Good stuff for trying to keep it real and putting the cards on the table, going into the details of the situation. Yes, we the common man appreciate the budget build and transparency!
Bummer this happened but there's a reason why they're cheap. I know it's rewarding to build things on a budget, but when it comes to 12v it pays to do things right. I've also learnt the hard way. Thanks for sharing
Totally understand the awkward position you are in Pat. Thankyou for your transparency about the whole thing, it’s good info. The fact that you were transparent and honest with this speaks to your integrity as a person and a creator. Appreciate the video!
Always take the free stuff! As long as as you say that you've gotten it for free and you say what you really think about it, then your no sell out. And a fully agree that you don't need a wall of red arc and lithium batteries to do camp. Respect man
Hey Patrick, thankyou for your honesty man ... sometimes it feels like that's in very short supply these days with some of the 4x4 channels. As a guy who has a couple of bucks left at the end of the fortnight and not much more, I love watching you guys run with the budget 4x4 life concept, it's just so damn easy to relate to. Watching other channels with their $100,000+ setups was fun initially ... but it's so far from my reality it's just become a TV show. Watching your channel is like getting a video from mates that have been out and were wishing you had joined them, it just feels more personal. I got lucky, I bought my 88 gq patrol flat tray from my dad, the old girl has been in our family for 22 years now. My best mate inherited a 92 80 series cruiser (grandpa spec) so we can relate to you guys and love Watching because we drive what you drive and while my mate and I are rapidly approaching 50 lol we are still boys at heart and love wrenching on our vehicles when we can or when we have to. Keep up the great work and don't forget that when companies do offer some sort of bonus or extra compensation, your time making videos is worth a mint for some of us that are building similar rigs, so we watch what you go through, how things work or don't work and it saves us money and time if we don't have to trial and error products. Stuff anyone who thinks your selling out mate cause your keeping it real and transparent, not going over the top and cranking out the same marketing crap about the products that some channels do. My patrol still sits here, winchless and in need of a better tray, but she works hard, has the essentials for a gq lol, headlight upgrade plus spotties, Bullbar and good 33 inch mud tyres. I don't have the cash to throw accessories on willy nilly, so what you guys produce in your videos is invaluable to guys like me doing the 4x4 life on a shoe string budget. Love ya work boys 😉👍👍
Thanks for the comment Shaun, I really appreciate the support, and that's it, i think keeping it relatable is great, don't get me wrong i love seeing the crazy stuff too, but i think its also cool just seeing how someone would go about it on a budget or just how the average person would do it. I think there is alot of heavy marketing in the 4wd scene, especially marketing to get us to buy stuff we don't really need. But thanks so much for watching the videos, it really means alot knowing people enjoy them and want to see more, thanks again for the comment, really appreciate it :)
100% agree with you. These other offroad channels are simply commercials for the products that they get given to them that are beyond the budget of the average person. Getting a bit sick of their rubbish 'flog it till you kill it' content.
Spot on Shaun...spending $50k on a fit-out is out of the question when all one has is a $5k 4x4. I'm at the other end of my working life, so hopes to be able to get anything like that are pretty slim, save for a tatts win.
Disclaimer: This is my opinion based on my experiences with the company Having dealt with their warranty system and knowing someone who has worked in their warranty department. They are honestly the worst for honouring warranties. Sometimes taking months to even respond to a simple warranty claim
Agree... they do not give you warranty cash replacement on the spot... i had a 3200w generator that blew up 2 days later took months and numerous calls n emails to get a replacement they had to send it back to get checked out...that didnt do me any favours when the bushfires were on n id had a 2 week powerblackout...
I had a 3200 watt generator seize up after running for 15 minutes, it had the correct oil and light load. I had to jump through hoops, just to prove that it didn’t work, then it took regular phone calls to try and get a replacement and it took over 6 months for them to send me a 3000 watt generator as replacement. So customer service sucks but the replacement has been running for over a year with no problem.
I also had a terrible experience with kings customer services. I called a multiple times with the issue and they never call me back or email me to fix the situation. In all honesty by far the worst customer experience I have had. Kings never again
@@dannyporterdarts same here, I had one of their early air compressors about 2 years ago, it was 6 months out of warranty but I still messaged them anyway informing them that it was dead (because I’d over heated it) . No questions asked they sent me a new one of their updated models. No qualms here with warranty from Kings.
Good on you Patrick! Keeping it genuine and honest! I'm sick of all these other 4wd shows (not naming names) that are always complete sellouts to all these companies.
The common man would take the new setup and continue testing for us. I'd like to see how the dc to dc and new battery go. You are a common man doing common things. Keep up the good work
Thank you for not going out there looking for free expensive products that you can promote on your show. This is the one thing that makes your channel stand out above the rest. It's very realistic in terms of what 90% of 4x4 owners can achieve. There's far too many unattainable overland vehicles on youtube. Great to watch those channels, don't get me wrong, but to get some real ideas of how you yourself are going to do things, watching a channel like yours is absolute gold.
I watch 2 four wheel channels. Your integrity is what makes this channel great. Must be so hard not to go the route of all channels and influences. "Give me free stuff". Keep up the good work
Victron all the way for me. I originally had an Epever MPPT charge controller which never missed a beat but was extremely slow MPPT calculation and couldn't keep up with changing sun conditions. Just by replacing it with a Victron Smart Solar MPPT controller increased my daily yield. Since then I have bought the Victron Smart Shunt and a second Victron charge controller for my second string configured to synchronised charging. I understand that limited budget can play a factor in what you can realistically afford but in my experience in the long run cheap solar charge controllers are a false economy.
If only we could have politicians with the integrity and transparency you have! Props to you for being so open and caring about other consumers as well.
Transparency is key man! Your going about it all the right way dude and it isnt lost on us viewers! Keep doing what your doing and cant wait to see what youve got in store!
Great vid mate & respect the honesty, I recently bought their MPPT to upgrade from an eBay PWM. It arrived and the print on the face was skewed which I didn’t mind but on testing, lights were flashing and the volt reader was jumping all over the place… Soo, I bought their fold out panel kit knowing it comes with another controller. When the kit arrived, the MPPT controller had been wired wrong on inspection. I changed this and tested it. It all seemed to work fine but now thankfully after watching this vid & having not used it since testing, I remember the volt meter reading over 15 volts. This has now raised concern. I will do some more testing and another vid to send to them as it was hard enough having them replace the 1st controller. Thanks again🤙
I used to work at the Dandenong 4WD super centre on greens road. The amount of recalls or returns was pretty high and the customers returning them was a mix bag of understanding or not happy customers but at the end of the day it comes down to the product that company sells. It’s literally hit and miss when it comes to their products but when it comes to the solar systems they really can’t cheap out on these products as majority of the market is reliant on solar to run their appliances to make their trips make or break. Their customer service and recall service is meh. We didn’t compensate much customers unless if the situation was really bad. It’s good you lads are staying transparent and honest. At the end of the day they are a business who wants to make money so it is what it is
Absolutely applaud you Patrick for showing the viewers the issue and not being afraid to tell the truth. I have many kings products and a lot have been great, however I am aware of the issues a lot of people have had with them. I think that doing the 80 build on a budget is brilliant, because 90% of us out there are doing the same thing. There should be more people like you, Liam, Dan etc. I have been a long time follower of the channel and am about to order some stickers because of this video. Keep it up guys
Can confirm you got special treatment, am in the exact same situation and not anywhere near close to getting my battery compensated or anything else that was included in the package that my controller killed
I'm shocked young man. Well done for having having the insight and self awareness of your own material surroundings and how that may influence your decision making. Youth with integrity and strong moral conviction.
