Experience of Navtrak tracker in area of no mobile phone signal? Sure Signal? Other possible battery drain sources?

[tokyomb]

I've started a new thread to see if I can garner some collected experience - albeit it is a long shot. Does anyone here live in an area with no mobile phone signal (on any network)? Or indeed, does anyone have any insights on what else might be causing a battery drain issue (that wasn't present when the car was at the supplying dealer, but showed up immediately the car was in my ownership).

You may recall my thread Stradale woes - Park off / ABS Unavailable / ASR Unavailable / ESC Unavailable in which the collected wisdom was that I had a battery problem. Two new batteries and the continuous use of a CTEK MXS 5.0 trickle charger later and it appears something might be draining the battery even when on trickle charge.

Driving the car for 15 or 20 miles puts enough charge in the battery that all the warning lights and messages do not appear when the car is then restarted. However, when left at home for even a night off the trickle charger, or left on the trickle charger from weekend to weekend, the car will show the syptoms again.

My hypothesis: I am wondering whether the Navtrak tracker is continuously trying to connect to a mobile phone network (which it will never manage where my car is garaged as there isn't even a 2G signal on any network) and thereby draining the battery faster than the trickle charger is topping it up.

I have a call in with Vodafone Automotive to see if they have any thoughts on this, but thought I would see if anyone has any similar experience or other ideas of what could be causing these symptoms. I'm also seeing if Vodafone can confirm whether a Navtrak tracker will connect to Vodafone Sure Signal device - which if it can, for £69 would allow me to rule out the tracker as the culprit.

 

[conaero]

Personally, if you want to rule out battery drain, pay an auto electrician to come carry out a soak test.

This basically involves removing the battery connectors so its isolated from the car, testing the battery volts and amp then reconnecting it again and looking for a drop. Then I suppose you would pull all the fuses and see which ones have an impact on the battery and then trace that back to the ancillary that is causing the fault.

Your probably talking £50-75 to have it done.

Incidentally, Zep's Strad has had the same battery issues over this weekend as mine did. If you think about the weather getting colder, this might shed some light onto which component is struggling.

 

[mjheathcote]

Vodafone suresignal used to require the number registering with Vodafone, might be a problem as the number used is not on your own account. It might not be the case now, but was a few years ago as we had one at work.
The EE version, we have at home, and it works for any EE phone within range.

 

[CatmanV2]

I find it really hard to believe that whatever it is is drawing enough current to drain the battery with a CTEK attached (unless there's some odd lights on the C-TEK) It'll put out 5A.

Autoelectrician for the win I feel

C

 

[tokyomb]

I find it really hard to believe that whatever it is is drawing enough current to drain the battery with a CTEK attached (unless there's some odd lights on the C-TEK)

No odd lights on the CTEK - it goes through the normal cycle as you would expect. Have also tried the CTEK we have for my wife's car without that giving a different result.

 

[montravia]

I've had mine two years. She's a 2008 and fairly sure on the original battery.
We've moved in those two years from a no-signal area to another no-signal area. That's a no-signal for Vodafone but marginally ok for other networks. Pretty poor show for an expensive security device . In both areas Vodafone had to ask me to drive to an area with signal of some distance away.
I've left her unstarted for two weeks while away. She was fine.
Subsequently cancelled the contract. Little point if they can't detect their warnings.
Pretty poor product.
Although some point to the tracker, it shouldn't drain that much overnight.
I'll probably pay them to remove the unit anyway. Do that too if it's not fit for purpose

 

[CatmanV2]

No odd lights on the CTEK - it goes through the normal cycle as you would expect. Have also tried the CTEK we have for my wife's car without that giving a different result.

Something else is wrong, then

C

 

[MarkMas]

It seems doubtful that Sure Signal would help, but before you go down that path, Google "Sure Signal fire" "Sure Signal exploded" and that sort of thing. Mine went 'bang' in a very alarming way and I switched to EE, which also requires half the bandwidth.

 

[FF1078]

Just a thought but have you got your CTEK on the correct program? Car and not bike battery?