[Ovmsdev] holidays = less driving = dead battery

[Lee Howard]

Following the last long holiday break in the US I was prepared for this 
holiday... I have checked the car (2005 Chrysler Sebring) several hours 
before needing to drive it.  That car doesn't get driven as often during 
holiday times, and so the OVMS module slowly eats at the battery.  I've 
had to put a battery charger onto the 12V battery three times over the 
last two weeks to get enough charge into the battery to where the car 
could start.

Yes, the weather is cold.  That said, if I were to park the car at the 
airport for a few days while I was on a trip I would need to disconnect 
OVMS to ensure that there would be some battery to start the car when I 
returned.  (And that would be a time when I would want to have OVMS 
working - making sure my car stayed where I left it - reminding me where 
I parked it when I returned.)

Maybe I'm in a bad area for GSM reception and so the module eats more 
battery trying to get and maintain connectivity.

That said, I truly feel like the OVMS module could do better.

I know that the v3 module is being worked-on, and I suspect that 
battery-use issues are already being considered, but here's my 1-item 
wish-list for the module:

1) It needs to go to "sleep" when GPS position does not change much or 
when there is not some other indication that the car is being used, 
charged, or such where the data has changed.  It needs to do this not 
only to conserve battery, but also to conserve GSM/GPRS usage fees with 
the SIM provider.

(I've mentioned the GSM/GPRS usage fees matter in a previous thread.)

Thanks,

Lee.

-- 
*Lee Howard*
*Mainpine, Inc. Chief Technology Officer*
Tel: +1 866 363 6680 | Fax: +1 360 462 8160
lee.howard at mainpine.com | www.mainpine.com