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In-Car Emergency Kit - Your Recommendations
IainB:
For emergencies, in any car I own, I would usually carry a metal box containing:
* a decent and inexpensive first-aid kit (I build one up from supermarket/pharmacy purchases, rather than buy an expensive ready-made yet inferior one),
* a current/recent fire extinguisher (you never know...),
* a couple of lightweight tow ropes (mainly to help other people, as I also always have a towbar fitted),
* a pair of jumpstarter cables (again, mainly to help others). (NB: In use, these are rumoured to have the potential to cause surge damage to modern alternators, so now could probably be replaced by one of those new small lithium-based starter-pack kits.),
* a toilet roll (paper),
* a kitchen roll (paper),
* a few lengths of lightweight nylon rope,
* a small portable foot-pump,
* a small tyre-pressure gauge (foot-pump gauges are unreliable).
And don't forget to prudently check the pressures on the car tyres at cold every couple of weeks, and on the spare tyre every couple of months, maintaining the latter at a few PSI above its highest normal recommended operating pressure (front/back tyres tend to have different recommended pressures).
Also, hung from the central rear-view mirror, to forestall emergencies, to appeal to or appease the gods, or to otherwise improve one's statistical odds of good fortune on the road (can be used variously singly or together):
* a Saint Christopher (patron saint of travellers) pendant,
* a cross pendant (Christian/Anglican),
* a crucifix pendant (Roman Catholic),
* a rosary or prayer beads, etc,
* a Buddha pendant (Buddhist,
* a freshly-killed chicken (Voodoo),
* two soft dice cubes (for atheists).
However, be warned, from personal experience, that the freshly-killed chicken or the two soft dice cubes can seriously inhibit the driver's forward vision through the windscreen, which could well cause/induce an accident. Used together they could make the driver "a menace on the roads", as one traffic officer politely but sternly told me after booking me for failing to stop at a STOP sign because it was obscured from my vision by these objects being hung from my mirror.
Stoic Joker:
A small 12v air compressor can be handy for all sorts of things. I had one mounted under the seat of my bike years ago, and became and became quite popular on runs because I could use it to blow up air mattresses (and etc.) for people in just a few minutes.
I think 150w is a bit low for inverter output. You might want to get something closer to 500W, to ensure it will handle laptops..
I have a client that is currently fighting with the Ford dealership. Because the factory "400W" inverter keeps overloading while trying to power a single Dell laptop with a 180W power supply. Multiple laptop and power supply combinations - all rated at 180W - have been tried...and they all trip the overload on the inverter.
I suspect that 400W is only the peak load that the unit is rated for, and the running load is actually much (much...) lower.
Just a thought. :D
P.S. Always carry a towel!
KynloStephen66515:
And don't forget to prudently check the pressures on the car tyres at cold every couple of weeks, and on the spare tyre every couple of months, maintaining the latter at a few PSI above its highest normal recommended operating pressure (front/back tyres tend to have different recommended pressures).
-IainB (February 05, 2016, 06:19 AM)
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This one isn't a problem in my new car as I get e-mail alerts if my tyre pressure is low (or my engine fluids), as well as an indication on the dashboard...and if I am really unsure, I can call the OnStar team and have them remotely check my Fluid Levels and Tyre Pressures...I find this odd and slightly daunting (Although I do currently run a 2012 model car...it isn't very well equipped...like..it doesn't even have satnav...about the most interesting feature on it is the fact I can listen to DAB radio...yeah...that's the selling point on that one *shrugs*) :huh:
Stoic Joker:
This one isn't a problem in my new car as I get e-mail alerts if my tyre pressure is low (or my engine fluids), as well as an indication on the dashboard...and if I am really unsure, I can call the OnStar team and have them remotely check my Fluid Levels and Tyre Pressures-Stephen66515 (February 05, 2016, 07:31 AM)
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OMFG *FacePalm* You have got to be kidding me?!?
NEVER Trust a Sensor to do an EyeBalls job!
Wander out there, pop open the hood...and familiarize yourself with what things are supposed to look like. That way on some dark night when it decides to misbehave and you open the hood...you'll have a bit better chance of spotting something that out of place.
Sensors malfunction ... So if a fluid is that important - like coolant or brake fluid - put an eye on it and know it's okay ... don't expect some clod sitting in an office 3,000 miles away to guess at it for you based on some pass/fail based digital dashboard. It could be close enough to the edge to kill/strand you...but not quite enough to trip the warning light.
4wd:
Let's see, in the Landcruiser:
* Enough tools so that I could conceivably drop the engine, gearbox, transfer case, differential, or anything else that would require repair.
* Two 4m polypropylene tow ropes rated at 3 tonnes, (great for removing downed trees and impromptu winching), plus rated D-shackles.
* Pocket chainsaw.
* Heavy duty air compressor.
* Top/bottom radiator hose - not really necessary, can improvise with aluminium can and duct tape.
* Can of body filler, (good for repairing holes in radiator cores).
* Approximately 40 metres of 12mm nylon rope.
* A load of cable ties small -> big.
* First aid kit.
* Matches, hexamine stove.
* Analog multimeter.
* Duct tape.
* Aluminium frypan - not just for cooking, have repaired an exhaust using this and fencing wire :)
* Aluminium billy.
* Puncture kit.
Apart from water if traveling into desert/arid area, that's pretty much it. Anything else can be scavenged from the bush, eg. fencing wire, etc.
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