OBD-II reader

[tstrobel]

I've noticed in a couple of threads folks hooking up OBD readers and I'm wondering what software has been working well for Bolt Owners.

I'm hoping to figure out how much regeneration (cumulative) I get from driving.

 

[BoltMaybe]

Just got my new BT OBD-II reader today (couldn't find the one I used in my LEAF a while back). Probably won't get to testing it until this weekend. I'll use this thread for posting my experience.

Unfortunately most of the general Apps are geared towards ICE information (fuel mix, tachometer, etc. I am hoping that OBD2 Code Guide has some EV pertinent stuff and that there is an App which lets me select (and calibrate) 12v battery readings.

 

[SparkE]

How much current does an OBD-II reader consume? I would assume it puts an additional load on the 12V battery.

 

[marshallinwa]

Just got my new BT OBD-II reader today (couldn't find the one I used in my LEAF a while back). Probably won't get to testing it until this weekend. I'll use this thread for posting my experience.

Unfortunately most of the general Apps are geared towards ICE information (fuel mix, tachometer, etc. I am hoping that OBD2 Code Guide has some EV pertinent stuff and that there is an App which lets me select (and calibrate) 12v battery readings.

Have you checked in the Volt forum. The software may be close enough in that it's some what usable.

http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/forum.php

 

[BoltMaybe]

Have you checked in the Volt forum. The software may be close enough in that it's some what usable.

http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/forum.php

Unfortunately there is no VoltSpy which reads Volt specific PIDs and displays cool contextual information like LEAFSpy Pro. However I am told that Torque Pro will display most of the info I want.

The key for me is (1) the BT OBD-II reader has a physical power switch so it is only broadcasting when I tell it to and (2) the phone App that doesn't automatically reset any active error codes.

 

[marshallinwa]

Have you checked in the Volt forum. The software may be close enough in that it's some what usable.

http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/forum.php

Unfortunately there is no VoltSpy which reads Volt specific PIDs and displays cool contextual information like LEAFSpy Pro. However I am told that Torque Pro will display most of the info I want.

The key for me is (1) the BT OBD-II reader has a physical power switch so it is only broadcasting when I tell it to and (2) the phone App that doesn't automatically reset any active error codes.

You might want to take a look at the Kia EV forum on using torque pro. It may help you get a better idea on how torque pro works.

http://www.mykiasoulev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=471

More Volt information
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?45097-OBD2-and-Vold-PIDs-for-Android-Torque-in-GoogleDoc/page8

 

[BoltMaybe]

You might want to take a look at the Kia EV forum on using torque pro. It may help you get a better idea on how torque pro works.

http://www.mykiasoulev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=471

More Volt information
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?45097-OBD2-and-Vold-PIDs-for-Android-Torque-in-GoogleDoc/page8

Yes that does look promising. More importantly, one can apparently one can create a "Torque plugin" that will display customized data. So I might be able to create a Bolt specific plugin that does what LEAFSpy does. I will be looking into that this weekend.

 

[SparkE]

I ask again :

How much current does an OBD-II reader consume? I would assume it puts an additional load on the 12V battery.

Does the OBDII reader pull its power from the 12V battery? How much?

 

[BoltMaybe]

I ask again :

How much current does an OBD-II reader consume? I would assume it puts an additional load on the 12V battery.

Does the OBDII reader pull its power from the 12V battery? How much?

I don't think it matters what the power source is. Since it's low-power Bluetooth, I would say that it is barely measurable compared to the other electronics.

However there have been a plethora of 12v battery issues listed on the Bolt forums. There may be a systemic problem with how the 12v battery charge is maintained. So it is not something to ignore. I just put a Voltmeter on mine last night after driving home and it was lower than I expected. Until I hear about a documented fix from Chevy, I am going to start trickle charging my 12v monthly to make sure it doesn't go dead.

 

[SparkE]

I ask again :

How much current does an OBD-II reader consume? I would assume it puts an additional load on the 12V battery.

Does the OBDII reader pull its power from the 12V battery? How much?

