Aftermarket OAT recommendations?

R

Roy Hann

Guest

• Dec 28, 2005

• #1

Can anyone suggest a good after-market thermometer? What I want is
something with a sensor that can be mounted reasonably close to road-level
on a Disco I, with a display I can easily read while driving in the dark
(which I suppose pretty much dictates an illuminated digital display). If
it gave an audible warning when the temperature approaches freezing, that
would be welcome.

Roy

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 28, 2005

• #2

On or around Wed, 28 Dec 2005 16:46:19 -0000, "Roy Hann"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Can anyone suggest a good after-market thermometer? What I want is
>something with a sensor that can be mounted reasonably close to road-level
>on a Disco I, with a display I can easily read while driving in the dark
>(which I suppose pretty much dictates an illuminated digital display). If
>it gave an audible warning when the temperature approaches freezing, that
>would be welcome.

you used to be able to buy 'em in Halfrauds. Get the right one and it has a
frost alarm and so forth.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Blue: The sky is blue for a reason. Blue light is a source of strength
and harmony in the cosmos. Create a blue light in your life by
telephoning the police
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

 

D

Dougal

Guest

• Dec 28, 2005

• #3

Austin Shackles wrote:

> On or around Wed, 28 Dec 2005 16:46:19 -0000, "Roy Hann"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>
>>Can anyone suggest a good after-market thermometer? What I want is
>>something with a sensor that can be mounted reasonably close to road-level
>>on a Disco I, with a display I can easily read while driving in the dark
>>(which I suppose pretty much dictates an illuminated digital display). If
>>it gave an audible warning when the temperature approaches freezing, that
>>would be welcome.
>
>
> you used to be able to buy 'em in Halfrauds. Get the right one and it has a
> frost alarm and so forth.

About as useful as those inclinometers.

 

W

William Tasso

Guest

• Dec 28, 2005

• #4

Dougal <DougalAThiskennel.free-online.co.uk> wrote:

> Austin Shackles wrote:
>
>> On or around Wed, 28 Dec 2005 16:46:19 -0000, "Roy Hann"
>> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>> Can anyone suggest a good after-market thermometer? What I want is
>>> something with a sensor that can be mounted reasonably close to
>>> road-level ...

>> you used to be able to buy 'em in Halfrauds. Get the right one and it
>> has a
>> frost alarm and so forth.
>
> About as useful as those inclinometers.

Nonsense: are you suggesting you never needed to be told which way is "up"


btw: I understood warnings of potential black-ice are a good thing (tm) -
or maybe I misunderstand the o/p.

--
William Tasso

 

D

Dougal

Guest

• Dec 28, 2005

• #5

William Tasso wrote:

> btw: I understood warnings of potential black-ice are a good thing (tm)
> - or maybe I misunderstand the o/p.

That may well have been his intention but the best solution is to drive
with your window open and listen and/or feel what the steering wheel is
telling you.

I suppose I'm basically saying that they won't tell you anything that
you don't know already.

 

L

Larry

Guest

• Dec 28, 2005

• #6

I know when it is freezing cos the windscreen ices up on the inside when I
breathe on it

Mind you there is quite a bit of black ice on the roads at the moment.

--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes


"Roy Hann" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Can anyone suggest a good after-market thermometer? What I want is
> something with a sensor that can be mounted reasonably close to road-level
> on a Disco I, with a display I can easily read while driving in the dark
> (which I suppose pretty much dictates an illuminated digital display). If
> it gave an audible warning when the temperature approaches freezing, that
> would be welcome.
>
> Roy
>
>

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #7

On or around Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:28:29 +0000, Dougal
<DougalAThiskennel.free-online.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>William Tasso wrote:
>
> > btw: I understood warnings of potential black-ice are a good thing (tm)
>> - or maybe I misunderstand the o/p.
>
>That may well have been his intention but the best solution is to drive
>with your window open and listen and/or feel what the steering wheel is
>telling you.
>
>I suppose I'm basically saying that they won't tell you anything that
>you don't know already.

not so: in a modern motor with good heater, you can set off with the
temperature about 4 degrees, drive a bit and it becomes -1 and could be icy
without your ever having noticed.

and I for one don't like driving with the window open in freezing
conditions...
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; and
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee"
John Donne (1571? - 1631) Devotions, XVII

 

R

Richard Brookman

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #8

....and Dougal spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

> I suppose I'm basically saying that they won't tell you anything that
> you don't know already.

