After 10 years on the road, the Nissan Patrol has had a bit of a refresh. The rear bumper bar needed replacement and the shocks were also due for replacement. So, The Doc replaced the shocks and had a GVM upgrade to 3,300kgs after adding the new rear bumper bar. All disc rotors and brake pads were replaced and braided brake lines added.
The GVM upgrade required an engineering certificate and that meant the new setup went to the track for testing last Friday. The Patrol was picked up yesterday and more details about the refresh can be found here (under Update 3).
The Doc has been working with Anderson plugs lately. Anderson plugs are used for various 12 volt wiring in the Nissan Patrol, like supplying power to the fridge or auxiliary battery in the trailer. They look like this:
The new solar panel is connected to the DC to DC charger with an Anderson plug, plus the new Battery Box also has them.
Anderson plugs come in various sizes and colours, the most common is the grey 50amp version used in cars and caravans. Anderson plugs come in various colours, with each colour only being compatible with the same colour (although black and grey of the same size are commonly compatible). The Doc is talking about the grey 50amp plugs.
The Doc has identified a few pitfalls when buying them.
Anderson plug verse Anderson “style” plug
The genuine Anderson plugs are called Anderson plugs, the third party knock offs are normally called Anderson “style” plugs. The knock offs can have a different size housing which can cause issues when plugging them into a genuine Anderson plug. They can also be of inferior quality. Lastly, the spring inside an Anderson “style” plug that holds the lug in place can be sub-standard compared to the real thing. Warning: knock off lugs may not fit properly into a genuine Anderson housing. The lugs will not correctly lock over the internal spring.
Tip: buy the genuine item (see more below).
Shy high pricing(so shop around)
The Doc has seen pricing as high as $36 for a genuine grey Anderson plug with the lugs. A complete Anderson plug means the housing plus two lugs (sometimes the housings and lugs are sold separately). Other colours like red (commonly used with solar), blue and yellow cost even more.
Even third-party knock offs can be over $20 for a single Anderson plug!
Either price is daylight robbery.
Buy genuine Anderson plugs here
The Doc sources genuine Anderson plugs for about $3 each (including lugs). The price can vary a little depending on how many you buy. Even Australian Direct sells a knock off for $9 each, plus postage. The Doc is getting them for $3 each including postage (The Doc is a member of eBay Plus).
The Doc buys genuine Anderson plugs at Connector-Tech ALS here.
Connector-Tech ALS is a supplier of military and commercial harsh-environment connectors. They have wholesale pricing on their eBay store. Warning: housings only are cheaper than $3 each but they do not come with the lugs, hence the cheaper price.
At around AUD3 each there is no reason to buy third-party brands.
Lug size varies
Many Anderson style plugs have only one size lug – we are talking of the internal size on the hollow end where the wire is crimped or soldered.
The Doc crimps the copper wire into the lug, when using thinner wire this can cause problems when crimping.
You can buy genuine Anderson lugs in 3 internal sizes, 6AWG, 8AWG or 10-12AWG. The Doc then matches the wire size to the hollow end of the lug to get a perfect crimp.
Tip: it is always a good idea to have extra lugs if you mess up a crimp or need to rewire a plug.
You can change the Anderson plug housing
Anderson plugs of a given size (say 50amp) but a different colour are not generally compatible, as the housing shape is different. It is intended to stop people accidently mixing up incompatible power systems.
However, the lugs are the same. You can remove the lugs and wiring from say a grey Anderson plug and insert then into a spare red, blue or yellow Anderson plug of the same size.
Tip: the lugs click over the spring on the inside of the housing. Get a small screw driver, press down on the spring to release the lug and pull out the wire and lug. Insert into the new housing.
Buy quality copper cable
The other important requirement is good quality copper wire of the correct size. There is good quality copper wire made here in Australia by Tycab and Wise Owl. The Doc buys Australian made Wise Owl (made by Austech Wire & Cable) or Tycab copper wire – often from Connector Tech ALS, Tinker Wholesaleor Brillante Sales.
Good quality copper wire can be expensive, but do it once and do it right. A failure in the power system in remote Australia can be disastrous and expensive.
Tip: keep wire offcuts, as The Doc has made various adapters from offcuts, like a grey Anderson plug (general usage) to a red Anderson plug commonly used for solar panels. It is only 30cm long but allows a conversion from one type of plug to another. Another option is to make a double adapter like this one from Australian Direct:
Crimping tips
The last ingredient is a good crimp. The Doc’s suggestions on getting good crimps:
Buy quality Anderson plugs.
Purchase a good wire stripper like the IRWIN VISE-GRIP 2078300 Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper. If you want a higher quality wire stripper buy the Klein Tools 11061.
Purchase a Ratcheting Terminal Crimper than can be used with Anderson plugs. If you want a variety of dye heads for different crimp terminals jobs look at the SG Tool Aid SGT18980 Ratcheting Terminal Crimping Kit. Looking for an Anderson only crimper? Then try the OPT crimpler. Rhino Tools has a good selection of crimpers.
