The Best Ever Touring Mods

By OJ Aba

WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT DOES AND WHY YOU NEED IT!

In the last decade, there have been more advances in 12V technology than in any other area in the 4WDing world. Some of the products that are available cheaply these days would have either cost a mint, or flat out didn't exist not too long ago. Both input (batteries and charging systems) and output (lights, in-car entertainment, GPS) accessories have absolutely exploded in the last few years and these days you'd be hard pressed to find a touring 4WD that doesn't have at least a few 12V upgrades.

However with so much choice now available, it can be difficult to know where to start. Over the next few pages we'll show you what it is, what it does and why you need it!

DRIVING LIGHTS

If you do any sort of driving after dark, your 4WD's stock headlights will come up short in terms of distance and lighting up the sides of the track where animals seems to always lie in wait for the very last moment they can before jumping out in front of your bullbar. You need a set of spotties or a lightbar. In terms of spread of light, it's hard to go past an LED lightbar, but if you're chasing distance - a set of HIDs will light up the track for kilometres in front of you. If you're after the ultimate set-up, you could always run both...

12V PANELS

Having a 12V panel with a few different outlets is a fantastic way to keep things neat and allow you to run your cabling to a single location. This one is set up on the headboard of a ute tray and can run just about everything from this one spot.

ENGINE MANAGEMENT

Most of us will go for some sort of performance module or aftermarket engine management on the quest for more power in our 4WDs. Deciding on where you fit the module is an important part of this process, as if they're prone to damage from heat and debris that can find its way into the engine bay.

WINCHES

There's probably no better piece of recovery gear than a Domin8r X winch. These days quality winches with good solenoids and synthetic rope are available for a few hundred bucks, making them one of the best investments you can make in your fourby. They must be wired to a cranking (not deep cycle).

DUAL BATTERIES

The availability of 12V accessories is simply going nuts in the 4WD industry right now so plenty of people fit up a second or even third Adventure Kings AGM battery to keep up with the demand for amps from their camp lighting, fridges, winches and entertainment systems.

LED LIGHTING

Illuminator LED strip lights are fantastic ways to light up your campsite or interior as they will give an excellent spread of light and use next to no power. For a mod that you'll appreciate every time you use them, look no further!

DUAL BATTERIES

WINCH

DRIVING LIGHTS

COST

$500 - $1200

$350 - $1800

$100 - $1200

DIY?

If you buy a complete kit with battery tray and all associated wiring then it's definitely doable at home. If you don't know your way around a soldering iron, leave it to the pros

Wiring a winch in is not overly difficult, but if you have to remove your front bar, expect to wrestle with it for the best part of a day. The time might be better spent elsewhere while a workshop handles it

If you can read a wiring diagram and know how to drive a soldering iron then go for it!

CONSIDERATIONS

There are a few different types of management systems, from marine switches to DC-DC chargers, so do your research. Also, keep in mind that batteries are fairly large so make sure you have enough real estate set aside for it

Mounting the control box on the front bar means that anyone with a controller can activate your winch. Wiring in a cut-off switch or mounting the box under the bonnet is the go. Also, be sure to unspool your winch after it's installed and spool it back in under load

Check with your state's laws before mounting lights up on the roof or on top of your bullbar. Also, forget about 'twisting-n-taping' wires together. These'll be subject to a fair amount of vibration so a good solder it's the only way to join them up

YOU WANT THIS IF...

... you're going to be relying on your 12V gear when out in the bush. If you're running a fridge then it's almost essential to have it wired up to a good deep cycle battery.

... you often travel alone or over tracks that can change quickly depending on the weather or time of year. If you need a means of getting out of just about any situation, then a winch is for you.

... you don't want to hit an animal! We're not saying good lights will prevent it from happening, but they'll give you a much better chance of seeing them and let you get off the loud pedal

12V - THE NEXT LEVEL

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BATTERY

Should I get a deep cycle or cranking auxiliary battery? It really comes down to what you're using it for. High draw accessories like winches and halogen lights should be wired up to your cranking battery while lower draw items like LED lights should be hooked up to the deep cycle units, which are designed to be repeatedly drained and recharged. When it comes to choosing your battery, go for the highest CCA (cold cranking amps) you can get for a cranking battery, and the highest a/h (amp-hour) rating you can afford on deep cycle batteries.

