Trouble starting the car.

[Deacon Bell]

A good enough site for buying batteries in Thailand, or seems to me anyway.

http://mittapapbattery.com/

Are dry or wet batteries best for Thailand?

[Farma]

Deacon Bell, why make a mountain out of a molehill by looking at websites for batteries.

For gauds sake just take your car to the local garage and get them to change the battery. It will be the easiest 20 minutes you will spend. .

[transam]

A good enough site for buying batteries in Thailand, or seems to me anyway.

http://mittapapbattery.com/

Are dry or wet batteries best for Thailand?

Dry cell for cars are not "dry", they have fluid. My first 2 batteries were conventional and the evaporation caused corrosion locally. The Boliden caused NO corrosion at all and do last longer. If I could buy another where I am I would, no question, but alas no stockists. Been reading about 3K batteries, might try a sealed (SMF) one, not sure yet....

[wilcopops]

When it comes to automobiles there are, broadly speaking, 3 main categories

Fitter

Mechanic and

Engineer

Fitters call themselves mechanics and mechanics call themselves engineers and Engineers just look on and smile wryly.

The difference between a fitter or even a mechanic and an engineer is that an engineer can analyse a problem and design a solution.

This is done scientifically.

lesser mortals tend to work through "association" rather than diagnose through "causation"

the result is they love to talk about the wierd and wonderful, looking for exotic causes where there are none ("but there COULD be")

there are a lot of "fitters" on this post.

Now sit back and wait for the fools to declare they are engineers........largely because it says so on their overalls. (Engineers in overalls??)

What would you call me then ?

I am someone who can make/turn a replacement/custom part on a lathe, or mig stuff to create/fabricate custom brackets or exhaust systems. Can rebuild an engine. Fabricate custom N2O systems, rebuild a gearbox, and much more.

PS. Have also worked on motorcycles destroyed in the British Motor Cycle Museum, plus other vintage machines.

Doesn't sound like an engineer as you would be telling me your Charted society/professional body.

People who list "jobs" they can do are those who are taught by engineers. It's a term that many non-engineers aspire to, or erroneously start using as they get more and more self-important over the years.

Hope I haven't disappointed you.

Heres one for you wilco, take a look at this photo. I designed and machined myself this Poly-V pulley system (4 pulleys) out of T6 alloy to replace V belts to use a Jap alternator and reposition it, as well as the steering pump. Sooo, am I a fitter, mechanic or engineer...?

Picturexterry 050.jpg

...and you think that makes you an ENGINEER?????? This is grossly off topic - PM me.

[transam]

Why would I want to PM you . You started with a very off topic post slagging folk. Up to you, but try answering my questions in reply to that post for all to read eh....Theres a good chap...

[Deacon Bell]

Deacon Bell, why make a mountain out of a molehill by looking at websites for batteries.

For gauds sake just take your car to the local garage and get them to change the battery. It will be the easiest 20 minutes you will spend. .

I'd rather research stuff myself before blindly going to a local Thai shop and entrusting them to decide what the problem and solution is.

Some may call me wise, some may call me foolish, I'm not really bothered either way.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Deacon Bell

[thailoht]

OP, seems I am in the same boat as you. Tested the battery this morning after a good charge yesterday, 12.4 volts , engine running 13.6.

My well trained ear tells me the engine is not cranking over as it should be too. Looks like new battery time.

Uh-oh!!!

Is this the battery in your pimped-up blue pickup?

How old is it?

Exactly 3 years old Boliden...BUT......When Mrs.Trans brought it back from BKK it was laid on it's side in the coach and a lot of the liquid drained out . Sooo, I never had the advertised 110 amps and for sure has something to do with it not lasting longer........

I was hoping it wasn't that battery!

My O.E.M. battery lasted exactly 2 years and died almost 2 months ago after we had drove down to Phuket. I replaced it with a Boliden dry cell because of the high regards it received on this forum. Sooooooo-oh, I hope I can get about 4 years out of mine(?) ..... I will make sure no one lays it on its side.

[transam]

OP, seems I am in the same boat as you. Tested the battery this morning after a good charge yesterday, 12.4 volts , engine running 13.6.

My well trained ear tells me the engine is not cranking over as it should be too. Looks like new battery time.

Uh-oh!!!

Is this the battery in your pimped-up blue pickup?

How old is it?

Exactly 3 years old Boliden...BUT......When Mrs.Trans brought it back from BKK it was laid on it's side in the coach and a lot of the liquid drained out . Sooo, I never had the advertised 110 amps and for sure has something to do with it not lasting longer........

I was hoping it wasn't that battery!

