B18C_EJ8

My company uses GPS tracking in all of their service vehicles.

They're cellular based, so tracking is in real time using a website. They've all been wired up the same way - constant power and ignition to turn them on/off with the key. Pretty standard installs.

Now, management has decided that they want to see when the truck is running, so they know when the tech is sitting at a site with the engine idling for two hours or whatever.... Can definitely see their concern when gas is $3.79 a gallon... The way they're wired up now they can't tell the difference between the truck running and idling or the tech having the key on with the radio playing....

The GPS units we have are equipped with 4 aux inputs for door triggers or what not. Where can I tap into that is only on when the vehicle is running? Alternator output? Fuel Pump? Ignition Coil?

Since it's an input, I don't think I would damage any of the above circuits by tapping in, but I probably would diode isolate just to be safe...

Any thoughts?

B18C_EJ8

Just had a thought - would the tach signal work just like on a remote starter?

Edit - Probably not... Tach signal is usually AC and from the install manual for the GPS unit, the aux inputs are (-) trigger...

Hmmm....

cdaiscool

Doesn't the fuel pump cut out after X seconds of the vehicle not running? I wouldn't do it to a high-power line, such as an alternator.

B18C_EJ8

The fuel pump should run for a few seconds to prime, then shut off when the key is "on", but should keep running after the engine is started?

fcm

Install a relay to rev. to a ground polarity and use the ign. lead output, it would only be powered when engine running. 94

B18C_EJ8

Wait.. What?

wrx-killer-Sti-eater

iTrader: (1)

wow mang, you been gone for awhile, nice to see your still alive. What model unit are you using. Most of the units I use you can go into the control panel and set the the ignition wire to tell the gps unit the car is running. Hence you need the ignition for the car to run. You could use any extra triggers but how are they related to the gps brain.

B18C_EJ8

Yup. Still here. Got tired of answering the same questions every day because people can't search. I hang out mostly in GDD and the Photography forum.

But anyway. We're using Webtech 5000e units. The aux inputs are dead-ended wires in the bundle coming off the serial type connector that plugs into the unit. The problem is that even if you use the ignition wire as the input, that wire is powered up whenever the key is in the "on" position, even when the truck isn't running. Hence the reason for wanting to tag the fuel pump or some other circuit...

fcm

The ign. wire should not be on unless engine is running, for radio operation only the ACC. needs to be on, sitting around with the ign. on, [to run] without the engine running is a no-no, even on newer cars, [no points to burn].

As mentioned if the unit has an ign. input, it needs to be connected to a "true" ign., [hot in run and start only], not to an ACC. lead, [hot in ACC. and run] or even a 2nd ign., [hot in run]. 94

rjr162

Fcm: some cars only blow air with the ignition on.. granted your battery will die a lot faster. Fuel pump sounds like the best option

fcm

You mean the blower works when ign. is on, however anything that is powered when the ign. is on will be powered even if engine is not running, so ECU/ECM, distributor assembly, any body control modules, any GEM modules, power windows and wipers would also work along with the radio

You do not need the ign., [run position] on to listen to the radio.

The fuel pump will turn off after a few sec. if engine is not running.

The point here is the owners want to know what drivers are wasting gas by sitting and ideling, "so they know when the tech is sitting at a site with the engine idling for two hours or whatever".

B18C_EJ8 make sure the ign. input lead for the GPS is actually connected to a true ign. source not an ACC. source, I would also make sure the drivers are not turning the ign. switch to the run position when just listening to the radio.

Question, what is the job they do that they could sit in the car for 2hr while engine is ideling??? 94

B18C_EJ8

Thinking back to my remote start installer days, I seem to remember that even "true ign" wires in the ignition harness are hot either with the key in the "on" position or while the engine is running... So I'm not sure that wire will work in this application, which is why I was leaning towards the fuel pump... My memory is a bit fuzzy though, as I've tried to block out my Best Buy Installer days... LOL!

FCM - I work for a company that installs/services/maintains 2 way radios and wireless communications... We have a "tower" division that works at cell phone tower sites. The crew that that caused all of this admitted to running their truck 12-15 hours a week to charge laptop batteries and handheld two-way radios off an inverter plugged into the cig lighter... We have 10 or 12 trucks deployed during the week, so multiply that by the number of trucks potentially idling for x hours a day, and I can definitely understand their concern.

B18C_EJ8

I just had a thought - What about tying one of the aux inputs to the starter wire? That way, when management runs their report or whatever it is they do, they'll see an activation on that particular input, which would be assigned a name like "crank" or "engine start", and they'll know that the time beyond that activation the engine was running...

That might be easier?

Just spitballing here trying to come up with a solution...

fcm

Very few cars have an ign. lead that is "hot" when ACC. is on, [whatever is needed for radio to work].

Give me some MM&Ys of the cars/trucks and I will give you a wire color. 94

luciferi

You should not hook it to the ign wire. If the door is open and some has the switch in acc for the radio, the key buzzer is buzzing. Most people will just turn it to ign to stop the buzzer.


Maybe tap off the crank trigger, it is pulsed so you need to make it constant.