[T6_measured] 61-Battery Regulator - Built-in test for Quick Quiescent Current Analysis

[mmi]

A quick DIY test using van's built-in test using VCDS or OBDeleven diagnostics tool.

Related fault code: 02256 - Quiescent Current - Upper Limit Exceeded​

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VCDS How-to​

Unlock the van, open driver door (hood and all the other doors closed).
Startup VCDS.

(-A-)​

Turn ignition key to position ACCessories - e.g radio turns on.​

NOTE: usually no need to turn ignition on - you may if you wish... the procedure works the same.​

VCDS > Select Control Module > 61-Battery Regul > Long Adaptation > Select "Quick Quiescent Current Analysis"​

NOTE: if the 61-Battery Regulator didn't show up - back out to main menu and redo.​

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VCDS > enter "1" into field "New Value" - just type in the value - do not hit enter [IMPORTANT]​

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Turn ignition key to OFF​

Get ready for the next step - key removal followed by test activation must be done WITHIN 5 seconds.​

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Pull out ignition key from ignition lock​

VCDS > click on - within 5 seconds of key removal [IMPORTANT]​

For successful test activation as below​

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If you were slow and test failed to start - the leftmost field will show ERROR - just back out of controller (to VCDS Select Control Module view) and redo from (-A-).​

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Step outside, close driver's door, lock the van using remote​

NOTE: I haven't verified if the alarm would trigger hence monitor from outside​

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The quiescent analysis value starts gradually to decrease​

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Wait 3 minutes (since locking) for the controller to reach final result (usually not much change after 90 seconds after locking)​

NOTE(edited): The test won't finish off by itself - it seems to continue forever (status "Testing"). Based on numerous long (some even more than 3 hours) test runs the result hasn't changed after 3 minutes.​

Make a note of the result - the leftmost field (no units) on the top​

Unlock the van, open the door​

Finish off the test session - enter "0" into field "New value" - Test - Save --- Read to verify the status - "Test Complete"​

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Please report your result -​

for T6Forum common knowledge pool - as the interpretation of the result is still a bit unclear.​

Thanks for reading! Comments, clarifications, amendments?

 

[mmi]

Spoiler: OBDeleven version information

[Verified the procedure works on both old (white) and new (black) generation OBDeleven dongles as of firmwares updated 16.7.2023, OBDeleven Android version 0.69.0 (10664)]

OBDeleven How-to​

Unlock the van, open driver door (hood and all the other doors closed).

Either
Start up OBDeleven normal way - thus ignition on - connect, etc.

or​

ALTERNATIVELY could connect also ignition OFF (my preference)

- OBDeleven > Connect > Wait till fails (Message: Make sure...) > Continue > Select Vehicle...​

(-B-)​

Turn ignition key to position ACCessories - e.g radio turns on.​

OBDeleven > Control Units > 61-Battery Regulation > Long Adaptation > Enter channel 3​

Resulting view as below​

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NOTE: At the moment the fields Value 1 and Value 2 are irrelevant - they are saved status of previous test.​

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OBDeleven > enter "1" into field "Enter new Value" - just type in the value - do not activate [IMPORTANT]​

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Turn ignition key to OFF​

Get ready for the next step - key removal followed by test activation must be done WITHIN 5 seconds.​

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Pull out ignition key from ignition lock​

OBDeleven > tap and hold to activate the test - within 5 seconds of key removal [IMPORTANT]​

Successful test activation results as below​

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If you were slow and test failed to start - the field "Value 1" will show "Error" -​

-just fully back out of the controller - to OBDeleven (All) Control units view​

-redo starting from (-B-)​

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Step outside, close driver's door, lock the van using remote​

NOTE: I haven't verified if the alarm would trigger hence monitor from outside​

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The "Value 1" starts gradually to decrease​

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Wait 3 minutes (since locking) for the controller to reach final result (usually not much change after 90 seconds after locking)​

NOTE(edited): The test won't finish off by itself - it seems to continue forever (status "Measurement"). Based on numerous long (some even more than 3 hours) test runs the result hasn't changed after 3 minutes.​

Make a note of the result - "Value 1"​

Unlock the van, open the door​

Finish off the test session - enter "0" into field "Enter new value" - Tap and hold ​

Verify the status - "Meas. END"​

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Please report your result -​

for T6Forum common knowledge pool - as the interpretation of the result is still a bit unclear.