Wow. We noticed yesterday that our mppt controller gets to 14.9v. It concerned us also enough to use our original one that is not from kings. I will be calling kings tomorrow to talk about a replacement.
I really look forward to your videos and how refreshingly honest and Frank you guys are I can appreciate the ethical dilemma you were in and handled it well. I have ceased watching some of the bigger channels as they have become sell outs for the freebies they receive. Keep me honest Pat!!
You’re not a sell out mate, your a customer that had a warranty claim that simple, that’s how I see it and hey all your videos are bloody awesome keep up the great work mate.
I have seen some other channels have issues with the mppt controller. I have one on my new kings Solar blanket and I am worried as well. Your not a sell out. You spoke to us honestly. Can’t wait for next Sunday.
I had exactly the same controller. The battery was dead in 2 months. Mate, we appreciate your honesty and you should have taken what you can from them. You could have said nothing and we probably wouldn't have thought a thing. I have more appreciation for what you guys tell us. Keep going in the same direction
Great transparency 👍 IMO, there is absolutely nothing wrong that you took their offer since it was a warranty claim, and they have not asked you to remain silent. Plus if they confirmed they would also do this with others having the same issues, I don't see any problem with that (finger's crossed that is actually true). I like the fact you're doing a budget build. As you've said, not everyone has huge budgets for a 12V system. I too have several Kings products in my 4WD and they've been working well. And the 3 times that I've had to deal with Kings with warranty, they've been fantastic (ie. 200W solar blanket replaced, Refunded VMS GPS, stretcher replaced). I've always found their customer service - whether it was my local store or online - very good and easy to deal with. And as most likely many do, as things evolved in my setup (or fail), they are slowly replaced by higher quality (= more expensive) products. But usually, not until the Kings fail, which not many have (touch wood). Keep up the great work in your channel.
@@AussieArvos Great stuff Patrick U did the right thing Total disclosure and honesty about the situation is the way to go. That way you totally retain credibility. Seems as though everyone is commenting favourably, and supporting your video, and what u said and disclosed etc. I have NFI about any of this stuff, but, at only $ 50.00 for that gadget, like u did, I’d have my doubts about its quality, reliability and durability etc I most definitely know that a decent battery is very expensive, so I’d only buy proven and good quality items, to work in conjunction with a battery. 👍👍
The honesty and integrity from you on this channel will be the sole reason you will succeed beyond others on UA-cam, if you were a stone's throw away from me in NSW I'd buy you a god damn beer mate. Legend!
Just stumbled upon your channel after purchasing some Kings equipment and looking up videos to see how best to set them up. Watching this video, I'm impressed not only with your knowledge, but your honesty and integrity is beyond reproach! Looks like I'll be watching Aussie Arvos videos all morning.
Love the honesty Pat. One comment from me, there are three components of a 12v build you should never skimp on. DCDC charger with MPPT, the battery itself, and of course the wiring (with a fuse for everything). Those components are the basis from which all the other 12v goodies can grow. Please consider an upgrade to a real, quality, Aussie designed MPPT DCDC charge controller. You won’t regret it!
I've had that exact Kings MPPT controller for 3 years when they first brought them out and still works perfectly and please the only reason you got a new lithium battery and DC/DC charger replacement is because of your channel the normal person would have got SHIT
Went through 2 on my work Ute on a basic solar set up. First one wouldn’t charge properly, got a new one on warranty. the second read the 12v circuit as a 24v circuit and pumped the full voltage potential of the panel which was like 19v into the battery. Threw it in the bin and bought a basic redarc PWM for like 120 for repco and it’s been good ever since
What I like about you boys is you keep it real. You aim your channel at guys who being young, have a tight 4wd budget, or silly old buggers with no money. Other more financial 4wd shows have adverts for 100k 4wds and go to companies for an in house fitout, to run everything from the fridge to the Missus's personal vibrator! Then they tell you; "Yes you can have this set up for under, I repeat "under" 20k! I lose interest quick to shows like that! Keep it up boys, you aren't a competitor of the other well endowed shows. You have found a niche that's well needed and appreciated by us, that don't have 300k a year jobs. Guys your age are trying to get shit together to buy a house, or have kids, everything outside your priorities have to be on a budget. Keep it up guys, life's a learning curve and things like this show you, and viewers that it's buyer beware!
New to your channel and loving it 👌 You’re a good man for not turning your back on your viewers. Not an easy decision to make for anyone in that situation, where you could’ve easily took the freebies and not said anything, leading other folks astray. Just goes to show that you’re a man of integrity for showing full transparency and asking Kings what they would do for their average customers. Keep up the killer content legend 🍻
I've done my second battery setup on the cheap.. Made my own 12v box from first aid cabinet RedArc 1225d BCDC - facebook special, cost $90 $10 185w Sharpe solar panel on the roof $330 Lifepo4 battery from ebay $50 Engel with dead 12v side of things, threw a $50 pure sinewave inverter inside works like a dream $250 12v Big Bertha 12v oven (brand new damaged stock) Been on the ute for near 24 months so far and I love it.
I'm in NZ and got bought a kings awning and tent, the awning had a fault with the zip, 4WD Supacenter promptly sent me a replacement awning , they were very good to deal with. I've had a Kings rooftop tent for 4 years and it is great. I've also recently bought a 200amp lithium battery station , it wasn't cheap at $2k but it is orsume , I have two 200w flexible solar panels which is a slight overkill but it runs my 75l dual zone 12v fridge plus whatever I plug into the 1500w inverter , I will be able to camp for a week and not have to run the engine to top the battery up.
A refreshing video seeing what does and does not work I started cheap with a kings agm battery and red arc isolator, got sick of driving to charge the battery, the solar panel got fitted Then the battery died (under bonnet) Got a lithium with dcdc charger and finally works the way I want Moral cheap is not always cheap especially with electrical
Mate, great vid. You did right thing and your not a sellout, your doing it from the customers point of view, telling it as it is, including product stuff ups.
Great video mate, so many channels are building the "ultimate 4wd setup" with all sponsored gear. Good on you for sticking with the more affordable angle for your channel. You've got my respect. 👍
I bought two of these and had the same problem with high voltage but it didn't destroy my batteries. All companies end-up producing something that's not up to standard but I have been happy with with kings products and found them very helpful when I had a problem. Keep up the good work.
Thank you mate , this video was helpful and I got a faulty MPPT replaced. Cheers. What helped to confirm a problem was the MPPT threw up to 16.0v, but a 12v charger sat constant on 14.4v.