I don't think it matters what the power source is. Since it's low-power Bluetooth, I would say that it is barely measurable compared to the other electronics.

However there have been a plethora of 12v battery issues listed on the Bolt forums. There may be a systemic problem with how the 12v battery charge is maintained. So it is not something to ignore. I just put a Voltmeter on mine last night after driving home and it was lower than I expected. Until I hear about a documented fix from Chevy, I am going to start trickle charging my 12v monthly to make sure it doesn't go dead.

I would assume that "low power bluetooth" is to communicate with a smartphone app (or computer), not talking with things on the CAN bus. It is reading data through the pins in the socket, as well as consuming power to run the electronics and the bluetooth. Does anybody know how much?

Ever since I experienced a dead 12V in a friend's LEAF, I got in the habit of plugging my EV's 12V battery into a super-low-amp (0.8A), and AGM-safe, smart trickle charger overnight about 2-3 times a month. It makes sure that it is regularly saturation charged several times a month. (I do the same thing for my ICE if it hasn't been driven on the freeway for at least 15 minutes in the last month).

 

[BoltMaybe]

I would assume that "low power bluetooth" is to communicate with a smartphone app (or computer), not talking with things on the CAN bus. It is reading data through the pins in the socket, as well as consuming power to run the electronics and the bluetooth. Does anybody know how much?

Ever since I experienced a dead 12V in a friend's LEAF, I got in the habit of plugging my EV's 12V battery into a super-low-amp (0.8A), and AGM-safe, smart trickle charger overnight about 2-3 times a month. It makes sure that it is regularly saturation charged several times a month. (I do the same thing for my ICE if it hasn't been driven on the freeway for at least 15 minutes in the last month).

Basically it depends on which brand you have and the model of ELM327 ASIC that is in it. Some have a sleep mode, some do not and some just have have bugs. From what I have read on other forums, most of the better ones turn off a few minutes after the car shuts off. Google "ELM327 Power draw", there's a good amount of info.

The current draw in sleep mode is in <2-10mA, so as I said before it would take weeks to drawn your battery if it was in sleep mode. If it is running full tilt, which the cheapest brand might do with the car off, well then it again depends on the model ASIC, some can apparently draw a up to 1W which would be bad, but that would still be days to drain the battery. However if the other threads in this forum are accurate, an additional ghost load on the 12v battery when the car isn't plugged in would not be helpful.

But that concern should be moot because...as I stated earlier in the thread, you don't want to rely on SW to shutoff the unit off. You want a physical power switch on the device, not only to make sure it is no longer drawing power when you aren't using it, but so that no one can pair with your BT unit and hack your car. Leaving the unit active or even in sleep mode unpaired is a security risk and should not be done...ever. An alternative is to unplug the device from the socket, but removing it and plugging it back repeatedly is not a good idea b/c the jack is sensitive and you don't want to overwork it and maybe bust the connector. That's why the BT radio unit is convenient you can just leave it in and connect when you want, but BT is pretty insecure protocol so it is also a security risk to leave it powered on all the time. So you need to make sure it is really off, which only a physical switch guarantees.

 

[SparkE]

I can't see where you specified the brand name or manufacturer or model of the OBDII reader. Which one(s) are you trying? And to be 100% clear, is the physical switch integrated into the reader, or is it a separate switch that is plugged in on-line (in-circuit, if you prefer)? (ARE there 'switches' that that you can't put 'in-line' to switch the reader on/off?)

 

[BoltMaybe]

I can't see where you specified the brand name or manufacturer or model of the OBDII reader. Which one(s) are you trying? And to be 100% clear, is the physical switch integrated into the reader, or is it a separate switch that is plugged in on-line (in-circuit, if you prefer)? (ARE there 'switches' that that you can't put 'in-line' to switch the reader on/off?)

Mine has a physical switch on the reader. Anything else means the part is in sleep mode (so that it still can be activated remotely via the radio. That means there is a power draw and that it could still be hacked by someone pairing with it who shouldn't.

There are two or three brands that have a physical switch on the unit. I got this one. But I haven't had a chance to try it yet (my boiler died at my house so I've been busy with another more important project).