Fyi, As a test, I left the wifi version of ELM327 OBD reader installed while I went on vacation for two weeks. When I returned, the battery was dead. I jump started the battery and all is well. So, they will deplete the battery. That is all...

 

If you are gonna leave it parked for 2 weeks or longer, disconnect the negative battery cable.
Carry on.

 

As I said, this was a deliberate experiment to resolve and quantify the "do these things drain the battery, and if so, how quickly" question.

 

If something is plugged into the diagnostic port that uses the power from the port, it will always be pulling amperage. The power source at the diagnostic port is not a switched source.

 

As a test it was a failure as you do not seem to know if the battery died after one day, one week or whatever.
Peer review of this experiment says - Fail.
No Nobel prize for you this year.

 

You know it's no wonder people decide not to post. Over and out

 

I'm with DA55id, that's not very endearing. If you have the feeling that you want to be rude, consider for one second that it's more important to be decent than disrespectful. Just food for thought. Not everyone in life is a rocket scientist.

 

Couldn't one just use math and resolve this shortly.. like how many milliamps draw without obd adapter.. plug in adapter and check again.. then not x not = not starting?

 

Of course this is all relative to the battery to begin with.. but I can vouch for 4 days and firing off..

 

I was saying that he called it an experiment and it had no reasonable result, some of you people are complete idiots at times when the post is in a joking vein, you seem to miss the joke completely.

 

My mother, told me if you haven't got anything positive to say don't say it. Sarcastic comments may lead to someone not bothering to post, when the info could be of use to all of us. Any info is welcome in my book. What we choose to do with it afterwards is our choice.

 

It was not meant as a sarcastic comment, just an observation.

 

Thanks for letting us know. I left mine in as of yesterday and wondered if it was going to drain. I will take it out tonight.

Thanks again.

LMc

 

You're welcome

 

My mini dongle has been in the XF since last November and several times a week or more has gone by without starting it. One in my Jeep has been there since Feb. 2012 same/same.


Of course mine are BlueTooth not WiFi. Will say they do not respond to pairing unless the ignition is on.