REDARC has released the latest edition of their co-branded DEFA AC Battery Charger range to the Australian and New Zealand market, a 12V 30A Showroom Charger (Part number SBC1230-S).

The Showroom Charger is designed for long-term battery maintenance charging, providing fast battery charge when you need. It is ideal for use in vehicle showrooms, or at home connected to infrequently used vehicles, RV’s, caravans or boats.

When in use, it can be placed under a vehicle, out of the view. The clamping cable is detachable and easily passed through the engine bay. The charger has no fan meaning it is noise-free. All of which allows the unit to remain incognito in a vehicle showroom or garage.

“As vehicle technology continues to improve, there is an increased demand for battery support and maintenance. The benefits are clear for not only vehicle showrooms but also home garages, with a safe and versatile battery charger that is able to deliver a quick charge to batteries that may be used infrequently.” – Managing Director of REDARC

The REDARC Showroom Charger by DEFA is based on modern switch-mode technology and galvanic isolation. The charger represents the latest in long-term battery maintenance charging and will maximise the lifespan of a battery. It uses a 7-step charging process to optimise battery performance and longevity.

Read the full article in the August issue of the What’s Up Downunder Digital Magazine.

The range of innovative products coming out of BMPRO like the Dipper keeps amazing me. Home of innovative powering solutions, BMPRO has a digital water level indicator that gives an accurate reading of the water levels in the fresh and grey water tanks on recreational vehicles, camper trailers and boats.

Boasting easy installation into the side of your existing water tanks (plastic and metal), and comprising no moving parts, the ‘Dipper’ is a sensor designed for use with the suite of BMPRO displays that have tank levels (i.e. Trek, Drifter, Jhub, Odyssey). It is also compatible with a range of aftermarket tank level indicators.

SO HOW DOES THE DIPPER WORK?

Water is slightly conductive and the Dipper uses this to sense water levels. Coming in five and seven metre cable lengths, it needs to be connected to a detector (such as a Trek or other detectors) to display levels.

The Dipper also has five nodes to sense water levels, with the last node being ‘Ground’. As the water fills up, the water connects each node to Ground. By counting the number of nodes connected through the water to Ground, the system can determine the depth of the water in the tank.

The BMPRO Dipper uses the water’s natural conductivity to measure the water in your caravan’s tanks

WHAT ARE THE DIPPER’S MAIN BENEFITS?

So, what are the Dipper’s main benefits, as opposed to other water level indicators?
(1) Easy and flexible to install or replace: The Dipper has a waterproof connector near the tank, so that the installer can install the sensor on the tank and wire the caravan separately and if required replace the Dipper without having to extract the wires through the wall. 

(2) Quick install in tank: The Dipper only requires a single hole to be drilled near the top of the tank, greatly reducing labour required for installation.

(3) Common connector on the display end of the harness: Can be used not only on BMPRO products but also other detectors on the market.

(4) Comes in three sizes with cable length of 2.5m, 5m, 7.5m

Dipper is available through BMPRO recommended retailers https://teambmpro.com/bmpro-stockist/  and online https://teambmpro.com/product-category/rv-accessories/ 

Reviewed by John Westbury

Diesel Care has introduced a new range of Catch Can Kits to its product line-up, designed to protect modern diesel engines that use Exhaust Gas Recirculation, which reduces Nitrous Oxide emissions but has some potentially negative side effects.

The company was the first to design a range of Fuel Filter Kits to prevent costly damage due to contaminated fuel and to solve the ongoing and time consuming mounting problems that arose during installation on various vehicles. Now their new range of Catch Cans Kits have been developed to not only help protect the engine but to also improve on the existing range of kits you may find on the market.

During the research phase for its Catch Can Kits, Diesel Care says the goal was to produce a product that would fit better under the bonnet of modern diesel vehicles, be more robust in design and, importantly, be as easy as possible to install.

While Diesel Care offer their services to fit the kits and have developed them to save time in the workshop, they have the customer in mind. These kits have been put together so that anyone with some basic mechanical skills and a few tools can install one themselves within an hour or two.

So why do you need a Catch Can Kit?

A catch can or oil mist separator is a solution to the build-up of carbon in the engine’s intake system. This compensates for the way vehicle manufacturers have dealt with the problem of nitrous oxide emissions released in the atmosphere by diesel engines, a method called Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR).

For the full article on the DieselCare Catch Can Kit, you can read in the July issue of the What’s Up Downunder Digital Magazine.

A good quality and properly set up battery charging system is the most important part of your power supply. You can buy the best quality batteries in the world, but they won’t last or perform if you have a poor quality, incorrect or poorly setup battery charger including sure power and solar charge controllers.

When it comes time to replace your batteries you should consider the following; How long did your previous batteries last? If the answer is “a long time” you most likely have a good quality battery charger and it is programmed and set up correctly for the battery technology that you have or had and you followed good battery charging practises including limiting your depth of discharge and keeping your batteries in a fully charged condition (especially when in storage)

If the answer is “not long” you need to ask why? Is the battery charger suitable for the battery size and technology? Did you cycle the batteries too hard? Did you leave the batteries discharged for lengthy periods? These are all common factors that cause early battery failures.

To find out what should you consider when it’s time to replace your batteries, continuing reading in the July Issue of the What’s Up Downunder Digital Magazine.

At the recent 2019 Queensland Caravan Camping & Touring Supershow Macca caught up with Daniel Mathews from Tag Towbars.  They claim to have a towing solution for everyone – and we think they might be right.

On display was there were three very distinctive types of tow bars – the heavy-duty towbar for your bigger car with a high towing capacity.  These TAG towbars have 5 specific features:

1. A ball that’s related to your vehicles maximum towing capacity
2. Class 4 Receiver – 50 x 50mm Hitch
3. They utilize factory mounted points for ease of fitment
4. Each unit is covered in a durable, powder coated finish
5. Designed, manufactured and tested to achieve the stringent standards of ADR62/01

Similarly the European model has the powder coated finish and the same factory mounted points but this one is designed and manufactured in Europe in ISO09001 Certified Facilities. Its available in both vertical and horizontal styles and the vertical ball mount comes standard with a key for extra security.

And of course, there is the lighter weight model for small cars that don’t have such heavy vehicles to pull but who’s towing equipment is just as important.

With over 35 years in the towbar game, TAG certainly now the business of towing and Macca certainly knows how to ask the hard questions.

For more information on TAG Towbars go to https://www.tagtowbars.com.au/

A slim-line, lightweight air conditioner made specifically for your RV that operates via a WiFi remote app on your smartphone –welcome to the 21st century!

NCE are suppliers of all things RV and this little beauty is a creature comfort you won’t want to go without when hitting the great outdoors whether the weather is hot or cold.

Read the full article on how the RAM Trucks took on the Loveday 4×4 Adventure Park in the latest edition of Our Journey.