You can never have enough 12V ports, well, at least in our EcoSport. I have installed three additional 12V ports or sockets on the underside of the glove box, in the front passenger-side foot well. As with every other 12V ports in our EcoSport, this one is also wired such that it has a fuse protection, and turns off once the ignition switch is off—a useful feature to prevent battery discharge.
After 2 years of waiting, the license plates (or more accurately, the registration plates) of our EcoSport have finally arrived (you can check availability of plates in the LTO website).
In this video, I have discussed how I installed the front and rear license plates using a theft-deterrent type of screw called security screws. Security screws are no longer supplied with the plates, thus, must be purchased separately (you can buy 4 stainless-steel security screws complete with nut and washer for 100 pesos or 2 US dollars). Installing the plates with security screws requires some effort since you need to drill through the plastic material then place and tighten a nut on the other side.
I have recently replaced one of the bulbs that illuminate the rear registration plate of our EcoSport. While no tools are needed to replace the bulb, a flat head screw driver may be useful in prying out the light bulb assembly. The stock bulbs (called T10 bulbs) are filament types which cost around 50 pesos or 1 US dollar per pair (more expensive LED type replacement “bulbs” are also available). Local traffic regulations require that the rear plate’s light bulb “shall render the number plate clearly visible at night.”
I am currently testing a Transcend DP110 Dash Camera, purchased locally for about 4900 pesos. Among all models produced by Transcend, DP110 is the cheapest one with a screen (display). I prefer stand-alone dashcams with dedicated displays over ones with no screens at all, or even those that connect with smartphones and use the phone’s screen for displaying video feed.
DP110 is good enough for the task of recording and has the following basic functions of a dash camera:
Time-stamped video is clear, both daytime and night time recording (it has enhanced low-light recording, but no infrared night-vision mode found in hi-end models).
It has an “emergency save button”. You’ll find this very useful in case of an emergency.
Saves automatically when bumped (sensitivity can be adjusted).
Loops 3 or 5-minute videos (with audio). The oldest video gets overwritten with the newest video (except if the video is tagged as important—if it is saved manually by the user by pressing the emergency save button, or saved automatically when the camera detects vibrations).
Has a built-in battery, allowing the dash camera to save the current video if power suddenly gets disconnected (some prefer capacitors over batteries though).
Has a dedicated display (for me, this is a must)!
The camera comes with a power adapter, a mount, and a user’s manual. Installation takes only about 5 minutes! I would recommend Transcend DP110 to anyone looking for a low-cost yet fully-functional dash camera.
Transcend DP110 dash camera’s sample frame from a recorded video
To watch the sample video taken with a Transcend DP110 Dash Camera, head directly to Transcend DP110 Dash Camera.
Battery replacement is part of the regular car maintenance procedure. If battery failure happens on the road, there may be instances that you have to remove the battery. This poses a problem because most of us are accustomed to locking the doors with the remote. With the battery removed, you won’t be able to use the remote to lock the car.
In this video, I have discussed how to manually lock the car’s doors by turning a black knob on the side of the door, similar to a child lock knob. This is especially useful when you need to leave the car with a drained or removed battery.
In May 2018, we’ve visited a coffee shop in Crosswinds, Tagaytay. The windmill shown in this photo is not an actual windmill (the blades do not rotate), but rather, a building designed to look like a real windmill. Make sure to drop by this popular landmark next time you are in Tagaytay.
Crosswinds, Tagaytay, May 2018
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In April 2018, we’ve visited the wind farm in Pililla, Rizal. Twenty-seven wind turbines are built within this wind corridor in Rizal, some of which are accessible for free to the public. The best time of year to visit this place would be from February to April, when cool wind blows strongly from the northeast (Amihan), and there is a low chance of rain (dry season).
Pililla Wind Farm in Rizal
Leaving at 4 am from Daet, we’ve reached Pililla at 11 am. We explored the place for about an hour, then continued with our journey to Cavite. Pililia is only about 50 km (2-3 hour-trip) from Manila.
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