My O.E.M. battery lasted exactly 2 years and died almost 2 months ago after we had drove down to Phuket. I replaced it with a Boliden dry cell because of the high regards it received on this forum. Sooooooo-oh, I hope I can get about 4 years out of mine(?) ..... I will make sure no one lays it on its side.

Be interesting to see how it lasts, keep us/me informed....

[Madlaplaine]

First of all you should always turn off the aircon when you start any car, because the starter not only turn the engine but also the aircon compressor and this pump more power from the battery if the aircon is on. It is advisable to turn aircon off before cutting the engine when you stop your car. Apart from liquid level, check also for loose connection or corrosion espacially the plus side of the battery. Check if your aircon compressor is not making noise as it could also be the bearing starting to seize making the engine more difficult to start.

[Ace of Pop]

Many new cars do that for you,and only go to full mode when the engines fired up.

[transam]

First of all you should always turn off the aircon when you start any car, because the starter not only turn the engine but also the aircon compressor and this pump more power from the battery if the aircon is on. It is advisable to turn aircon off before cutting the engine when you stop your car. Apart from liquid level, check also for loose connection or corrosion espacially the plus side of the battery. Check if your aircon compressor is not making noise as it could also be the bearing starting to seize making the engine more difficult to start.

Not true, the AC clutch engages after start up.......

[wilcopops]

Why would I want to PM you . You started with a very off topic post slagging folk. Up to you, but try answering my questions in reply to that post for all to read eh....Theres a good chap...

you showed something that looks like the kind of thing we'd have done at school for a project at "O" level.......I think you are suffering from Dunning-Kruger syndrome.

PS I didn't "slag" anyone off...you picked yourself out as an example. (I'm sure I don't know why)

Edited August 29, 2014 by wilcopops

[transam]

Why would I want to PM you . You started with a very off topic post slagging folk. Up to you, but try answering my questions in reply to that post for all to read eh....Theres a good chap...

you showed something that looks like the kind of thing we'd have done at school for a project at "O" level.......I think you are suffering from Dunning-Kruger syndrome.

PS I didn't "slag" anyone off...you picked yourself out as an example. (I'm sure I don't know why)

, My high school was a Technical school where I studded engineering ,

(wow that word you don't like) l do have a GCE "O" level in Engineering Workshops and Engineering Drawing, I was chosen to use a lathe to turn an item from a drawing .....

PS. Guess what a bloke who drives a locomotive is called..?

[WarpSpeed]

When it comes to automobiles there are, broadly speaking, 3 main categories

Fitter

Mechanic and

Engineer

Fitters call themselves mechanics and mechanics call themselves engineers and Engineers just look on and smile wryly.

The difference between a fitter or even a mechanic and an engineer is that an engineer can analyse a problem and design a solution.

This is done scientifically.

lesser mortals tend to work through "association" rather than diagnose through "causation"

the result is they love to talk about the wierd and wonderful, looking for exotic causes where there are none ("but there COULD be")

there are a lot of "fitters" on this post.

Now sit back and wait for the fools to declare they are engineers........largely because it says so on their overalls. (Engineers in overalls??)

What would you call me then ?

I am someone who can make/turn a replacement/custom part on a lathe, or mig stuff to create/fabricate custom brackets or exhaust systems. Can rebuild an engine. Fabricate custom N2O systems, rebuild a gearbox, and much more.

PS. Have also worked on motorcycles destroyed in the British Motor Cycle Museum, plus other vintage machines.

Doesn't sound like an engineer as you would be telling me your Charted society/professional body.

People who list "jobs" they can do are those who are taught by engineers. It's a term that many non-engineers aspire to, or erroneously start using as they get more and more self-important over the years.

Hope I haven't disappointed you.

Heres one for you wilco, take a look at this photo. I designed and machined myself this Poly-V pulley system (4 pulleys) out of T6 alloy to replace V belts to use a Jap alternator and reposition it, as well as the steering pump. Sooo, am I a fitter, mechanic or engineer...?

Picturexterry 050.jpg

I'm probably going to regret this as it's seldom if ever appreciated or reciprocated, but being a stand up guy myself, here it goes.

That's some top work there T/A and IMO that qualifies you as an engineer, regardless of formal education or extended education when someone can take a concept and put it into reality with their own abilities of conceptual thought and application that is the very definition of an engineer and little to do with a piece of paper that says you're one. I've seen more than my fair share of "engineers" in the racing business that can't think outside of the box they learned in, enough to see very obvious deficiencies in their concepts and then also to build what seems good on paper but is totally dog poo in practice..They have no less trial and error and as I said often times have even more trial and error because they can't perceive outside of their educational box they've been put into. That's why they do thousands of miles testing "engineers" concepts and designs before putting them to use in competition. That's not ALL engineers mind but it covers a fair quantity of the ones I've known over my life time.

