Low coolant alarm

[mikexgough]

Carn't argue with that, there again, somtimes you get what you pay for.
Making a one off and perhaps a few for friends is one thing. Producing 5000 a year is another matter.

These are not one off's........... these are proven units used in the extremes that the planet can offer....... how they work on a Bongo is my bag....

[Bigcol]

Think I spoke too soon. Fitted it exactly as instructed and all appeared fine at first. Been on a longer run today and discovered air had been sucked in. Lost some coolant but at least the alarm warned me. Local Bongo specialist has bled the system and topped me up. The temp gauge didn't change. I have had another long run this afternoon and all seems fine. I am hoping there is no lasting damage otherwise I will be just a bit annoyed. I intend to email Ebay chap and suggest he advise the system be bled after install. Bugger.

[missfixit70]

Any work on the cooling system & it should be bled, are you sure the air isn't being introduced as a result of the unit? How did it lose coolant?

[The Great Pretender]

Carn't argue with that, there again, somtimes you get what you pay for.
Making a one off and perhaps a few for friends is one thing. Producing 5000 a year is another matter.

These are not one off's........... these are proven units used in the extremes that the planet can offer....... how they work on a Bongo is my bag....

I'm interested in what you have too as at the moment I am playing with a float switch in the tank.

[haydn callow]

If it's the one from South Africa......expensive....we have evaluated....dismissed.


I also think this puts my points above far better than I can.

Think I spoke too soon. Fitted it exactly as instructed and all appeared fine at first. Been on a longer run today and discovered air had been sucked in. Lost some coolant but at least the alarm warned me. Local Bongo specialist has bled the system and topped me up. The temp gauge didn't change. I have had another long run this afternoon and all seems fine. I am hoping there is no lasting damage otherwise I will be just a bit annoyed. I intend to email Ebay chap and suggest he advise the system be bled after install. Bugger.

That could have cost another rebuild.......you get what you pay for.

To bring things into perspective reguarding costs etc.....There is a componant in our system which we can source from the far east @ 38p per item.....however after testing a batch of hundreds we found they had a fail rate of about 3%......we chucked all the completed units built using this componant in the bin....we now get the componant from the USA at 4 times the cost but have 100% relibility to date.....that is just one example of the effort we put in....We had a batch of faulty buzzers which 10 % failed in use....some were returned for instant exchange and the others were recalled. We now pay more for quality buzzers

As pointed pointed out above..You get what you pay for...we refuse to work "down" to a price. We

[mikexgough]

There are several proven low alarms out there......some where you don't need to drill the tank.....

[haydn callow]

3000 plus fitted.....the first 1000 used 2 sensor screws in the tank.....I make that approx 4000 holes drilled and "screwed" NOT ONE has failed as far as we know.....that does not include all the other vehicles we deal with using the same method. Again we exaustively tested the method before bringing the product to market..Tanks were pumped upto 40psi...different dia holes...types of screws .......It works....

[haydn callow]

There are several proven low alarms out there......some where you don't need to drill the tank.....

Hmmmm !!! interesting.....I wonder how they would work on a Bongo with a pressurized tank....???

[haydn callow]

I find it difficult to understand where some peeps come from.....A guy buys a Bongo 4 years ago.......joins the forum.......reads about the problems experienced by owners reguarding coolant loss/overheating....gets off his arse....searches the internet for a answer.....finds somthing that will "almost" do the job.......with the help of forum members develops said product untill it is suitable for a bongo......supplys the first batch of units to members @ cost for "real live" testing.......gets loads of positive feedback......many happy peeps now out there who have saved money as a result.......
If anyone out there can come up with somthing better, fine....but why keep "sniping" away at others efforts.....I can only assume the millions £££'s being made are causing some peeps a problem.......
Those that know me (and there are plenty out there) know that I really have a soft spot for Bongos and will put plenty of time and effort into helping peeps out.....I'm getting on a bit now and Coolant alarms and myself won't last forever....the Golf course is calling

[mikexgough]

I'm interested in what you have too as at the moment I am playing with a float switch in the tank.