Kings have some good gear and some not so good gear. Give them a trial by fire, if it fails or doesnt perform as expected, call them out on it and release your findings. I'd suggest load testing the battery at full charge and see if it matches their battery specifications for amp hour rating. Thats the only real way to find out if its cheap and nasty, or actually half decent. My personal experience. Purchased a Kings Dominator X winch. Failed within 6 months, used it once and cycled it every month when not being used. They had absorbed another business here, 6 weeks later on the warranty claim they were supposed to honour and no word from them and they kept dodging it when I'd go in and ask whats going on. I ended up pulling the winch down and found it was rusted out inside (hadn't even touched a water crossing with it). I cleaned it up, got the stuck brushes moving, put it back together, sealed it properly (the motor housing never sat square to the drum) and sold it off cheap. In saying that, I did have an issue with the carpet lifting on the wing kit for their Titan drawers and that was an instant warranty swap over then and there on the spot.
I agree that not all Kings products are bad. I still have their rear drawers, 160W solar fixed solar panels and AGM battery & box, and LED driving lights. All of these are still working well after 4 years (touch wood). The drawer wings, needed some slight modification on where the clips where located for them to sit and fit propertly. But other than that, they are ok. Dealing with them for warranty so far hasn't been a painful experience. Fingers crossed it remains that way. 'Coz the moment, their after sales customer service let me down, is the day I will not consider any of their products, no matter how good. The only item that I wouldn't recommend (from my personal experience) are their steal roof racks. The powder coating is not good and after a little over 12 months, some solder joints and bolts have rust on them. Then the rust drips after rain, stained the roof of my 4WD. It's particulary obvious if you have a white 4WD like mine. I'll be replacing it shortly with a Front Runner rack.
Keep doing what you do Pat, your subscribers know you're genuine. I love the budget builds, Kings gear has its place and good on em for coming to the party. Test it it out and let us know how it goes.
Great perspective on the situation. I like the fact you are actually worried about your integrity. I wouldn't hold it against you for taking the battery and charger, they owed you that much. Keep up the great work.
I unwrapped a kings 20amp mppt controller from the box, plug it into my 120w solar blanket and checked the voltage/amps on my renogy monitor. Instantly went to 18v’s. Unplugged it and threw it straight in the bin. Bought a victron 75/15 mppt controller and have never looked back.
Hi Patrick, I loved the way you have approached a tricky problem. I would suggest for the purity of the build, you should replace the AGM with a similar budget items. Using a premium lithium product changes the audience. Good luck Trev
@@joels2517 I agree, we might question initial cost vs overall cost in relation to the channels overall aim. And if the battery is over 100ah it might not be budget friendly.
Tough call mate. As long as you are open and honest when these things happen I think most would see it as it is and not you being controlled. Keep up the good and honest work.
Good video, I have bought plenty off Kings over the years and have had a good run out of their products but this video prompted me to write a comment. I have a 200 series with Kings draws in the back and 2x Giant 75 ah batteries in parallel in the wing of the draws. I have a 160 watt Kings panel and a PWM controller. One day I bought the same controller MPPT because they say they work better and fitted it to my setup. The next morning 10am ish I checked the voltage and it was 17.5 volts so unhooked it and put the pwm back in. I contacted Kings and they sent a new one out and I returned the other. Fitted the new one and the next day the voltage was back up to 18 volts so again put the pwm controller back in. I rang a auto sparky who suggested the MPPT controller being a 12/24 controller might think that the system was 24 volt and so overcharged the batteries. He suggested running the batteries down a bit so when the controller was put back in it would detect it as a 12 volt setup. Well it lasted a few days and then the volts went up again so now have just left the pwm in it and no problems ever since. I still have the controller but will never use it.
cheep and cheerfull / cheep and tearfull The Integrity that you have showed in this and shareing your struggle in the decisions bodes well for you- awsome
I’ve been a subscriber of yours since pretty much day dot, great to see the growth in your channel and how you handled this situation well and truly with integrity and honesty.
I have a 110w panel, renogy dcdc with solar input, a 98ah kings agm battery blus all my lights, switch panels etc etc, and has worked perfect for the past 6 months running a fridge constantly, cost me well under a grand and don't regret it 👍
Excellent stuff. So sorry to hear about your obstacles...but thank you for being out there and forward about this. Learned heaps. Keep it coming...happy travel
Victron all the way! I’ve had so many cheap solar controllers do exactly this but realising that it’s not regulating the voltage I disconnect straight away. AGM don’t have a BMS so it’s cooked! Lithium BMS will disconnect the controller if it goes high voltage! Glad you took the free stuff! Why not sell out like everyone else! love Kings have a number of their products! But when it comes to critical controls I buy Victron!
Really respect your honesty and being transparent throughout this whole video series . Like you said yourself keeping it real is going to keep your viewers
Good on you bro, please don’t get so stressed though… just chill. Props on the integrity. Hope the new setup gives you a good run and looking forward to seeing the long term. Cheers
Dude, you have no idea how helpful your video about your personal battery and controller disaster is to new viewers. Your brutal honesty is noted and appreciated. Beautiful Bride and I are contemplating a bug-out vehicle build that can double as a mobile office when we want to still work at night but wake up to a different view. You have provided us with education on what to watch for as we choose and break in new equipment. We both work at night as I trade the US stock market with a 12-hour time difference. Beautiful Bride is an academic writer with work flowing in from around the globe, much of it from the US. Keep it real as you have demonstrated. Watching from our "secret retirement" location in Bulacan province on Luzon island in the Philippines. Now it is time to hit the subscribe button.
Kings have great stuff and some crap. We all get caught sometimes, but my experience with kings is they support their gear, usually no questions asked. But thanks for your honesty and I think most of us ‘get’ your channel and what you’re trying to help us with. You have the opportunity to test the lithium and provide us with feedback. You have not sold out out 👍
I’m so glad you mentioned Victron! Realistically I think you should’ve mentioned that by using the Victron it doesn’t mean you’re doing a $3-5k build. The controller is ‘only’ $235-290 (depending on where from/specials - Amazon has them on special at the moment). I have a dirt cheap lithium (cost me $279 for a 100ah, although they sent me a 135ah by mistake) and cheap Kmart (yes, they do solar Anko panels sometimes!). By rewiring the panels to work in series (reducing voltage drop over the extension cables) and ditching the Anko charge controller, using the Victron and using the cheap lithium, I can run my two fridges (90L Kings and 55L brass monkey) as well as camp lights as well as Ozito and drone chargers on my 1500w Kings inverter (I use Ozito tools/chainsaw etc out camping). I can do so without any issues what so ever and my battery is still WELL above minimum charge every morning. My setup cost about $750 in total. To anyone: if you are going to do a cheap build, DON’T cheap out on a controller!
Great vid, appreciate the honesty. It’s great to see someone doing a build on a smallish budget. Not all of us have the $$$$ to spend on our rigs. I running a standard agm with a ctek dcdc from the supercenter and it’s been in for 3yrs now and touch wood no major issues. Love your channel 👍
Great transparency bro 👍🏼 I used marketplace for my tight aśś budget. $40 for a 120 watt folding panel. $50 for a little 80amp agm. A ctek controller from a mate or ($200ish) my beers always cold. Keepin it simple
Great video I totally understand safe reliable and affordable. I just run 2 dual batteries n70zz s from a redarc 12v 200 smart start relay. With a 120w solar on the dog crate power tech controller. It’s run a fridge since 2012 all the years no issues at all and the gu runs a lot of electrical gear off the dual set up. Have replaced the batteries once in that time just because no other reason. Keep up the great videos. It’s about affordability and getting on the tracks
I’m not a Kings fanboy in fact I have none of there stuff on my 80 at all. But I got a Kings tow tube that ripped along the stitching the first time I used it. They exchanged it no problems at all and the replacement has been excellent so I was very happy them.
