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  1. #31
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    Apr 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post
    You are quite correct RC. As tent campers my family are now sadly a minority but we still enjoy it, still have good backs and don't mind sleeping in a tent for 4 weeks straight.

    Don't even start me about the fact that people drag along their massive mansions on wheels, living in a bubble isolated from the environment they seek to visit. The number of diesel heaters I hear start up in the morning when camping with caravans makes me realise we live in a soft world. People these days have a very small tolerance level to anything that deviates from 22 degrees C. For me camping is about feeling the environment that you live in. If you wake up and it's 3 degrees then rug up, get a fire going and enjoy being alive!

    Anyway, a bit OT. Sorry.

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Ahhhh Simon...... living off the land, sizzle up a bunny, chew some grass and munch on a few crickets

    I remember a bloke came into work back in the late 70's trying to flog those car alternator welder's, I don't think he sold us any.
    I thought about those alternators when I was living out of town and I had a crack at welding with an old alternator, I bypassed the regulator and put battery voltage straight to slip rings, "DONT TRY THIS AT HOME" from memory I was getting about 120 vdc with the alternator spinning at about 8000rpm.
    It would strike an arc from about an inch and emitted a high pitched whistle, it produced a cocky sh## weld with no penetration.
    Not satisfied I mounted another alternator beside the first.....yup you guessed it...twice as much cocky sh##

    cheers, shed

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    N.W.Tasmania
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    1,407

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    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post
    You are quite correct RC. As tent campers my family are now sadly a minority but we still enjoy it, still have good backs and don't mind sleeping in a tent for 4 weeks straight.

    Don't even start me about the fact that people drag along their massive mansions on wheels, living in a bubble isolated from the environment they seek to visit. The number of diesel heaters I hear start up in the morning when camping with caravans makes me realise we live in a soft world. People these days have a very small tolerance level to anything that deviates from 22 degrees C. For me camping is about feeling the environment that you live in. If you wake up and it's 3 degrees then rug up, get a fire going and enjoy being alive!

    Anyway, a bit OT. Sorry.
    Good luck to you Simon, a lot to be said about travelling light, — it sure is much easier all round. Not so much stuff to organise, not as much to cart and not so much to lose. The trouble is as you get older, the body is not so tolerant of heat or cold, and not so tolerant of bedding down on the ground either. The bones and joints tend to ache in colder weather, and you go from taking a couple of band aids and some paracetamol tablets with you just in case, to taking half a pharmacy with you instead.
    As a matter of interest, after going to the Big Red Bash last year, and having to put on nearly every bit of clothing that we took once the sun wen down (and still nearly froze), my wife announced that it was a diesel heater or no trip next time.
    A good thing she did, because after purchasing a unit and beginning the installation, I was crawling around under our off road hybrid van, trying to see what might be stopping some fencing wire from passing down the inside of the box section chassis (to pull the fuel line and fuel pump electric cable through), when I discovered a significant crack in the chassis. Not a great situation, except that it was better to find it at home, than up the Oodnadatta Track where we aim to be in about 3 weeks.
    We really felt like we were passing razor blades, because chassis repair is no trivial exercise. When I sent photos to the manufacturer, and requested a welding procedure, so that we could have the work done locally, they replied that they would prefer to see it before designing the repair. I then responded that it would be an expensive option to freight it there (to Melbourne from NW Tasmania), $1860 as it turned out, and asked again if it was possible to get a procedure to avoid the shipping costs.
    Bearing in mind that our van is nearly 12 months out of warranty, they came back to us and said that they really needed to see the job before coming up with a repair procedure, but as we had already booked to come over on the ferry, they would pay the cost of freighting it over, and all we would need to pay would be our refund for not towing it over with us when we begin our trip ($420). Not only that, but they have designed the repair and fabricated strengthening parts, for both sides of the chassis and fitted it all at no cost to us. At no time did I come the heavy with them, or suggest that they had better fix it or else, they just made the offer, basically because they back their product. Take a bow, Track Trailer at Bayswater
    They did ask if I wished to have it serviced while they had it there, a~$600 touch, where they change wheel bearings and seals, inspect brake wear, crack test stub axles amongst other stuff, which is stuff I would normally do myself, except that I would clean, inspect and repack the bearings with grease instead of just replacing them whether needed or not. I had not had the opportunity to carry out that work, and as they had very generously looked after us, I have had them carry out that service.
    There is also a nice consignment of Tasmanian refreshment coming their way to show our gratitude. Simon if you thought that you were a bit OT, I must be very OT, but hope that the rest of your trip is uneventful from the dangerous hazards point of view, but satisfying and enjoyable and that you get home safe.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Cairns, Q
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    666

