
> lost
> >> head beams. Has any one had this problem. Could it be the faulty relay
> >> that needs to be replaced or could it be wiring that is causing the
> relay
> >> to be faulty. Could it be higher wattage bulbs I put in, I think they
> are
> >> 85watt. I also found it difficult to keep the beam deflectors on and
> lost
> >> a pair. Could this be due to extra heat generated by the bulbs.
> >>
> >> I also would like to know why three sets of cig splitters would melt at
> >> the plug. You know the type that allows you to use a few gadgets using
> >> the cig lighter. I can use one gadget with out any problems but as soon
> >> as I use the splitter it melts. I think it has to do with taking too
> much
> >> power from the socket. So if that is the case ill hook up a direct line
> >> to the battery for the splitter.
> >>
> >> John C
> >> 92HDJ80 1HDT Ireland
> >> --
> >> European Land Cruiser Owners Mailing List
> >> Further Info: http://www.landcruisers.info/lists/
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > --
> > European Land Cruiser Owners Mailing List
> > Further Info: http://www.landcruisers.info/lists/
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/163 - Release Date:
> 08/11/2005
> >
> >
>
> --
> European Land Cruiser Owners Mailing List
> Further Info: http://www.landcruisers.info/lists/
>
 
1150 miles is a fair whack, how many days road work was that John?
These cig lighter splitters are not known for their build quality - mine
gets hot just running my laptop. DIN sockets are better if you can be
bothered to wire them in.
Pete
John Byrne wrote:
 
On 11/8/05, John Byrne <[Email address removed]> wrote:
Hi John,
It took you a while but now things are going to be back to normal :)
uld
g
Has
A roofrack does make a difference but I don't think moving it back
affects performance in any significant way.
t
ame
That is not surprising. I remember before I started the build-up I
could approach a particular hill at 70 mph, floor it and still get up
to 80 mph. Now the speed drops to 60 mph - more weight, bigger
wheels...
Unless last time you replaced the relay with a new one, I bet it has
gone bad again. Get a new dim/dip relay.
he
Poor quality, maybe also overload . Was the wire loading from the cig
socket to the splitter getting hot?
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80
 
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Hi Roman
Thanks as usual. I really should have left it at stock with the small wheels
and other bits. Nah I was able to carry much more and still be able to to
see a gap between the wheel arch and the wheel. The splitter cooked at the
plug end that goes into the cig lighter. Two melted and smoked while one
just melted a bit.
John C
92HDJ 80 1HDT Ireland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roman" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 11:34 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] little things
On 11/8/05, John Byrne <[Email address removed]> wrote:
Hi John,
It took you a while but now things are going to be back to normal :)
A roofrack does make a difference but I don't think moving it back
affects performance in any significant way.
That is not surprising. I remember before I started the build-up I
could approach a particular hill at 70 mph, floor it and still get up
to 80 mph. Now the speed drops to 60 mph - more weight, bigger
wheels...
Unless last time you replaced the relay with a new one, I bet it has
gone bad again. Get a new dim/dip relay.
Poor quality, maybe also overload . Was the wire loading from the cig
socket to the splitter getting hot?
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/163 - Release Date: 08/11/2005
 
Probably too much load for the socket but it could also be a poor
connection due to dirt. The lighter socket in our 93 stopped working in
the summer and when I checked it out I was only getting 11.2 volts on
the meter so I fetched it out and it was not a pretty sight. Cleaned it
up and it works a treat now.
Best Regards,
Jon.
-----Original Message-----
From: [Email address removed] [mailto:[Email address removed]]
On Behalf Of John Byrne
Sent: 08 November 2005 23:49
To: [Email address removed]
Subject: Re: [ELCO] little things
Hi Roman
Thanks as usual. I really should have left it at stock with the small
wheels
and other bits. Nah I was able to carry much more and still be able to
to
see a gap between the wheel arch and the wheel. The splitter cooked at
the
plug end that goes into the cig lighter. Two melted and smoked while one
just melted a bit.
John C
92HDJ 80 1HDT Ireland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roman" <[Email address removed]>
To: <[Email address removed]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 11:34 PM
Subject: Re: [ELCO] little things
On 11/8/05, John Byrne <[Email address removed]> wrote:
Hi John,
It took you a while but now things are going to be back to normal :)
drag
things.
rack
A roofrack does make a difference but I don't think moving it back
affects performance in any significant way.
faced
start
the
laden
That is not surprising. I remember before I started the build-up I
could approach a particular hill at 70 mph, floor it and still get up
to 80 mph. Now the speed drops to 60 mph - more weight, bigger
wheels...
Unless last time you replaced the relay with a new one, I bet it has
gone bad again. Get a new dim/dip relay.
at
Poor quality, maybe also overload . Was the wire loading from the cig
socket to the splitter getting hot?
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/163 - Release Date:
08/11/2005
 
