Robo's ride

[Robo]

Fitted VDO electronic temp gauge.
& a new 115amp alternator, ebay job.
ordered a 150amp intervolt dual battery controller.
Installed a new anderson with 8G cable to the soon to be installed deep cycle,
also ran a lead running back from the anderson into the rear to replace the old power supply for the fridge.

I came across a 120amp controller that looks very similar to Intervolts smaller 100 amp model.
Good stuff, that will suit the new alternator!
so similar thought it had to be made by them, looked identical going by the front controls & art work etc.
nearly purchased it except it never mentioned if it was dual sensing, made inquires, was informed it was a copy cat unit.
I'd mention the retailer but don't want to walk on wobbly ground, lets just say we jnow them, you work it out.

Dual sensing can detect if your charging the aux battery with an external charger, so if the main is also in need of a charge, it can send some charge there also.
All the in/out parameters of the intervolt are user adjustable which makes it very flexible.

Funny part the 100,120 & 150 amp controllers if ya look for 5 min on the net could be purchased for $199 each.
yeah sure its a pricey way of doing it, but automotive contact type relays switching higher power can & do fail with some very expensive consequences,engine bay fires are one, seen it happen.
First search I did on the well known red$$K controller came back, How I fixed my red$$k, pulling it apart to clean the contacts as they were burnt and were pulsing the voltage, No thanks, This one is solid state, No moving parts.

[threedogs]

Dont think that attachment is working Robo, needs some pics too lol

[Robo]

Dont think that attachment is working Robo, needs some pics too lol

Funny you mention that!.
I noticed the same at this end and tried to load 2 others, now all 3 seem to be working.
I will take some install pics asap

[Robo]

Temp gauge install.
Adapter for sender 12mm x 1.5mm pitch thread (male) , x 1/4 npt (female).
DSCF7185.JPG DSCF7186.JPG
DSCF7183.JPG
The gaskets needed if ya want to remove the lower housing, these are my spare ones.
DSCF7187.JPG
Using Nulon coolant, 50/50 with distilled water.
For water temp went with this type of gauge instead of needle, if a problem arises hoping a jump into 3 digits should grab my attention better than a smaller needle, yeah it looks miss matched but they all same brand & quality.
exhaust temps I will monitor more closely going up hill etc, never thought of that back when I purchase them.
DSCF7180.JPG.

[Hodge]

Edit: Just noticed yours is also 1/8th NPT and not 1/4 like you mentioned in the other thread.

Edit: 2 - You wrote down 1/4npt but the photo shows 1/8 npt ? lol

I also went with the numerical display of water temp as that lets me monitor any change closer than a needle. My EGT and boost is going and gauge displaying, fitting the water temp as we speak.

[Rocket55]

This has been lifted from another Patrol forum.

Here's some pictures of my temperature sender. Like you said the factory port is metric, 12mm I think, so I hot tapped it in situ. Just use grease on the tap to catch the swarf and be ready to start tapping when you remove the bung so that when your coolant runs out it will wash any swarf that didn't get caught in the grease .

[Robo]

Edit: Just noticed yours is also 1/8th NPT and not 1/4 like you mentioned in the other thread.

Edit: 2 - You wrote down 1/4npt but the photo shows 1/8 npt ? lol

I also went with the numerical display of water temp as that lets me monitor any change closer than a needle. My EGT and boost is going and gauge displaying, fitting the water temp as we speak.

Yeah your right, dahh, don't know why I was thinking 1/4, my mistake.
Had to scrounge in the garbage bin to find that card.

VDO do a needle gauge that has a much longer sweep area, 8 to 4 o'clock which is way better to read than the compressed 10 to 3 o'clock versions IMO.
I have 1, but the sender was to short to reach and their both approx same price new.
But I'm hoping a number that's physically changing in 1 deg increments will work better.
And when the going gets tough, we look at em more.

[Robo]

Made a start on installing dual battery, making my own cradle.
Using some scrap laying around to make it.
I did purchase a base plate & hold down kit from Jaycar.
The jaycar plate doesn't have a flat bottom and needs a spacer to level it, IMO.

1) The inner guard has a slight slope beside the rad overflow bottle, & there are a couple of threaded holes, perfect to help mount the plate.
So positioning the plate over these holes and centered in available space to clear air box etc.
worked out the plate needs a spacer to help level it, spread the load and not deform the guard etc.
using a 5mm thick piece of plastic strip was perfict for the spacer.
Using a good liberal layer of mastic to stick spacer to underside of plate inline with the guards holes, and at a slight angle to compensate for inner guard slope.
Put that aside to cure over night.
Next day holding plate in position over the holes, marked the holes from the under side.
Drilled these holes, then dropped the counter sunk bolts in the holes.
Then placing plate over slightly open vice, gave the bolts a hit and this counter sunk them into the plate.
DSCF7219.JPG.
sorry I don't take any pics of mastic and spacer, don't feel like pulling it to pieces again.

2) Next was the inner brace.
Piece of angle 30x 30mm (off cut) never measured length it fitted as is , and some tabs weld to it 20x3mm and lining up with more existing threaded holes.

DSCF7193.JPG
DSCF7213.JPG.
DSCF7200.JPG
Working out by eye where the mt levels is straight forward and height for plate level, the tabs are approx 40 and 50 mm long.
There are more than 3 holes available but that's all I used to make the support.
Tabs need a little tweak etc to conform to the guards shape and to line up the base plate mounting hole/s.
Paint and dry over night

3) Placed the base in position screw & bolted in using a nyloc nut, to be sure.
didn't bother with extra bolts in base is an odd shape and it's strong as is.

4) Top support tie down bracket, again straight forward, never really measured lengths it was done by eye.
Battery angle clamps are approx 100 mm long and I made a small mistake where I drilled the nearside tie down hole, bit to wide.
Just welded another spacer under that and re-drilled it closer to the battery.
Up at the guard end, substituted with longer bolt , washer & nut as a spacer to clear guard edge.
Once it was all tightened down solid as a rock, works for me.
yep welds look a bit ugly, gal from the angle kept transferring with the grinder & rods not fully dry.
Used epoxy flat black paint on the brackets.
DSCF7228.JPG DSCF7230.JPG
DSCF7234.JPG DSCF7237.JPG
DSCF7238.JPG DSCF7242.JPG
Yes the bracket is built at an angle as the center of the battery and the guard bolt are off set.

Honestly all up it cost bit under 1/2 the price of buying one and the time it took, don't think I'd do it again.
And it's not fully zinc or powder coated, just some points worth mentioning.


Next the wiring, in pics it's been started, in between jobs.

[Robo]

On holidays yipeeeeeeee.
Some wiring after dinner.
And fixed the controller in place.
DSCF7251.JPG DSCF7253.JPG.

[Robo]

Some more wiring & finished.
4 gauge through 100a breaker & the relay onto deep cycle battery.
8 gauge through 70a breaker down to rear anderson & then branched for power into the back for 40 lt engel.
Using 5mm nutserts to secure the rely and breakers.
Will be installing new power sockets and meter in the rear small panel after chrissy, now going to enjoy hols before any more happens.
DSCF7261.JPG