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ropetangler View Post
    Anyone know what Zena is on about when they are talking High Frequency DC? D.C. is by definition 0 frequency, the only possibility that I can think of is some kind of pulsed DC, but I would have expected them to say that, and not HF DC.
    Explanation here:

    https://www.zena.net/htdocs/FAQ/what...ml#HFDCdefined

    Frank

  4. #34
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    Oct 2008
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    N.W.Tasmania
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    Thanks Frank, I suspected / wondered if it was some kind of pulse control, or even DC with some AC superimposed over it, I can't be sure but I think the former for sure and probably the latter as well, but they don't spell it out, just give hints as to what they do.
    Cheers,
    Rob.

  5. #35
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    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Bloody hell, I turn my back 5 mins and theres a million and 1 posts here! Really appreciate everyones posts and contributions even the ones that are OT!

    Thanks PDW, that spool welder seems pretty good. I had seen it used in a promo on one of the 4x4 shows. Problem is, if I bought that for the occasional emergency welding it would be my most expensive welder I own! I currently own a Goodwell AC arc welder, a cheapie Vastro AC welder and a Weldskill mig welder. All of which I have aquired S/H and very cheap. I am getting excited by the prospect of purchasing an inverter DC MMA welder. Since I learnt to weld on an AC arc welder, I think I'm in for a treat when I finally purchase an inverter DC!

    RC, I have seen a youtube video with a comparison between car battery welding and that Fronius machine. The channel is ChuckE2009. He has (What I consider to be) some really good instructional videos on welding. It's about $US 2900 so still a tad out of my range. BUT I must say, it's nice to see these items on the market. Even if they are what I consider to be expensive, at least they are available.

    Shed, I have been known to catch the occasional bunny. I caught one in our backyard some years ago when I was looking after my daughter after kinda. I boiled it up and we both had cheese and rabbit toasties. She thought it was pretty cool. She still talks about the rabbit toasties we had!

    Thanks Grahame, Dunlite, I'll have to look that up. I have seen a neat little 950W Dunlite suitecase generator but didn't know they made generators/welder combos.

    Hey rope, Track Trailer make some of the best stuff on the market. I am a keen fan of their MC2 assymetrical suspension system. It's bullet proof. I notice that ARB have now launched their new offroad trailer and it is a very similar (dare I say a copy) of that suspension.

    Do you have the Topaz?

    WRT those diesel heaters, there used to only be the one or two brands which cost a few grand. Now, if you look on eBay you can get thermostat remotely controlled diesel heaters for a couple hundy!

    I hope I didn't sound too harsh wrt camper trailers. Like I said, my wife and I will eventually purchase one but it won't be a mansion on wheels, it will be a simple but high quality off road camper. Nothing fancy. My main dislike are generators. Especially when you bush camp and someone sets up their camp and runs an extension lead away from their camper so they can'y hear their generator. Problem is, sometimes it ends up closer to the next camp!

    Glad to hear track trailer looked after you. 1 year out of warranty should not make a difference when you are talking about the money spent of their products. A Chassis crack is no easy fix. It would certainly be beyond my ability thats for sure. Speaking of which, we passed this sad looking Navara in the middle of the Simpson. Fully packed and abandoned. Cracked chassis. Heart breaking.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  6. #36
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    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
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    Hi Simon,
    I'm interested in the results if you try welding with 2 batteries.
    I've heard it can be reasonably successful, and although I've never actually tried it, I carry a welding lens and a few stainless rods when I go remote.
    One of the guys in my 4WD club has a Ready welder. It was used to successfully weld a broken coil spring on one trip.

    FWIW - Currently I'm just south of Alice heading home after 6 weeks in the Kimberley. Nursing a cracked front diff housing that is giving the old landrover an oil bath. Thankfully just a leak issue not structural. Should be almost completely covered in oil by the time we get home!!

