Battery Maintenance Time . I depend on my dual starting battery setup in my Duramax diesel and need it to be in top shape. I’ve been using it too heavily lately for fridge/freezer and charging battery packs and mobile devices while parked at whatever basecamp I have set up. Been so rainy and overcast, as well as mostly tree-covered, that I haven’t been able to depend on my solar as much as usual so have turned to sneaking power from the van. She often sits for days without moving as I have my bike and canoe to get me around. . The ARB fridge-freezer—which I keep in the van full-time—is not usually a problem, as it only draws around 1.2 amps when at temp and has a low-voltage sensor that prevents it from draining a battery. But with the extra draw from other devices, it got to be too much and I had to jump the batteries in the ol’ girl to get her going. I can usually do that with my 25’ HD jumper cables right from the deep cycles in my XV-2 trailer, but those were below par, too, from not enough solar gain through my panels. . Took the opportunity to thoroughly clean terminals, wire ends, and ground connections, so now she ought to be a happy van. . The tool that helped me diagnose things the most was my new Actron Multimeter/Automotive Trouble Shooter. Inexpensive at $39.00, and chock full of functions and test modes. Does one hell of a lot more than my old multimeter (see 2nd pic). Learned a lot, actually, reading through the 34 page manual. Look for a more in-depth review on my site in coming weeks. . Now I’m hooked on tweaking things for greater performance even more. I’m a geek for this shit. . #preventativemaintenance #battery #geargeek #actron #multimeter #maintenance #vanlife #takecareofyourgear #nomad #vandweller #ontheroad #roadlife #solotravel #traveler #travelersnotebook #travelblog #shadetreemechanic #backyardmechanic #liveauthentic #explorer #adventurist #overland #expedition #offroad #offgrid #offgridiving #readthemanual #roaddudetools #productreview #geartester (at Back Cove, Portland, Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/BmD4iHUnqlY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o5bvxwcyk05e