Budget Battery Capacity Readout
- Thread starter MrFixit
- Start date
- Replies 729
- Views 214K
JustAnotherPoorDriver
Active Member
It's there. In the plastic jewel box with the OBD reader/dongle, pull out the packing material/spacer and the paper with the OBD scanner and amazon logos is an instruction booklet.
There was no plastic jewel box. The naked dongle came in that semi-transparent, static-prevention envelope shown in my photo (post #140). Not even a packing list, just a sticker on the bag:
X0020T02AD
vgate 0 BD2 Bluetooth D...ader for Torque Android
New Made in China
I thought I'd see one of these screens when I opened the Dashboard:
My second Dashboard screen has 3 live graphs (well, actually, 2 live graphs and one dead graph): OBD Volts, O2S2 Volt (B1), and Not Selected.
My third Dashboard screen has 8 boxes: Inst fuel rate, Avg. fuel cons., Inst. fuel cons., Speed, Average speed, Engine RPM, Distance Travelled, and Fuel used. Definitely no BattCap box.
I'm coming to the conclusion that I'll need to buy a third dongle, because after spending more bucks on the Autel AP200, I went too "budget" and this one must not be able to understand the big words my Clarity is speaking to tell me the only number I care about. So it seems I have a phone that can't access the database my first scanner can use and a second scanner that doesn't have a big enough buffer to capture the data my first scanner can handle.
I thought I was purchasing the same scanner that worked for @Eva Farkas, but I guess not. Which scanner should I buy next time?
JustAnotherPoorDriver
Active Member
In dahsboard, click on the gear symbol->customize page->pick whichever one you want to replace and click on the gear next to it->hold down the "sensor" section and you should get a list of all available sensors->scroll to find "[Clarity] Battery Capacity (total)"->back out to the dashboard and you should be set
At least that works on my Android phone.
As for the instructions, I bought the other vGate mentioned in this thread: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071D8SYXN
It came with instructions
MrFixit
Well-Known Member
@insightman,
Bear with us... I assure you we will get you going.
The first thing to do is try the test identified in Post #32 of this thread. This will validate (or invalidate) the suitability of your dongle. The one you bought is not the one that we have validated / rcommended so it is very likely a "bad" one.
If it is "bad", then this is the one that we know is good, and others have bought and are using:
https://www.amazon.com/Vgate-Bluetooth-Scanner-Android-Compatible/dp/B06XGB4873
There are 2 versions there... I believe either would work, but we have NOT actually proven the BT3.0, so to be safe, the BLTE4.0 is the known entity.
If you get a dongle that works, then the dashboard you are looking for (in the configuration file that we sent) is this one:
Let me just emphasize that you are wasting your time looking for, or trying to configure a dashboard unless you have a known-good dongle.
Bear with us... I assure you we will get you going.
The first thing to do is try the test identified in Post #32 of this thread. This will validate (or invalidate) the suitability of your dongle. The one you bought is not the one that we have validated / rcommended so it is very likely a "bad" one.
If it is "bad", then this is the one that we know is good, and others have bought and are using:
https://www.amazon.com/Vgate-Bluetooth-Scanner-Android-Compatible/dp/B06XGB4873
There are 2 versions there... I believe either would work, but we have NOT actually proven the BT3.0, so to be safe, the BLTE4.0 is the known entity.
If you get a dongle that works, then the dashboard you are looking for (in the configuration file that we sent) is this one:
Let me just emphasize that you are wasting your time looking for, or trying to configure a dashboard unless you have a known-good dongle.
My dongle passed the test and did not report a buffer overflow, so perhaps I'll get this one to work yet. However, I did not see "[Clarity] Battery Capacity (total)" in the list of selectable sensors. Is there a chance my phone cannot properly serve up 2021-03-09 09-01-20.cbz for Car Scanner to import?
Edit: Should I have instead installed claritypids 030921.csp?
