Bullwinkle and Fryzie's Up the Guts Tour 2012 - Preparation and Planning

[terryc]

I have a 300w inverter in the work van (cheapie) that I use for charging the DeWalt and Makita batteries and it only draws 2.5amp.

That just means that the charger for the equipment is only putting in/using 30 watts. (12Vx 2.5A = 30W).

FWIW, I actually ordered a replacement 150w and 300W from Jaycar's other side today, along with their copy of the C-tek. Their original one developed a short last time I needed it and I had to rely on the dickless version.

On another point, I believe they make swags that stand of the ground which would be good on rough ground. Forgot to mention it before.

 

[Old.Tony]

Terry, I looked at the Jaycar "Ctek clone" and dismissed it.

It smelled of one-upmanship by a Chinese flying carpet company. I don't care how good it actually is, but it was way overpriced and looked like a deliberate attempt to be a C-Tek charger substitute.

My C-Tek charger is an 8-step charger - more than enough. You really only need 3 steps (bulk, absorption and float). The Jaycar one is "9 steps". I am waiting for the next Chinese factory to bring out 10 steps, then 11, and then a battery charger that will lead you to a full recovery program from alcohol abuse.

Jaycar don't always hit a home run for me and this particular charger - at $495 - strikes out for me. Sometimes, some things just beg to be bought, and others are begging so much, and boasting so loudly, that you wonder why they're so desperate. This charger is one of them.

It might be good, but I went "genuine" and have not looked back, nor have I had a failure in hundreds of hours and thousands of km of use in a variety of environments, from the freezing -5C we had in Bathurst to the 43C we experienced in the middle of Australia.

The Chinese one from Jaycar might be just as good, but then it should cost similar, not more, and shouldn't feel like it's trying too hard to be its competitor.

Maybe I'm just being peculiar! Still, when you're out in the middle of nowhere, I'd rather be relying on something I know has a good, solid reputation than something that may not live up to the demands placed on it.

 

[heata]

Sounds like a great trip, and I reckon some great father and son time. As Aido mentions I am planning a long trip too. re camper hire I used a group in Melbourne who were great, top quality camper and I thought prices were reasonable pm me if you are interested in their details. But bit if a pain to tow/park etc if it was just you and your 15 yr old, I would of thought swags and a shade tent would be ok, plus the odd cabin etc.
re winch, you should be able to pick up a hand winch for 300 or less and sell when you return, I'd think of it as cheap insurance.

 

[bullwinkle]

Thanks, Heata and everyone else for your comments. Not sure if I'll need an inverter, as part of the reason for going is to get away from mobile phones, laptops and all that crap. Starting to think seriously about the swags, given we should have plenty of room in the ute. Will have a look into a second hand winch.

Aido, I do intend to get to a few VNOG do's at some stage, but it's hard to find the time. My young bloke has read this thread, and he can't believe that so many people will help out a stranger that they've never met. So thanks everybody.

We've had a heap of rain in Ballarat: 170 mm in 4 days including 31 mm between 6 and 8 this morning. The four of us went out to have a look at Lal Lal falls just south of Ballarat this arvo, as it only flows after heavy rain. Had to drive through a 100 metre patch of water over the road that was about 2.5 feet deep, which is the deepest I've driven through. Gave the kids a thrill and got the heart racing a bit. I'm slowly learning what the ute can do.

 

[Aido]

That just means that the charger for the equipment is only putting in/using 30 watts. (12Vx 2.5A = 30W).

FWIW, I actually ordered a replacement 150w and 300W from Jaycar's other side today, along with their copy of the C-tek. Their original one developed a short last time I needed it and I had to rely on the dickless version.

On another point, I believe they make swags that stand of the ground which would be good on rough ground. Forgot to mention it before.

Still works. Batteries charge at the same rate as plugged into 240 mains....
Besides the Cig socket is protected by 20amp fuse. How do larger inverters get away with it if the draw is as you say?

 

[Old.Tony]

Still works. Batteries charge at the same rate as plugged into 240 mains....
Besides the Cig socket is protected by 20amp fuse. How do larger inverters get away with it if the draw is as you say?

You'll find that a 20A fuse will allow you to draw 30A, it will just get warm.

It's not a perfect science. The fuses are designed to protect against short circuits, where the power lead has come in contact with the ground providing a means for the battery to dump large amounts of current and flatten itself very quickly, heating up wires and possibly causing a fire.

This does mean that they will often allow much more current than their rating. Sadly, heating wires for an extended period will cause their insulators to soften, mechanical movement will cause those conductors to be exposed and that's when the real problems start, like fire.

 

[terryc]

Still works. Batteries charge at the same rate as plugged into 240 mains....
Besides the Cig socket is protected by 20amp fuse. How do larger inverters get away with it if the draw is as you say?

If the actual current draw is less than 20Amp, then the fuse is irrelevant.

