After finally having my Start/Stop fixed for 'power consumption too high' and/or 'start/Stop error' -  fixed with a software update from Skoda, I decided to re-install my cameras by piggy backing off the fuse box and now my 'power consumption is too high' issue is back. I disconnect the cameras from the fuse box but the issue remains. 

 

So I have to assume that piggy backing off the fuses is upsetting the system some how as after I bought the car I did the same thing with cameras. Originally the start/Stop worked intermittently so I didn't think it was the cameras and Skoda had to fiddle with the system twice with no cameras and it was working flawlessly for the last two weeks until today.

 

I'm back to connecting and disconnecting my cameras manually off the 12V socket like a chump!

 

I piggy backed off slot 40 '12-Volt outlet' for constant power - this has a 20amp fuse in it, and slot 48 'Assist blind spot monitoring' for ignition - this had no fuse. I have a Vico Power Plus unit (monitors power consumption so cameras can record even when car is off and locked and will switch off if battery gets too low) hooked in which has a 12volt socket which my cameras plug into. I had the bypass on the Vico power so the cameras switched off with the car rather than continue recording.

 

This all worked on my MK2 Octavia so I don't know what's changed?

 

Q - is the system that sensative that plugging into the fuse box would cause this issue?

 

Q - why does the car think power consumption is still too high with entire camera rig disconnected?

 

Q - anyone else have problems piggy backing off fuses for their cameras?

 

Q - can i disconnect car battery to force the car to re-adjust itself?

 

Q - does the car run a cycle where it checks all systems? How often does it do this?

 

The only way I've been able to get reliable start/stop, is by trickle charging the battery once a week. Got so sick of it I turned it off for good.

I think it's to do with the way the car saves fuel, by only running the alternator at full output during over run or braking.

If your cruising the alternator clutch disengages to save fuel.

 

The battery control module will also likely look at what is using power from known modules. If it detects a higher than expected current draw, the system throws a wobbly. 

 

The thing that's thrown is it was working perfectly running the car cameras off the 12v cigarette lighter socket. As soon as I piggy backed of fuses it's gone to **** again. I followed the guide on this forum for install and had no issues on my MK2. Cameras work fine and everything installed correctly.

 

What I don't understand is why if the cameras  are not connected does the car battery module not see the load is normal again?

 

 

Edited 24 March, 20197 yr by JimmyUK

2 hours ago, MoggyTech said:

The only way I've been able to get reliable start/stop, is by trickle charging the battery once a week. Got so sick of it I turned it off for good.

I think it's to do with the way the car saves fuel, by only running the alternator at full output during over run or braking.

If your cruising the alternator clutch disengages to save fuel.

 

The battery control module will also likely look at what is using power from known modules. If it detects a higher than expected current draw, the system throws a wobbly. 

 

 

I’m not sure that’s how it works, but I stand to be corrected.

My understanding is the freewheel clutch is to allow the alternator to keep spinning faster than the pulley is driving it when the engine slows down and then speeds up rapidly (very rapidly on cars with dsg when changing gear).

The smart charging capability is something separate that only commands the alternator to charge when it determines the battery is below a certain state of charge and, if possible, when the engine is not under high load. I believe this is done by controlled energising of the alternator field windings, the alternator rotor is still turning all the time.

 

When I wired mine in, I piggybacked off the ciggy lighter fuse and I've not had any issues with stop start. I chose to do it like that so it wasn't constantly draining the battery.

 

My camera has a rather sensitive shock sensor in it anyway, so I don't think I'd need it on all the time.

 

If it's permanently drawing power, even at a low current, your battery will take the knock, especially if you're not driving the car long enough / far enough for a thorough recharge to happen.

 

The other thing just to double check is the monitoring thingymajig on the car's battery and check it's got a sensor wire plugged into it. When i swapped my battery, I knocked it out and subsequently, stop start didn't work (the car showed a hat full of errors on VCDS from all sorts of systems as the voltage they were trying to use, the car didn't know if it could supply).

 

 

If anything my hard wired setup doesn't always power up properly until the car stops and then starts again.

 

Even with me doing next to nothing, driving the car maybes 10-15 miles a week, start/stop works flawlessly.

3 hours ago, MoggyTech said:

The only way I've been able to get reliable start/stop, is by trickle charging the battery once a week. Got so sick of it I turned it off for good.

 

Unless you only ever do very short trips, then your car sounds broken . My 63 plate on its original battery has never been trickle charged and stop/start works perfectly.

4 hours ago, tunedude said:

When I wired mine in, I piggybacked off the ciggy lighter fuse and I've not had any issues with stop start. I chose to do it like that so it wasn't constantly draining the battery.

 

My camera has a rather sensitive shock sensor in it anyway, so I don't think I'd need it on all the time.

 

If it's permanently drawing power, even at a low current, your battery will take the knock, especially if you're not driving the car long enough / far enough for a thorough recharge to happen.

 

The other thing just to double check is the monitoring thingymajig on the car's battery and check it's got a sensor wire plugged into it. When i swapped my battery, I knocked it out and subsequently, stop start didn't work (the car showed a hat full of errors on VCDS from all sorts of systems as the voltage they were trying to use, the car didn't know if it could supply).

