Dead Battery - Did Scangauge contribute?

It's an interesting question. I'm also a new SGII user, and I'm convinced that the device actually stays on even though the car is off, although it is in sleep mode. You can poke the 'home' button at any time and wake it up. I'd be more inclined to think an interior light drained your battery, but who knows?

 

I had a similar question, even though I have not yet purchased a ScanGauge II. That is whether the 12v pin on the Prius OBDII is always "hot" or is "cold" when the Prius is not in "Ready" mode. Here's that thread:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=3...mp;hl=scangauge

I received two diametrically opposite responses, one said it was "hot" always {which could deplete the 12v battery over time}, the other thought it was "cold" when the Prius was not in "Ready." From this experience it appears that the pin is "hot" thus creating potential of draining the 12v battery.

 

Off the topic, but how do you get jet lag on a bus? Wouldn't that be bus lag? I sometimes get Priuslag from my 90 mile commutes.

Seriously, I have had my Scangage about 1 week. The other night we came out of a resturant, and as we approached the car, the interior lights came up before I touched the door handle, and I could swear I saw the Scangage light up too. I've only driven it once at night, with the SG, but I tend to agree, that it might be "live" even when the key is off. In theory, if the unit is in sleep mode, I wouldn't think it would cause any drain until it "wakes" up, though I'm no electronic genius.

 

well i have seen my Scangauge on even after a few hours somewhere and then at other times, its off after only a few minutes. seems to me, there is a display setting for backlight operation that can be set if you need it to be shorter.

 

The OBDII port is always powered. The Scangauge goes into a "sleep mode" but does draw some current - but only a few milliamps.

Yours was flashing because it was confused as the battery voltage went below normal operating values, scrambling it's programmed states. It could have contributed once that started, but I wouldn't think it was the cause. Somewhat similar to an electronic alarm that starts to draw more current to warn you that the battery is almost dead. Real useful!

Your battery may have been damaged before you got the car (oxidized connection or sulfated cells). It takes time for the sulphate to fall off or move around enough to produce a drain on the cell energy, explaining why it just started now. Watch the 12V battery voltage. Before turning on the car, after sitting for some time (24-48 hours), you should still see 12V. If you see substantially less (10 or 11V) the battery is bad. It will charge back up once you turn on the car (if it turns on), but will drain down quickly over time once the car is turned off.

Do clean the battery connections. Sometimes that is all it takes. Remove, brush till shiny, reconnect. Using "no-oxide" grease helps to keep the connection good. With its' low current draw from the 12V battery, the Prius can be vulnerable to oxidized battery posts.

 

I fiitted my ScanGauge on Saturday and didn't move the car until Monday morning when I noticed it was on when I got in, before I powered up. On Monday night I noticed that the Scangauge was on with it's lights on too, three hours after I parked up. I had been back to the car to get luggage from the boot. I watched it for a while from outside but even though the ignition was off and the car was locked the Scangauge stayed on. I got it to switch off by powering up and switching to LPG fuel type. I will need to switch back to hybrid for the next journey. On a good week I will only need to drive on a Friday and a Monday, so I am not happy with power draw through the week.

I have the courtesy lights switched off but the boot light on, when the hatch is open. I think there might be a link to opening the rear hatch, the light coming on, and the Scangauge waking. Has anyone else noticed this.

 

If your car is a 2004 with the original battery, the five days did it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KV55 @ Apr 25 2007, 05:50 AM) [snapback]429635[/snapback]</div>

Hi - Yes, I've noticed that if you open a door or trunk after the scangage has shut down - like you come back to the car 5 min. after parking to get something - the scangage will lite up - no display unless you punch one of it's buttons and then it reads "....connecting ... " i.e. it's like it's trying to connect as when you firt install it.
Then the only way to get it off is to power the car up and down or unplug the scangage. In daylite it is not apparent that the lite is on - I've only noticed it in my garage where it is darker than daytime ambient, so now if opening doors to retrieve anything after shutdown I will watch for the scangage lite (I use amber/red) - probably only a low current LED lite type draw so I don't worry about shorter stops, but check when I let the dog out at nite and I would plan on unplugging the scangage if leaving it parked for several days.
W

 

Do you have a DICE unit in there? That'll do it, it did it on my '05.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mr07Touring @ Jun 25 2007, 08:11 PM) [snapback]468028[/snapback]</div>