DIY Battery Load Test With a Multimeter, Video

In this video I show you how to do a load test on your Lead-Acid Batteries, car battery, RV, Marine battery or whatever. Just using a Multimeter, in this case with the feature Min Max (Fluke 789). In this video both a normal classic lead battery (Biltema) and a AGM battery (GNB Sprinter) is load tested using my trusted Toyota Starlet engine motor starter as load. And also the lights.


Tested batteries:

Biltema BATTERI SMF 12V 44AH

VRLA 12 V 56.4 Ah GNB Sprinter XP12V1800 NAXP12180

Looking for a new car battery for the Starlet (again)...

Had a car breakdown, but it wasnt the Toyota Starlet parts that broke, it was the Tudor Battery.. Had to get a new one, even though the Tudor was only about 2-3 years old.

The Tudor Dual battery was crap. Dont buy it for use in a car. Trying to get it to work with the CTEK MXS 7.0 but no luck. Using a Fluke 789 to measure voltage.

Went to Autoexperten in Bromma (Sthlm) and they only sold Varta. The plus pole is on the wrong side..

Then I was planning to buy the Biltema Silver-kalciumbatteri since they have 4 years of guarantee, I thought this 62A battery for 799 SEK would fit but the plus pole was on the right side. Need it to be left side if I dont wanna extend the cables..

This is Biltema Veddesta, near Barkarby.

Tesla Model X, some pictures

This post is not about the Starlet... more about Electric cars.. Namely the Tesla Model X.

Was out to the mall here in Sweden, Västerås and found a Tesla Model X being demostrated. It cost about 970 000 SEK and has two electric engines, one in front and one in the back. The battery is located under the floor. And you can pull a pretty heavy trailer / caravan with this Tesla

 Tesla Model X. You can carry a small bag in the front.

 Nice White vinyl, this was more durable and better lasting than leather the seller told me.

 Nice instruments and interior. Ipad style.

 The batteries are located under the floor she told me.

 Gullwing style. Just the backdoors, not the front door.

.

Problem with the battery Tudor Marine Dual TR350, the Starlet wouldn't start after a motorstop..

First time I get stranded in the middle of the traffic! Never thought that could happen with a Starlet!..

 I was communting to work and got a motor stop at a traffic light and this was during rush hour traffic... When I turn the ignition key the car was dead and made strange noises. Cars everywhere and I couldnt even get the warning lights flashing.. Thank god that the car doesnt weigh much, I could push it a side the road somewhat. After a while there was a hero that stopped and offered me some help pushing the car to a parking place.

Guess this Tudor marine Dual battery that I replaced less than 2 years ago couldnt take the vibration in a car or something. I wrote about it here. The battery was fine when starting it when I left the home..

This is a video explaning the strange problem.

Which Car Stereo did I buy for the Toyota?

The Kenwood KDC-X5100BT was the one the seller recommended 

me, especially since I said i would prefer a rear USB port. Just 

because I think it looks so much better. And it becomes so 

much easier to remove the face and take it with you.

Rear USB, remembers 5 phone connection (paired), 2 at the same time.

A post about Car Stereos..

I've been research a lot lately about todays car stereos. I need to replace the original car stereo in one of my Toyotas. Oh man is it a jungle out there!. It's pretty hard to find good comparisons between stereos today. Now adays it seems to be a small market. It really takes a lot of effort to narrow down the amount of interesting car stereos. This is why I try to help you with this post. :) There were post like this I was searching for in the hunt for a good car stereo. I do not go into depth in this post but you get a feel for what I did finally choose. (After a lot of research!)

In my younger years I was a car stereo enthusiast, loved to build and try to get better sound. Driving to a lot of car stereo competions and so on. At the time there actually were 3 pure car stereo magazine at the same time. This in little Sweden. Those were the days. :)

By the way I've written a post about my consideration on my sister site (the Previa site) also. Check it out here. The final choice comes down to how long you research, I can tell you it has changed for me a couple of times before finally came to this choice.

I decided to choose a Single DIN size. Removable / detachble  front and so on.

