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#176 Re: Camper Conversions » Solar upgrade! Got 200W on my roof » 2022-03-21 12:52:22

Finally got round to buzzing out my 60W failed panel (the 100W is probably lying at the side on the M6 somewhere).
So the cells are connected to each other with thin "tabbing" wire (busbars), across the top of the cell and then underneath the next cell.This video shows the contruction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu8JngRM-UA So for the panel to go open circuit it would mean all the wires between 2 adjacent cells would have to fail. My cheapo panel only had 2 wires between the cells. The failure I found was at the transition between 2 cells.
Anyway I would expect that the more busbars the less likelyhood that all would fail - though I would suspect that there will be some voltage drop with each failure.

There are newish flexible stick down panels on the the market now using CIGS technology. They do not heat up in use, and have loads of bypasss diodes the reduce shading effects. Also very expensive - £380 for 170W panel. Also worth noting that they seem to operate at higher voltages (50V with the 170W) for, so a new inverter may be needed.

At the moment I need to fit something for minimum effort so I'm back to a semi-flexible again. Trying to fix the perlight panel mentioned before will be just to difficult - at 1m x 1.5m and 17kg, I would not want to see this fly offf my roof.

#177 Re: Camper Conversions » Camper insurance » 2022-03-05 19:15:24

Pathfinder100 wrote:

Small world.

Yeah no interest in using AF, especially after DYD clued me into A-Plan.  They were just better and less hassle.  Seems to be a lot of issues with Adrian Flux, not to mention the agreed value clause.  A-Plan just asked me how much it was worth and said if I added anything else to the van to send them an email.  Agreed value was just done without hassle.  Also, I did get a 10% discount with A-Plan for being a member of SBMCC.

Cant remember but I think I have the same as you for Euro cover, 90 days.  I don't see me using it this year.  Maybe next year.

AF have the most aggressive agents I've come across. I did buy a policy once, but remember feeling somewhat stitched up afterwards. Currently with Lifesure, and have timmed that down to £185, with a possible (doubtful) £40 cashback from Go Compare. That includes 270 days in EU also.

#178 Re: Maintenance » Weird issue when turning right » 2022-02-20 21:11:41

Those rubber exhaust hangers are like some kind of chinese puzzle to fit.

#179 Re: Camper Conversions » New French Laws » 2022-02-08 16:28:15

@pathfinder100 We used to get the full 90L X 2 in boxes so it fits in one layer on the floor of van - we used to but all our wine in France so the reduction will hit us hard, having to pay 3 time the price in the UK. Fond of the abbey beers too, and have refined my selection to include the highest strengh beers, since it's almost impossible to get the higher strengths in the UK, though Asda will do Duvel £6 for 4. In Begium Delhaise
supermarkets seem to be the best for beer, France is more difficult, I'd reccomend a pub crawl in Bruges, but since the cramped campsite is way out of town, better to stay in th Etap at the station - under £50 weekdays and £3 a day to park. Walking distance to the Half Moon.

#180 Re: Camper Conversions » New French Laws » 2022-02-03 22:49:17

Looks like most of us will be avoiding France then.
I have to say that year on year there are less and less GB plates to be seen and I'd expect even fewer to visit after Macron's appalling unilateral ban on British passport holders in December last.  Personally I avoid the larger cities, but somtimes there is no choice - eg Rouen or Gap. We have spent a lot of time in France in the last 5 years and rarely see the police and have never been stopped, though most of our time is spent in remote alpine spots. I must admit that I've now resorted to IRL or NI badges on the back of the van, just in case.

@Pathfinder100 The wine run is not what it used to be - now 14 litres, down from 90 litres, which according to the government release, was a generous increase. Beer is a decent 42 litres.

#181 Re: Camper Conversions » New French Laws » 2022-02-01 15:39:16

Been keeping an eye on this and it seems that more and more of the small cities are implementing low emisssion zones.
As per the German model, they plan to tighten up the restrictions each year, so that diesels won't be allowed in these zones within 3 or 4 years.
Even worse is the ability to introduce temporary speed restrictions in areas recording fine particle pollution rates, despite the fact that wood burning stoves are the main cause.
So in these area speed limits can drop by 20km/h on motorways and 10km/h on 80km/h roads - but how the hell do you know.
I see also that Bordeaux is setting a 30km/h limit of all its road this month with Lyon to follow suit shortly.

The only saving grace here will be the usual French resistance with regards to, being told what to do. Since up to 75% of vehicles in these cities will be forced off the road within the next 3 years, I would expect the locals to building barricades, setting fire to council offices and burning police cars in the near furture.

#182 Re: General Discussion » seats » 2022-01-18 11:15:41

leebeeuk wrote:

thats great, thanks everyone
i also want to replace the radio with a sony bluetooth beasty
is there a harness i need, i havent looked as yet

I did look into it a while ago, but decided that it was not worth it.
There are harnesses available, however you wil loose the steering controls.
There are devices that will intecept the CANBUS signals, but I could not find any for the Expert (2007-2016)

#183 Re: General Discussion » seats » 2022-01-14 10:43:26

C8, Synergie, 806, 807, Ulysee - all will fit. The fixing points in the floor are all the same, however the fixing points on the bases are different. The important bit is to make sure that the base is included. Sometimes different diameter bolts are used, so the holes in the base may need to be reamed out.
Note that the double seat has a connector for the middle seatbelt pre-tensioner. If left disconnected the airbag warning light comes on. It should be configurable is diagbox, but I never found where it was. The alternative is to buy an airbag simulator device https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294581283455 which is just a 2ohm resistor and hopefully a fuse.
I managed to get a proper passenger seat for the Expert, so they are available sometimes,

#184 Re: Maintenance » Accessing the instrument cluster / removing the top dash » 2021-12-31 13:16:31

I think that the light also comes on if the brake fluid is low. Would also explain why its ok on a hill

#186 Re: Maintenance » N/S CV bellows split (FIAT Scudo 2004 2.0 JTD SX). » 2021-12-14 16:12:46

I once had to change the gaitor on a 206, after 3 attempts I had to take the halfshaft and all down to garage to find the right one. I think that the factories were inclined to max and match, if they ran out of parts.

