GPS Car Tracking Device ?

[pvr]

I got one fitted to satisfy my insurer, works great, absolute no brainer at this price.

It is not insurance approved though?

 

[Stuart Truman]

"First off is the power consumption - measured at 100mA. This is not far off that used by your interior light, and you would not leave that on all day and night either. That consumption is enough to take a toll on your battery after a week without charging"

I suppose I could wire it into the ignition circuit so it's not permanently drawing current or hide a simple inline rocker switch somewhere so I can isolate it when tucking the car away safely in my locked alarmed CCTV monitored garage.

Use a battery conditioner, problem solved?

 

[GreyZed]

"First off is the power consumption - measured at 100mA. This is not far off that used by your interior light, and you would not leave that on all day and night either. That consumption is enough to take a toll on your battery after a week without charging"

I suppose I could wire it into the ignition circuit so it's not permanently drawing current or hide a simple inline rocker switch somewhere so I can isolate it when tucking the car away safely in my locked alarmed CCTV monitored garage.

Use a battery conditioner, problem solved?

Have previously used them but still had batteries die. Used a Ctek on a kit car for years and it said battery was always healthy and charged but about every 2 or 3 years the battery still needed replacing. Mind you the car was only doing about 30 miles a year! Pretty much going out for an MOT and service and that was it! Hence I eventually sold it. Felt a bit guilty cos I actually got a few free batteries due to 5 year warranties!

Luckily the Zed is getting used at around 4k miles a year so enough to keep the battery sufficiently exercised.

 

[Half Colin]

Just fitted mine and it's brilliant. Plus they're now down to £22 so got one for the wife's Fiat 500.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tracker-Vehicle-Theft-Protection-System/dp/B003XDN58K/ref=zg_bs_303609031_1

Tempting but will it flatten my battery? My car is used infrequently and can often sit in the garage for a couple of weeks without moving if (sorry when) the weather is cack. So far my battery has been perfect without the need for any plug in charger bollocks but one of the Amazon reviews for this item states...

"First off is the power consumption - measured at 100mA. This is not far off that used by your interior light, and you would not leave that on all day and night either. That consumption is enough to take a toll on your battery after a week without charging"

I suppose I could wire it into the ignition circuit so it's not permanently drawing current or hide a simple inline rocker switch somewhere so I can isolate it when tucking the car away safely in my locked alarmed CCTV monitored garage.

See how good this forum is? I got the answer to my question before I even posted it! :lol:

I've looked but found nothing in the blurp that mentions anything about power consumption so I'm not sure where the figure of 100mA comes from, but if you're worried about current drain you can disarm the thing or put it in sleep mode or switch it off. At the end of the day I think it's cheap enough to give it a go and if you have a problem you can't work around put it down to experience or sell it for a tenner.

Thinking about it some more I suppose the way to use it normally is disarmed: GPS off and not tracking but GSM on. Then if you need to you can arm it by text which switches the GPS and tracking on. Sleep apparently goes one stage further and switches the GSM off as well - coming back on with the ignition or text.

 

[TitanTim]

Started a thread on this 2 years back,

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=36332

I bought the back2you and used it for about 2 months and threw it in a drawer after that. It said on the blurb that battery life lasted around 30 days between charges, mine would last about a week before going flat. When charged it did work, you phoned it up and it would sent a text message to your mobile with a Google Maps link which showed the location of the GPS unit. However its not that accurate with the location. If its hardwired into the car then it would be better but I gave up charging it all the while.

Tim.

 

[srhutch]

Where are you all mounting the antenna for the GPRS. The GPS one can be hidden in the rear bulkhead at the top, is that where you are putting the GPRS one?

 

[pvr]

I tested it srhutch when putting it in my dad's X3, and anywhere in the car was fine. I mounted it in the end behind the seat panel against the metal (just taped it down).

 

[pvr]

And obviously hard wired it in the car via a dedicated circuit with a second in line fuse that I could take out if needed. However it has never drained the battery of the car no matter how long the car was parked for so did not see the need to switch it.

 

[pvr]

If I was to put it in a Z4, I would put it where the phone module is. Power access, space and hidden.

 

[ric19]

I've had mine nigh on 2 years and just use its internal battery and it easily lasts nearly 2 months between charges. I have mounted mine on velcro right at the back of the little storage compartment on the left in the boot then routed both antennae up to the plastic shelf behind the passanger seat.I have tested it several times and it seems to work with a high degree of accuracy

Sent via Tapatalk from my Galaxy S3

 

[teamemmenracing]

Only problem with the DIY devices that I can see .......... you have to take action yourself, ie possibly confront the people that knicked it .......

I pay about 150 quid a year for a Tracker ..... I get a message it moves without the keys, then they go looking for it, do the recovery etc ....... which is good when Im away at work.