Have you ever replaced your battery only to find that you have lost all of your electronic presets, such as radio settings or power seat settings? This can create a large amount of inconvenience as you attempt to put the electronic genie back in the bottle.
But on today’s sophisticated vehicles, such inconvenience is only the tip of the iceberg. Battery disconnection, for service or replacement, can also cause the vehicle’s primary control electronics to reset, creating odd behavior upon restart and as the vehicle relearns your driving habits. Such behavior may last only minutes but can also extend far longer.
There exists a simple solution to this problem, which is to connect a secondary 12 Volt power source to the vehicle while the battery (the vehicle’s primary power source) is disconnected. The most convenient and ready-made option as a secondary 12 Volt power source is a jump starter.
For years, jump starters have been equipped with 12 Volt power cables designed for connection to a vehicle’s 12 Volt power port (cigarette lighter-style outlet). But, modern vehicles typically cut power to 12 Volt power ports when the vehicle key is in the OFF position. As a result, the 12 Volt power port has been rendered largely useless as a facilitator of vehicle power system backup.
Enter the OBDII port. All modern passenger vehicles are equipped with an OBDII port, used to conveniently access, control and update vehicle electronic systems. The OBDII port, unlike a typical 12V power port, is a continuously ON conduit to the vehicle’s electrical system and serves as an excellent facilitator of vehicle power system backup.
An OBDII-equipped connector cable can be used to hook a jump starter up to a vehicle during battery service or replacement. The Vehicle Memory Saver Connector from SOLAR, Model No. ESA30, turns any jump starter with a 12 Volt power port into a memory saver. It serves as an interface connector between a jump starter’s 12 Volt power port and a vehicle’s OBDII port. An LED confirms a proper connection has been made to the OBD II port, allowing safe removal of the vehicle’s battery.
There are a few tips that you should keep in mind whenever you work with a vehicle’s 12 Volt power system and with this product in particular. First, always wear protective eyewear when working around a vehicle battery. It is important to remember that a memory saver connector should be used only when a vehicle is turned OFF. Never use this type of product in conjunction with a jump starter when the vehicle is turned on.
Also, always remember that when the vehicle’s battery is removed and a memory saver connector is used to connect the vehicle’s OBDII port to a power source, the vehicle’s battery connection cables/hardware are live. Care must be taken to secure the positive battery cable/hardware to prevent arcing, damage or injury!
Finally, vehicle systems often cycle after the vehicle is turned off. Such cycling places demands on the vehicle’s electrical system that could disrupt or damage the memory saver connector. Before connecting the Memory Saver, turn the vehicle’s key to the OFF position and wait for 15-25 minutes. Doing so will ensure that all vehicle cycling is completed.
Smart and Easy Battery Service from SOLAR