#187 Re: Maintenance » Brake imbalance (FIAT Scudo 2004 2.0 JTD SX). » 2021-12-13 17:33:57

Zog wrote:

Mot failed. Braking imbalance. Offside front seems to be grabbing slightly as the wheel is rotated. Any ideas on how to fix it? I have it jacked up and the wheel's off.

Could be the caliiper sliding pin sticking, in which case the pads will be worn more on one side

#189 Re: General Discussion » Central locking » 2021-12-11 12:21:52

https://file.io/8ushYIzllLQ9

I guess there may be better places to host files

#190 Re: General Discussion » Central locking » 2021-12-10 16:01:17

kenbw2 wrote:
tee_cee wrote:

Somebody else downloaded it.

Sorry! I was curious, didn't realise it was a one-time thing haha

Thought somone would be curious :-)
I tried for while to convert to jpg/png so I could upload here, but gave up.

#191 Re: General Discussion » Central locking » 2021-12-10 12:22:30

Oldboy wrote:

Thanks for the link but I get a message saying the file has been deleted

Somebody else downloaded it. Kets try again
https://file.io/UluAssaTOgZm

#192 Re: General Discussion » Central locking » 2021-12-09 14:58:15

Here is the svg file of the deadlock version. View in chrome or edge
https://file.io/c6Xsf0iKlZu1

#193 Re: General Discussion » Central locking » 2021-12-08 18:55:53

The door wiring seems quite simple ref 6202
The motor wire 6204 goes straight to the ecu
I assume you don't have deadlocking
door.jpg

#194 Re: Maintenance » Strange noise - baffled » 2021-12-07 18:16:25

OAT wrote:
tee_cee wrote:

So that set me off listening to the first 3 albums again this morning.

How about the Kraftwerk offshoot Neu!?

Been a fan of the genre since the 70's, so yes top stuff.
Actually at the moment I'm working my way through https://www.amazon.co.uk/Krautrock-Musi … B000FJH4W8, all 5 sets of 6 cds.
Ok they be streching the boundarys a bit, but it's a good snapshot of a very healthy scene, that we just got a gimpse off at the time.

#195 Re: General Discussion » Central locking » 2021-12-07 18:08:13

Oldboy wrote:

Citroen Dispatch Mk2 The passenger door not always locking, it seems to be worse if I don't open the door before locking it. I looked at it about 2 months back checked the connection and lubed it which fixed it at this time, but now the fault has returned. Has anyone got a wiring diagram or any ideas?

My battery dropped to 12.1v yesterday, so the central locking was disabled. Just a thought

#196 Re: Maintenance » Strange noise - baffled » 2021-12-06 15:51:58

vaz2121 wrote:
tee_cee wrote:

Karlovy Vary, Czechia.


IIRC. It's a spa town with numerous hot springs and apparently as having a continual increase of Russian companies spending money which is probably why such a lot of exiled Russian Mafia allegedly are living there  ....................

A little anorak info IIRC I've collected on my travels .............

Met an interesting character at the campsite. He was German, and his family lived nearby, until they were ousted, without compensation,  by the Chech government after the war. A bit sad, since the family had been there for a long time and their only crime was to speak German.

#197 Re: Maintenance » Strange noise - baffled » 2021-12-04 16:02:55

Casper wrote:

Were you listening to Kraftwerk at the time. They recorded some strange stuff in the early days

So that set me off listening to the first 3 albums again this morning.

Anyway I once experienced a horrible load creaking noise from the front after driving down the long dirt road to campsite Paradiso Karlovy Vary, Czechia.
It sounded so bad that I thought the front suspension was ready to fall off. So I got it towed to the local garage, where they said that they could not fnd anything wrong. Nice people did not charge anything for thier time.
Never came back again, so I guess it was a bit of gravel somewhere it shold not have been and putting the van up on the ramps  somehow dislodged it.

#198 Re: Camper Conversions » level work top » 2021-12-04 15:12:37

I generally find that the ground usually slopes one way or another, so I just pick the direction that levels up the van. But to be honest, as long as my head is higher than my feet when sleeping, a bit of a slope is not an issue. I do carry chocks but rarely use them, and often see motorhomers spending a lot of time increasing the height by slightest amount, to get is exactly right.
So as others have said build level to the floor. The other thing to note, is that the interior height is lower at the back.

#199 Re: Camper Conversions » Had a few days free, nipped over to to Germany » 2021-11-04 18:35:24

Have a nice one.
Btw beer allowance is a reasonable 42 litres now.

#200 Re: General Discussion » Expert e-hydrogen » 2021-10-18 17:23:34

Try out of electric Expert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhj4mY_E24E
Roger is always good fun to listen to, especially if it's a rant. Heat pumps for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhAKMAcmJFg

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