Borrow an OBD reader ?

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SparkE

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
484
Location
SF Bay Area (San Jose, CA)
Is there anybody in the South Bay (near San Jose, CA) that would let me borrow TorquePro and an OBD reader? I could leave collateral (a Battery Tender trickle charger, worth about $50 new) .

I am going to be buying a used Spark EV, and I'd like to use it/them to evaluate the battery capacity - OBD is a lot more exact than a test drive, then divide by kWh remaining. It will also show me if one cell is significantly lower than all the others (at least I think it will).
 
SparkE said:
Is there anybody in the South Bay (near San Jose, CA) that would let me borrow TorquePro and an OBD reader? I could leave collateral (a Battery Tender trickle charger, worth about $50 new) .

I am going to be buying a used Spark EV, and I'd like to use it/them to evaluate the battery capacity - OBD is a lot more exact than a test drive, then divide by kWh remaining. It will also show me if one cell is significantly lower than all the others (at least I think it will).
I wish you were closer so you could borrow mine. I live in Manteca and have a Nexus 7 Android tablet with TorquePro coupled with a OBDLink MX adapter.

I am not sure you will see cell differences. The voltages may be the same but the current each cell group can deliver may be different.
 
I am actually pretty tempted to drive up there just so that you can show me how it works, what I can see, etc. And buy TorquePro to put on my Android, and configure it with the right files (and test using your device) so that I know that it WILL work, and how it works, before buying the OBD reader.

And if I could borrow it for a couple of days when I actually find a car I want to buy if I don't have one by then ...

I thought I had found a SparkEV today - listed on the GM site, but the dealer said they don't have it. Then I found another one, but it was a 2LT, with leather seats - no way do I want dark leather seats: OUCH! And I can't really put standard seat covers on as they would interfere with the airbags in the seats - I'd have to custom sew a bottom and a top that only covered the front of the seat, an not th side. Then I found another one, but it was black - again, no way. I learned my lesson about black cars in CA summers a long time ago.

All of the others ones within 70 miles or so don't have DCFC. DCFC is just so convenient for me. low charge? Charge for 10 minutes and get back up to 50% or 60% to finish the day, then plug in overnight.
 
Definitely hold the line for DCFC! Sounds like you understand. Without DCFC may work for some owners.
The CCS network is getting bigger everyday!

I don't think these cars ever came with real leather. It's 'leatherette' on the seats and real leather on the steering wheel on LT2's. (and I question the 'real'..)
I hate the smell of real leather and it is always the first thing to show age in a new car. Why can't they offer the Vegan Option in high end cars?

Good luck with your searching !
 
SparkE said:
I am actually pretty tempted to drive up there just so that you can show me how it works, what I can see, etc. And buy TorquePro to put on my Android, and configure it with the right files (and test using your device) so that I know that it WILL work, and how it works, before buying the OBD reader.

And if I could borrow it for a couple of days when I actually find a car I want to buy if I don't have one by then ...

I thought I had found a SparkEV today - listed on the GM site, but the dealer said they don't have it. Then I found another one, but it was a 2LT, with leather seats - no way do I want dark leather seats: OUCH! And I can't really put standard seat covers on as they would interfere with the airbags in the seats - I'd have to custom sew a bottom and a top that only covered the front of the seat, an not th side. Then I found another one, but it was black - again, no way. I learned my lesson about black cars in CA summers a long time ago.

All of the others ones within 70 miles or so don't have DCFC. DCFC is just so convenient for me. low charge? Charge for 10 minutes and get back up to 50% or 60% to finish the day, then plug in overnight.
I would be happy to help you any way I can.

I would suggest you first download TorquePro to your Android device. There are a number of steps you have to go through to set up a special CSV-file directory on your Android device. The CSV file containing the PIDs goes into that directory. I spent hours - mostly due to my mistakes - trying to get everything installed correctly so it would work.

The OBDLink MX adapter only requires that you plug it into the OBD2 connector in your Spark EV and pair it using Bluetooth with your Android device. Then you can configure TorquePro screens to provide the reports you want.

I currently have TorquePro reporting battery capacity (kWh), SoC (%), average cell temp (deg. C), last charge (kWh), individual cell voltages for all 96 cells (volts), and the main grid voltage (volts).
 
I would be happy to help you any way I can.

I would suggest you first download TorquePro to your Android device. There are a number of steps you have to go through to set up a special CSV-file directory on your Android device. The CSV file containing the PIDs goes into that directory. I spent hours - mostly due to my mistakes - trying to get everything installed correctly so it would work.

The OBDLink MX adapter only requires that you plug it into the OBD2 connector in your Spark EV and pair it using Bluetooth with your Android device. Then you can configure TorquePro screens to provide the reports you want.

I currently have TorquePro reporting battery capacity (kWh), SoC (%), average cell temp (deg. C), last charge (kWh), individual cell voltages for all 96 cells (volts), and the main grid voltage (volts).

I recently got an OBDII reader, and am tying to get Torque to read battery capacity. Can you possibly link me to where you found instructions, or even better maybe link the CSV you used here?

Thanks!
 
ee241 said:
I would be happy to help you any way I can.

I would suggest you first download TorquePro to your Android device. There are a number of steps you have to go through to set up a special CSV-file directory on your Android device. The CSV file containing the PIDs goes into that directory. I spent hours - mostly due to my mistakes - trying to get everything installed correctly so it would work.

The OBDLink MX adapter only requires that you plug it into the OBD2 connector in your Spark EV and pair it using Bluetooth with your Android device. Then you can configure TorquePro screens to provide the reports you want.

I currently have TorquePro reporting battery capacity (kWh), SoC (%), average cell temp (deg. C), last charge (kWh), individual cell voltages for all 96 cells (volts), and the main grid voltage (volts).

I recently got an OBDII reader, and am tying to get Torque to read battery capacity. Can you possibly link me to where you found instructions, or even better maybe link the CSV you used here?

Thanks!
Go to the BATTERY DEGRADATION topic in the Batteries and Charging section. Then go to page 9 and work backwards to review all postings about the .CSV file. You should find the information you need. Let me know if you want me to email you the .CSV file. You can PM me with your email address so I can attach the file.
 
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