Hi Jon
Thanks for that info. Ill have a look at how dirty the cig lighter is and go
from there. Now ill have to get a volt meter I think. What should it give
out.
Johnn C
92HDJ 80 1HDT Ireland
 
Hi Guys
Had a thought or should I say lack of one this AM. Can someone explain in
very simple terms how it is that a cig lighter gets hot to light you cig,
but yet you should bve able to use it to power gadgets. How can it perform
these two functions that seem completly different from each other. One to
heat and one to supply power. Im just trying to get my head around the
problem. What volts should the cig lighter give out. On another question has
anyone got a GPS system that they do not need/want or want to sell to
upgrade etc.
John C
92HDJ 80 1HDT Ireland
 
Hi John
For ciggy lighting duties the battery power is converted into heat by
plugging in an electrical resistance element, similar to an electric
fire bar. The electricity has to "push harder" to get through the
resistance of the element and hence generates heat. This only happens in
the bit of the gig lighter that you plug into the socket. The socket
itself is just that, a socket; it's connected to the battery (via the
ignition and hopefully a fuse) and should deliver battery voltage - 12
to 13.5 volts I think.
GPS - depends what you want. If it's for road use and you want
turn-by-turn directions, voice prompts etc then get a Garmin
streetpilot. Have a look on Ebay for secondhand ones If you want
off-road navigation on OS mapping (or whatever the irish equivalent is)
then on old laptop computer + a GPS "mouse" antenna + Memory Map
software. For a smaller option use a pocket PC + GPS mouse + software
although memory space can be a problem with some pocket PCs. Anyhow, try
Ebay and see what turns up; if anything you find is local to one of us
I'm sure we can have a look at it for you.
Pete
John Byrne wrote:
 
John
<snip>
| My head beams decided to stop working again all of a sudden in the middle of
| somewhere in France which was really great and slowed down the driving a
| lot. The last time this happened it was the relay which was fixed by a guy=2E
| That time I lost my dipped and head beams where as this time I only lost
| head beams. Has any one had this problem. Could it be the faulty relay that
| needs to be replaced or could it be wiring that is causing the relay to be
| faulty. Could it be higher wattage bulbs I put in, I think they are 85watt=2E
I think your headlamp relays are trying to tell you something! (Although you should check the main beam fuse too.)
On mine the voltage drop through the standard headlamp wiring to the normal 55 watt dipped beam filaments was over 2 volts. If you have something similar then a lot of heat is being generated somewhere, and the by the sound of it "somewhere" is the headlight relay contacts.
Putting in higher wattage bulbs will compound the problem, since the heat generated by any resistance in the circuit rises as a function of the current through it squared. So go from 60w main beam to 85w and your current rises by roughly 85/60 =3D 1.41, and heat generated by 1.41 x 1.41 =3D 2.0.
To give you an idea of how much heat a 2 volt drop (as measured in my original wiring) would generate: if your outer beams are 2x85 watts, and your inner 2x55 watts, then you are drawing around 23 amps on main beam. 2 volts lost in the wiring means 2 x 23 =3D 46 watts. The average soldering iron is considerably less than that!
Cleaning up your existing relay contacts (again) will probably fix the problem in the short term, and reverting to standard bulbs will reduce the chances of it happening again - or at least delay the onset - but then you are back to crap lighting. The cheapest solution to your problem is relief relays for the headlights. I've fitted these to mine and have run main beams of 2x130 watts (outer) + 2x100 watts (inner) with no problems, and with a measured voltage drop of less than 0.1v in the revised wiring.
I'm not aware of any "plug and play" wiring harness upgrade for the TLC other than the Slee one from the USA, and this will need some mods to make it work on Euro spec lights. But any competent car electrician could run one up for you.
I've also found an H4 "Headlight booster" kit on Ebay (item 8012013417) that is for a Subaru, but is designed for H4 bulbs just like ours. It is clearly a DC to DC converter, and suitably wired up to take its main power feed direct from the batteries this could solve your problems. It looks to me as if the bulbs they supply don't have the standard H4 base, but you could fit your existing ones instead. More to the point its current bid is =A319.99 ...
| I also found it difficult to keep the beam deflectors on and lost a pair.
| Could this be due to extra heat generated by the bulbs.
|
No. And as someone else has said black insulating tape on the triangular section of the glass is just as effective.
Christopher Bell
Devon, UK
1996 1HD-FT
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Hi Peter
Sorry for the late reply. We left our home on Saturday morning and arrived
at our accomadation on the Sunday night very late after getting lost for the
first time on this trip, not to be the last, lost about two hours. What is a
Din and where can I get one or them what ever they are.
John C
92HDJ 80 1HDT ireland
SNIP
 
No worries John.
DIN plugs and sockets look like a smaller version of a cig lighter plug
and socket. Any auto-electrical factor should know what they are and
stock them, or be able to get them. Durite is one manufacturer.
Pete
John Byrne wrote:
 
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