Using a mobile phone as a tracking device in a car

[skeptic_SA]

As the title suggests. I have a spare S4 mini with a brand new battery. Thinking of getting a cheap data contract (R49 a month) and removing all non-essential apps off the phone and then installing Life360 onto it with the aim of being able to live track that device via my device (which also has Life360 loaded).

And No. It's not to keep tabs on my SO. It's to safeguard (inexpensively) my rare and prized 1967 mini. Thinking of putting phone on mute and wiring it directly to the cars battery via a 12v charger and hiding it somewhere obscure where it cant be found easily.

Since I already have the device lying around (read: free). And since Life360 is also a free app and fairly accurate.

What am I missing? Is there a cheaper alternative that would let me track my own vehicle via my smart phone?
Would you do it differently?

 

[JibbersCrabst]

Will work, but sounds like a mission.

Why not look at a beame tracker? They had a special not so long ago for like R69 a month.

 

[skeptic_SA]

Will work, but sounds like a mission.

Why not look at a beame tracker? They had a special not so long ago for like R69 a month.

After the work I have put into this car - If somebody dares steals it... Lets just say I would rather have no 3rd parties involved when I trace it back to their premises....

 

[CT_Biker]

First off, lovely ride man. I learned how to drive in a 76 Leyland.

I don't think wiring directly to your cars battery is a great idea. You'll drain and weaken the battery when the car is not in use.

Why not wire it to your ignition switch, so that when your car is on it'll send current to the device. It is more of a schlep but it will also safeguard you from shortening your cars battery life.

Also, as the device has a new battery, it should have ample power to last throughout the periods where your car is parked or garaged at home.

The Mini I learned on had a "lock box" underneath the rear seat with the radio head unit and a small 2CH amp in it. The radio was controlled by remote with the "lock box" open. You can also upholster the cover of the lock box and conceal it that way.

 

[Baxteen]

I think CT biker makes a valid point.

a interesting solution is getting a really big powerbank.

have the phone connected to that, and the power bank wired to charge when ignition is on.

I am sure you can set up some sort of charging cycle that will only charge the phone when it gets to say 15%

 

[skeptic_SA]

I think CT biker makes a valid point.

a interesting solution is getting a really big powerbank.

have the phone connected to that, and the power bank wired to charge when ignition is on.

I am sure you can set up some sort of charging cycle that will only charge the phone when it gets to say 15%

Thanks CT_Biker and Baxteen for the input. Will put some more thought into this. I was under the impression that when a mobile is fully charged - that it goes into a "trickle charge" basically topping up whats being lost by background processes running. Hadn't thought that would put too much strain on the cars battery. Will need to dig a little deeper.

 

[CT_Biker]

The powerbank should not be necessary as the the battery is only used to start the motor. Once the car is idling you can remove the battery and the car will keep itself going off the Alternator, so the phone wil only be charged when the car is running.

You will have to be careful with resistances to the charger.

 

[Baxteen]

he wants the phone to stay full when the car is off.

hense the idea of the powerbank. the bank charges when the car is running, the phone then stops charging. then the phone can eat power from the powerbank while the car is standing instead of eating power from the battery.

the only difficuilt bit is getting a good powerbank.

say you get a 20 000mAH one.
it takes 13 hours to charge from 0% to 100%.

sure your 2000mAh phone gets 10 charges out of that, and is only charged maybe once a day.

so after 10 days, you need to have been charging the powerbank for 13 hours in total to make sure the powerbank is full.


its the only way I see this potentially working. you dont want the phone or the powerbank to be trickle charging when they hit 100% or the battery will drain.
just my thoughts on this...

 

[The_Ogre]

An important consideration is how often do you drive the car and when you do, for how long. Using a solar charger would be a viable solution if you don't drive it often.

 

[skeptic_SA]

An important consideration is how often do you drive the car and when you do, for how long. Using a solar charger would be a viable solution if you don't drive it often.

Nice idea. How reliable are these things though. The Fong Kong ones bomb out after a few weeks....

 

[CT_Biker]

Well considering the battery is still new and it will not be used for calling or browsing, and it will just be running the app in the background. It shouldn't need 3G or LTE connectivity(OP can correct me if I am wrong). The device; according to GSMArena has a 54 hour endurance rating(1 hour of calling, 1 hour of browsing, 1 hour of video playback), so it should be a lot longer if the phone is only running 1 app in the background.

If the car is used everyday with a 5v 2amp charger it should charge quickly enough to replenish the battery after a short drive.

The issue would arise if the car is only used on weekends, or even driven twice a month. Then both the phone and that powerbank might go flat.

ALSO 20 00mah power banks take really long to charge.