[Seran Manian]

Originally Posted by SubramoniamAB

Dear Ravi,

Can you please let me know the device you have used to check the battery voltage? Where can I buy one?

A similar (may be the same) is available for rupee payment in Ebay.in.

Link is ...http://www.ebay.in/itm/like/121542347634

[falconion]

Originally Posted by Seran Manian

A similar (may be the same) is available for rupee payment in Ebay.in.

Link is ...http://www.ebay.in/itm/like/121542347634

I had bought this from this seller 2 months back. It is about twice the amount of dx but the shipment was quick. And the device does work, and comes with original packaging.

And J. Ravi, its always a pleasure seeing your updates. Keep em coming!!

Just a few days back, I checked Purple Cheetah's battery and it was healthy. But, this afternoon, I found Purple Cheetah in coma inside the garage. I could not unlock the door. I manually opened it and when I tried in vain to crank the engine, all the lights started blinking. The battery was totally dead. When I inserted the voltmeter in 12V socket, there was no response. I disconnected the negative terminal of the battery and reconnected after 10 minutes. Again, the same story. Then, I called XUV 500 RSA @ 1800 102 7006. After getting all the details, I was assured that a technician would arrive at my home within 1 hour. The technician did arrive within one hour with a spare battery & cables and jump-started Purple Cheetah within minutes! This at-home assistance was totally free of any charge. I am thankful to Mahindra. Then, I took Purple Cheetah out for a drive of 10 km just to charge the battery. Now, I am planning a 600-km trip so that Purple Cheetah will get all the energy back.
_____________________________

Originally Posted by falconion

its always a pleasure seeing your updates. Keep em coming!!

Thanks for the appreciation, falconion.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Then, I took Purple Cheetah out for a drive of 10 km just to charge the battery. Now, I am planning a 600-km trip so that Purple Cheetah will get all the energy back.

Will this method charge your battery completely? As the lamps/horns/AC/ICE will be working as well.

I think, leaving it for charge overnight will be a better option.

After charging, you may take it for a drive

Originally Posted by Sheel

I think, leaving it for charge overnight will be a better option.

Thanks, Sheel. Lemme think it over. Purple Cheetah did not go out of its den for about a month after Chennai-Bangalore trip. But then, my erstwhile Linea never gave this problem for similar usage. Now, I have decided to take Purple Cheetah out regularly to keep it physically and mentally fit! The technician advised me that recharging was not at all necessary, if it was regularly driven.

My Thunderbird 500 also suffers from the same problem of battery getting drained due to non-usage for about a month. But, she used to chirp immediately in the very first kick-starting! I had ridden long rides without getting her battery recharged.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

The technician advised me that recharging was not at all necessary, if it was regularly driven.

Correct suggestion, when the engine is run, it recharges the battery too. With regular usage the charge won't go down.

Long periods leaving the vehicle idle (Be it bike or car) would lead to no juice to crank the engine when required. Cranking needs a lot of juice.

What I suggest is to disconnect the battery before leaving the into hibernation. When you need the car reconnect the battery and start. Should retain the charge in it IMO (Correct me if I'm wrong).

If you can use the Cheetah or your TB500 regularly, nothing better than it.

[falconion]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

What I suggest is to disconnect the battery before leaving the into hibernation. When you need the car reconnect the battery and start. Should retain the charge in it IMO (Correct me if I'm wrong).

I agree, disconnecting the battery is the best option if leaving the vehicle idle for long duration.

My Dad disconnects the battery every year for our 2 month trips to India each year. Never had issues so far. Just reconnect the battery and start and it works.

Yesterday, Purple Cheetah started in the very first cranking. I checked the battery voltage. The voltmeter showed the healthy values: with the engine switched off: 13 V; idling: 14.2 V. Drove it to the neighbourhood HP COCOO and had tankful of diesel costing ₹ 50.07/litre for tomorrow's morale-booster trip!

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Cranking needs a lot of juice.

Exactly. My Thunderbird 500 will kick-start successfully even if the battery is weak and within a few km of riding, it will get fully charged. A similar arrangement, equivalent to kick-starting, existed in the cars manufactured upto 1950s, which used to have a handle - an L-shaped long lever - for manually cold-starting the car by inserting it through a slot provided in the front bumper. The handle was to be rotated manually a few times with ignition on to start the engine. If the handle was not removed immediately, even that too would roate vigorously. Removing the handle tactfully from the engine was an art, I was told. As a small boy, I had witnessed the manual cold-startings of my grandpa's Austin A40. Thanks, a4anurag.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Yesterday, Purple Cheetah started in the very first cranking. Drove it to the neighbourhood HP COCO and had tankful of diesel costing ₹ 50.07/litre for tomorrow's morale-booster trip!

As a small boy, I had witnessed the manual cold-startings of my grandpa's Austin A40. Thanks, a4anurag.

Great, we'll wait for the grip details and more news from the Cheetah! Happy mile munching.

I too remember and have seen quite a few videos demonstrating the way of starting in the olden days.

Yesterday, Purple Cheetah took us to Gommatagiri, Bylakuppe and Muzhappilangad drive-in beach before returning home at the early hours of today.

















I found this painting in almost all the Buddhist monasteries I visited. Here is the story of four harmonious friends.

[AutoIndian]

Wonderful pictures as always. Your Cheetah is merrily splashing the sea water. I hope it has sufficient underbody protection to prevent any rusting and subsequent corrosion.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Yesterday, Purple Cheetah took us to Gommatagiri, Bylakuppe and Muzhappilangad drive-in beach before returning home at the early hours of today.

Hope you got the car washed immediately after. Sea water can play havoc on rubber and metal parts. brake discs can literally get chewed with sea water.

While it looks really awesome, sea water is the highest abuse you can give to the car.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Wonderful pictures as always.

Thanks for the compliments, AutoIndian.

I hope it has sufficient underbody protection to prevent any rusting and subsequent corrosion.

Purple Cheetah does not have any additional underbody anti-rust coating other than the plant-painted coating, which is more than enough, IMO. Even my erstwhile Linea did not have any additional coat and did not face any rust or corrosion issues in 4 years and 4 months of my ownership.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

While it looks really awesome, sea water is the highest abuse you can give to the car.

Thanks, Vid6639. I intend to wash Purple Cheetah thoroughly with borewell water - which also contains little bit of salt! - today. Once in a while, a little thrill and some abuse are required for rejuvenating Purple Cheetah!

Originally Posted by a4anurag

If you have a pressure washer at home, then no worries else go out to a car wash.

Yes, I do have one. Thanks, a4anurag.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

I intend to wash Purple Cheetah thoroughly with borewell water - which also contains little bit of salt! - today.

Cool! Lovely pictures Sir!

But the need of the hour is a good pressure wash specially to the underbody, wheel wells, brakes, lower parts of the door where all the salty water would have penetrated.

Little bit of salt is Ok but not great amounts of it. As the car moves, water dries up leaving salt residue at a higher concentration in the body etc causing faster wear of parts.

If you have a pressure washer at home, then no worries else go out to a car wash.

After the recent Muzhappilangad trip, Purple Cheetah's battery's health is back to normal and good with the complete absence of the white ring on the battery's indicator. Before the trip, the indicator displayed the white ring brightly, indicating that it needed charging. After the trip, the white ring was still visible with a greenish tinge. But today, when I checked the battery, the white ring was totally gone.