Questions & Answers

How to power EVO-ALL and telemematics through datalink

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So I poked around and couldn't find what I was looking for. I'm installing an EVO-ALL and DSM300  smartstart today and I see the EVO needs a 15A fuse for power and the smartstart module comes with it's own 3A fuse. My question is whether the smartstart can power the EVO through the datalink cable? I guess that question is whether the smartstarts 3A fuse is enough or should I go ahead and just cut the datalink cable and power the EVO separately? I think this question would apply to all telematics.
asked Nov 15, 2015 in FAQ by Bob Daley (350 points)

1 Answer

0 votes
The 15 Amp fuse indicated in the guide listed for the G35 is actually there to protect the vehicle wiring, not the module; it's also connected to the remote starter. The 3A fuse on the SmartStart just indicates that the brain is protected at 3 Amps and that you shouldn't connect anything that would demand more than 3 Amps between the Fuse and the SmartStart.

 

The EVO-ALL and Smart will be getting power from the T-harness datalink connectors. You do not have to change the fuses.
answered Nov 16, 2015 by Robert T (297,620 points)
Hi Robert, I appreciate the response but that doesn't really answer my question. Perhaps I phrased it wrong.

I see the power for the  EVO would come from the datalink if you were using it in conjunction with an installed starter system, otherwise the EVO requires a 15A fuse (as recommended by Fortin). Since I am using the smartstart telematics (which has a 3A fuse for constant battery power) will that be enough to power the evo through the datalink or does the evo normally require more than 3A to operate when it's not in sleep mode? (i'm just editing this to clarify that I realize the fuse protects the wiring but i'm skeptical that the datalink wiring is good for 15A to begin with).

For conversation purposes, if the evo uses 5A to operate when it's awake and starting the car then obviously I need the separate fuse. I'm assuming the peak draw on the evo is around 10-12A or the 15A fuse wouldn't be recommended. In that same line of questioning, does the evo have the capability of powering the telematics through the datalink? It's hard to tell because the fortin literature seems to imply the datalink is a power input, not a power output point.

If you're saying the EVO takes power from the T-harness then i'm assuming it's drawing from the live side of the start pushbutton, and if that's the case then what's the separate battery connection for? Is it because the start button wiring isnt' fused high enough for the other operations the evo handles so the evo battery connection is a separate power source?

Thanks again - Bob

All good and got me thinking! Hopefully this makes more sense. What it comes down to is, our installation guides indicate where an appropriate power source is for whichever remote starter installation being followed (stand alone or regular install). If installing additional things then what is in the install guide at the same time as the remote starter, the power demand should not exceed what the fusing is in the install guide. If we indicate a power source and a fuse, this means that that power source in the car cannot handle more than X amps. 

 

The 15 Amp fuse in the regular installation guide when using an aftermarket starter (EVO-NIST1 Regular Installation), is only replicating what the remote starter fuse should be changed to if the one it originally came with was over 15 Amp. So, this means that whichever remote start / alarm unit installed with the EVO-ALL should not exceed 15 Amp on the constant source we indicate to connect it to (in this case the red wire from the datalink connector). If whatever is being installed may pull more than 15 Amps at some point, power should be connected elsewhere. 

  • An example that shows why the 15 Amp is in this diagram would be if someone were to install a trailer plug and use the remote starter power wire as it's source to light up all the lights of the trailer because the wire was easy to get to and already connected to a power source. Someone unfamilair with electronics would not be familiar as to why that's a bad idea. All those lights on the trailer when turned on will pull more than 15 Amps. Since the power was tapped into the remote starter power wire, and that the remote starter is currently powered from the red wire in the datalink connector, that 15 Amp fuse will blow preventing damage to the vehicle or preventing the vehicle fuse from popping. 
  • so really, the fuse is there to protect someone in the future from going under the dash and grabbing the remote starter power source to power whatever he or she is installing. 

 

If you are using the EVO-ALL in stand alone, take a look a this installation guide (EVO-NIST1 Stand Alone). The smartstart is also getting power through wherever the T-harness gets it's power from (which I believe is at the OBD-II). So, both EVO-ALL and SmartStart are getting power form the same source. The EVO-ALL on it's own would not need a fuse in this setup. The fuse on the smart start is there to indicate Max current from the SmartStart and that wherever it gets connected to needs to be able to supply 3 Amps; if the Smartstart shorts out, that 3 Amp fuse would also blow. 

 

 

 

 

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