JustAnotherPoorDriver
Active Member
MrFixIt would know, but I've actually installed both from message 100 (which does give me some duplicates, but since I only see them when changing gauges, I don't care).
MrFixit
Well-Known Member
The '.cbz' file is a complete restore which includes all of the settings, sensors, dashboards, etc, That is the correct one to install.
The '.csp' file contains ONLY the sensor definitions. It is redundant and is also contained within the .cbz.
The first thing to check is to see that the Clarity Sensors are loaded OK. You do NOT need to be connected to do this. Open the gear icon (Settings) and go to the "Sensors" page. You will see a list of the Clarity Sensors (they all have '[Clarity]' at the beginning of the name), like this:
If you see this, then back out and connect to the vehicle using the "Connect" button on the opening screen. Then come back here - "Settings", "Sensors", and touch the Battery Capacity. It will open that item to show the details. Scroll to the bottom, and touch the "Test" button. You should see this:
If you scroll up, you will see this:
If all this is good, then back out to the main screen and choose "Dashboard".
The 2nd dashboard screen (swipe left if not shown) should be this one:
If something seems wrong somewhere along the way, send a screenshot...
Eva Farkas
New Member
Yes! Darn, wish I could go back and edit my post. Nearly all in HV! I wish it was EV (LOL).
Eva Farkas
New Member
There was one episode where I let my battery (12V) go too low. I was sitting in a parking lot (in spring) waiting for a friend who was writing a lengthy exam. I was listening to the Blue Jays game on the radio, so I left the car on Accessory mode for several hours, and eventually, found I could not start the car! Called Honda Roadside Service. They came with a regular battery booster pack, and boom, I was up and running in about 15 sec.
But no "failure/replacement" as per se.
I'm trying to recall when that was. I think it was in the spring of 2019, so maybe 50K kms on the odometer at that point....
Eva Farkas
New Member
Yes, sorry, I mistyped....nearly all of my driving has been in HV mode (not EV), with almost no charging.
I have no access to charging at home and do rare short stints of charging at public Level 2 chargers (or occasionally use the EV Charge mode) to try to keep my battery around 25 km range (this is about 1/2 the bars on the dash readout)
Eva Farkas
New Member
Yes, I'm wondering if my reading is an anomaly, as it seems to good to be true. I had originally stated I would do the readout "as is" and then follow up with a completely depleted, then fully charged battery readout, to see if there is in fact a difference.
I haven't had the chance to do the full deplete/charge yet. I will require me to sit in my car for 2 1/2 hrs at a level II charger while it charges (we have no charging at home and nothing close enough to home to leave it and come back by foot). I've done the lengthy charging at a shopping mall in the past, but at the moment all our malls are closed (and have been for months!), so even if I plug in, there's nowhere for me to walk around (inside). And it's still winter here, so I'm not walking around outside for 2 1/2 hrs. LOL
I'll try to get to this soon, and post my results when I have them.
lincomatic
Member
If you have a cord with a switch, you might want to just disable the power saving function of the Vgate. I posted instructions on how to do it earlier in this thread
lincomatic
Member
Some more data refuting this slide. In the case of the Nissan Leaf, the behavior is basically the opposite as the car ages. The BMS becomes more and more conservative, and your range degrades more rapidly as the battery ages. Why? Because the manufacturer is more interested in avoiding warranty claims and lawsuits than in helping you get more use out of your car. As I have said before, the maximum depth of discharge is kept basically constant for the life of the Leaf, but as the battery ages, it throttles down the maximum current draw limit at lower SOC. Also, the regen gets reduced to the point that it's barely doing any good. And the kicker.. the SOC is limited more and more as the battery ages. My Leaf has 5/12 bars of battery health on its dash. Now, when I charge it to 100%, the SOC is only ~85%! Cell voltage is only ~4050mV! Nissan was aggressive in forcing a crippling BMS firmware update on us, because there was a lawsuit concerning early battery failure in hot climates (Leafs don't have active cooling, like the Clarity). As a result, they extended the warranty, so they wanted to make damn sure that as few people could take advantage of the extension as possible. My battery crossed the threshold for free replacement <2mo after my warranty expired.