CAMERAS

It's no secret that fully loaded up 4WD wagons and utes aren't exactly easy to see out the back of. By fitting up a camera or two you're making reversing and towing heaps safer and easier. You will need a screen mounted up to the dash, but we're yet to hear of anyone regretting fitting one of these up.

TABLETS AND LAPTOPS

Many 4WDers are turning to laptops and tablets to run their GPS software. Not only do these have much larger screens than dedicated GPS units, they also have a heap of other customisable features, and you can run plenty of other programs through them, including using it as a screen for your reverse cameras, making them a much more versatile option.

VOLTMETERS

Keeping an eye on how much charge your Adventure Kings AGM Batteries have holds a heap of obvious advantages. These things are relatively cheap and easy to wire in.

INVERTER

An Adventure Kings 1500W Inverter takes a 12V input and turn it in to 240V output, so you can run your household electronics through them. This is especially handy for things like chargers and the kid's gaming systems, and on top of that, you now have the excuse you were looking for to bring your massaging foot spa camping with you...

SOLAR

Solar panels are great for running accessories while you're at camp without draining your vehicle's batteries. Their ability to provide power essentially comes down to the type of regulator they use, so spend a little extra on one with an MPPT (maximum power point tracking) regulator, as they work much more efficiently.

DC-DC chargers like the CTEK D250SA are a great way to oversee your dual-battery set-up as they can be plugged in to all DC power sources such as alternators and solar panels, plus they automatically adjust the charging voltage in line with the battery's state of charge.

Article Source:  The Best Ever Touring Mods

How to Buy the Best Solar Panels

By Vinit Roy

The shift to using solar energy is becoming a new phenomenon that is catching on very quickly. The installation of a solar energy generation system allows for the energy of the sun being turned into usable electricity that can further be stored. Given all of this, it can be argued that the most important part of the system is the solar panel. It is through that the energy conversion is made possible and ultimately, the level of independence that is available to consumers of solar energy is made available. Hence, it is important to choose the best quality solar panels for your needs.

What is the cost of a solar panel?

To determine the cost of various factors have to be taken into consideration. Of course, the price is also greatly influenced by the kind of subsidiaries set in place for use of renewable energy by the government for the promotion of alternative energy sources. There is generally priced based on how much capacity it generates (measured in Watts), the physical size of each panel, the durability or warranty period offered, the quality of materials used in it as well as the types of certifications that the panels have. The price may also vary depending on how many panels are being purchased as part of the package - the general rule showing the price decreasing with an increase in a number of panels in the package.

However, it is to be kept in mind that price is never the primary factor to take into account when purchasing a solar panel. The panel will have to fit the purpose perfectly in order to give its maximum performance.

Factors to Look Out for When Purchasing Solar Panels

It is always a good idea to look for the best place to buy solar panels before making a purchase. This would generally ensure that all the factors that add up to give an efficient and high-performance product are taken care of. One of the main things to ensure is that the temperature coefficient has a low percentage per degree Celsius. Given that the conversion efficiency is a measure of how much solar energy a panel can convert into electricity, you should look for a panel with a high conversion efficiency. A good solar panel will also have very little potential induced degradation (PID).

Along with all of these, it is also a good idea to analyze the warranty period granted by the company as it reflects the confidence the company shows in the panels. Keep in mind the fact that the light-induced degradation (LID) of a good solar panel is also little to none because an increased LID means that the amount of power produced by the panel is less. While it is mostly considered as an environmental cost, looking at the embodied cost of the panel is also generally a good idea for a person since it is a measure of how quickly the investment on the panels will be paid back through its energy production intensity.