As Old.Tony explains, car fuses are just a piece of wire that overheats and melts at a certain current; approximately.

 

[bullwinkle]

I sat down with a calculator and maps last night to work out a rough itinery and distances etc. All up i reckon we'll do around 6,500 kms, mostly on bitumen. Thought of a bit of a detour: I'll go across from Alice to Boulia on the Plenty Highway. At Boulia, was going to head across to Winton, then Longreach. But now thinking of turning south at Boulia and head down to Birdsville and then east across to Charleville. I've always wanted to get to Birdsville, but then I reckon the Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach would be worth a gander too. Anyone been to either? Old Tony?

Now thinking that we will use swags: will make it easier to get to places and not having a trailer will be one less thing to worry about. I've just discovered that a neighbour of mine who is a bit of a bush mechanic (he's doing some work on my rideon at the minute) is a member of the local 4x4 club. He's happy to lend me all the recovery gear I need, which will save me a few bob for something that will rarely if ever get used again. I'll probably still get a good 12v compressor, and maybe buy another spare rim and tyre, but that's all I'll need to buy.

Also heading to Deni this year with the young bloke, so we can work out a few things about swags etc.

 

[terryc]

Jaycar don't always hit a home run for me and this particular charger - at $495 - strikes out for me.

Wow, I don't know which one you purchased, but mine was $105 trade ($149 RRP).

Yeah, Jaycar is the land of the farting ashtrays now, but ebay/etc are worse. I didn't want to use my C-tek on the trash batteries(car and old DDs), so it was worthwhile to me to give it a run.

It is a bit touchy. Probably because it auto-selects 6/12/24V & LA/AGM

Since Repco is giving 20% off during February for NRMA members, I might try for another C-tek as plans are buy another pair of DDLAs along with the fridge.

 

[Old.Tony]

I sat down with a calculator and maps last night to work out a rough itinery and distances etc. All up i reckon we'll do around 6,500 kms, mostly on bitumen. Thought of a bit of a detour: I'll go across from Alice to Boulia on the Plenty Highway. At Boulia, was going to head across to Winton, then Longreach. But now thinking of turning south at Boulia and head down to Birdsville and then east across to Charleville. I've always wanted to get to Birdsville, but then I reckon the Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach would be worth a gander too. Anyone been to either? Old Tony?

I've not been there. We were supposed to, but after we returned to Yulara, we jumped on the net and looked up the weather reports and discovered the highway completely blocked around Longreach. Consulting our maps showed us no other path that we wanted to risk taking, so when we left, we turned south and went back through Port Augusta.

We'll make Queensland eventually.

Now thinking that we will use swags: will make it easier to get to places and not having a trailer will be one less thing to worry about. I've just discovered that a neighbour of mine who is a bit of a bush mechanic (he's doing some work on my rideon at the minute) is a member of the local 4x4 club. He's happy to lend me all the recovery gear I need, which will save me a few bob for something that will rarely if ever get used again. I'll probably still get a good 12v compressor, and maybe buy another spare rim and tyre, but that's all I'll need to buy.

Also heading to Deni this year with the young bloke, so we can work out a few things about swags etc.

Not having a trailer will be a godsend on the dirt roads. Not sure how happy you'll be swagging it in the middle of the highway, but if you're stopping late enough at night you should be okay. We noticed several of the rest areas on the Stuart Highway had fencing that would probably keep out dingoes and might keep out snakes.

 

[Old.Tony]

Wow, I don't know which one you purchased, but mine was $105 trade ($149 RRP).

Yeah, Jaycar is the land of the farting ashtrays now, but ebay/etc are worse. I didn't want to use my C-tek on the trash batteries(car and old DDs), so it was worthwhile to me to give it a run.

It is a bit touchy. Probably because it auto-selects 6/12/24V & LA/AGM

Since Repco is giving 20% off during February for NRMA members, I might try for another C-tek as plans are buy another pair of DDLAs along with the fridge.

I bought the C-Tek 7 Amp but prior to that I bought the 6/16A multi-stage charger from JayCar ($160). I used the C-Tek on an oldie and it mostly recovered the thing - it was worth trying, getting a bit more life out of the battery saves me buying another.

 

[BradM]

Most of the planned trip is on bitumen with the exception of 800 k's on the Plenty Highway, which is supposed to be a very well maintained gravel road most of the way. So I don't reckon I'll need a winch. Still debating the swags/tent vs camper trailer issue, but leaning towards the trailer for comfort and practicality. I was thinking of a similar list of spares. The Plenty Highway is supposed to be full of sharp stones, so I'm thinking of taking an extra spare tyre and wheel.

