Vehicle Gateways (VGs) are designed to switch automatically between operating modes to balance power usage with feature availability.
After the vehicle is turned off, the VG continues to operate in a moderate power mode and then transitions to low power mode. To conserve the life of the vehicle battery for vehicles that are inactive or that you expect to be powered off for an extended period of time, you can select a shorter transition time. Alternatively, you can increase the amount of time the VG is in a moderate power mode to provide additional functionality, such as Wi-Fi Hotspot, after the vehicle is powered off.
To learn more about your vehicle battery and VG modes, reference the following topics:
A gateway in low power mode does not have an active Wi-Fi hotspot; therefore, drivers cannot log into the Samsara Driver App when the VG is in low power mode. If you use your VG as an ELD or for scheduling and monitoring trips and routes, enabling low power mode can impact the performance and accuracy of data. If your organization is subject to the ELD mandate, Samsara recommends a higher transition time.
Under normal circumstances, the VG will not affect a vehicle's battery life.
If you are experiencing unexpected battery drainage, use the following workflow to identify any obvious sources of drainage:
-
Ensure the battery connections are clean and secure. Tighten any loose connections and safely remove corrosion as necessary.
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Use a multimeter to verify that the battery voltage is 12 volts or greater.
A battery voltage of less than 12 volts can indicate that the battery requires replacement.
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If the issue persists, review the following table to identify a source of the issue or have a qualified mechanic test the battery. For more information, also see Vehicle Battery Drain Causes
For your convenience, the following table summarizes some potential causes for vehicle battery drain to help you investigate your issue:
|
Cause |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Battery Age and Condition |
Older or worn-out batteries may have reduced capacity and are more susceptible to draining quickly. A weak or faulty battery can cause other components to work harder and draw more power. |
|
Short Trips |
Short trips prevent the alternator from fully charging the car battery. |
|
Infrequent Trips |
Infrequent trips contribute to battery sulfation which reduces charge retention and increases drain. |
|
Parasitic Drains |
Some vehicles have electrical systems or devices that continue to draw power even when the engine is off, such as clocks, alarms, remote starters, or third-party devices. |
|
Corroded or Loose Battery Terminals |
Corroded or loose battery terminals can inhibit the connection and lead to a drain. |
|
Extreme Weather |
Cold weather can reduce battery capacity and increase the load on the electrical system, impacting battery performance and potentially leading to drain. |
|
Electrical Accessories |
Leaving electrical accessories such as headlights, interior lights, radio, or charging devices on when the engine is not running can drain the battery over time. |
Under normal circumstances, the VG will not affect a vehicle's battery life.
When the VG detects movement, it operates in full power mode. After the VG completes a trip, by default, the VG remains in full power for three hours. After three hours, the VG enters moderate power mode and then gradually transitions to low power mode. For more details about the features active in each mode, see VG Power Modes.
The following image and table summarize the default battery draws for each power state:
|
Vehicle State |
VG State |
VG Power Mode |
Typical VG Power Draw |
|---|---|---|---|
|
On |
On |
Full |
1.8 W |
|
Off < 4 hrs |
On |
Moderate |
1.8 W Max |
|
Off > 4 hrs |
Off |
Low |
396 mW |
While a vehicle is powered on and operating, the VG operates with all features enabled. After the engine powers off, however, the VG draws power more conservatively. This limited operation preserves the vehicle battery capacity for smaller batteries and prolongs battery life for vehicles not expected to power on or move for extended periods of time. If the VG detects that the vehicle battery has dropped below 12.2V for one hour or longer while the vehicle is stopped, the VG automatically transitions to low power mode, regardless of the power mode setting. In all scenarios, the VG automatically returns to full power mode when it detects movement.
The following table describes the active features available in each phase of the battery power cycle:
|
Power Mode |
Vehicle State |
Active Features |
|---|---|---|
|
Full |
On |
|
|
Moderate |
Off < 4 hrs |
|
|
Low |
Off > 4 hrs |
|
You can modify the transition time between medium and low power modes. To configure the VG Low Power Transition Delay for your fleet or to apply a custom delay to specific vehicles, use the following workflow:
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Select the Settings icon (
) at the bottom of your Fleet menu to view dashboard settings.
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From Devices, select Configuration > Gateways.
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To adjust vehicle battery conservation mode settings, navigate to Vehicle Gateways.
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Apply settings to All Vehicles or vehicles with Specific Tags.
When using tags, any unselected vehicles remain at the default setting.
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Choose a duration for the Low Power Transition Delay.
Transition Delay is the minimum time after which a vehicle turns off before Low Power mode is activated.
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Save to apply the new settings.
Note
Changes can take up to 1 hour or longer to propagate to a device if the device is not in range of cellular coverage.
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