In Dash Voltmeter 2011 GC

[Innkeepers]

Hi all, we currently drive a V8 petrol 100 series cruiser and are in the early stages of looking for a replacement vehicle. We tow a 18ft Bushtracker van occasionally and were always going to buy a new 200 series.. however, we have taken a shine to the new GC Overland packed with features the the Cruiser doesn't have and the money difference is quite large too.

Whilst surfing You Tube, I came across a video where the guy couldn't find a battery voltmeter or even a charging warning light to warn of a situation where the battery is not charging. He even disconnected the drive belt to the alternator and took it off and started the engine and ran it and put it into drive and no warning that the belt was in fact not truning the alternator or the water pump for that matter.

So my obvious question is.....those of you with new WK GC's.....do you have a voltmeter or even a battery charging warning light??

Thanks all
Cheers
Rick

[David Scott]

Yes there is a battery warning/charging light on the dash the same as any other vehicle. Comes on when starting then goes off a short time later. There is no actual volt meter the same as most other vehicles and the vehicles that do you would find would be analog and not digital and would not be acurate. I have fitted a second battery to my new Grand and I am in the process of fitting a digital volt meter for that battery and I will put a switch in the line so I can monitor both battery voltages if I wish.
David Scott

[Innkeepers]

Thanks for that Dave, that clears up one of the little things in my head and I read the 42 page post on the caravanners forum....phew.... and I noticed your posts regarding the second battery under the passenger seat. We currently have a pair of 40 litre engels and usually take at least one with us and works well on the second battery in the cruiser.

However, if we go for a GC, it will be the Overland and that comes with the Quadra Lift Suspension and as such that space under the passenger seat may not be available to us. We bought a motel in Armidale a couple years ago and we have a beach house up near Bribie Island, so most of our trips away from the motel will be up to the beach house. Our needs have changed recently and that's why we're looking at other options to yet another cruiser. Having said that, we still have our Bushtracker off road van and plan to use that at least once a year, so towing performance/fuel economy is still important to us. I guess if we can't fit a second battery, one of those Thumper style, jump start batteries might power the fridge in the car over night.

Early DAZE yet....thanks for the reply.
Cheers
Rick