That's good to hear, yeah this is my first experience dealing with warranty, but yeah I was just sceptical on the special treatment due to the channel, I want to know what if anyone else had that issue they would be treated the same
I’m gland you made this video , because I bought the kings MPPT controller with the solar blanket and the voltage on my battery box was climbing to over 15 volts as well , I’ve only used it on one trip for 2 days but I’ll be taking it back.
Very unusual to replace the battery when the controller fails. well done you for analysing this and being total open and honest. I too am building a budget tourer and showing it on UA-cam. I'm using it for the first year of my business restart after I lost everything I owned. So budget is important.. I bought 2x 30L drawer fridges and a cheap controller (not Kings but cheap). Kings has a bad wrap and I too am worried about the longevity of my fridges but for now it's affordability that is my concern.
Really get good value from your channel, you and your mate’s practical videos are really helpful. I’ll still be using kings gear, budget and learning what I need etc. I’ve had no issues with kings and warranty, and I have had them also surprise me with replacing with items damaged as a result of an item failure. Keep up the good work on your channel.
Being a budget setup is not what its all about , i am a hands on bloke who loves tinkering and building my own shit as long as its safe. i watch videos on DIY and can get so excited about taking my ute out trialing my mods. keep it up fellas.
Keep it up mate, your spot on - tell it how it is. There shouldn’t be the “behind the scenes” crap when it comes to corporate. Faults happen and I’m glad they honoured the warranty.
My Kings mppt did the exact same thing! It arrived 4 days ago and I installed it the same day. It never dropped below 16 volts, I left it for only a couple of minutes then disconnected it and called the 4wd Supa centre phone number and explained what it was doing. While on the phone I reconnected it to double check, it started making a buzzing sound and smoke poured out of it. The honoured my request for a refund and I had a return shipping label with 2 hours. I have now fitted a Jaycar pwm which is incredibly solid, waterproof and most of all working well
It took me 2 x fried AGM batteries to finally realise don't skimp on solar controllers, now its only Victron controller and chargers for me in the van and running a Renogy DC to Dc in the truck haven't had any issues in 5 years, batteries are always at 100%
I have watch a lot of different videos . And now l am solely hook to you only. Because are completely honest through and through. Keep up the good work 👍✔️
My system is sort of budget. I’m in USA. I bought an SOK LiFePo battery, which is cheap for that chemistry. (The internal cells came a bit unbalanced, and it took me a lot of effort in my lab to get them acceptably close to balance.) I bought two Renogy 100W solar panels (1/2 cell 9BB) and a Renogy charger with dual charging inputs for alternator and solar. Everything is working super well. I also bought a 1000W inverter from Renogy that was defective. They refunded me, and I bought a different cheaper 1200W inverter from Ampeak (via Amazon). They make a lot of inverters, but this is their first Pure Sinewave model. It’s really good. It even has a circuit to prevent sparks when you first connect it to the battery. I think they could improve the 12V terminals. The ones Renogy had were nicer. But otherwise, the Ampeak is great.
great honest video, personally after purchasing a King's product that was faulty and trying to organise a remedy to the situation I gave up on them as a business and threw the item in the bin, money is not a concern at all, but a total lack of good old customer service. I would not use or buy any items from them again
Nice honesty mate . Just like to point out I have built a wicked system into my 83 delica . 3x120ah 360ah power tech lithium lifepo4 batteries , 2x 20a VictronConnect charge controllers . 1x 600w and 1x2500w PSW Elinz inverters and 500w of flex panels on the roof plus two potable panels for under $5k . Runs my ingle fridge all cooking devices, It’s overkill and I run my work shop and laundry off it when not camping . So the value is out there . I’m just pointing out that you get a hell of a lot of kit for five grand.. Thanks for the vid
I've been trying to get my money back from 4wd supacentre for a couple of months for a winch I purchased... been a nightmare and now they've stopped communication with me... I'm glad these guys helped you out.
Man total respect for honesty and YT/public exposure aside if I was in your situation I would have done the exact same thing as a gesture of good will from a company. Comparatively without knowing warranty terms it would be interesting to see if bigger ticket product manufacturers would also do the same in warranting downstream devices/appliances that were affected by similar scenarios. Not so much 12v power source related but I had a Kings compressor fail (leaking air back out cylinder stopping peak pressure for the cut-off switch from working), logged warranty claim online accompanied with a quick video uploaded to show the fault. Waited a couple days for processing and got it replaced without question, rocked up to local store with bare unit and swapped it with full replacement straight off the shelf. Ended up with extra hoses etc as I kept the original gear not pertaining to the fault. That's the only warranty claim I've had to date but it was no issue at all dealing with warranty. I guess from their perspective/in their defence along with a lot of other retailers - accept that shit happens, no need for beef because you've spent $X and now it's stuffed. Keep a cool head don't be pushy while dealing with warranty stuff - *help them help you* so you can get back to drinking beer and burning things sooner.👌
We bought a kings AGM. Basic set up Only fridge running. I got more out of a lead acid ¼ the weight. Hopefully just the battery in your senario. Ended Up getting a gelcell from Jaycar. Get nearly 3days if I need it.
Good stuff for trying to keep it real and putting the cards on the table, going into the details of the situation. Yes, we the common man appreciate the budget build and transparency!
Bummer this happened but there's a reason why they're cheap. I know it's rewarding to build things on a budget, but when it comes to 12v it pays to do things right.
I've also learnt the hard way.
Thanks for sharing
Totally understand the awkward position you are in Pat. Thankyou for your transparency about the whole thing, it’s good info. The fact that you were transparent and honest with this speaks to your integrity as a person and a creator.
Appreciate the video!
Thanks mate, I really appreciate the support :)
Always take the free stuff! As long as as you say that you've gotten it for free and you say what you really think about it, then your no sell out. And a fully agree that you don't need a wall of red arc and lithium batteries to do camp. Respect man
Agree. Your not selling out if you get a replacement for something they caused. Be stupid not to. Just be honest about it
@@yeerboi He didn't say replacement, he wrote something insanely wrong about freebies.
Hey Patrick, thankyou for your honesty man ... sometimes it feels like that's in very short supply these days with some of the 4x4 channels.
As a guy who has a couple of bucks left at the end of the fortnight and not much more, I love watching you guys run with the budget 4x4 life concept, it's just so damn easy to relate to. Watching other channels with their $100,000+ setups was fun initially ... but it's so far from my reality it's just become a TV show. Watching your channel is like getting a video from mates that have been out and were wishing you had joined them, it just feels more personal.
I got lucky, I bought my 88 gq patrol flat tray from my dad, the old girl has been in our family for 22 years now. My best mate inherited a 92 80 series cruiser (grandpa spec) so we can relate to you guys and love Watching because we drive what you drive and while my mate and I are rapidly approaching 50 lol we are still boys at heart and love wrenching on our vehicles when we can or when we have to.
