The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Doing a couple of those odd jobs

I've been told I was a busy boy today........... [Admittedly not the worst thing I've been accused of]

It started out as one of those 5 minute jobs  at about 10 am...........
The light above the sink and cooker was taking at times a bit to start [Neon tube it was going black at ends]
Not that it gets used much but is handy when working in that area ................
A little birdy told me that the current lockdown was likely to be eased or lifted on April 2nd for us..........
As we've had our jabs {A wee while now because of circumstance}...........
I wanted to be ready for being let out to play within reason {Not going to see her dad in Spain yet}............
(Been up to hospital in Glasgow for P.E.T. scan but never out town other than that)

I changed the neon strip for a LED strip the same as one above other silding door..........

This just leaves us with the Neon strip light at the rear barn doors to change.............
In 6 years I've had van I don't think we have ever used it in anger ..........
[So that's a priority to get changed then]

I decided as I was alredy here to fit and wire in a usb power point..........

(Headliner doesn't look so marked up and grubby off camera)

I'm waiting for an on/off switch and a usb Night light.........{always waiting for something/one}

{USB fitting screws have spire clips at back of headliner to screw into ......
...We have window blinds.... No curtain across sleeping area to Separate cab}

My Partner suggested something like this so she can have a coffee and a cig through night without disturbing me and have a light and not the van all lit up............
{I dear say it'll cut both ways}
I put it above the Drivers side as the passengers swivel seat usually gets turned about 90 degrees and its' where our sh** seams to go............
Soldered the connections of the USB socket to a twin cable section of automotive wire ........
A couple Scotchlock connectors I found in toolbox [dirty connection] onto the cabling that feeds the LED  light above sink ...........

Thats got a fuse and the circuit is controled by the PC100...........

Also now that I'm in the swing of things...........
I took out the Huawei E5573 mifi hub and put in my slightly older Huawei 4g mifi hot spot only because it's unlocked {has better info display} and the newer E5573 is locked to 3 mobile ..........

Also I find that in certain places the 3 mobile signal is Sh** or non-existent and the external antenna I've got is a SISO {Single Input Single Output} not MIMO {Multiple Input Multiple Output} like the E5573 wants ..........
I've got spliters and adapters but I find lifes better if I don't split the Siso LTE signal [It's just me] Plus I've got  two golden Giffgaff data accounts I can play with on this mifi Hot spot..............{Ipad and Netflix}

I drilled a hole in a piece of 3 or 4mm ally chequer plate I used at one time to spead the weight of the bike's side stand on soft ground ..........
Used a step drill to get correct size to fit the puck antenna............
Then a 7ish mm and a couple pilot holes for tek screws along with roof box mounting on the roof rack crossbar to secure it all........
Then I ran the cable in the O/S door Using some (wrong colour of red) tape both above and in door jam to hold cable in place

Then went to change the incandescent bulbs in gas locker and under the bed for LED ones only to find festoon bulbs and I don't have any festoon LEDs ....
(To my knowledge)
So my 5 mins Turned into 4 Hours with all the Faffing about and I then after a bite to eat got my walk of 30 mins exercise in..........
(Most of this stuff was already lying about with the intention of likely being fitted at some point)

(Sorry only got afterwards photos...I'd let camera battery go flat)

OAT

Member

From: Borders/Dales

Registered: 2017-01-03

Posts: 903

Re: Doing a couple of those odd jobs

Plenty on ebay and very cheap, but the quality is very variable and for me, impossible to judge.  I suspect many are assembled from reject components.  My current ones have lasted a couple of years now though with virtually daily use.

For example (no recommendation of this particular listing)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Car-Festoon-Bu … n_38514089

Another type come mounted on a tiny pcb and usualy have more LED's and so more light.

Last edited by OAT (2021-04-02 20:44:42)

vaz2121

Member

From: Glasgow Living:~ SW. Scotland

Registered: 2015-08-31

Posts: 1,311

Re: Doing a couple of those odd jobs

I was given a couple of festoon led bulbs........
I think your right and  now know why I got them..........
Festoon bulbs must come in different lengths [who knew] as these are very slack and only just hold in there ..........

I've decided not to use them Currently as I didn't want to start bending things to make them fit ......