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Topic: ScanGauge Power Usage (Read 3 times) previous topic - next topic
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ScanGauge Power Usage
Yahoo Message Number: 125997
Hi,
 Jay Forest mentions that the ScanGauge can deplete in engine battery in just a few weeks.  I have had mine plugged into the OBD connector since I bought it years ago and have not had a problem.

Has anyone else had an issue with battery drain with this device?

Thanks and safe travels all,

Dave 2000RB Albuquerque
Re: ScanGauge Power Usage
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 126004
Dave,
 When all goes well, which is almost every time, ScanGauge (the original one, not follow-ons) essential shuts down.  However, in at least one instance for me, it did not shut down and continued the display and did indeed draw the truck battery down to the point the engine would not start.  One just needs to look at it to make sure the display goes away.

I now have ScanGauge II, and has never had the problem.

Alex Rutchka, SE #4 '05 MB
Re: ScanGauge Power Usage (long)
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 126011
If one Googles "Scanguage dead battery" you will hit a number of comments that link Scanguages with dead batteries. I tend to discount most of them (because they were too fast for the Scanguage to be the likely culprit) and it could be that they seem to apply more to older Scanguages. I think I may have found a key... Here is a supposed quote from the folks at Scanguage.

***
 The ScanGaugeII comes on when the voltage increases by 0.3Volts. When the keyless is activated, the voltage drops as lights and locks are operated. It then comes back up when these stop drawing power. The ScanGaugeII will then go off in about 15 seconds. Try this and then wait for about 15 seconds. If it stays on for more than 15 seconds after the last action (lights go off, locks lock, etc..) let me know.
 If the voltage goes below 6 Volts (indication of a bad battery) the ScanGaugeII will reset and go into a connecting mode. This would be indicated by the display showing "Connecting..." . A good 12V battery with good electrical connections will not drop below 6 Volts.
 When the ScanGaugeII is on it draws 100mA if the backlight is on high and the color set to white. In 4 days this would draw 9.6 amp-hours. A fully charged car battery typically has 15 to 25 amp-hours in it. A new battery should not be going dead that quickly even if the ScanGaugeII did stay on that long.

*****
 It sounds like most of the dead batteries are due to the Scanguage not turning off as it should.
 I also found one reference by a fellow who measured the dark current (shut down) to the Scangauge at 15 ma. This equates to about 60 days to drain a typical battery. (NOTE: it is only 10 days if the unit stays on for some reason!)
 The concern I expressed in my original message was not targeted so much on Scanguage as with the Garmin - where the transmitter could be transmitting all the time - even when the power is off. Without info from Garmin about how it operates and its current draw when the vehicle is off, it is possible that it might be necessary to unplug the Garmin ecoRoute HD for storage over a week or two. (One would hope it would be smart enough to shut down but???)

Thanks for the feedback! Jay
 
Re: ScanGauge Power Usage (long)
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 126012
The two "manuals" I found on the Garmin site for the ecoRoute HD were only a few pages, mostly about installation and pairing the Bluetooth signal. Neither mentioned anything about disconnecting it to prevent battery drain. It would be easy for the transmitter to detect the vehicle isn't running, and turn itself off (or maybe the GPS tells it to turn off) so I assume that is what is done.
 Before I'd get that feature, I'd find a newsgroup that discusses it and the Scangauge, just to be sure I understood what it does.

Eric
2005 Jayco 24SS