You're right, of course, but the extra warning is welcome. I find these
devices most useful on long journeys, especially in modern vehicles with
good heating. It's easy to get caught out and not realise just how cold it
is where you have travelled to. I drive a lot between West Wales and the
east coast of England, and the temperature difference in a day can be huge.
It's given me a "heads up" of difficult conditions many times. Of course
the sensible driver will be aware of this, but the extra warning doesn't do
any harm.

Does not apply to Series vehicles, obviously! Lean forward and touch the
windscreen. If your hand sticks to it, beware of ice.


--
Rich
==============================
Disco 300 Tdi auto
S2a 88" SW
Tiggrr (V8 trialler)

 

R

Roy Hann

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #9

"Dougal" <DougalAThiskennel.free-online.co.uk> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> William Tasso wrote:
>
> > btw: I understood warnings of potential black-ice are a good thing
(tm)
> > - or maybe I misunderstand the o/p.
>
> That may well have been his intention but the best solution is to drive
> with your window open and listen and/or feel what the steering wheel is
> telling you.

I'd rather not wait for the steering to tell me. I want a *warning* not a
demonstration. I should mention that I spent 20 years in western Canada and
I fancy I know about driving on ice. The main thing to know about it is
that when 2700kg of vehicle decides to really let go on ice it happens
instantly and you aren't going to get it back.

> I suppose I'm basically saying that they won't tell you anything that
> you don't know already.

No, unless you are an excruciatingly cautious driver what you are basically
saying is that you have been lucky. So have I, but I don't mistake luck for
a law of nature.

Also I can't see my missus being keen on driving with the window open.

Roy

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #10

On or around Thu, 29 Dec 2005 10:44:12 -0000, "Roy Hann"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>"Dougal" <DougalAThiskennel.free-online.co.uk> wrote in message
>news[email protected]...
>> William Tasso wrote:
>>
>> > btw: I understood warnings of potential black-ice are a good thing
>(tm)
>> > - or maybe I misunderstand the o/p.
>>
>> That may well have been his intention but the best solution is to drive
>> with your window open and listen and/or feel what the steering wheel is
>> telling you.
>
>I'd rather not wait for the steering to tell me. I want a *warning* not a
>demonstration. I should mention that I spent 20 years in western Canada and
>I fancy I know about driving on ice. The main thing to know about it is
>that when 2700kg of vehicle decides to really let go on ice it happens
>instantly and you aren't going to get it back.
>
>> I suppose I'm basically saying that they won't tell you anything that
>> you don't know already.
>
>No, unless you are an excruciatingly cautious driver what you are basically
>saying is that you have been lucky. So have I, but I don't mistake luck for
>a law of nature.
>
>Also I can't see my missus being keen on driving with the window open.

I used to be a passenger sometimes in a vehicle where the driver insisted on
having the window open and the heater off "so as to stay alert". I'm not
convinced it works, TBH - if you're too tired to drive, cold fresh air has a
very limited and short-term effect, IME. Getting out and walking up and
down, doing stretching exercises and so forth is more beneficial.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then
something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination -
we learned to talk." Pink Floyd (1994)

 

R

Roy Hann

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #11

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I used to be a passenger sometimes in a vehicle where the driver insisted
on
> having the window open and the heater off "so as to stay alert". I'm not
> convinced it works, TBH - if you're too tired to drive, cold fresh air has
a
> very limited and short-term effect, IME. Getting out and walking up and
> down, doing stretching exercises and so forth is more beneficial.

If you're too tired to drive then having a nap is the only thing that works.
Anything else is pure superstition.

You don't need to be asleep to roll a car at 70; one nod, a slight wander,
an ill-judged panic over-correction--and wham!

(I think I am being crotchety after all the Christmas bonhomie.)