Strip the insulation from the wire to the correct length with the wire stripper (note how much quicker, easier and higher quality the wire stripper is compared to a pair of pliers).
Match the lug size (hollow end) to the wire thickness (important for good crimps).
Place the lug in the correct dye in the crimping tool. The Doc gently close the crimper to lock the dye onto the lug but without compressing the lug, then The Doc inserts the wire into the lug and holds the wire in place The Doc compresses the crimping tool.
Using the correct size dye and placing the lug correctly into the dye is important.
A ratcheting crimper applies the correct pressure to complete great crimps.
Place plastic shrink tubing around the wire and lug.
Use an electric/butane heat gun to shrink the plastic tubing.
Let the lug cool. Test the crimp.
Insert both lugs into the Anderson housing (positive cable into positive and negative cable into negative slots in the housing). Click the lugs into place. The image above clearly shows which side of the housing is positive (+) and which is negative (-).
Job done.
Common mistakes when crimping: a) not matching the wire size to the lug, b) not using the correct dye for the Anderson lug, c) not correctly placing the lug into the dye jaws, d) not clicking the lugs into the housing (much sure the lugs are inserted the correct way so it locks in place over the internal spring in the housing), e) buying Anderson style plugs, not genuine Anderson plugs.
Practice is important. Develop a good technique before using crimps in real life.
The initial cost of the tools can be expensive, but they will give you a lifetime of service. One job The Doc did on his car, meant the tools paid for themselves.
A Guide on crimping generally has also been posted here. That Guide is longer, has more tips and deals with crimp terminals rather than Anderson plugs.
The Doc had to replace the Patrol’s auxiliary battery charger, with a new Redarc 1225D which has a solar panel input. The Doc purchased a 100w Giant Solar panel (which uses A grade solar cells) and installed it himself on the roof rack, allowing space for the recovery tracks, jerry can and second spare tyre.
The wiring goes along the bottom of the roof rack to the gutter. The wiring then goes down the gutter behind the snorkel (visible on the right), through some body work just in front of the windscreen into the engine bay and plugs into the Redarc 1225D.
The panel is secured by six M10 eye bolts to the roof rack (five are visible in the image below). Six M12 bolts fix the panel to the brackets. The brackets are 4mm thick. The roof rack should come off before the panel ever does!
The panel has been working well and keeping the auxiliary battery topped up, with power to spare. The Doc has been using this extra power to charge various household batteries in the Patrol.
The Doc is now testing battery monitors with their iPhone & Android Apps to get real time data on battery condition. The Patrol’s Autron voltage gauges only work when the car is turned on. It is part of an ongoing project to extend battery life of the Patrol’s starter and auxiliary batteries. EDIT: battery monitor review is here.
Corrugations over several years have taken their toll on a
few items. The Doc is thinking on going to the Kimberley in 2020 and is doing
some preventative maintenance and fixing a few things. Changes in February 2020
include:
New sensor for the Autron battery voltage and amp gauge. The “Hall Effect Current Sensor” was shaken to pierces by corrugations and replaced;
The interVOLT EBI Pro died (do not know why, perhaps too many corrugations) and was replaced with a Redarc 1225D DC to DC charger to charge the auxiliary battery;
The auxiliary battery also died (at least it was still under warranty). The Doc can plug a solar panel into the new Redarc charger as well. The Doc is thinking of installing a small solar panel onto the roof rack (EDIT: a 100W solar panel has now been purchased and installed);
The coils (aka springs) were replaced after 140,000 hard kilometres;
Bushes on the front and rear were replaced. It seems the front bushes on the Patrol need to be replaced about every 60,000km. One of the rear bushes was falling out, which is why The Doc asks his mechanic to do checks on the car. The mechanic identified the bush issue which was fixed when the coils were replaced. This way issues get fixed before they become major problems;
Brant Alarm keypad was replaced, it was worn out;
Wiper blades were replaced; and
New wheel alignment – an alignment must be done after bushes are replaced.
The Doc has changed the Patrol recently. Due to a safety issue identified on the Northern Territory trip, The Doc installed a second UHF radio. The head unit is a GME XRS-330c matched to a RFI CD63 6dBi UHF antenna. All the controls are on the mic, which has a great OLED screen.
The XRS-330c is programable, allowing The Doc to customise frequencies (receive only), including police and emergency services. You can Bluetooth to the head unit making changes easy, by using the iPhone or Android app.
The combination is potent and outperforms my other UHF which is excellent. The new combination is excellent plus more. It has only been tested around Sydney and one short drive to Forster.
Next The Doc fitted Kut Snake flares to replace the OEM ones. These are a little wider and are attached with stainless screws, giving more side protection and a more aggressive look. The Doc painted the rear bumper matt black to match, using Peel Coat. The front LED bar was also painted with Peel Coat.