Keep up the great work and don't forget that when companies do offer some sort of bonus or extra compensation, your time making videos is worth a mint for some of us that are building similar rigs, so we watch what you go through, how things work or don't work and it saves us money and time if we don't have to trial and error products. Stuff anyone who thinks your selling out mate cause your keeping it real and transparent, not going over the top and cranking out the same marketing crap about the products that some channels do. My patrol still sits here, winchless and in need of a better tray, but she works hard, has the essentials for a gq lol, headlight upgrade plus spotties,
Bullbar and good 33 inch mud tyres.
I don't have the cash to throw accessories on willy nilly, so what you guys produce in your videos is invaluable to guys like me doing the 4x4 life on a shoe string budget. Love ya work boys 😉👍👍
Thanks for the comment Shaun, I really appreciate the support, and that's it, i think keeping it relatable is great, don't get me wrong i love seeing the crazy stuff too, but i think its also cool just seeing how someone would go about it on a budget or just how the average person would do it. I think there is alot of heavy marketing in the 4wd scene, especially marketing to get us to buy stuff we don't really need.
But thanks so much for watching the videos, it really means alot knowing people enjoy them and want to see more, thanks again for the comment, really appreciate it :)
100% agree with you. These other offroad channels are simply commercials for the products that they get given to them that are beyond the budget of the average person. Getting a bit sick of their rubbish 'flog it till you kill it' content.
Spot on Shaun...spending $50k on a fit-out is out of the question when all one has is a $5k 4x4. I'm at the other end of my working life, so hopes to be able to get anything like that are pretty slim, save for a tatts win.
Couldn't have said it better Shaun
Hats off to yas Aussie arvos
Post of the year contender. Awesome
Disclaimer: This is my opinion based on my experiences with the company
Having dealt with their warranty system and knowing someone who has worked in their warranty department. They are honestly the worst for honouring warranties. Sometimes taking months to even respond to a simple warranty claim
Agree...
they do not give you warranty cash replacement on the spot...
i had a 3200w generator that blew up 2 days later took months and numerous calls n emails to get a replacement they had to send it back to get checked out...that didnt do me any favours when the bushfires were on n id had a 2 week powerblackout...
i have had 3 items i took back for warranty and they replaced one on that day and the other 2 i got money back (so my experience never had a problem )
I had a 3200 watt generator seize up after running for 15 minutes, it had the correct oil and light load. I had to jump through hoops, just to prove that it didn’t work, then it took regular phone calls to try and get a replacement and it took over 6 months for them to send me a 3000 watt generator as replacement. So customer service sucks but the replacement has been running for over a year with no problem.
I also had a terrible experience with kings customer services. I called a multiple times with the issue and they never call me back or email me to fix the situation. In all honesty by far the worst customer experience I have had. Kings never again
@@dannyporterdarts same here, I had one of their early air compressors about 2 years ago, it was 6 months out of warranty but I still messaged them anyway informing them that it was dead (because I’d over heated it) . No questions asked they sent me a new one of their updated models. No qualms here with warranty from Kings.
This is why I like this channel…Integrity is not something you usually associate with YT 4x4 channels… Well done and kudos to you 👍👍👍
Good on you Patrick! Keeping it genuine and honest! I'm sick of all these other 4wd shows (not naming names) that are always complete sellouts to all these companies.
Thanks mate :)
The common man would take the new setup and continue testing for us. I'd like to see how the dc to dc and new battery go. You are a common man doing common things. Keep up the good work
What sets this youtube channel apart from all the other 4wd camping channels is how real and genuine you guys always are!
Thank you for not going out there looking for free expensive products that you can promote on your show. This is the one thing that makes your channel stand out above the rest. It's very realistic in terms of what 90% of 4x4 owners can achieve. There's far too many unattainable overland vehicles on youtube. Great to watch those channels, don't get me wrong, but to get some real ideas of how you yourself are going to do things, watching a channel like yours is absolute gold.
I watch 2 four wheel channels. Your integrity is what makes this channel great. Must be so hard not to go the route of all channels and influences. "Give me free stuff". Keep up the good work
Victron all the way for me. I originally had an Epever MPPT charge controller which never missed a beat but was extremely slow MPPT calculation and couldn't keep up with changing sun conditions. Just by replacing it with a Victron Smart Solar MPPT controller increased my daily yield. Since then I have bought the Victron Smart Shunt and a second Victron charge controller for my second string configured to synchronised charging. I understand that limited budget can play a factor in what you can realistically afford but in my experience in the long run cheap solar charge controllers are a false economy.
If only we could have politicians with the integrity and transparency you have! Props to you for being so open and caring about other consumers as well.
The mppt on my kings 250watt solar panel was dead out of the box. Set it up, tested it, zero volts out. I start the warranty claim today.
Transparency is key man! Your going about it all the right way dude and it isnt lost on us viewers! Keep doing what your doing and cant wait to see what youve got in store!
Good on you Patrick for not being able to be bought by potential sponsors 👌
Thanks for being so honest and down to earth!
Great vid mate & respect the honesty, I recently bought their MPPT to upgrade from an eBay PWM. It arrived and the print on the face was skewed which I didn’t mind but on testing, lights were flashing and the volt reader was jumping all over the place…
Soo, I bought their fold out panel kit knowing it comes with another controller.
When the kit arrived, the MPPT controller had been wired wrong on inspection. I changed this and tested it. It all seemed to work fine but now thankfully after watching this vid & having not used it since testing, I remember the volt meter reading over 15 volts. This has now raised concern. I will do some more testing and another vid to send to them as it was hard enough having them replace the 1st controller. Thanks again🤙
Thanks Dan, yeah 100% let them know! No worries! cheers :)
Mate, your honesty and integrity is what makes the channel. Its quite obvious what their offer meant.
I used to work at the Dandenong 4WD super centre on greens road.
The amount of recalls or returns was pretty high and the customers returning them was a mix bag of understanding or not happy customers but at the end of the day it comes down to the product that company sells. It’s literally hit and miss when it comes to their products but when it comes to the solar systems they really can’t cheap out on these products as majority of the market is reliant on solar to run their appliances to make their trips make or break.
Their customer service and recall service is meh. We didn’t compensate much customers unless if the situation was really bad.
It’s good you lads are staying transparent and honest.
At the end of the day they are a business who wants to make money so it is what it is
Absolutely applaud you Patrick for showing the viewers the issue and not being afraid to tell the truth. I have many kings products and a lot have been great, however I am aware of the issues a lot of people have had with them. I think that doing the 80 build on a budget is brilliant, because 90% of us out there are doing the same thing. There should be more people like you, Liam, Dan etc. I have been a long time follower of the channel and am about to order some stickers because of this video. Keep it up guys
Can confirm you got special treatment, am in the exact same situation and not anywhere near close to getting my battery compensated or anything else that was included in the package that my controller killed
Your openness and integrity is refreshing and spot on the message you are aiming to deliver on UA-cam, really respect what you’re doing, thank you
I'm shocked young man. Well done for having having the insight and self awareness of your own material surroundings and how that may influence your decision making. Youth with integrity and strong moral conviction.
Mate, thank you. For being honest. Seriously appreciate the humility. Cheers
Wow. We noticed yesterday that our mppt controller gets to 14.9v. It concerned us also enough to use our original one that is not from kings. I will be calling kings tomorrow to talk about a replacement.
Same here at full charge
I really look forward to your videos and how refreshingly honest and Frank you guys are
I can appreciate the ethical dilemma you were in and handled it well.