I have more than 5 references of solar industries. For more detail please visit -
  https://www.eaplworld.com/solar/products/panels/

Article Source:  How to Buy the Best Solar Panels

Serious Impressions of Stupid Movies

By Hemanta Masarangi

Movies have become one of the most influential factors in modern society. From starting new trends to educating the ordinary people, movies undoubtedly make an impression on the general public. Since the discovery of the very first motion picture in 1890s, movies have become a visual documentation on events of human evolution. Talking about the movies that are produced for entertainment purposes, here is a quote, from the Pulitzer Prize winner film critic Roger Ebert:

"We live in a box of space and time. Movies are windows in its walls.They allow us to enter other minds not simply in sense of identifying with the characters, but by seeing the world as another person sees it."

-Roger Ebert

Roger once said that art is the closest that we could come to understanding how a stranger feels and movies as an amalgum of audio and visual form of arts, makes a very complex and sophisticated form of art. There is an undeniable effect that movies have in our thought process. When we exit a theatre after watching a movie, we leave with the definite kind of thoughts depending upon the movie we watched. With our responsibilities of daily life we skip through myriads of social and emotional aspects that keep us humane. We live in a world with so much colors and variations of human aspects but we fail to recognize and enjoy, while busy in our commitments. And that is where movies are a sweet reminder of what we are and what we have. Let us take "Forrest Gump" for instance that portrays the innocence of a guy, with the spirit to make something out of himself despite all the shortcomings. Or the more recent one "Happythankyoumoreplease", which shows characters, no different from the ones in our neighborhood. The characters in the reel world are no different from those in our real world and the challenges they face are just a version of the ones we face. And movies help us understand life through different perspectives.

Let us take modern historical period movies and old classic ones, they are a depiction of how things were in the days gone by. As ordinary people they tend to be a reminder of our heritage, a source of reminiscence and nostalgia. There are also movies like "Blade Runner" which give us a peek into how things could be in the future, and there are ones that make us laugh and have a good time. Educating us, tickling our funny bones to cautioning us about the future events that could fall upon us, movies have an undeniable influence on our thoughts and actions.

There is little bad with every little good

Movie as a technology has grown from a simple fast moving collection of pictures to a complicated industry. With the technology's ever growing popularity, movies have now become an integral part of our daily life. Be it in a friendly chat among friends or the daily news broadcast, movies are one of the subjects of discussion. Primarily a form of entertainment, movies as a whole is also listed as an informal source of education. Many people tend to learn from movies more than any other formal source, although that might seem like an overstatement. In many under developed countries movies and television series are used as the means for educating the population for social reform and bring an overall change. There is no denying on a vast reach of movies, this however could have a very bad effect, as not every movie carries the same humane values.

Movies that fall under the genres like historical drama, historical war movies and biopics are often criticized for taking liberty with the historical facts. They are accused of bending the story to dramatize events and make interesting movies. One of such movies is "Pearl Harbor", which was released under much criticism. With film makers taking such liberty with the historical subject matters, it is both disrespectful and unforgivable. Due to such movies gullible audiences go on to believe a fiction to be the fact, which is not a good thing. On the other hand there are movies that fall under action and horror genres which are criticized for violent contents. Directors like Quentin Tarantino in Hollywood and Anurag Kashyap in Bollywood have their respective reason and logical explanations regarding such contents. Despite their reasonable explanations there is no denying that the exposure to violence may cause personality disorder in kids and other receptive demographic. There exists proper processes of identification and allotting category a movie goes through before its release to diminish such adverse effects. However their presence is only as good as the implementation.

Movies are Stupid

"The point is not to avoid all Stupid Movies, but to avoid being a Stupid Moviegoer, It's a difficult task separating the good Stupid Movies from the bad ones... " -Roger Ebert

Often movies are termed as stupid waste of time. The opinion is not wrong on its own but we have to keep in mind that there are literally millions of movies representing a genre and there are numerous genres. Though not all of them deserve our attention but not all of them deserve our indifference either. Thus, the responsibility falls upon us to choose the movie that would be worth the time. In fact the choice of movies differs with each individual. And each genre of movies is targeted towards a specific kind of audience.