The last change was Australia flag number plates. To come are matching Australian flag side mirrors after The Doc visits Apex Decals. A picture of the new look, click to see full size. Remember to donate to Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
Having been on the road for nearly 2 years The Doc decided to write a guide for off-road trailers. It is mostly common sense and it will apply to most trailers, not simply those used off-road. Having the trailer serviced is a separate issue and should be done before any major off-road trip.
It is written for trailer newbies, like the The Doc was at the start. So some readers may find it simplistic, but you will be amazed at how many people make no checks and pay the price.
If you buy a new trailer The Doc also suggests some other checks including that all nuts and bolts are tightened correctly including the wheel nuts, nuts on the jockey wheel and the towing hitch.
Guide for off-road trailers checks when on the road can be read here.
Some driving tips The Doc has learnt on the Adventure, in part inspired by the excessive roadkill he has seen.
If you cannot see the where the road is going, slow down.
Stay focused on driving (not talking, listening to music or day dreaming), especially on the ever changing road surface and keep a lookout for wildlife on the side of the road. If you are part of a convoy, communicate material information on the UHF.
When approaching dips in the road (often at floodways), slow down or the car will bottom out on the exit of the dip. You can damage wiring or puncture a fuel tank.
People drive too fast in the country. A good off-road track can be travelled at 80kph, as the quality drops so should your speed. At night I travel between 40-60kph on good roads and slower when needed. If wildlife is around the speed drops to 30-40kph, even on good roads with spot lights.
A dirt or travel track has far less grip than a bitumen road, so slow down.
More corrugations, means less grip.
Slow down before corners, as corrugations and soft edges mean you can skid off the road.
Road tyres and suspension have less grip in off-road situations, so slow down.
Emergency braking is far less effective on a dirt or travel track, you often skid when braking hard and the car can angle sideways and in extreme cases skid off the road. So slow down.
During dawn, dusk and night-time, slow down. Many Australian mammals are nocturnal.
Do not swerve to miss wildlife, more lives are lost by the dramatic swerve than hitting wildlife. The best way to minimise roadkill is not to drive between dusk and dawn, but if you do, slow down to 30-40kph and hit the animal head-on. Large animals like cattle are problematic, I once saw a Kenworth Double B semi-trailer, with a bullbar, disabled after hitting a cow, if is was a car the driver would probably be dead or severely injured.
Know your wildlife and your surroundings.
Emus often travel in groups of 2 or more, so if you see one emu, look for others. If they are located on different sides of the road there is a high probability one will cross the road. Once you see one, immediately start to slow down. Even if they are one side of the road, emus can use a zig zag pattern to avoid capture, so they may cross or recross in front of you. Track the emus until you safely pass them.
Some animals like wallabies can be blinded by headlights at night. When blinded the animal freezes and you must either brake or swerve to avoid – a gentle swerve only so you do no lose car control. Some drivers think the animal is dumb, which is not the case, they are blinded. If safe to do so, turn down your lights and they will often run away.
Kangaroos and wallabies also swerve or zig zag to avoid capture, and they can swerve in front of your car. Sometimes they will start to cross the road in front of you, stop, then go back. This significantly increases the chance of hitting them.
If there is fencing close to both sides of the road and there is a kangaroo or wallaby be very, very careful as the animal is trapped by the fences and may panic and the chances of a roadkill shyrockets. The incidents of roadkill in this scenario seems to be much higher, and they can be multi impacts – the most I have seen is 3 wallabies at once.
Feral goats rarely pose a risk, they seem to be smart enough not be hit. I have only ever seen one dead and the experienced outback drivers were very surprised.
Wombats tend to run to the side of the road, get into cover, often just leaving their backsides showing. In their burrow they use their backsides to crush any intruder into the roof of the burrow. However, I have seen the “backside” gesture done in the middle of the road, while the wombat remains stationery. So beware, as wombats can do a lot of damage if hit. Its like hitting a slab of concrete.
Speed, a car travels much faster than any predator, so animals struggle to react in time and a collision occurs, so slow down.
Even when you take all these precautions, you only ever minimise the risk of an accident, you cannot eliminate it. After 150,000km, much in remote parts of Australia, The Doc has run over a small snake which was only spotted just before it was hit, and no he did not swerve. A small bird flew under his car. One possible roadkill of a nocturnal bird, which was slightly hit but hopefully not kill when it run under the car. Several close calls with wallabies and emus, but no hits, because The Doc was driving slowly and managed to avoid a hit! The Grenadier hit a wallaby on its first remote trip.
In summary slow down, concentrate and know your wildlife.
After 54,000km travelling over Australia The Doc has made a few more changes to the Nissan Patrol. These include:
Replacing the Redarc Battery Management with a simple fully electronic system, the Intervolt EBI Pro. No more issues around power since the change. The Redarc is too smart for its own good.
Installed a front diff guard from Superior Engineering.
New steel side steps, from Opposite Lock. They give added protection against rocks.
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