Technology Backfire?

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Joseph
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Joseph »

I did what Haklesup did but attached a little 12.6V charger to the antenna on a 2000 Explorer. It will unplug if I forget to myself.

I like that idea of the ammeter connection across the battery disconnect switch.

I would expect those Honda batteries under those types of drain/charge conditions to deteriorate quickly.
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CeaSaR
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by CeaSaR »

Lenp wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:00 pm .....
Maybe parking pointing North, so it can recharge from the earth's magnetic field will work. Only time, and the lemon laws will tell!
Better check your local magnetic inclination! LOL

Shouldn't you hang the car from a cable and let it swing across the earth's magnetic fields?

Hmmm...
:D :D :D
Hey, what do I know?
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Lenp
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Lenp »

Right now the Honda has been behaving itself, but, we use it more frequently than we did at first. Now that the weather is getting better for those outside tasks, I will plan to get a list of the phantom load circuits and we'll see if that helps unravel this issue. I understand from a friend that at a Toyota dealership they have a 'rotating charger guy' on the lot to make sure they all will start when needed for a test ride.Hummm
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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haklesup
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by haklesup »

That's the Jeep Compass that you charge by driving North, :)

Glad to hear it is behaving now.
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Lenp
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Lenp »

I wound a 4 foot 1,000,000 turn coil of wire on the roof and hooked up a diode to charge the battery. It kinda works but the car turns left ok but its cranky on right ones. The GPS brings me back to where I started from in 23 hrs, 56 minutes and 4 seconds, the left turn signal is a bit faster than the right, and it steers to the left a bit. Guess I just got some bugs to work out!
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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dacflyer
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by dacflyer »

LENP >>> just drive under the power lines for infinite power..lol
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Lenp
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Lenp »

Funny story..
I had a friend that had big power lines at the rear of his property. He gathered all the extension cords he could find, hooked them up and laid them down as a coil near the tower base. He couldn't believe that he only read about 1 volt so he had me check his readings. I also read about 1.5V, which I didn't find too unusual. He almost passed out when I showed him over 10 volts when I just held just one probe. A Hi-Z meter will do funny things to your mind if you don't understand their design. Voltage spikes on an antenna can help predict that Zeus is nearby, and a direct hit confirms it. :grin:

Len
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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Janitor Tzap
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Janitor Tzap »

Hmmm.......

On another site I talked to a guy who was picking up a 60Hz Hum on his recording equipment.
After a bit of detective work......
He discovered that he had setup his old metal microphone stand right above some electrical wiring in the floor.
The 60Hz pulses were being induced in to the metal stand which induced the signal in to the microphone cable that he had wrapped around the metal stand.


Signed: Janitor Tzap
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haklesup
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by haklesup »

the amount of energy transmitted at 60Hz from a high tension wire a hundred or so feet away would not be that large (his could probably had more current behind it than the open probe) but if your friend placed the coils on a windmill type thing, he could have increased the flux lines that were cut and increased the AC voltage received (though with a hard to predict waveform). Sort of a hybrid wind powered/energy harvesting thing.

picking up 60hz hum with an amplifier is exceedingly easy thing to do, finding the source and getting rid of it is often harder though a ground loop isolator usually works.
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Lenp
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Re: Technology Backfire?...Epilogue!

Post by Lenp »

Ok, here's the long awaited follow up, or maybe it wasn't....

I measured the various current draws and well, nothing really conclusive was found. A few MA here and there, all were where you may expect it, like the radio, alarm, and entry systems, but really no smoking gun. The car started each time it was needed. However, a few weeks ago we had to leave for a trip and 4 days later the battery was flat dead at the airport parking lot. Honda provides road service under warranty and after a boost away we went. I complained again to the dealer and wow...They said they had a fix!

In Honda's own words..."After the vehicle is parked for an extended period, the PCM begins an evaporative system leak check after meeting certain criteria. Under certain conditions, it may not return to sleep mode, causing the battery to discharge"

This is covered under TSB 18 039 and if you are intersted here is a link to the TSB https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/ ... 0-0001.pdf
With a short visit the dealer upgraded the software and so far all is well. It just sat for 9 days and it is ready to roll.

There is no real discussion of the 'certain' conditions mentioned in the TSB, but the dealer said it had to do with gas tank fuel level, driving pattern and temperature; all related to possible fuel emissions. One 'work around' postulated online was to keep the gas tank above 3/4, stop the engine then start it then stop it again before parking. The theory is that it tricks the comfuser so it doesn''t go into the test mode.

Probably, without a data logger, I would not have found that elusive problem causing load unless luck was on my side.

Only time will tell.....
(I still plan to get a booster though....any recommendations?)

Len
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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dacflyer
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by dacflyer »

maybe lay a small solar panel up in the window when possible.. unless you stay parked in a garage..
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haklesup
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by haklesup »

A Li-Ion jump start battery with 12V cigar lighter interface is probably your easiest solution if it reoccurs. Though it sounds like the software update may be just what you needed. TSB is not that old (less than 5 months), I guess they didn't have it last time you complained.
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Lenp
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Lenp »

The dealer said they just received the software a week before I got the update.
I assume Honda will be sending notices to affected owners sometime soon.
It's just another case of 'the devil is in the details'.

Yes , with the cars, a tractor, and electric start generator under our roof, a booster is in the plans. There are so many with mixed reviews it's hard to pick the wheat from the chaff.

I am surprised that PE panels are not finding their way into the OEM arena with all the Ho-Ha about solar energy. A rooftop panel is a no brainer and yes, in a garage, it's not useful or efficient..... unless you leave all the garage lights on....😁

Thanks all!
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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dacflyer
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by dacflyer »

In Honda's own words..."After the vehicle is parked for an extended period, the PCM begins an evaporative system leak check after meeting certain criteria. Under certain conditions, it may not return to sleep mode, causing the battery to discharge"

So what was the purpose of this for anyway ? why does it have to do this check when the car isn't running. most anything can leak down after sitting for a few days.
i do know some cars, pre-pressurize the systems as soon as you open the car door.
Our ford work trucks do it.
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Lenp
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Re: Technology Backfire?

Post by Lenp »

I guess it's all about the idle scientists at EPA looking for ways to make our life better😈
When the battery goes dead and it is jumped there are many systems that report faults until they reinitialize. Things like collision avoidance, lane departure, side vehicle aproach, vehicle stability...why do they all stay alive for a parked car???
No answer since you can drive it with the faults and they all reset in a minute or less. Maybe it's product image, or safety paranoia
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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