Every work of Art is subject to one's own perception and interpretation, movies are no different. Just like any art, each movie is bound to have its point of view and an agenda. Movies are the most expressive among all forms of arts as such it is capable of covering a huge demographic with no bias of color, age or region. This benefits the film makers with the power to impress the huge susceptible population with their ideas. However, it falls upon the viewer to choose the right movie.

Connecting with a movie

A movie without a definite direction becomes a disaster, as such most of the times it is the director who determines a certain tone of the movie subject. With proper co-ordination with his fellow colleagues director goes on to create a masterpiece that resonates with our life and mindset. This is when we would be sucked into a different world altogether. And that is the real satisfaction of watching a movie. Otherwise it would become a stupid waste of time.

However besides the nuances in the production of a movies itself, there are many factors that affects its connection with the audience. One such case is "The Room" which released in 2003 as an independent movie. The movie was written, produced and directed by Tommy Wiseau, who also acted in the movie. The movie was completely slaughtered by the critics while it did a good business. There are also the DC movies like "Suicide Squad" and "Justice League" which despite the critical bashing go on to collect big bucks. The reason there being the subject matter though poorly executed is dear to the fans of DC comics.

Movies have now become an integral part of human lifestyle. It could very well be a form of social activity, where we would all come together for a good time. There is also one of the most important influences as one of the biggest industry, it employs a large number of manpower. Though a topic of socio-economic influence is worth another article, there is no denying that movies have become one of the social activities. So we could try and divide a movie into good and bad but as a form of art, a movie is just that, an art.

Article Source:  Serious Impressions of Stupid Movies

The Experience Economy: Why I Can't Sell My China

By Lois Brayfield

My husband and I are on a quest to downsize and get rid of "stuff" that serves no purpose in our lives. This includes our two sets of beautiful Wedgwood china that we lovingly chose many years ago. But, to our dismay, no one wants it. Not even our sons. And it's not just me. My friends who share a few gray hairs are experiencing the same.

It turns out the world has changed dramatically since our young days of hedonistic consumerism. And it's probably changed forever. What's going on? Consider the following:

According to Business Insider, millennial home ownership is at an all-time low. In fact, according to Trulia, 71% of millennials surveyed regret the purchase in the first place. They simply don't like the debt, and they regret investing money into a permanent home. Furthermore, they are moving to smaller urban spaces that do not allow for the "collection of stuff." In other words, "things" don't matter.

The obsession with Tiny Houses. I can count at least four television shows that promote this streamlined type of living. Personally, I'm obsessed with the idea. According to a ValueInsured survey, millennials are not investing in large homes. And even more surprising, it's the baby boomers who are more likely to purchase lower-priced homes.

What's going on? People (not just millennials) are moving toward collecting experiences over things. The "Experience Economy" values more time with family and more money to travel, as well as more time and money to experience all that life might offer. Something other than things. In fact, one could argue that we are a society looking to simplify, even moving toward a minimalist lifestyle. What's even more telling is the fact that our digital world takes the place of stuff we needed in the past (storage for CDs, for example).

Recently, I was sitting around a C-level roundtable discussing this very topic, and one gentleman even claimed that the move toward "experiences" is for social bragging rights. You've seen it - pictures of food, concerts, vacations, etc. - all over social media. Whatever the reason, the Experience Economy is here.

So, if you are a brand like Road Scholar, you are in pretty good shape. But what about the rest of you? Brands that listen to consumers and find opportunities among their evolving wants and needs, rather than in spite of them, are the ones winning today. Consider Nordstrom and their "tiny store" model that offers experiences over shopping. Or Bonobos, who has created a unique retail experience in which you cannot walk out the door with merchandise. Or even ThirstyNest who offers personalized wine gifts to newlyweds who are interested in creating memories over filling up a china cabinet.

So, with smaller living spaces and fewer dollars being spent on things, what's a brand to do? Ask yourself the following three questions:

How do my products create an experience or enrich the lives of my customers? If you sell puzzles, shouldn't you really be selling family time, allowing loved ones to gather together and enjoy each other? If it's a pair of shoes, are they comfortable enough for someone to enjoy the concert they're attending, or are they lightweight and easy to pack for their next adventure? It's critical you change the selling benefits of products to reflect how the world has changed.

