Disabling a Tracker (1 Viewer)

[nidge]

Hi,
When I brought my new Autotrail Apache 700 in 2011 my insurance company insisted I had a tracker fitted which I duly did. The last couple of years my insurance now does not require a tracker and the price wanted from the tracker company was ridiculous for the insurance discount saving.

I have now cancelled my contract and wish to disconnect the tracker as it appears there is quite a drain on my vechicle battery and as it is in storage with no ehu and the solar panel can't cope in this dismal weather the battery is being drained quite quickly.

Not bothered about finding the tracker unit, just want to disconnect the wiring to the unit. I know it is a long-shot but anybody ideas where it is likely to be wired from?

Regards

Nidge

 

[mitzimad]

can you not ask where it was fitted?

 

[f6c]

What make of Tracker?

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[nidge]

can you not ask where it was fitted?

Not sure they would reveal the information.

 

[RogerThat]

What make of Tracker?

This is critical

But... I'm not sure disconnect / removal will solve your battery drain issues?

Your best bet for saving your battery when in storage is simply disconnect the battery

 

[nidge]

What make of Tracker?

It is a tracker locate

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[nidge]

This is critical

But... I'm not sure disconnect / removal will solve your battery drain issues?

Your best bet for saving your battery when in storage is simply disconnect the battery

Thanks, thought of that, bit of a pain to get to the battery though. How long would the battery last before needing charging? and any problems with onboard ecu etc ? I do not have a alarm fitted.

From fully charged the battery is unable to start the engine after about 3 weeks even with a 80 watt solar panel.

Nidge

 

[Camping Gaza]

What? then that means your starter battery is US. fit a new one and check your solar charging. You will get NOTHING from your solar in this grey winter let me tell you I have 300w on the roof and nothing much in this grey and damp.

Connect a volt meter to your starter battery, to give you an idea on a good healthy battery these readings are what you should be getting:

Voltmeter reading Approx state of charge

12.7V or over 100 per cent

12.5V 75 per cent

12.4V 50 per cent

12.2V 25 per cent

12V or under Discharged

 

[nidge]

What? then that means your starter battery is US. fit a new one and check your solar charging. You will get NOTHING from your solar in this grey winter let me tell you I have 300w on the roof and nothing much in this grey and damp.

Connect a volt meter to your starter battery, to give you an idea on a good healthy battery these readings are what you should be getting:

Voltmeter reading Approx state of charge

12.7V or over 100 per cent

12.5V 75 per cent

12.4V 50 per cent

12.2V 25 per cent

12V or under Discharged

Thanks for the info. To be honest this battery problem has being from when the M/H was new . The solar was charging fine on my last outing in September. How long do you think a fully charged battery should last on my M/H before needing charging?

Nidge

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[Camping Gaza]

do you have one leisure battery and a seperate starter battery?

You would need to check the amp drain on your starter. you would need a ammeter. ( best if you put a rated shunt across your battery and follow the manual) google how to use an ammeter. i am not going into how and why. This will show you drain. once known unplug all your fuses. look at the ammeter. then put them all back, one at a time and you will see whats using what.

if this makes no sense to you get it into a garage dont do a diy on it

 

[nidge]

do you have one leisure battery and a seperate starter battery?

You would need to check the amp drain on your starter. you would need a ammeter. google how to use an ammeter. i am not going into how and why. This will show you drain. once known unplug all your fuses. look at the ammeter. then put them all back and you will see whats using what.

Yes, do have both batteries. Will do the battery drain test when at the M/H.
Thanks

 

[TheBig1]

3 or 4 weeks with parasitic drain is average

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[Lenny HB]

An 80 watt panel should easy cope with just keeping the battery top up all year round. Our last van only had an 80 watt panel never plugged it in at home for 6 years.
What solar regulator have you got? If only a cheaply could be worth changing for a decent MPPT one.

 

[Landy lover]

If your battery is in a difficult position to disconnect then suggest you consider a battery master switch to allow easy disconnect. If I am leaving a vehicle for any length of time I always disconnect. Started one of my Landies the other day first time for 12 months or so and it started first time.

