Coolant Loss Alarm

[Haydn Callow]

Thank you Tallyman !! The voice of reason will always be heard.
Start again... The only reason I am involved in these alarms is that the Mazda Bongo has a habit of "springing a leak" and I ordered a inline hose kit from Enginesaver in the hope it would help. David at EnginSaver who is very switched on suggested we develope a version of the kit for the Bongo. We did this over a period of 3 months with much testing and trying to find the best place to locate the level sensor. Once we perfected the kit I introduced it to the Bongo Fury club and thought that would be the end of my involvement. Enginsaver suggested that I get the componants from them and make the kits up in U.K. so I might get some reward for all the work and expense of the developement. I am 62 years old and have been retired for 10 years having served 24 years in the army and after that started and sold my own business. I do not need to make any great profit as I do this more to fill a bit of my time between holidays and golf. The Bongo members are very pleased with the kit and all reports are positive.
Understanding your vehicles a little better now, I am confidant a kit could be put together but only with your help and if you think it would be of benifit.
If one of your members would like to help with developing a kit and perhaps even getting involved with the sales to members of your forum so much the better.
Food for thought

[NiftyNev]

if the Enginesaver kit can be adapted to work on a Surf

The Inline Kit should fit as is, providing the hose adaper fits the Surf 32mm radiator hose.

Nev

[Haydn Callow]

I think you may well be right. However what we can do is make sure all the terminals are correct and wires the correct length and make up some fitting instructions.

The cost of a kit direct from Enginsaver would be
Cost of Kit £76 64
P&P approx £06.00
Duty and PO charge £15.00

Total £92.64 approx ..you might get away with not paying duty

Quite expensive but when you work out the cost of possible repairs could be money well spent..I have emailed David at EnginSaver and await a reply.
However I think by making the kits up in U.K. perhaps £25 to £30 could be saved. So for the cost of a tank of fuel it may be possible. If this forum has a shop outlet the kits could be supplied that way. All food for thought.
I don't know how this forum is paid for but for every kit sold via the Bongo Fury site a nice bit of commission is made.

[Haydn Callow]

Your quite right !! this alarm would not work in the case you mention. It does not pretend to be the answer to everything. What it will do in your vehicles is monitor the coolant in your top hose. Every time you start your engine the alarm will "self test" letting you know you have coolant present. If coolant is leaked and the top hose becomes empty then the alarm will sound. It is NOT a temp alarm. I also have the one you have from oz and it does give useful info. However on the Mazda Bongo if coolant is lost the EngineSaver alarm goes off before the temp gauge moves, I would think your vehicles would be much the same in that respect. It is a Coolant Loss Alarm. Nothing else.

[Apache]

Haydn, all very interesting and sounds like something which could work, but over £90 sounds expensive for something which (I assume) is a resistance probe, a comparator circuit and a buzzer...

I guess everyone along the line is making something though, and I suppose if it could save your engine one day it's probably worth it.

(I am one of the forum cynics by the way, pleased to meet you )

[Haydn Callow]

£90 is indeed a lot of money, but as I said. By importing the componants and putting the kit together in u.k.and sourcing some bits here, I think this may be reduced by around a third.

[Apache]

What parts *need* to be imported from Oz though?

I'd imagine the bits required could be bought from the likes of Maplin or RS, or some facimile made with a bit of good old British ingenuity.

I haven't seen the kit, but I would think the sensor end (for a top hose system) would consist of a bit of pipe you insert in series with the top hose, with a couple of 'contacts' seperated by a gap. If there is no liquid in the pipe, or a measurably low level of liquid, then the contacts would exhibit a change in conductivity between the two. This change would be measured by a comparator against a fixed reference, and the output of the comparator would change state at some predetermined level, triggering an alarm, or LED or such.

Am I on the right track?

[Haydn Callow]

I think you have it about right and that is the way the alarm works.
However who is going to take on the job of making up the electronic part of the kit. The EngineSaver self tests on switch on and has a built in delay before the alarm goes off so false alarms co's of bubbles etc don't happen.
I have been in touch with Enginsaver and I think a kit could be made available for about £60 delivered. If members could provide the jubliee clips,wire and terminals themselves then perhaps a little less.
The development of the alarm has taken quite a long time and many factors have to be allowed for, coolant strength and coolant temp all affect the sensivity of the alarm among other factors.
It can be made available if you want it and fairly quickly. If not, no worries.
Am I right in thinking the internal dia of your top hose is 32mm ??

[Apache]

Yeah, haven't really got the time to start putting circuits together, but the comparator really isn't that difficult. Immunity to bubbles can be easily taken care of by building in a little hysteresis into the comparator. You dont really need a delay as such, though that is another valid way of achieving the same end.

Coolant strength and temp might change the conductivity as you say, but how much I honestly dont know without going to my shed and doing a bit of fiddling (and I have an RC Plane and a mountainbike to build before I take on any other projects!). I dare say a small adjustment, perhaps a couple of switch positions for summer / winter coolant strength (for those who go for that sort of things!) could be provided.

I appreciate Enginsaver do have their development and production costs to cover, so I'd respectfully suggest you post full details to Koi (the moderator who runs the 'for sale' part of the forum) and ask whether there is any mileage in putting an ad up.

[Haydn Callow]

Thanks for all that . Will do some homework and do as you suggest. Again thanks for the suggestions.

[Haydn Callow]

I now have all the componants to put a kit together for your vehicles, This kit had no moving parts to gum up and is solid state. If anyone would like a FOC kit to trial. Let me know.

[MattF]

I wonder if Apache might be interested in trialling the proto? If not, I might be tempted to trial it.

[Apache]

Not really Matt, too many other projects on the go, you have a look if you like.

Understand though, that if one of the tech experts on here (and there are a few) get hold of it, and if its wanting, or seemingly costs a lot more than it ought, the readership here will be told.

[Antshiel]

I wouldn't mind giving it a go, i love gadgets and have suffered before so if you want to send me one i'll do a full test on it and post results in full.
Email me for details.

I already have a tm2 fitted and it let me know when the engine was gettin too hot when pulling the boat up a big hill:



Unless Mattf wants to have a go, only fair as you did post before me. Sorry for jumping the queue, but if you don't want to do it i will.

[Haydn Callow]

MattF & Antshiel.......How about you both having a trial ? I have already contacted Matt by e mail. I will be in touch with you Ant shortly.
Many thanks
Haydn