Edited August 30, 2014 by WarpSpeed

[Spoonman]

When it comes to automobiles there are, broadly speaking, 3 main categories

Fitter

Mechanic and

Engineer

Fitters call themselves mechanics and mechanics call themselves engineers and Engineers just look on and smile wryly.

The difference between a fitter or even a mechanic and an engineer is that an engineer can analyse a problem and design a solution.

This is done scientifically.

lesser mortals tend to work through "association" rather than diagnose through "causation"

the result is they love to talk about the wierd and wonderful, looking for exotic causes where there are none ("but there COULD be")

there are a lot of "fitters" on this post.

Now sit back and wait for the fools to declare they are engineers........largely because it says so on their overalls. (Engineers in overalls??)

What would you call me then ?

I am someone who can make/turn a replacement/custom part on a lathe, or mig stuff to create/fabricate custom brackets or exhaust systems. Can rebuild an engine. Fabricate custom N2O systems, rebuild a gearbox, and much more.

PS. Have also worked on motorcycles destroyed in the British Motor Cycle Museum, plus other vintage machines.

Doesn't sound like an engineer as you would be telling me your Charted society/professional body.

People who list "jobs" they can do are those who are taught by engineers. It's a term that many non-engineers aspire to, or erroneously start using as they get more and more self-important over the years.

Hope I haven't disappointed you.

Heres one for you wilco, take a look at this photo. I designed and machined myself this Poly-V pulley system (4 pulleys) out of T6 alloy to replace V belts to use a Jap alternator and reposition it, as well as the steering pump. Sooo, am I a fitter, mechanic or engineer...?

Picturexterry 050.jpg

I would say fitter/Mechanic.

[Spoonman]

A good enough site for buying batteries in Thailand, or seems to me anyway.

http://mittapapbattery.com/

Are dry or wet batteries best for Thailand?

Dry cell for cars are not "dry", they have fluid.

Is a gel or paste considered to be a fluid ?

[transam]

I know we have gone way off topic here but it's what we do on this forum and is good fun. So reading views on what is an Engineer here is mine.

A fitter is someone who does exactly that, fits/replaces stuff.

A mechanic uses his knowledge to fault find and repair it.

An Engineer is someone who designs something from scratch using his knowledge.

Someone who puts that design on paper is Engineering draughtsman, possibly the designer.

Someone who actually makes that designed item is an engineering machinist, possibly the designer.

If the item is delivered by train the driver is an Engineer, possibly the designer..

[Spoonman]

I thought Fitter was in reference to a Fitter and Turner (which is a dieing trade in Aus, along with Boiler Maker), not a basic technician who takes something from a box and bolts it to a vehicle (which is basically what a mechanic is these days, plug in the computer and it tells you what is malfunctioning, then replace that part).

I design and build bespoke armouring solutions for discrete civilian vehicles. Iam not an engineer.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Spoonman

[transam]

I thought Fitter was in reference to a Fitter and Turner (which is a dieing trade in Aus, along with Boiler Maker), not a basic technician who takes something from a box and bolts it to a vehicle (which is basically what a mechanic is these days, plug in the computer and it tells you what is malfunctioning, then replace that part).

I design and build bespoke armouring solutions for discrete civilian vehicles. Iam not an engineer.

So your a Fabricator.........

[Farma]

It's all splitting hairs. In my days a mechanic has basic training then went on with further training to become a fitter. Somewhere along the lines I picked up a degree in aeronautical and aerospace structural engineering (airframes) but whenever asked I refer to myself a a technician.

If you look at the oxford dictionary an engineer is a person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures. So pick your choice on what you want to call yourselves.

[Spoonman]

I thought Fitter was in reference to a Fitter and Turner (which is a dieing trade in Aus, along with Boiler Maker), not a basic technician who takes something from a box and bolts it to a vehicle (which is basically what a mechanic is these days, plug in the computer and it tells you what is malfunctioning, then replace that part).

I design and build bespoke armouring solutions for discrete civilian vehicles. Iam not an engineer.

So your a Fabricator.........

Correct, A fabricator that starts from a customer request through to design to cad drawing to laser cutting to fabricating to fitting and finally to production hand over once the armour has been engineer approved.

My business card says "Prototype Armour Engineer" but that is a wank.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Spoonman

[NanLaew]

Looking at the crud around the battery in the picture in the OP's other thread, I would recommend removing the battery and thoroughly washing down the leads, terminals, brackets, battery tray and all the other grubby bits. There's too many leakage paths that could discharge even a new battery. You can use coke or pepsi if you must but you MUST wash away the sticky crap left behind and let the bits all dry out.