Thanks for reading! Comments, clarifications, amendments?

 

[mmi]

Reserved.

 

[mmi]

Reserved.

 

[Dav-Tec]

Got a couple of T6s in this week @mmi I'll give this ago and report results

 

[n10n]

EDIT: INVALID RESULT

Tried - no success. I think it’s because I have hex net. Although I plug it into usb first and it powers up, it might take power from diag port when plugged in.

For me, test shows 2438 on left hand side and never completes. Some 10 minutes into the test I still have about 260mA going out, so test number / 10 sounds realistic.

And yes, I have door and bonnet switches closed with screwdriver.



EDIT: confirmed, after unplugging hex net I’m getting some free power

 

[mmi]

Tried - no success. I think it’s because I have hex net. Although I plug it into usb first and it powers up, it might take power from diag port when plugged in.

For me, test shows 2438 on left hand side and never completes. Some 10 minutes into the test I still have about 260mA going out, so test number / 10 sounds realistic.

Thank you very much for experimenting.

Yes definitely the result depends also on the interface current draw - thus e.g. different results using VCDS (HEX-V2) of OBDeleven - the latter solely powered from OBD-port.

And, indeed it seems the test never finishes off by itself (at least within 3 hours this far) - always have to finish off by entering "0" into adaptation - even under some extreme conditions

 

[n10n]

Wait 3 minutes (since locking) for the controller to reach final result

Minor detail but I did read this as if the test should complete and hence thought it didn’t due to too high quiescent current - maybe edit the wording a bit for the generations to come?

 

[mmi]

For me, test shows 2438 on left hand side and never completes. Some 10 minutes into the test I still have about 260mA going out, so test number / 10 sounds realistic.

Well, it seems the test was not exactly what I thought. When test is running there are - obviously - more activity going than just having "plain" van asleep. The gateway is obviously running - as VCDS/OBDeleven keeps on communicating with van. Also it seems that 61-Battery Regulator is quite active - for an obvious reason.

While test was running OBDeleven fairly soon converged to 264 - and clamp meter indicated 0.29 Amps. Noticed that the current seems to fluctuate quite a bit - thus not sure how accurate the clamp meter is for such a current. Makes me think the number might be actually milliamps?

I guess for the test we just need to determine "acceptance" criteria.

Then during a "proper" shutdown - nothing plugged in OBD-port.​

 

[n10n]

While test was running OBDeleven fairly soon converged to 264 - and clamp meter indicated 0.29 Amps

This is bit puzzling as compared to mine - as my test showed pretty much 10x value while actual amps are in the same range. Hmm, maybe worth a repeat test with VCDS or another one with OBDEleven in case something glitched in my setup.

Clamp meters probably aren’t too accurate in that range, telltale is that I had to zero it multiple times to get the baseline even close to zero before clamping. I basically used it just to verify van actually goes to sleep. Still, couple of hundred mA sounds about right neighborhood for the obd dongles.

 

[mmi]

This is bit puzzling as compared to mine - as my test showed pretty much 10x value while actual amps are in the same range. Hmm, maybe worth a repeat test with VCDS or another one with OBDEleven in case something glitched in my setup.

This far I have got consistent results - VCDS (HEX-V2) 205...230 and OBDeleven 260..280. I guess VCDS is fed (partially) via USB as OBDeleven is powered solely from OBD-port.

 

[n10n]

Noticed that the current seems to fluctuate quite a bit - thus not sure how accurate the clamp meter is for such a current.

Here’s some testing with a bunch of clamp meters. While the article is really about magnetization of the clamps, the final table shows about 50mA inaccuracies in measuring 1A current even though they use multiple windings to improve precision.

Clamp meters magnetization, demagnetization and offset

 

[n10n]

This far I have got consistent results - VCDS (HEX-V2) 205...230 and OBDeleven 260..280. I guess VCDS is fed (partially) via USB as OBDeleven is powered solely from OBD-port.

290 with OBDEleven. Test with VCDS earlier must have stopped actually updating the value though I remember glancing couple of times and the connection indicator was rotating and latency values were updating.