I hope Honda doesn't follow the same tactic as the Nissan did with the Leaf.
Last edited:
lincomatic
Member
This version of the Vgate WILL NOT work to fetch your Battery Capacity. It has an extremely small buffer, which will overflow before it can read the large data messages from the Clarity. I have one of these, and it was the first device I tested. You have to buy the iCar Pro.
lincomatic
Member
Some more info I've gleaned from the ClarityELM, command line program I'm working on. Strangely, the Clarity doesn't seem to do a good job of top balancing the cells. I only have a few data points so far, but they're pretty consistent.. after charging overnight, the voltage difference between the highest and lowest cells is ~10mV (SOC 99% .. it's never at 100% in the morning). On the other hand, on a couple of occasions, with the SOC ~60% in the evening, the voltage spread has been only ~5.7mV.
Also, for those speculating about the Battery Capacity number fluctuating based on SOC, I can attest that mine has been rock solid at 52.78, no matter the SOC or charging pattern, ever since the first time I measured it before this thread was created.
I'm not quite ready to release ClarityELM yet, until I refine it a bit more, but if any technically adept person wants to try it, you can PM me. Unlike the Autel, it only take seconds to run a report (I attached one to this post). But you need to be comfortable with the Windows command line (currently, I'm compiling only for Windows & Debian Linux x64), and know how to pair your ELM reader with your laptop computer, and find its corresponding serial port number. I don't have time to provide tech support at the moment.
Also, for those speculating about the Battery Capacity number fluctuating based on SOC, I can attest that mine has been rock solid at 52.78, no matter the SOC or charging pattern, ever since the first time I measured it before this thread was created.
I'm not quite ready to release ClarityELM yet, until I refine it a bit more, but if any technically adept person wants to try it, you can PM me. Unlike the Autel, it only take seconds to run a report (I attached one to this post). But you need to be comfortable with the Windows command line (currently, I'm compiling only for Windows & Debian Linux x64), and know how to pair your ELM reader with your laptop computer, and find its corresponding serial port number. I don't have time to provide tech support at the moment.
Last edited:
Thank for clarifying the typo and providing more info on the level at which you’ve, generally, kept the battery.
Eva Farkas
New Member
I seem to get TWO Bluetooth pairing number requests every time I connect (I am in/out of my car dozens of times/day, as I do deliveries). Even when checking the "do not require a pairing nubmer within the next 24 hrs for this device), I STILL have to enter two numbers.
They are "0000" and "1234". I haven't figured out which one is which, in which order, so I often have to enter each one multiple times when getting back to my car after a pickup/drop off.
It's a pain in the *ss, but I'm getting used to it.
It's become part of my car start routine:
1. Enter Bluetooth pairing number(s)
2. Hit HV mode button
3. Hit Main/LKAS button
4. Hit Brake Hold button
I do all these steps now, automatically when I get in the car (after putting on my seat belt, otherwise, I can't do #4).
Eva Farkas
New Member
I also bought this exact item (through Amazon.ca, but it's the same Amazon ID B071D8SYXN. It came in a small clear plastic "jewel" case, and there was a small folded instruction sheet in the bottom of the case. I'm not a big instructions reader though...I like to muddle through on my own. LOL
Also, to give a bit more info, I use a Samsung S10+, with Android 11 installed, which I endeavor to keep up-to-date with software updates, as they are released.
Eva Farkas
New Member
Insightman, I'm sorry if I somehow mislead you....I bought the iCar Pro (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B071D8SYXN). That is the ODBII device I have had success with..... You can buy the same one using the US Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071D8SYXN. If I were you, I'd send the other one back to Amazon!