Will let you know.......interestingly some of the Landie boys are using float switches and their own electronics...... especially for the freelanders as they have the 'stats on the return side of the system similar to the Bongo

[haydn callow]

Our biggest customers by far are the Land Rover off road and competition boys.......We sell many to the Paris Dakar competitiors......the biggest Potash mine in europe fits them to all new plant. None of them would consider float switches.

[bigdaddycain]

I find it difficult to understand where some peeps come from.....A guy buys a Bongo 4 years ago.......joins the forum.......reads about the problems experienced by owners reguarding coolant loss/overheating....gets off his arse....searches the internet for a answer.....finds somthing that will "almost" do the job.......with the help of forum members develops said product untill it is suitable for a bongo......supplys the first batch of units to members @ cost for "real live" testing.......gets loads of positive feedback......many happy peeps now out there who have saved money as a result.......
If anyone out there can come up with somthing better, fine....but why keep "sniping" away at others efforts.....I can only assume the millions £££'s being made are causing some peeps a problem.......
Those that know me (and there are plenty out there) know that I really have a soft spot for Bongos and will put plenty of time and effort into helping peeps out.....I'm getting on a bit now and Coolant alarms and myself won't last forever....the Golf course is calling

Hi Haydn, As far as i can determine i can't see where anybody is "sniping" nor knocking your good self, or your excellent product! But as you say, variety is the spice of life, and options are always better than a monopolised product. The original poster has flagged up a particular low coolant alarm option, at a lower price, and as far as i can see it has highlighted the fact that it may just be of inferior quality to your own alarm, and thus has put your alarm in a good light surely?

I know you wouldn't knock an alternative alarm if it did it's job as well as your own, AND if it just happened to be a lot cheaper ( Current financial situation as it is in the UK) For example, TGP flagged up a component alarm in which the purchaser assembled oneself. TGP had no affiliation with the component seller, Mel simply tweaked the alarm to suit it's application, that being for use in a bongo. No failures or concerns have ever been reported with the fitted alarms in operation RESULT!

You haven't lost any sales as a result of the above mentioned alarm, The "TGP" alarms were purchased and fitted by members that simply couldn't (or justify) the outlay the purchase price of "your"alarm, hence wouldn't have bought one anyway, but instead did buy the alternative self assembly alarm kit as originally flagged up by the great pretender, as it was as effective as the "original" LCA but at much less cost... (but assembly was required).

[haydn callow]

Well....that just shows how much I know.....didn't even know there was a self build kit mentioned within this topic.......I have no problems with whatever is available....belive it or not my only concerns were how the fitting of the product highlighted in this topic might not be a good idea.......I didn't even bring up the problems of introducing air in when the hose is cut to fit the float chamber......I really feel it is a complicited way of getting round the problem of coolant loss and it just may cause that very thing. As for cost...true @ £ 70 to members ours is the more costly option, however I have never let anyone walk away because they couldn't afford one........At the bash a guy was short of cash so he got a "old" version for £35......another chap sent me £10 a month......and many more.....some freebies......these were all Forum members...
DIY fitting my system carries minimal risk of causing damage/problems...It may be fitted wrong but no harm will be done and it can be sorted with a phone call.
This other one is much more risky as highlighted above and somone less aware could well end up with a damaged motor.
I honestly do not think it is a good product.......
thats my lot on this subject.

[mikexgough]

As far as i can determine i can't see where anybody is "sniping" nor knocking your good self, or your excellent product!

me neither........various people were only having a discussion about other means to provide/make/apply a coolant alarm by the same or different method than the established......

I'm all for innovation and adaptation...... That's how the Japanese perfect things......Oh and by the way...I have no affiliation with any alarm product or anyone who does.......

[missfixit70]

As far as i can determine i can't see where anybody is "sniping" nor knocking your good self, or your excellent product!

me neither........various people were only having a discussion about other means to provide/make/apply a coolant alarm by the same or different method than the established......

I'm all for innovation and adaptation...... That's how the Japanese perfect things......Oh and by the way...I have no affiliation with any alarm product or anyone who does.......

But you may do shortly?