Are you evolving your product line to reflect the down-sizing of America or the Experience Economy? Are you moving toward products that provide simplicity, efficiency or multi-use? Or, are you developing products that provide unique experiences and allow for social bragging? A word of caution: Just because you have a best-seller today doesn't mean it will fit into the lifestyle of your customer tomorrow. Evolve!

Have you considered out-of-the-box ideas or shopping experiences with a unique twist that your customer will appreciate? I'm sure there was a time we might have laughed at brands like Bonobos, but who's laughing now? And didn't we think continuity programs were dead? Nope. Consider brands like Blue Apron, Birchbox or Stitch Fix that have turned consumerism into a streamlined experience.

Unfortunately, marketing has become more difficult! But, only if you are thinking about selling "things." People don't need or want your things anymore. The sharp marketers of tomorrow will be the ones who understand this strange new world we live in and wrap their products into experiences. As for my china? I'm going to change my Letgo description to: the perfect set of breakable dishes for your next Greek gathering.

Need more help understanding the Experience Economy? Email Lois at  loisb@jschmid.com, or visit us on the web at jschmid.com.

Article Source:  The Experience Economy: Why I Can't Sell My China

Check Engine Light On? Common Checks and Fixes To Try Before You Freak Out

By A Browder

It stands to reason most of us have spent time at the auto repair shop listening to our service person asking exactly what is going on with our car. Chances are we look at them completely dumbfounded and do not have a clue exactly, What? Is the right thing to say. We, in fact, are likely to be getting over the shock of our trusty reliable automobile experiencing a meltdown. In general, our brow is stuck in a worried frown, our feet may shuffle back and forth and we are having visions of our bank balance sinking into an abyss never to return. An unscheduled trip to the auto repair shop can be a lot less frightening if we learn some simple ways to identify common noises and yes, that dreaded light that signals that our car may have something serious going on. This goes a long way in helping your car repair expert know where to start with assessing your problem.

Probably the moment when most drivers figure out something has gone wrong with their automobile is when the check engine light is staring them in the eye. The dashboard now looks back at you ominously and strikes fear & anxiety in your heart. Although we have all been taught that the appearance of this light spells doom that simply may not be the case. Plenty of things may cause this to occur but it may mean several minor things are in the works, one as simple as leaving off your gas cap and you should definitely check this first before stressing out.

It is important for you to share any problematic warning signs with your technician, did you hear knocking? Was it slow to accelerate? Lurching or squealing? Have your interior lights and car entertainment system been behaving sketchy? Based on these identifications the auto repair technician will run a diagnostic on your automobiles computer. Your car's computer is the brain for your engine that uses sensors to monitor some of the following:

Air Pressure

Air Temperature

Engine Temperature

Climate Control

Braking System

Electronic System

Having an auto repair technician run a diagnostic on your car's computer is extremely positive in getting to the root of your problem. Many minor things can be causing the issue such as a faulty oxygen sensor that will probably cost you around $200.00 to $300.00 to repair in a shop and can easily be done in your garage for the most part. It could also be your Mass Air Flow Meter causing the issue with cost estimates in the $200.00 to $300.00 range depending on your particular vehicle, but this part is also generally easy to replace on a do-it-yourself basis and can be done with a low-cost    OEM used auto part from a salvage yard and your auto's repair manual if you are handy.

Once you have a diagnosis, you may be able to relax and gain peace of mind by asking specific questions about the specific costs and time factors of a repair. If it is determined that the repair will be more involved or costly do not be afraid to ask for applicable discounts or offered rebates. Many manufacturers offer incentives for the consumer and repair shop alike. No need to pay full price when savings are involved. Do research on the diagnosis most importantly learn all you can from your experience and keep routine maintenance up to date. Armed with this information you may never need to fear this dashboard light ever again.

Article Source:  Check Engine Light On? Common Checks and Fixes To Try Before You Freak Out