The Turtle Mobile

[LeishaShannon]

Maybe it is just a Queensland thing, but here I am pretty sure that it is not a requirement to have a pass-thru in a vehicle for it to be classified as a motorhome.
I have a pass-thru, so it is not really a concern for me, but I am just saying...

I tried "discussing" this with numerous QLD transport employees. The answer we received is that ours is not a motorhome and will be treated as a load on a truck. Whether that frees it from requiring any of the motorhome specific regulations around gas/electrical/etc installations is a conundrum

 

[graynomad]

treated as a load on a truck

That's good and bad. Obviously the rego is a lot more, but I'm pretty sure that does free you from all the compliances like gas and power etc. Obviously you'd have to check that, but AFAIK a load is a load, as long as it's secure and not dangerous materials you are off the hook.

Personally I'd be gobsmacked if a permanently-mounted house (with no tray underneath) cannot be registered as a MH though. For one thing the mounting to the chassis will have to be certified even if they don't think it's a MH.

_____
Rob

 

[Turtle59]

G'day blokes

So I am starting to feel like a right ******** here. Is my truck 12v or 24v... here is the low down.

I have 2 batteries, they are connected in parallel, that is positive to positive - negative to negative. Now that alone should tell me that it is 12v. Therefore alternator and starter etc should all be 12v to I would have thought. Also on the lower part of the drivers door is a sticker that simply says 12V, which I assume it to mean the vehicle is 12 volt.

Now I spent last night looking at fleabay and couldn't find an alternator in 12v they were all 24v.

I found this website:
http://www.atn.co.za/LinkWrap.asp?m..._name=Mitsubishi+Canter+FG649+4x4+Truck+Rigid
with FG649 specs on it. This document tells me that it is 12v negative earth... I like it so far. It also tells me the alternator is 12v 100a. Do you think I can find any such animal for sale in Australia... Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places.

So... off I go to an auto electrician to see if he can help shed any light on my dilemma. Bloody hell... I would have been better off talking to the neighbours dog. Now in his defense though I didn't have the truck with me which was obviously the deal clincher.

Who can help??

Someone here must know the answer to this.

I await with baited breath. Feeling like a nong.

Warm Regards
Turtle

 

[graynomad]

I have 2 batteries, they are connected in parallel, that is positive to positive - negative to negative. Now that alone should tell me that it is 12v.

Yep, I'd believe that before eBay

I can't see how it would be anything but 12v if as you described. I can't help with finding an alternator though. Wreckers?

_____
Rob

 

[SkiFreak]

A multimeter at your fuse panel will tell you straight away.
My FG84 is exactly the same as you have described; a 12v sticker on the door, 2 batteries in parallel... if it quacks like a duck, chances are that it's a duck!

If you are looking for an OEM alternator, PM John (whatcharterboat) as I think that he might be able to help you out there.

 

[SkiFreak]

For one thing the mounting to the chassis will have to be certified even if they don't think it's a MH.

Not according to my engineer. I was quite surprised when he told me that my subframe did not need to be certified.
The mounting system I used is similar to one of the methods outlined in VSB6, which apparently is good enough.

I had my spring mounted subframe on the truck when I took it for it's initial registration, which involved going over the government pits. Absolutely nothing was said by the three inspectors who went over the whole truck.
Naturally, I was happy not to have to pay for another engineering certificate, but it concerned me greatly to think that any Joe Blow can by a cheap ******** MIG welder, stick a subframe together with no prior welding skills and mount a couple of tonne on top it without anyone checking to see if the welds done have any penetration or structural strength. REALLY SCARY.....

 

[Turtle59]

Thanks gentlemen, so I am not quite as stupid as I thought I may be turning out to be.

To keep looking.

Warm Regards
Turtle

 

[alan]

Hi Turtle, I have a feeling they changed canters to 12v after 1996, but i'm not a 100% sure, mine is a 1990 model and it is 24v, the only thing that is 12v is the radio which has a small dc to dc converter under the dash.

 

[graynomad]

it concerned me greatly to think that any Joe Blow can by a cheap ******** MIG welder, stick a subframe together with no prior welding skills and mount a couple of tonne on top it without anyone checking to see if the welds done have any penetration or structural strength.

Yes, I'm happy to fly under the radar and have fewer inspections, but you have to wonder. Mine have been "certified" but as I think I said before, it was really just a case of drive around the block and if it doesn't fall off it's good. I always over-engineer and am confidant with what I do but that doesn't make it right.

I was a software engineer and photographer, never welded a thing in my life before building the 14-tonne Wothehellizat Mk1, now that's scary

 

[blackduck]

2007 fg649 its 12v
that's the beauty of it
if in doubt pull a globe see if it says 12 or 24v

 

[whatcharterboat]

Hi Turtle, I have a feeling they changed canters to 12v after 1996, but i'm not a 100% sure, mine is a 1990 model and it is 24v, the only thing that is 12v is the radio which has a small dc to dc converter under the dash.

2003 with the FG 649 was the first 12volt Canter.
IIRC

 

[westyss]

Not according to my engineer. I was quite surprised when he told me that my subframe did not need to be certified.
The mounting system I used is similar to one of the methods outlined in VSB6, which apparently is good enough.

I had my spring mounted subframe on the truck when I took it for it's initial registration, which involved going over the government pits. Absolutely nothing was said by the three inspectors who went over the whole truck.
Naturally, I was happy not to have to pay for another engineering certificate, but it concerned me greatly to think that any Joe Blow can by a cheap ******** MIG welder, stick a subframe together with no prior welding skills and mount a couple of tonne on top it without anyone checking to see if the welds done have any penetration or structural strength. REALLY SCARY.....

Haha! Wait..... what??........... Hey thats me! Man the hoops you guys have to go through is BS! For us in Canada you drive to the weigh scales and a guy looks at the truck and asks a few questions, gives you a piece of paper with the weight on it and you take that to the insurance broker and thats it........ a motorhome is born.
Seems like you need a permit for even picking your nose down there!

 

[graynomad]

Seems like you need a permit for even picking your nose down there!

No no no, don't get the wrong idea. You can pick your nose just fine, no permits or inspections or anything, it's a very free country in that regard.

But to dispose of the results you need a nasal effluent engineer's report, an EPA-approved and previously prepared storage site, and (depending on the state you are in and the last 3 digits of your phone number) possibly your inside leg measurement.

Truth is I had a dream run, nobody really looked at anything, but others have all sorts of trouble. It's very dependant on the state (AFAIK Queensland is one of the worst), the town (small towns are better), and the person.

When I transferred my rego to Victoria they didn't even look at the truck and another bloke was asked to take the measurements himself and bring them in tomorrow. The day before in the very next town I was asked for a full engineers report, including dismantling the brakes and measuring all components (at $150 per hour). I just kept moving towns until I got the "right" answer

 

[gait]

Queensland outsourced the engineers so the engineers become people who put stamps on bits of paper instead of providing design advice.

Then the institute of engineers hi-jacked the label engineer and one has to be a registered member to use the title and provide professional engineering advice (a law was passed). There have been prosecutions for providing advice while not registered.

No inside leg measurement for me Rob, just my shoe size.

I registered my FG649E motorhome in Qld as a motorhome, no mention of pass through which I don't have.

Minimum requirement to be classed as a motorhome was a bed (mattress on floor) and cooking (hiking stove). Worked for a Coaster bus conversion then I finished it off. The FG was reasonably complete when I registered - Queensland Transport just wanted to measure it, particularly the rear overhang.

Temporary registration in China was more thorough the second time.

 

[graynomad]

No inside leg measurement for me Rob, just my shoe size.

You got off light then.