 

[pappajohn]

the only real way to disconnect it is to find the unit itself and trace the power wires back to source.
it near IMPOSSIBLE to disconnect it by disconnecting random wires....they could feed ANYTHING and removing one wire at a time then testing the tracker to determine if its off or not could take days.

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[Landy lover]

Another option is to find the local car thief he can probably locate it in a couple of minutes for you

 

[eddie]

Simply contact your installing dealer. Any firm worth its salt will have installation notes.

However, unless it is a Micky mouse system or incorrect installation, it won't cure your problem, trackers use bugger all when dormant

 

[Camping Gaza]

3 or 4 weeks with parasitic drain is average

You would be right there bit having an 80w solar and returning after 4 weeks to find a totally flat battery seems wrong. I can go 6 weeks from 12.7v to 12.2 and still crank it with no weakening of the battery. and that's with no solar going to the cab battery or battery master in line.

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[scotzsue]

What? then that means your starter battery is US. fit a new one and check your solar charging. You will get NOTHING from your solar in this grey winter let me tell you I have 300w on the roof and nothing much in this grey and damp.

Maybe you need to check your system, we have 160 on the roof and in this miserable grey weather all batteries were fully charged yesterday when we went to check in storage. Do find that switching off the control panel akes a difference.

 

[hilldweller]

From fully charged the battery is unable to start the engine after about 3 weeks even with a 80 watt solar panel.

Nidge

That is pretty much normal with modern vans, without solar. So are you sure the tracker is fed from the starter battery ? Are you sure your solar charges the starter battery.

Is it a tracker plus immobiliser ? That could make it more difficult.

 

[Jim]

Are you sure your solar charges the starter battery.

That is the question. Even in West Wales winters a panel easily kept my engine battery topped up via a VanBitz battery master

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[Kevan]

I had my tracker locate removed,i know where they fit it but this may not be the place to say, in case every one gets there motor home nicked and blames me the reason i had it removed was because of the charges per year, had one fitted which was one of payment for the length of my ownership of motorhome and insurance approved.

 

[mitzimad]

one thing tracker fitters lack is imagination weve always found trasnsit ones behind the glove box so im sure that every make will have a set postition 90%of the time

 

[hilldweller]

one thing tracker fitters lack is imagination

And any thief who can steal a MH will probably be full of it. OK a take it for a ride type who found the keys may be caught by a tracker, but a pro, I'm not so sure.

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[Lenny HB]

If your battery is in a difficult position to disconnect then suggest you consider a battery master switch to allow easy disconnect. If I am leaving a vehicle for any length of time I always disconnect. Started one of my Landies the other day first time for 12 months or so and it started first time.

Not a good idea to disconnect batteries on newish vehicles could mean a costly trip to the main dealer each time you re-connect to reset the electronics.

 

[RogerThat]

Not a good idea to disconnect batteries on newish vehicles could mean a costly trip to the main dealer each time you re-connect to reset the electronics.

Reset the electronics? What do you mean mate?

 

[nidge]

Thanks to all for the useful replies. The solar does charge the Starter battery, but obviously not enough in this grotty weather. The solar regulator is factory fitted with the Sargents control panel. Just thought that disconnecting the tracker would be 1 less drain on the battery. Seems everybody has different opinions on if the solar should be enough to keep the battery charged or wether or not to disconnect the battery. Will check to see if I can track down any obvious battery drain and just keep a eye on things and see how it goes. Once again many thanks for all the replies.

Nidge

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[Gizmouk]

If it's on a Fiat Ducato base, check behind the instrument cluster

 

[Lenny HB]

Reset the electronics? What do you mean mate?

Fiat recommend when changing a battery you connect another one across the jump terminal to keep electrics powered. If you don't you can get warning light faults that need resetting by main dealer.

 

[pappajohn]

Any decent digital multimeter with a 10amp and 2amp range setting could be used to check parasitic drains without a shunt.
If it's taking 3 weeks to drain it will be in the milliamp range.
Set meter to amps with the probe leads in the correct sockets.
Disconnect battery pos lead following any instructions/requirements.
Connect meter probes between pos battery post and pos battery lead.
If the reading is less than 2amps switch to 2amp range for a more accurate reading.

100ma drain will total 50amps over a 3 week period.

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