Mainly I've comed to focus on 3 brands. Kenwood, Alpine and Pioneer. These have been the ones I liked of some reasons. And I've have been very pleased with Pioneer earlier and have had a few bunch of them. Perhaps time to try something diffrent this time..

I've also checked the cheap ones from China and decided they were not for me.

Yesterday I went to Bilstereohörnan here i Sweden, Västerås where I live. Why? Just to get a feel for what they are selling and are promoting. These is what I found:

The Alpine CDE-178BT is also a nice stereo with high finish. But it seems to be getting a bit old and therefore lacking some of the features that the KDCX5100BT has. For example lacking FLAC and not the most updated Bluetooth version and so on.

Kenwood KMM-303BT is also a nice stereo, lots of features, but a bit older than the KDC-X5100BT., Radio / Front USB / Front AUX, You push a little plastic thing a side to get to the USB and Aux. Bluetooth that support mediastream and phone, 1 x preout 2,5V, Price 995 SEK.

Kenwood KMM-303BT, Radio / USB / AUX, Bluetooth that support mediastream and phone, 1 x preout 2,5V, Price 995 SEK

Kenwwod KDC-BT53U, CD / USB / AUX, Bluetooth support mediastream and phone, 3 x preout 2,5V, variable illumination / led, 1695 SEK

Pioneer MVH-280FD Radio / USB / AUX, red illumination, Class FD 4 x 100W, 2 x preout 2,5V, 1395 SEK

Sony MEX-XB100BT. It has nice carbon fiber look, the illumination flashes and so on, but mayby just too much. CD / USB / AUX, Bluetooth support mediastream and phone. Varible illumination / LED. NFC, Power 4x100W, 3 x 5V preout (RCA), Price: 2695 SEK

This is my choice! The Kenwood KDC-X5100BT. Packed with features. I'll try to do a review on Youtube sooner or later. Keep your eyes open.

Receipt of the transaction. Also bought an ISO-adapter for Toyota. Fits most Toyotas.

JVC and Kenwood are now one company. This Stereo is made in Indonesia. Manufacture may 2017 so pretty new.

The car stereo installed in the Toyota Previa. So far everything is working and am pleased with it. There are so many functions to explore!

KENWOOD KDC-X5100BT, 1495 SEK, Rear USB, 5 phone connection (paired), 2 at the same time. NFC and the list goes on.. This stereo really is packed with features for its price. The seller told me he like to sell Kenwood for over 25 years now because they are so reliable. He told me that this stereo is almost like a competing stereo, like they were a couple of years ago (and then also cost a small fortune). So this was the stereo he was pushing to sell me. It was one of Kenwood latest models so very updated he said.

Alpine CDE-178BT, CD / USB / AUX, Bluetooth that support mediastream and phone, 24-bit DAC, 3 x 4 V preout.

Here's a video where I visit the Car Stereo shop Bilstereohörnan.

Changing tires on a car, Toyota Starlet, using tools in the car

Hi!

Time to change the winter tires to summer wheels.Summer is approaching here in Sweden, yeay..  Did a video of it. Hope you like some Starlet material. :)

Changing tires on a car, Toyota Starlet, using tools in the car



This is some kind of tutorial of how I change tires on my Toyota Starlet (EP91)

Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk! I'm not in any way responsible for your actions. You got to do your own research, and come up with a safe way to change tires. Some people will probably say this is not safe..

Here using original jack. Like, you know, if you got a flat out on the roads.

I like to minimize the amount of tools i need. I’ve used the original floor jack on all the cars during the years and have had no problems with it, some say it might be weak and you should get a better one, your choice. Just make sure you’re on a flat surface ant that the can take the weight of the jack (with a car)..AND.. make sure you put the jack on a safe place, and put it in the correct place on the car, otherwise the car may break or even fall down.
Put an extra tire under the car when you've lifted it, and never go under it! Dont do this on a windy day. The car might fall.
If you want, invest in a real floor jack

If you don’t know what you doing you might need a torque wrench. I don’t. After a while you get a feel for it.

Short video showing OBD1READ device with the Android application TOYOBD1 on Toyota Starlet

So I got it!

I've made a short video showing OBD1READ device with the Android application TOYOBD1.

Here is the package and the OBD1READ device.

Hope you get something out of the video.