Ask a Shiter

[twosmoke300]

If in doubt battery lead off

[Rave]

Talking of batteries, I've acquired a fair collection, mainly because I live in SE London and you see them dumped on the street quite regularly, and they weigh in for a few quid each. I assume most have been dumped because they're spent, but a few are cosmetically in good nick and I wonder if they might have been chucked as they'd gone flat and the owner needed to get mobile in a hurry. So I was thinking of buying a drop tester, then I can charge and test them all and weigh in the ones that are toast. There seem to be several rebadged variants of this design around, of which this is the cheapest I've seen:

 

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cvt2-12v-battery-tester/#reviewsBox

 

Any good? Or if not, anything better out there for reasonable money?

[dave21478]

I got one of these second hand.....

 

And it worked well. Just had a quick look in the googles and they are a bit salty to buy new though.

 

Sadly, its another on the "loaned out and never seen again" list.

[twosmoke300]

A proper drop tester that is ! No electronic bollocks .

[Eddie Honda]

A proper drop tester that is !

Pffft!

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/26460-shite-battery-chargers-the-bradex-thread/?p=1110053

[steveo3002]

dinitrol

[egg]

This drop tester looks pretty cool!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-OLDHAM-BATTERY-DISCHARGE-DROP-TESTER-12V/123139866636?hash=item1cabb5400c:g:YrsAAOSwH4ha~dzf

 

[mitsisigma01]

^^^ identical to my one that was loaned out for "5 minutes to test 1 battery , I'll bring it straight back" about 2 years ago .... he must be "stuck in traffic" ....

[egg]

Talking of batteries, I've acquired a fair collection, mainly because I live in SE London and you see them dumped on the street quite regularly, and they weigh in for a few quid each. I assume most have been dumped because they're spent, but a few are cosmetically in good nick and I wonder if they might have been chucked as they'd gone flat and the owner needed to get mobile in a hurry. So I was thinking of buying a drop tester, then I can charge and test them all and weigh in the ones that are toast. There seem to be several rebadged variants of this design around, of which this is the cheapest I've seen:

 

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cvt2-12v-battery-tester/#reviewsBox

 

Any good? Or if not, anything better out there for reasonable money?

 

Aliexpress do the same style of tester, but unbranded, for £18 odd delivered (a few suppliers). Might be junk. who knows!

 

 Buy two and the price drops to £15 a unit

 

Or three £13.42

Or four £12.80

 

Perhaps a group buy!?

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW-Car-Vehicle-Battery-Tester-Load-Drop-Charging-System-Analyzer-Checker-Tool-6V-12V-100Amp-High/32852318495.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.22.35f45a9fuY6c1S&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2_10152_10065_10151_5722813_10344_10068_10130_10324_10342_5722613_10547_10325_10343_5722913_10340_10341_10548_10696_10192_10190_10084_10083_5722713_10618_10307_10301_10303_5711213_10059_308_100031_10103_10624_10623_10622_10621_10620_5722513_5711313,searchweb201603_11,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=da9fb94b-9f29-454a-9786-404d6217eb58-3&algo_pvid=da9fb94b-9f29-454a-9786-404d6217eb58&priceBeautifyAB=0

[twosmoke300]

Don’t drop test a battery without checking the voltage with a meter first . If it’s less than 12v then charge it . Flat batteries given a sudden big load can get all lively and explody

[twosmoke300]

Also wait an hour or two after charging as they give off hydrogen when charging and the drop testers spark a bit on contact

[Rave]

The box style testers with leads and a switch shouldn't spark, at least not at the battery. But I'll give them a couple of hours after charging just for them to settle down, in any case .

 

I think I'll probably go with this one, though it's tempting to try a cheeky snipe bid on the classic one. I'll save the pic of the instructions on the back of it!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-tester-batteries-checker-test-6V-12V-load-drop-charging-system-100amp/272536319371?hash=item3f746e358b:g:OnkAAOSwo4pYiwWh

[D Spares & Tyres]

An MoT advisory on a car I'm looking to buy just says FWA

 

Any ideas what that means?

[bramz7]

Fixed without advisory?

[666jjp]

had a quick google and found this-

 

front wheel lock allowance (FWA): this takes into account the weight transfer to the front axle(s) that occurs when the vehicle is on the road

[spike60]

Anyone got any experience of FWD Elans? As a plastic sports/pop up light kinda licker they've been on my radar for a while and one has come up locally. However since I watchlisted it and asked to view the seller has received -ve feedback for selling a rusty car, -this is a relist.  I think I'll still go for a looky see, is it possible to see much chassis etc on someone's drive?

[meshking]

I own one.

