Toyota Coaster to be awesome

Chook81 · Newbie

Toyota Coaster to be awesome

Possum3 · Guru

Welcome to GN's Chook, Seriously consider Diesel for water heater, stove and room heater for convenience, and economy - Friends have a totally diesel setup in Tracker Van - No need to carry any extra batteries, single fuel for bus and appliances - in retrospect I wish we had gone that way.

yobarr · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
Welcome to GN's Chook, Seriously consider Diesel for water heater, stove and room heater for convenience, and economy - Friends have a totally diesel setup in Tracker Van - No need to carry any extra batteries, single fuel for bus and appliances - in retrospect I wish we had gone that way.

Diesel heater is an excellent choice.Heats room and water separately,or at same time,and super-cheap to run. Never any problem getting diesel in the back of beyond,unlike very expensive gas bottle refills. Don't know much about 12 volt water heating,but think it would be slow? Cheers

Whenarewethere · Guru

It's a pity no one does at compact hot water heatpump. I thing the smallest is about 200 litres.

Brodie Allen · Guru

Hows a diesel stove work? Fumes? Speed? Convenience?

And the fridg?

And would still need batteries for lighting and accessories from solar.

The alternative is to live in holiday parks. UGH! Then electricity
can do the lot.

A 12 volt water heater will need a lot of solar or batteries or a generator.
Not my idea of a smooth long distance trip.

Brodie Allen · Guru

Chook 81

If you intend to use your vehicle for any length of time and travel widely exclusive
of van parks, invest in a CellFi GO phone booster and outside antenna and be sure to
be on the Telstra network. You will very rarely not have a good signal.

www.winsig.com.au/

Wonderful after sales assistance! But it's a plug and play thing anyway.

By the way, their terestial antenna is second to none. And can be retrofitted to existing clover ant.

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Sunday 15th of August 2021 09:58:33 AM

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Sunday 15th of August 2021 09:59:04 AM

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Sunday 15th of August 2021 09:59:28 AM

Brodie Allen · Guru

Chook81

More thoughts - just use your phone hotspot facility.

Why do you need this router at all?

One phone set as hotspot will allow all other devices within range to access
the data on your account at once. Your phone becomes the router!

Brodie Allen · Guru

Chook81 wrote:
Hi All,
Commencing our journey in fitting out Toyota Coaster.
Have most things under control.
Trying to not have to connect gas so looking for 12v Hot Water.
Duoetto MK2 Digital Water Heater (10L 12v/240v) (ausj.com.au)

Has anyone has any experience with Unit. Seems to be one of a few 12v
Also - unfortunately can't totally retire (need to do a little support of my Business) so looking for the BEST Internet Device.
I have NetGear Nighthawk which is OK but haven't really used outside various State capitals.
https://www.devicedeal.com.au/netgear-nighthawk-m5-mobile-5g-wifi-router-mr5100?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIler587aq8gIVAjUrCh0yxAtgEAQYAyABEgK5zvD_BwE
Any advice / experiences would be appreciated.
Cheers

5G is useless out of city precincts also. distance is it's enemy.

Rob Driver · Guru

Chook81 wrote:
Hi All,
Commencing our journey in fitting out Toyota Coaster.
Have most things under control.
Trying to not have to connect gas so looking for 12v Hot Water.
Duoetto MK2 Digital Water Heater (10L 12v/240v) (ausj.com.au)

Has anyone has any experience with Unit. Seems to be one of a few 12v
Also - unfortunately can't totally retire (need to do a little support of my Business) so looking for the BEST Internet Device.
I have NetGear Nighthawk which is OK but haven't really used outside various State capitals.
https://www.devicedeal.com.au/netgear-nighthawk-m5-mobile-5g-wifi-router-mr5100?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIler587aq8gIVAjUrCh0yxAtgEAQYAyABEgK5zvD_BwE
Any advice / experiences would be appreciated.
Cheers

Hi Chook 81

Welcome to the forum.

There was a topic last week that covered a bit on WiFi devices.

Before you jump in and buy the CelFi unit, have a read of the users comments in one of the links in the post.

Here is the topic.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t67803150/the-best-way-to-get-mobile-phone-coverage/

Here is the link to the users comments re the poor performance of the Cel Fi unit

https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/cel-fi

Here is a link to another unit. RV WiFi which comes with some good reports.

https://www.rvwifi.com.au/

The comments re going diesel for heating and hot water is sound advice for those off the grid.

edit: to add links

-- Edited by Rob Driver on Monday 16th of August 2021 08:38:24 AM

-- Edited by Rob Driver on Monday 16th of August 2021 08:41:27 AM

Chook81 · Newbie

Thank you all

Time for some more research.
Will continue to update with our findings and experiences.