 

 

Which number fuse slot did you go off? The cigarette lighter socket is always live if its the 12v slot, which is what I used for constant power as it's powered when car is off and locked.

 

I switched off/bypassed constant power on the monitor box as I was worried this is what caused my original high power consumption.

Edited 24 March, 20197 yr by JimmyUK

2 hours ago, JimmyUK said:

Which number fuse slot did you go off? The cigarette lighter socket is always live if its the 12v slot, which is what I used for constant power as it's powered when car is off and locked.

 

I switched off/bypassed constant power on the monitor box as I was worried this is what caused my original high power consumption.

 

I followed this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUIHTMkl7M0 , which if I remember correctly, is someone on the forum.

 

It's an accessory fuse, so goes off about 30 seconds after the ignition.

6 hours ago, tunedude said:

 

I followed this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUIHTMkl7M0 , which if I remember correctly, is someone on the forum.

 

It's an accessory fuse, so goes off about 30 seconds after the ignition.

I notice they installed with piggyback wire facing up when I've always read the golden rule is for it to face down (in VAG cars at least), with incoming 12V on top of fusebox, and output voltage fed from fuse back to the bottom pin on the fusebox. Couldn't tell you why though.

15 hours ago, MoggyTech said:

The only way I've been able to get reliable start/stop, is by trickle charging the battery once a week. Got so sick of it I turned it off for good.

I think it's to do with the way the car saves fuel, by only running the alternator at full output during over run or braking.

If your cruising the alternator clutch disengages to save fuel.

 

The battery control module will also likely look at what is using power from known modules. If it detects a higher than expected current draw, the system throws a wobbly. 

 

Maybe you need the software updated as mine would work 3 out of 4 times but regularly showed 'stop/start error'. The first time skoda looked at the issue they noticed a voltage discrepancy between battery and monitoring system which they addressed. This made the start/Stop work more regularly but not perfectly. The second time Skoda fiddled they updated the software and it worked flawlessly.

16 hours ago, JimmyUK said:

Q - is the system that sensative that plugging into the fuse box would cause this issue?

Yes. It's not a 2000 Vauxhall. Or a 2000 Felicia.

16 hours ago, JimmyUK said:

Q - why does the car think power consumption is still too high with entire camera rig disconnected?

It is a software issue.

16 hours ago, JimmyUK said:

Q - can i disconnect car battery to force the car to re-adjust itself?

You can. It will not help at all.

 

Bottom line is this: modern cars are too "intelligent" and their computers consider the driver an annoyance (read "stupid") they have to live with In other words, car manufacturers felt the totally unnecessary need to automate (read "make difficult") the operation/automation of the car. This stupid trend has Tesla cars as the champions. Their equivalent in aviation is Boeing 737 MAX... So I feel very confident driving a car with no computers and with carburetor. I can install anything, anytime, anywhere I want because I, the driver, am in in control of my car. I can tune my engine to pass Euro 4 regulations (the car has no catalytic converter!) because I, the driver, am in control of my car.

1 minute ago, RicardoM said:

Yes. It's not a 2000 Vauxhall. Or a 2000 Felicia.

It is a software issue.

You can. It will not help at all.

 

Bottom line is this: modern cars are too "intelligent" and their computers consider the driver an annoyance (read "stupid") they have to live with In other words, car manufacturers felt the totally unnecessary need to automate (read "make difficult") the operation/automation of the car. This stupid trend has Tesla cars as the champions. Their equivalent in aviation is Boeing 737 MAX... So I feel very confident driving a car with no computers and with carburetor. I can install anything, anytime, anywhere I want because I, the driver, am in in control of my car. I can tune my engine to pass Euro 4 regulations (the car has no catalytic converter!) because I, the driver, am in control of my car.

 Thanks for reply. I'm very much of the thinking now that this car has way to much technology in it and rather than being helpful it is more of a hindrance. The fact you can't even swap the battery out without taking it to a garage to code the system is crazy!

 

Update - Well the car seems to have sorted itself over night as start/Stop is working again which makes me think the car is on a monitoring cycle?

 

Looking to ditch my monitoring box and hardwire in with a USB convertor lead. Just need to work out best fuse that can handle two cameras how.

41 minutes ago, JimmyUK said:

The fact you can't even swap the battery out without taking it to a garage to code the system is crazy!

Did I tell you that I can repair my car anytime by myself 100% ? I will never call to tow my car because a stupid light flashes onboard. Computers on cars means the car dealers will take more money from the car owners for every simple maintenance operation.

1 hour ago, JimmyUK said:

The fact you can't even swap the battery out without taking it to a garage to code the system is crazy!

That's the cost of having to meet lower emissions, blame climate change.

 

BTW you don't HAVE to go to a garage you just need someone local with a suitable diagnostic lead (such as VCDS, VCP or OBDeleven) to change 1 value for you (the battery serial number). Payment usually in beer tokens

22 minutes ago, RicardoM said:

Did I tell you that I can repair my car anytime by myself 100% ? I will never call to tow my car because a stupid light flashes onboard. Computers on cars means the car dealers will take more money from the car owners for every simple maintenance operation.

There are some advantages to modern cars such as advanced braking systems, led lights, driving modes etc.