 

I don't think you'll see much of the chassis, the car is very low and you'd need it on a ramp to properly inspect it.

 

Disclaimer: I've never tried to look for it. Don't recall seeing much of it on the testers ramp - I think you'd need to know what you're looking for.

 

Sent from my SGP621 using Tapatalk

[Simonsays]

Anyone got any experience of FWD Elans? As a plastic sports/pop up light kinda licker they've been on my radar for a while and one has come up locally. However since I watchlisted it and asked to view the seller has received -ve feedback for selling a rusty car, -this is a relist.  I think I'll still go for a looky see, is it possible to see much chassis etc on someone's drive?

Would it be worth your while taking a trolley jack with you?

[spike60]

Are bits ok to get? This one needs seals around roof and screen along with a bucketful of other stuff no doubt.

 

 

Thanks but not keen on a trolley jack for various reasons.

[meshking]

Are bits ok to get? This one needs seals around roof and screen along with a bucketful of other stuff no doubt.

 

 

Thanks but not keen on a trolley jack for various reasons.

I think some bits like the seals are getting harder to get. I'm on holiday right now otherwise I'd go and actually check my car for you.

 

Sent from my SGP621 using Tapatalk

[busmansholiday]

I got one of these second hand.....

 

And it worked well. Just had a quick look in the googles and they are a bit salty to buy new though.

 

Sadly, its another on the "loaned out and never seen again" list.

Just be aware if buying one of those style droptesters that the side panels on the older ones are made of asbestos ( it will look grey in colour and with a slightly rough finish).

 

We found one at work so 'confiscated' it from the department on safety grounds for disposal. I arranged the disposal.....

[skattrd]

Are bits ok to get? This one needs seals around roof and screen along with a bucketful of other stuff no doubt.

 

 

I've no idea on parts availability but when I was looking at them a few years ago they all leaked.

I was told that they just put a towel in the gap between the window and roof, yes the gap was that big, TADTS.

 

There is an m100 Elan forum somewhere, there should be plenty info there. I didn't buy one in the end, I was sensible and bought a Renno GTA

[Skizzer]

LotusBits support the M100 Elan, I believe. (I just tried to check on their website but it says ‘bandwidth exceeded’, so it looks like someone needs to put another 50p in the meter.) I know Dave the chief mech there runs a breathed-on M100 as his daily, anyway.

 

They do a mix of NOS, new, reconditioned and remanufactured parts.

[SiC]

I've cut up the metal on our old washing machines for welding practice. However I've just thought, is it likely the metal will have been galvanized? If so, am I likely to poison myself with the fumes?

[davehedgehog31]

dont bodge it, that will bite you in the arse when you least want it.

 

If its a snug fit but not tightening, then its not japanese posts and adaptors will do nothing.

 

If it looks like one of the ones on the right.....

 

Apart from the corrosion....best pic I could find on the google,...anyway its likely bent and the two parts either side of the split are touching each other before its tight on the battery post. If so, take the bolt out and widen the split by running a grinder down it, or even a hacksaw to shave a few millimeteres off. It will then tighten properly on the battery post before the slit closes up.

Cheers Dave. I'll have a look at it this evening, the terminals are similar, but a bit less substantial than the ones on the right.

[busmansholiday]

I've cut up the metal on our old washing machines for welding practice. However I've just thought, is it likely the metal will have been galvanized? If so, am I likely to poison myself with the fumes?

If you didn't wear a suitable mask, ie 3M8835, then you will inhale the fumes. If it's galvanised then inhaling enough (probably more than you did welding, but everybody's different) then you can end up with metal fume fever. This makes you feel like you're a very bad case of 'manflu' and can put you to bed for a day. It very rarely lasts longer than that and long term, unless you keep doing it, there's no problems.

Personally I'd be more worried about the paint!

[Mally]

Yes use new metal at least whilst learning, one less thing to blame.

[dave21478]

Use a flapwheel in a grinder on it to get to bright, shiny steel. Galvanising is a matt grey finish that fucks your welding right up - its possible to weld through it but needs a little skill and a mask/holding your breath, depending on your level of idiocy. (I hold my breath).

 

I would be very surprised indeed if washing machine panels were galvanised.

[Tickman]

If you are practicing welding then you will be cleaning the metal properly anyway, like you should every time but sometimes access can be challenging.

[spike60]

Thanks to the good folk who offered advice about FWD Elans, it seems it doesn't matter anymore. The seller got back to me today saying " away on holiday until June 4, oops!!"

The Elan is on auction until Friday June 1st as is his £6k caravan. I wonder which he forgot about , his approx £10k worth of ebay listings or the fact he's on holiday?