Cheers

Brodie Allen · Guru

I can't imagine what the CelFi detractors are doing wrong.

Maybe the antenna is the wrong frequency to suit 3 and 4G then no booster can boost a nothing.
And it must be the right antenna for their carrier's frequencies.

There must be some signal there in the first place - and where the celFi comes into it's
own is when there's not enough signal for a reasonable speed for down/upload on data or
speech is broken and patchy on a phone in the van, then attaching to the appropriate
antenna (not a "it'll be fine" wire thingo from DS or Jaycar) you will normally improve
to 2 or 3 bars, but the problem remains how to attach antenna to most phones that's
where the CelFi is required-provides the interface between antenna and phone as a powerful router.
And because the antenna signal is so much stronger than the ground level
phone signal the CelFi will boost it to 5 bars and upload/download speeds of typically 25/5
mbs.

In good areas, typical speeds are 40-50 mbs and 25 upload using the CelFi.

Then again if the phone shows no signal, but you find that you can send/receive a message,
the correct antenna will show 1-2 bar on the phone and 5/2 download/upload speeds.

Again - there must be some signal - all-be-it too small to read on the phone but the elevation
and power of the CORRECT tuned antenna makes all the difference.

The CelFi is much more sensitive than the phone circuits, and having a stronger input from
the elevated antenna, then the Cel Fi radiates a strong signal via its small internal
antenna all around the van, car, and up to 30 meters all around.

I know - I have two - one at home and one mobile in the van. I'm more than pleased.
But don't bugger around with antennas other than those supplied by a CelFi
retailer and is properly tuned to the appropriate carrier for you. There again Telstra
is far and away than the others - ignore the Bs about the % of population covered -
that's irrelevant. It's AREA that is critically important. And Tls trumps them all.

Go to: winsig.com. or similar.

yobarr · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
I can't imagine what the CelFi detractors are doing wrong.

Maybe the antenna is the wrong frequency to suit 3 and 4G then no booster can boost a nothing.
And it must be the right antenna for their carrier's frequencies.

There must be some signal there in the first place - and where the celFi comes into it's
own is when there's not enough signal for a reasonable speed for down/upload on data or
speech is broken and patchy on a phone in the van, then attaching to the appropriate
antenna (not a "it'll be fine" wire thingo from DS or Jaycar) you will normally improve
to 2 or 3 bars, but the problem remains how to attach antenna to most phones that's
where the CelFi is required-provides the interface between antenna and phone as a powerful router.
And because the antenna signal is so much stronger than the ground level
phone signal the CelFi will boost it to 5 bars and upload/download speeds of typically 25/5
mbs.

In good areas, typical speeds are 40-50 mbs and 25 upload using the CelFi.

Then again if the phone shows no signal, but you find that you can send/receive a message,
the correct antenna will show 1-2 bar on the phone and 5/2 download/upload speeds.

Again - there must be some signal - all-be-it too small to read on the phone but the elevation
and power of the CORRECT tuned antenna makes all the difference.

The CelFi is much more sensitive than the phone circuits, and having a stronger input from
the elevated antenna, then the Cel Fi radiates a strong signal via its small internal
antenna all around the van, car, and up to 30 meters all around.

I know - I have two - one at home and one mobile in the van. I'm more than pleased.
But don't bugger around with antennas other than those supplied by a CelFi
retailer and is properly tuned to the appropriate carrier for you. There again Telstra
is far and away than the others - ignore the Bs about the % of population covered -
that's irrelevant. It's AREA that is critically important. And Tls trumps them all.

Go to: winsig.com. or similar.

Great post Brodie,which may enlighten the detractors? Clearly and concisely explained so almost anyone can understand? In the bush I have sometimes had zero bars on my phone,but that shoots up to 4 or 5 when in range of the CelFi-Go signal.Good enough for me.Thankyou.Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Tuesday 17th of August 2021 05:20:11 PM

Toyoda · Newbie

Hi chook 81, I'm Toyoda I brought a 1996 coaster last Saturday and am having trouble with passenger seat it is to uncomftable too upright and to small I am thinking of putting a seat from a car in it have you done this or know any one that has. I was told I have to have it engineered mod plated etc. Thanks if you can help. Good luck with your coaster.

Chook81 · Newbie

Hi Toyoda,

Think we are OK (2016 Model) - but haven't tested over a long drive.

This fitout was on a 2002 Model and they reseated. See Photos.

They got second hand and had to get certified.

Cheers