Roy

 

G

Graham Carter

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #12

"Roy Hann" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Can anyone suggest a good after-market thermometer? What I want is
> something with a sensor that can be mounted reasonably close to road-level
> on a Disco I, with a display I can easily read while driving in the dark
> (which I suppose pretty much dictates an illuminated digital display). If
> it gave an audible warning when the temperature approaches freezing, that
> would be welcome.
>
> Roy
>
>
Hi Roy,

Yahoo search found the following:-
http://www2.vdo.com/vdo/end_consumer/ec_product_and_fza=_and_ID=617.aspx
http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm/fa/p/pid/3544/sc/9876

No experience with either.

Also found this extract on this page
http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=217184

Ice warning gauge It's often difficult to gauge the outside temperature and
whether there's ice on the road. A digital thermometer with a sensor
positioned outside the car and low to the ground can let the driver know if
there is ice about. Digital thermometer £17, www.halfords.co.uk

Cheers!
Graham Carter
--
Carter Computer Services (Pvt) Ltd
P.O. Box A1619
Avondale
Harare
Zimbabwe
Tel: +263 4 300082
Cell: +263 91 329310
Fax: +263 918 329310
email:gcarter(at)mweb(dot)co(dot)zw

 

R

Richard Brookman

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #13

....and Roy Hann spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

> You don't need to be asleep to roll a car at 70...

....but it helps!

<coat>

--
Rich
==============================
Disco 300 Tdi auto
S2a 88" SW
Tiggrr (V8 trialler)

 

R

Roy Hann

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #14

"Graham Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Yahoo search found the following:-
> http://www2.vdo.com/vdo/end_consumer/ec_product_and_fza=_and_ID=617.aspx
> http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm/fa/p/pid/3544/sc/9876
>
> No experience with either.

Ah, yes. The VDO product looks promising. Now all I have to do is find
someone to sell it to me...

I am a little sceptical about the Halfords item. It appears to have a
liquid crystal display and I'm not sure how that would survive a -20C
cold-soak in Slovakia, which is the sort of place I regularly drive to. Of
course at -20C you know it's cold without looking at a display!

The VDO appears to have an electroluminescent display.

Many thanks for that Graham.

Roy

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #15

On or around Thu, 29 Dec 2005 17:41:53 -0000, "Roy Hann"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>"Graham Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Yahoo search found the following:-
>> http://www2.vdo.com/vdo/end_consumer/ec_product_and_fza=_and_ID=617.aspx
>> http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm/fa/p/pid/3544/sc/9876
>>
>> No experience with either.
>
>Ah, yes. The VDO product looks promising. Now all I have to do is find
>someone to sell it to me...
>
>I am a little sceptical about the Halfords item. It appears to have a
>liquid crystal display and I'm not sure how that would survive a -20C
>cold-soak in Slovakia, which is the sort of place I regularly drive to. Of
>course at -20C you know it's cold without looking at a display!
>
>The VDO appears to have an electroluminescent display.

I bet that's a backlit LCD... since the display is in the cab, I doubt
it'll suffer too much. I had a halfords-type one, and never found any
problems. Like you say, if it's -10 in the cab, you can guess that it's
gonna be icy. it's when it's +10 inside and -2 outside that you have
problems.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!

 

R

Roy Hann

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #16

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> I bet that's a backlit LCD...

I can't seem to get any detailed technical info to be sure one way or the
other. But since it's a VDO/Seimens product I'm going to assume it's made
for a continental climate whatever the technology is.

> since the display is in the cab, I doubt
> it'll suffer too much.

Park up for three or four days while you're skiing and there won't be much
difference inside versus out.

> I had a halfords-type one, and never found any
> problems.

Well if I can't get the autosportcatalog site to work in the next few days
maybe I'll give it a whirl. At the price it'll probably cost me more in
diesel to go and pick it up.

Roy

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Dec 29, 2005

• #17

On or around Thu, 29 Dec 2005 19:16:29 -0000, "Roy Hann"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>Park up for three or four days while you're skiing and there won't be much
>difference inside versus out.

fer what it's worth... the LCD clocks were all still alive in the vehicles
this morning, at about -9 or so.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"
Alphonse Karr (1808 - 1890) Les Guêpes, Jan 1849