Then get a new battery.

[NanLaew]

I thought Fitter was in reference to a Fitter and Turner (which is a dieing trade in Aus, along with Boiler Maker), not a basic technician who takes something from a box and bolts it to a vehicle (which is basically what a mechanic is these days, plug in the computer and it tells you what is malfunctioning, then replace that part).

I design and build bespoke armouring solutions for discrete civilian vehicles. Iam not an engineer.

So your a Fabricator.........

Correct, A fabricator that starts from a customer request through to design to cad drawing to laser cutting to fabricating to fitting and finally to production hand over once the armour has been engineer approved.

My business card says "Prototype Armour Engineer" but that is a wank.

Fair enough. But has the Prototype Armour Engineer managed to get me a headache rack for my Ranger yet?

[Deacon Bell]

Neighbour came over with his voltometer.

Before starting the car: 12.79

With the engine running: 14.49

Just after turning off the car: 13.15

Date sticker on the battery says 4/4/57 so around 17 months old.

He said it is 'standard' and advised to just use some light sand paper on the red terminal and connector, having taken them off, then some vaseline and put them back on.

The missus took it upon herself to clean the other terminal 6 weeks ago, but instead of using Vaseline, she used my tube of bearing grease/lube. Not sure that would be good or bad or indifferent.

So in short, it's all still up in the air a bit.

[transam]

Neighbour came over with his voltometer.

Before starting the car: 12.79

With the engine running: 14.49

Just after turning off the car: 13.15

Date sticker on the battery says 4/4/57 so around 17 months old.

He said it is 'standard' and advised to just use some light sand paper on the red terminal and connector, having taken them off, then some vaseline and put them back on.

The missus took it upon herself to clean the other terminal 6 weeks ago, but instead of using Vaseline, she used my tube of bearing grease/lube. Not sure that would be good or bad or indifferent.

So in short, it's all still up in the air a bit.

Sounds good but an amp test will reveal all. Just a thought, the battery will have the amp of the battery printed on it, check to see if it is the correct amp size for the ride. They might have fitted a smaller battery.

[NanLaew]

Neighbour came over with his voltometer.

Before starting the car: 12.79

With the engine running: 14.49

Just after turning off the car: 13.15

Date sticker on the battery says 4/4/57 so around 17 months old.

He said it is 'standard' and advised to just use some light sand paper on the red terminal and connector, having taken them off, then some vaseline and put them back on.

The missus took it upon herself to clean the other terminal 6 weeks ago, but instead of using Vaseline, she used my tube of bearing grease/lube. Not sure that would be good or bad or indifferent.

So in short, it's all still up in the air a bit.

I assume that was a simple meter check with the red meter lead on the positive battery post and the black meter lead on the negative battery post?

Check again with the red meter lead on the positive battery post and the black meter lead on the car chassis, preferably on the bolt where the black negative lead from the battery connects to the chassis. That ground wire return carries the entire load when cranking and I have seen these go 'high resistance' due to getting hot when the connections have been loose. Normally the copper wires making up that lead should look bright but if they are dull and orange or reddish coloured, they may be heat damaged.

[Deacon Bell]

Thanks, I have to get my own Voltometer.

Tried Homepro yesterday and 2 electrical shops today and none had them

Edited August 30, 2014 by Deacon Bell

[Spoonman]

I thought Fitter was in reference to a Fitter and Turner (which is a dieing trade in Aus, along with Boiler Maker), not a basic technician who takes something from a box and bolts it to a vehicle (which is basically what a mechanic is these days, plug in the computer and it tells you what is malfunctioning, then replace that part).

I design and build bespoke armouring solutions for discrete civilian vehicles. Iam not an engineer.

So your a Fabricator.........

Correct, A fabricator that starts from a customer request through to design to cad drawing to laser cutting to fabricating to fitting and finally to production hand over once the armour has been engineer approved.

My business card says "Prototype Armour Engineer" but that is a wank.

Fair enough. But has the Prototype Armour Engineer managed to get me a headache rack for my Ranger yet?

Big pile of them at work mate but nearly impossible to sneak one out the door with the new security guards which is compounded by the fact there is zero chance one would fit into my Mazda 3.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Spoonman

[Spoonman]

Thanks, I have to get my own Voltometer.

Tried Homepro yesterday and 2 electrical shops today and none had them

You would have spent less time by just taking it to a battery store. they will test it (you can even watch them) and they will be able to supply a new one when you discover yours is kaput.

[Deacon Bell]

^ Possibly. I passed all on them on my way home, and cannot recall ever seeing a battery store here, so probably not. Plus good to have one for the sake of having one in the future.