I have ceased watching some of the bigger channels as they have become sell outs for the freebies they receive.
Keep me honest Pat!!
You’re not a sell out mate, your a customer that had a warranty claim that simple, that’s how I see it and hey all your videos are bloody awesome keep up the great work mate.
You can get a lemon in any product from any supplier but it is great to see your honesty and how upfront you are with your reviews
I have seen some other channels have issues with the mppt controller. I have one on my new kings Solar blanket and I am worried as well. Your not a sell out. You spoke to us honestly. Can’t wait for next Sunday.
Thanks Simon! I really appreciate it, look it's probably only a certain batch that had issues, but its just a bad item to fail.
Had the exact same problem. Threw the kings regulator in the bin and bought a redarc bcdc charger. Haven’t had an issue since. 🤙
I had exactly the same controller. The battery was dead in 2 months. Mate, we appreciate your honesty and you should have taken what you can from them. You could have said nothing and we probably wouldn't have thought a thing. I have more appreciation for what you guys tell us. Keep going in the same direction
Great transparency 👍 IMO, there is absolutely nothing wrong that you took their offer since it was a warranty claim, and they have not asked you to remain silent. Plus if they confirmed they would also do this with others having the same issues, I don't see any problem with that (finger's crossed that is actually true). I like the fact you're doing a budget build. As you've said, not everyone has huge budgets for a 12V system. I too have several Kings products in my 4WD and they've been working well. And the 3 times that I've had to deal with Kings with warranty, they've been fantastic (ie. 200W solar blanket replaced, Refunded VMS GPS, stretcher replaced). I've always found their customer service - whether it was my local store or online - very good and easy to deal with. And as most likely many do, as things evolved in my setup (or fail), they are slowly replaced by higher quality (= more expensive) products. But usually, not until the Kings fail, which not many have (touch wood). Keep up the great work in your channel.
U can build budget battery set up with out using king's. Don't buy king's electric shit
Well done mate. Laying it out there for everyone as a customer is where we relate to them. Gotta be honest about it 💯 cheers mate 👍
Thanks Jon!👍
@@AussieArvos
Great stuff Patrick
U did the right thing
Total disclosure and honesty about the situation is the way to go.
That way you totally retain credibility.
Seems as though everyone is commenting favourably, and supporting your video, and what u said and disclosed etc.
I have NFI about any of this stuff, but, at only $ 50.00 for that gadget, like u did, I’d have my doubts about its quality, reliability and durability etc
I most definitely know that a decent battery is very expensive, so I’d only buy proven and good quality items, to work in conjunction with a battery.
👍👍
The honesty and integrity from you on this channel will be the sole reason you will succeed beyond others on UA-cam, if you were a stone's throw away from me in NSW I'd buy you a god damn beer mate. Legend!
Just stumbled upon your channel after purchasing some Kings equipment and looking up videos to see how best to set them up. Watching this video, I'm impressed not only with your knowledge, but your honesty and integrity is beyond reproach! Looks like I'll be watching Aussie Arvos videos all morning.
Love the honesty Pat. One comment from me, there are three components of a 12v build you should never skimp on. DCDC charger with MPPT, the battery itself, and of course the wiring (with a fuse for everything). Those components are the basis from which all the other 12v goodies can grow. Please consider an upgrade to a real, quality, Aussie designed MPPT DCDC charge controller. You won’t regret it!
I've had that exact Kings MPPT controller for 3 years when they first brought them out and still works perfectly and please the only reason you got a new lithium battery and DC/DC charger replacement is because of your channel the normal person would have got SHIT
Yep. A lot of crap talk and takes the freebees anyway. 😘
Went through 2 on my work Ute on a basic solar set up. First one wouldn’t charge properly, got a new one on warranty. the second read the 12v circuit as a 24v circuit and pumped the full voltage potential of the panel which was like 19v into the battery. Threw it in the bin and bought a basic redarc PWM for like 120 for repco and it’s been good ever since
What I like about you boys is you keep it real. You aim your channel at guys who being young, have a tight 4wd budget, or silly old buggers with no money.
Other more financial 4wd shows have adverts for 100k 4wds and go to companies for an in house fitout, to run everything from the fridge to the Missus's personal vibrator!
Then they tell you;
"Yes you can have this set up for under, I repeat "under" 20k!
I lose interest quick to shows like that!
Keep it up boys, you aren't a competitor of the other well endowed shows. You have found a niche that's well needed and appreciated by us, that don't have 300k a year jobs. Guys your age are trying to get shit together to buy a house, or have kids, everything outside your priorities have to be on a budget.
Keep it up guys, life's a learning curve and things like this show you, and viewers that it's buyer beware!
New to your channel and loving it 👌
You’re a good man for not turning your back on your viewers. Not an easy decision to make for anyone in that situation, where you could’ve easily took the freebies and not said anything, leading other folks astray. Just goes to show that you’re a man of integrity for showing full transparency and asking Kings what they would do for their average customers. Keep up the killer content legend 🍻
I've done my second battery setup on the cheap..
Made my own 12v box from first aid cabinet
RedArc 1225d BCDC - facebook special, cost $90
$10 185w Sharpe solar panel on the roof
$330 Lifepo4 battery from ebay
$50 Engel with dead 12v side of things, threw a $50 pure sinewave inverter inside works like a dream
$250 12v Big Bertha 12v oven (brand new damaged stock)
Been on the ute for near 24 months so far and I love it.
I'm in NZ and got bought a kings awning and tent, the awning had a fault with the zip, 4WD Supacenter promptly sent me a replacement awning , they were very good to deal with. I've had a Kings rooftop tent for 4 years and it is great.
I've also recently bought a 200amp lithium battery station , it wasn't cheap at $2k but it is orsume , I have two 200w flexible solar panels which is a slight overkill but it runs my 75l dual zone 12v fridge plus whatever I plug into the 1500w inverter , I will be able to camp for a week and not have to run the engine to top the battery up.
A refreshing video seeing what does and does not work
I started cheap with a kings agm battery and red arc isolator, got sick of driving to charge the battery, the solar panel got fitted
Then the battery died (under bonnet)
Got a lithium with dcdc charger and finally works the way I want
Moral cheap is not always cheap especially with electrical
Mate, great vid. You did right thing and your not a sellout, your doing it from the customers point of view, telling it as it is, including product stuff ups.
Absolutely genuine. This sort of integrity is what helps your audience trust your opinion.
Great video mate, so many channels are building the "ultimate 4wd setup" with all sponsored gear. Good on you for sticking with the more affordable angle for your channel. You've got my respect. 👍
I bought two of these and had the same problem with high voltage but it didn't destroy my batteries. All companies end-up producing something that's not up to standard but I have been happy with with kings products and found them very helpful when I had a problem. Keep up the good work.
Thank you mate , this video was helpful and I got a faulty MPPT replaced. Cheers.
What helped to confirm a problem was the MPPT threw up to 16.0v, but a 12v charger sat constant on 14.4v.
Kings have some good gear and some not so good gear. Give them a trial by fire, if it fails or doesnt perform as expected, call them out on it and release your findings.
I'd suggest load testing the battery at full charge and see if it matches their battery specifications for amp hour rating. Thats the only real way to find out if its cheap and nasty, or actually half decent.