    Steve

  7. #37
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    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Hi Steve, your mate used it to weld together a coil spring? Bloody hell I would never have thought that would work! Nice fix.

    You've had an epic trip. Nice to hear. Landys are tough, I'm sure it will hold together till you get home. Just keep pouring in the diff oil!

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  8. #38
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    Aug 2008
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    near Rockhampton
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    6,216

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    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post
    Speaking of which, we passed this sad looking Navara in the middle of the Simpson. Fully packed and abandoned. Cracked chassis. Heart breaking.

    Simon
    A bit off topic but a mechanic friend was telling me how over the years car manufacturers continue to remove materials from new models that their engineering says are not required.

    While years ago a chassis might have been x thickness, now it is thinner. Or an engine or gearbox, less materials or different materials go into the construction (just look at the power they get out of small diesels these days), which when used how the manufacturer thinks it will be used is fine, but when used heavily, more failures result.

    It may get to the stage for serious off road work or constant heavy towing, a small truck might be the most logical option.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  9. #39
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    Melbourne
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    It's interesting you say that RC. Certainly some things can be made lighter and stronger due to improvements in materials science and also design. Many years ago they made stuff over engineered simply to allow for their limitations in their calculations. Now days with design software as it is, you can shave off bits here and there and have limited effect on strength.

    On the other hand, if you look at the kerb weight of 4x4 vehicles today compared to 20 years ago, they weigh more and more BUT the GVM has not changed. What this means for the mug punter like myself is that once you put on a bull bar, dual battery system, roof rack, maybe draws in the rear and a second spare, you are left with very little weight to play with when you do a big trip. Looking at the vast array of 4x4 on my recent trip I would estimate that 90% of 4x4 are over their GVM.

    I struggled to stay under the GVM and I don't have a winch or bull bar or rear draws and a single spare.


    No wonder GVM upgrades are becoming so popular now when once It was only something that radical offroaders considered.

    Simon.

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  10. #40
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    Aug 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Today I attempted to weld with two car batteries in series, (24V) and it was very disappointing.

    It seemed very difficult to strike an arc and maintain it, even if you dragged the electrode along the welded surface.

    I suspect my leads (old pair jumper leads) are pretty suspect but also I am using 2 different battery chemistries, a lead acid starting battery and an AGM.

    Not sure if the battery chemistry is the issue. Anyway I have posted a pic of my miserable attempt.

    I will source some better leads and have another go...


    Also that welding was with battery neg to electrode.

    Tried with pos electrode and it was worse.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  11. #41
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    Nov 2017
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    Geelong, Australia
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    What size rods were you using?

    Steve

  12. #42
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    Melbourne
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    Hi Cox. Yea sorry I didn't mention the size.

    I used 2.5mm rods.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
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    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post
    Today I attempted to weld with two car batteries in series, (24V) and it was very disappointing.

    It seemed very difficult to strike an arc and maintain it, even if you dragged the electrode along the welded surface.

    I suspect my leads (old pair jumper leads) are pretty suspect but also I am using 2 different battery chemistries, a lead acid starting battery and an AGM.

    Not sure if the battery chemistry is the issue. Anyway I have posted a pic of my miserable attempt.

    I will source some better leads and have another go...


    Also that welding was with battery neg to electrode.

    Tried with pos electrode and it was worse.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Simon,
    Certainly negative electrode with 3 x 12 volt batteries would possibly closer to the mark. Figures on old DC machines started at 40Volts plus on the old machines,if I remember correctly.
    I have read about the South Africans doing this and using an inductor (read an arc stabiliser) made from an old microwave oven transformer.It was in a land cruiser forum with a title like LLOC or similar and doing a thing on welding with batteries.
    Grahame

  14. #44
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    Jan 2004
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    Mackay North Qld
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    I found the thread mentioned above but it doesn't mention the the inductor .I was a mile off in the name sorry, memory not what it used to be.

    Welcome to Land Cruiser Owners On Line

    I shall have to look around more in google.

    <Edit 6.11PM > found these links. Some inductor info here.

    https://weldingweb.com/showthread.ph...ARC-STABILIZER

    https://www.instructables.com/id/Golfcart--Welder/

    Hope they help



    Grahame

  15. #45
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    Thanks. I'll have a look at that.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

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