You are in for a rude shock when you get onto the Plenty Hwy about 100klms in from the Stuart Hwy. Make sure you have a really solid 4x4 camper trailer and every last nut and bolt is tight on your 4x4 and trailer. Can be very hit and miss as to whether a grader has been on it. Although it may have changed since I lived in the Alice. I think unless you really want to do that stretch I would go up to Tennant Creek and then accross to Mt Isa, then down to Boulia.

The Oodnadatta Track is a much more scenic and interesting drive and it is like a gravel road. Do it instead as the Stuart Hwy is as boring as bat...t. You come out at Marala Bore and can still head out to the Rock.

 

[bullwinkle]

Brad, I've pretty much decided on taking swags rather than a camper trailer. I'm in no hurry, so if the road is bad I'll just slow down. Will have a look at the route you suggested - nothing is set in stone.

 

[Chartrock]

G'day Bullwinkle. I did the Donahughe and Plenty highways a few years ago on the way to Alice but I was in a Camry and towing a camper trailer, (which Jason now owns). We were in company with a couple of 4bys with trailers but we had no problems on the way other than trying to drive outside the ruts as the Camry was rather low slung. We did one roadside stop and also stopped a couple of nights at Gemtree to do some fossicking.

Longreach is a very worthwhile trip for the Stockman's Hall of Fame as well as the Qantas museum while Winton is another good stopover with the Waltzing Matilda Centre.

You could then head south to Windorah via the dinasour trail and Stonehenge but all this will add time to your trip and would be very difficult to do it all in 3 weeks but I would have no hesitation in taking a camper trailer. But you will get bored with putting it up every night and packing it away every morning. Swags would be easier but not as comfortable. Your decision.

Good luck and enjoy the trip.

 

[bullwinkle]

Thanks for your comments, Chartrock. I've pretty much decided on taking swags - much less hassle and a camper trailer is just something else to break. Intend to sleep in the open, but will have a tarp to use as a sort of annexe if we strike wet weather. We're thinking of turning south at Boulia and staying on gravel down to Bedourie and then Birdsville, then across to Charleville. I really want to get a genuine outback experience, but as we'll probably be on our own and don't have any experience with this sort of travel, don't want to get too adventurous. I've heard mixed reports about the Stockman's Hall of Fame, but haven't decided either way yet.

I'm gunna take out the back seat of the Nav and sit a borrowed fridge on a bit of timber cut to size. I'll keep the hardlid on for security, but might have to strap the swags on top of it just behind the cab.

Does anyone know if a standard plastic jerry can will stand up under the hard lid? From what i can see, the tub is about 430mm deep, and a jerry can is 470mm. Anyone confirm this? I think we'll only need to carry extra fuel on the gravel stretches.

 

[Old.Tony]

I bought 4 of the Willow 20L yellow plastic diesel jerry cans, because they have the extra handle in the side that makes it SO much easier to fill the tank. That's important, because it takes a while to empty.

These jerry cans, with their spouts mounted as intended, would need 510mm of clearance so that they didn't rub the underside of the lid.

 

[bullwinkle]

Thanks, Tony. I think that the tub is not that deep, so I might need to lay them on their side. I'm thinking that I'll get a couple and only fill them for the gravel stretch; probably won't need them on the tarmac as the distances should be manageable with just the Nav's tank.

 

[bullwinkle]

Gday all. Just a quick update on this old thread. This year, I have the first week of July off when my son and I will be heading to the Flinders Ranges. (Have postponed the 3 week trip till next year, when the young fella will be on his L plates.) We will be using our recently acquired swags and intend to camp in caravan parks and maybe some stations/resorts. Thinking of a rough itinery of:
Day 1 - Ballarat - Broken Hill 750km
Day 2 - Look around Broken Hill
Day 3 - Broken Hill - Wilpena Pound 480 km
Day 4 - Look around Wilpena Pound, maybe do a walk or two.
Day 5 - Skytrek track at Willows Station
Day 6 - Maybe a couple of tracks at Merna Mora station
Day 7 - Hawker - Murray Bridge 460 km
Day 8 - Murray Bridge - Ballarat 540 km

1st day is a big one to Broken Hill, then the rest is easy enough. Looking for recommendation of things to do and where to stay. Pretty well sorted in what to take - have a couple of jerrys (which do stand up under the hardlid), a reasonable compressor, probably buy a UHF and will borrow a fridge and recovery gear.

I realise that we need a lot more time to have a good look around the Flinders Ranges, but that will have to wait. We are on limited time, so want to make the most of it. Happy to hear any 'must do' things. Planning on travelling home through Murray Bridge then through Western Vic simply as a change of scenery, but not firm on this. Let's hear your ideas!

 

[equipt]

Murray Bridge to Ballarat is as boring as bat s&*t, but I have driven it 20 odd times, Its not bad at night time LOL, but not much to see during the day.

 

[bullwinkle]

Yeah , I regularly drive Ballarat to Mildura, which is just as boring, so just thinking of a different way on an unfamiliar road.