My personal experience.
Purchased a Kings Dominator X winch. Failed within 6 months, used it once and cycled it every month when not being used. They had absorbed another business here, 6 weeks later on the warranty claim they were supposed to honour and no word from them and they kept dodging it when I'd go in and ask whats going on.
I ended up pulling the winch down and found it was rusted out inside (hadn't even touched a water crossing with it). I cleaned it up, got the stuck brushes moving, put it back together, sealed it properly (the motor housing never sat square to the drum) and sold it off cheap.
In saying that, I did have an issue with the carpet lifting on the wing kit for their Titan drawers and that was an instant warranty swap over then and there on the spot.
I agree that not all Kings products are bad. I still have their rear drawers, 160W solar fixed solar panels and AGM battery & box, and LED driving lights. All of these are still working well after 4 years (touch wood). The drawer wings, needed some slight modification on where the clips where located for them to sit and fit propertly. But other than that, they are ok. Dealing with them for warranty so far hasn't been a painful experience. Fingers crossed it remains that way. 'Coz the moment, their after sales customer service let me down, is the day I will not consider any of their products, no matter how good. The only item that I wouldn't recommend (from my personal experience) are their steal roof racks. The powder coating is not good and after a little over 12 months, some solder joints and bolts have rust on them. Then the rust drips after rain, stained the roof of my 4WD. It's particulary obvious if you have a white 4WD like mine. I'll be replacing it shortly with a Front Runner rack.
@@fatmanoverlanding totally agree with everything there.
I repowdercoated my ARB rack and restored it.
Keep doing what you do Pat, your subscribers know you're genuine. I love the budget builds, Kings gear has its place and good on em for coming to the party. Test it it out and let us know how it goes.
"The minute the truth isn't told the channel loses respect" great words to live by.
Great perspective on the situation. I like the fact you are actually worried about your integrity. I wouldn't hold it against you for taking the battery and charger, they owed you that much. Keep up the great work.
I unwrapped a kings 20amp mppt controller from the box, plug it into my 120w solar blanket and checked the voltage/amps on my renogy monitor. Instantly went to 18v’s. Unplugged it and threw it straight in the bin. Bought a victron 75/15 mppt controller and have never looked back.
Your doing a great job with this channel man. Been watching you for 2 years now and you always step it up every vid. Appreciate the honest!
Hi Patrick, I loved the way you have approached a tricky problem. I would suggest for the purity of the build, you should replace the AGM with a similar budget items. Using a premium lithium product changes the audience. Good luck Trev
Lithium ends up cheaper than agm so it's technically more budget
@@joels2517 I agree, we might question initial cost vs overall cost in relation to the channels overall aim. And if the battery is over 100ah it might not be budget friendly.
Tough call mate. As long as you are open and honest when these things happen I think most would see it as it is and not you being controlled. Keep up the good and honest work.
I like the Idea of keeping the budget Real to most people.
Good luck with it all
Good video, I have bought plenty off Kings over the years and have had a good run out of their products but this video prompted me to write a comment. I have a 200 series with Kings draws in the back and 2x Giant 75 ah batteries in parallel in the wing of the draws. I have a 160 watt Kings panel and a PWM controller. One day I bought the same controller MPPT because they say they work better and fitted it to my setup. The next morning 10am ish I checked the voltage and it was 17.5 volts so unhooked it and put the pwm back in. I contacted Kings and they sent a new one out and I returned the other. Fitted the new one and the next day the voltage was back up to 18 volts so again put the pwm controller back in. I rang a auto sparky who suggested the MPPT controller being a 12/24 controller might think that the system was 24 volt and so overcharged the batteries. He suggested running the batteries down a bit so when the controller was put back in it would detect it as a 12 volt setup. Well it lasted a few days and then the volts went up again so now have just left the pwm in it and no problems ever since. I still have the controller but will never use it.
cheep and cheerfull / cheep and tearfull
The Integrity that you have showed in this and shareing your struggle in the decisions bodes well for you- awsome
I’ve been a subscriber of yours since pretty much day dot, great to see the growth in your channel and how you handled this situation well and truly with integrity and honesty.
well done, a man of true integrity!! wish there were more like him.
I have a 110w panel, renogy dcdc with solar input, a 98ah kings agm battery blus all my lights, switch panels etc etc, and has worked perfect for the past 6 months running a fridge constantly, cost me well under a grand and don't regret it 👍
The renogy dcdc chargers are great!
@@benskies1990 agreed, for the price they're almost impossible to beat
Excellent stuff. So sorry to hear about your obstacles...but thank you for being out there and forward about this. Learned heaps. Keep it coming...happy travel
Victron all the way! I’ve had so many cheap solar controllers do exactly this but realising that it’s not regulating the voltage I disconnect straight away. AGM don’t have a BMS so it’s cooked! Lithium BMS will disconnect the controller if it goes high voltage! Glad you took the free stuff! Why not sell out like everyone else! love Kings have a number of their products! But when it comes to critical controls I buy Victron!
Makes this even a better channel! We need more of this and not blind 'marketing'
Really respect your honesty and being transparent throughout this whole video series . Like you said yourself keeping it real is going to keep your viewers
Good on you bro, please don’t get so stressed though… just chill. Props on the integrity. Hope the new setup gives you a good run and looking forward to seeing the long term. Cheers
I had a faulty mppt which cooked my battery too. They never compensated me for my cooked battery.
Glad you got your sorted !
Full respect for the open honesty. Love this channel. I'm keen to see how that new battery and dc to dc charger go.
Dude, you have no idea how helpful your video about your personal battery and controller disaster is to new viewers. Your brutal honesty is noted and appreciated. Beautiful Bride and I are contemplating a bug-out vehicle build that can double as a mobile office when we want to still work at night but wake up to a different view. You have provided us with education on what to watch for as we choose and break in new equipment. We both work at night as I trade the US stock market with a 12-hour time difference. Beautiful Bride is an academic writer with work flowing in from around the globe, much of it from the US. Keep it real as you have demonstrated. Watching from our "secret retirement" location in Bulacan province on Luzon island in the Philippines. Now it is time to hit the subscribe button.
Kings have great stuff and some crap. We all get caught sometimes, but my experience with kings is they support their gear, usually no questions asked. But thanks for your honesty and I think most of us ‘get’ your channel and what you’re trying to help us with. You have the opportunity to test the lithium and provide us with feedback. You have not sold out out 👍
Well said Pat, keeping it honest and sticking to your morals, you were raised well mate
Thank you grayson!
I’m so glad you mentioned Victron! Realistically I think you should’ve mentioned that by using the Victron it doesn’t mean you’re doing a $3-5k build. The controller is ‘only’ $235-290 (depending on where from/specials - Amazon has them on special at the moment). I have a dirt cheap lithium (cost me $279 for a 100ah, although they sent me a 135ah by mistake) and cheap Kmart (yes, they do solar Anko panels sometimes!). By rewiring the panels to work in series (reducing voltage drop over the extension cables) and ditching the Anko charge controller, using the Victron and using the cheap lithium, I can run my two fridges (90L Kings and 55L brass monkey) as well as camp lights as well as Ozito and drone chargers on my 1500w Kings inverter (I use Ozito tools/chainsaw etc out camping). I can do so without any issues what so ever and my battery is still WELL above minimum charge every morning.
My setup cost about $750 in total.
To anyone: if you are going to do a cheap build, DON’T cheap out on a controller!
Great vid, appreciate the honesty. It’s great to see someone doing a build on a smallish budget. Not all of us have the $$$$ to spend on our rigs. I running a standard agm with a ctek dcdc from the supercenter and it’s been in for 3yrs now and touch wood no major issues. Love your channel 👍
Great transparency bro 👍🏼 I used marketplace for my tight aśś budget. $40 for a 120 watt folding panel. $50 for a little 80amp agm. A ctek controller from a mate or ($200ish) my beers always cold. Keepin it simple
Well done.. please keep up the great work, it's fantastic to see an honest bloke on you tube. 👏
Great video I totally understand safe reliable and affordable. I just run 2 dual batteries n70zz s from a redarc 12v 200 smart start relay. With a 120w solar on the dog crate power tech controller.
It’s run a fridge since 2012 all the years no issues at all and the gu runs a lot of electrical gear off the dual set up. Have replaced the batteries once in that time just because no other reason.
Keep up the great videos.
It’s about affordability and getting on the tracks
You're a champion Patrick.
Thanks for your honesty
I’m not a Kings fanboy in fact I have none of there stuff on my 80 at all.
But I got a Kings tow tube that ripped along the stitching the first time I used it.
They exchanged it no problems at all and the replacement has been excellent so I was very happy them.
That's good to hear, yeah this is my first experience dealing with warranty, but yeah I was just sceptical on the special treatment due to the channel, I want to know what if anyone else had that issue they would be treated the same
no way been waiting for a year now just to tie down straps for roof top tent and still waiting wish the big boss contact me 🤔
Thank you so much for keeping it real ! Appreciate it 🙏
I’m gland you made this video , because I bought the kings MPPT controller with the solar blanket and the voltage on my battery box was climbing to over 15 volts as well , I’ve only used it on one trip for 2 days but I’ll be taking it back.
Very unusual to replace the battery when the controller fails. well done you for analysing this and being total open and honest. I too am building a budget tourer and showing it on UA-cam. I'm using it for the first year of my business restart after I lost everything I owned. So budget is important.. I bought 2x 30L drawer fridges and a cheap controller (not Kings but cheap). Kings has a bad wrap and I too am worried about the longevity of my fridges but for now it's affordability that is my concern.
Great to see the honest feedback and your thoughts on things you have done.
Really get good value from your channel, you and your mate’s practical videos are really helpful. I’ll still be using kings gear, budget and learning what I need etc. I’ve had no issues with kings and warranty, and I have had them also surprise me with replacing with items damaged as a result of an item failure. Keep up the good work on your channel.
Being a budget setup is not what its all about , i am a hands on bloke who loves tinkering and building my own shit as long as its safe. i watch videos on DIY and can get so excited about taking my ute out trialing my mods. keep it up fellas.
Keep it up mate, your spot on - tell it how it is. There shouldn’t be the “behind the scenes” crap when it comes to corporate. Faults happen and I’m glad they honoured the warranty.
Great video! You are totally right, UA-cam is already full of people paid by brands that rip off people with overpriced gear!
My Kings mppt did the exact same thing! It arrived 4 days ago and I installed it the same day. It never dropped below 16 volts, I left it for only a couple of minutes then disconnected it and called the 4wd Supa centre phone number and explained what it was doing. While on the phone I reconnected it to double check, it started making a buzzing sound and smoke poured out of it. The honoured my request for a refund and I had a return shipping label with 2 hours. I have now fitted a Jaycar pwm which is incredibly solid, waterproof and most of all working well
It took me 2 x fried AGM batteries to finally realise don't skimp on solar controllers, now its only Victron controller and chargers for me in the van and running a Renogy DC to Dc in the truck haven't had any issues in 5 years, batteries are always at 100%
I have watch a lot of different videos . And now l am solely hook to you only. Because are completely honest through and through. Keep up the good work 👍✔️
My system is sort of budget. I’m in USA. I bought an SOK LiFePo battery, which is cheap for that chemistry. (The internal cells came a bit unbalanced, and it took me a lot of effort in my lab to get them acceptably close to balance.) I bought two Renogy 100W solar panels (1/2 cell 9BB) and a Renogy charger with dual charging inputs for alternator and solar. Everything is working super well. I also bought a 1000W inverter from Renogy that was defective. They refunded me, and I bought a different cheaper 1200W inverter from Ampeak (via Amazon). They make a lot of inverters, but this is their first Pure Sinewave model. It’s really good. It even has a circuit to prevent sparks when you first connect it to the battery. I think they could improve the 12V terminals. The ones Renogy had were nicer. But otherwise, the Ampeak is great.
Definitely have the respect of the viewers. Cheers for the clarity with such a popular brand and honest encounters.
respect to this man, glad you were honest
great honest video, personally after purchasing a King's product that was faulty and trying to organise a remedy to the situation I gave up on them as a business and threw the item in the bin, money is not a concern at all, but a total lack of good old customer service.
I would not use or buy any items from them again
Nice honesty mate . Just like to point out I have built a wicked system into my 83 delica . 3x120ah 360ah power tech lithium lifepo4 batteries , 2x 20a VictronConnect charge controllers . 1x 600w and 1x2500w PSW Elinz inverters and 500w of flex panels on the roof plus two potable panels for under $5k . Runs my ingle fridge all cooking devices, It’s overkill and I run my work shop and laundry off it when not camping .
So the value is out there . I’m just pointing out that you get a hell of a lot of kit for five grand.. Thanks for the vid
I've been trying to get my money back from 4wd supacentre for a couple of months for a winch I purchased... been a nightmare and now they've stopped communication with me... I'm glad these guys helped you out.
I Respect your honesty there friend. Your Reputation is the only thing that stays when your 6 feet under. It’s Truely yours & yours Alone👍🍺🇦🇺
I respect you telling the truth and honest opinion of products . keep up the good work. LOVE YOUR CHANNEL.
Man total respect for honesty and YT/public exposure aside if I was in your situation I would have done the exact same thing as a gesture of good will from a company.
Comparatively without knowing warranty terms it would be interesting to see if bigger ticket product manufacturers would also do the same in warranting downstream devices/appliances that were affected by similar scenarios.
Not so much 12v power source related but I had a Kings compressor fail (leaking air back out cylinder stopping peak pressure for the cut-off switch from working), logged warranty claim online accompanied with a quick video uploaded to show the fault.
Waited a couple days for processing and got it replaced without question, rocked up to local store with bare unit and swapped it with full replacement straight off the shelf. Ended up with extra hoses etc as I kept the original gear not pertaining to the fault. That's the only warranty claim I've had to date but it was no issue at all dealing with warranty.
I guess from their perspective/in their defence along with a lot of other retailers - accept that shit happens, no need for beef because you've spent $X and now it's stuffed. Keep a cool head don't be pushy while dealing with warranty stuff - *help them help you* so you can get back to drinking beer and burning things sooner.👌
We bought a kings AGM.
Basic set up Only fridge running. I got more out of a lead acid ¼ the weight. Hopefully just the battery in your senario. Ended Up getting a gelcell from Jaycar. Get nearly 3days if I need it.