Thinking about ditching the Tazer

[Mantacon]

I was wondering if anyone else makes something similar to the Tazer. I like some of the features but really don't use most. Also noticed that it is making my charging system act funny. Thinking about going with the flashcal but it lacks certain features the Tazer offers.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

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[simpleJL]

Elaborate on how you are sure the Tazer is causing your charging system to "act funny". What have you done to diagnose? What is the charging system doing?

 

[Arterius2]

Get flashcal and never look back.

 

[Mantacon]

Tazer not installed, voltage stays at 14.2 while driving with no fluctuation. Installed Tazer and married, voltage will fluctuate from 12.7 to 13.6 to 14.2 when I step on the brakes. Tazer says normal and it clearly isn't after the Tazer is removed.

 

[Mantacon]

Are you running latest firmware 11.0.8?

Yup!

 

[Mantacon]

Did you reach out to joe@zauto, to see what’s going on?

Told me it's normal from FCA and could not replicate.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

Tazer not installed, voltage stays at 14.2 while driving with no fluctuation. Installed Tazer and married, voltage will fluctuate from 12.7 to 13.6 to 14.2 when I step on the brakes. Tazer says normal and it clearly isn't after the Tazer is removed.

Which “live” features are you using, besides ESS (which is “automatic” in 11.0.8). If none, just unplug it and enjoy the non-live features and get a Smart Start Stop for ESS. A few of us run this combo and it’s perfect.

Seems silly to invest in a FlashCal that does less than the programmer you already own.

 

[Mantacon]

Front camera, tire calibration, tpms adjustment and light show were the only things I used. Even with the Tazer unplugged and the bypass box installed, I am seeing the voltage issue.

 

[Mantacon]

I like ESS btw but that's not a popular debate here.

 

[WranglerMan]

I conducted some voltage tests awhile back and had the Tazer married and installed, married and not installed and then not installed at all and did daily voltage checks with a digital volt meter and checked the main and ESS batteries separately and after two weeks on each test there were no sizable voltsge differences.

There have been some here that we’re seeing a parasitic draw on the battery from the Tazer but from my understanding that has been addressed and corrected thru the newer firmware but I am still running 11.06 and don’t use any live features so I made my vehicle changes and then unplugged it.

As far as the voltsge you are seeing and I hate to beat a dead horse by design you are not supposed to see 14+ volts all the time in the EVIC, the JL uses a smart charging system and only charges if the batteries need charging and only at the minimal voltage so in my case when I leave my JL parked for several days and start it up the voltsge will normally display 13.8-14.2 but with about 30 mins of driving that voltsge slowly drops to 12.8-13.2 and upon slowing down by either braking or deceleration the voltage will spike like what’s in the vid below and according to FCA that’s by normal design.

I knows lots here are seeing 14+ volts all the time and from what FCA has told me that’s not normal and it should only charge at the voltsge needed so if you are seeing 14+ all the time I would pull the Tazer and put the JL on a trickle charger and then do some voltsge checks at the source and not go by the EVIC display as that’s not the true battery voltage it has the influence of the alternator involved

According to FCA this is a healthy charging system, this was right after I had taken it off a trickle charger so at idle the voltage read 12.7-12.8 but after a few days it settled in at 13.2 most of the time driving and with the varying voltsge according to FCA design this is supposed to help with longer battery life by not over charging the system with a constant 14+ volts being thrown to the batteries all the time

 

[Cov]

Would be cool if Tazer made cheaper lite versions like standalone Tazer JL Light Show model, etc. I honestly only want the Tazer for the Light Show

 

[Mantacon]

I conducted some voltage tests awhile back and had the Tazer married and installed, married and not installed and then not installed at all and did daily voltage checks with a digital volt meter and checked the main and ESS batteries separately and after two weeks on each test there were no sizable voltsge differences.

There have been some here that we’re seeing a parasitic draw on the battery from the Tazer but from my understanding that has been addressed and corrected thru the newer firmware but I am still running 11.06 and don’t use any live features so I made my vehicle changes and then unplugged it.

As far as the voltsge you are seeing and I hate to beat a dead horse by design you are not supposed to see 14+ volts all the time in the EVIC, the JL uses a smart charging system and only charges if the batteries need charging and only at the minimal voltage so in my case when I leave my JL parked for several days and start it up the voltsge will normally display 13.8-14.2 but with about 30 mins of driving that voltsge slowly drops to 12.8-13.2 and upon slowing down by either braking or deceleration the voltage will spike like what’s in the vid below and according to FCA that’s by normal design.

I knows lots here are seeing 14+ volts all the time and from what FCA has told me that’s not normal and it should only charge at the voltsge needed so if you are seeing 14+ all the time I would pull the Tazer and put the JL on a trickle charger and then do some voltsge checks at the source and not go by the EVIC display as that’s not the true battery voltage it has the influence of the alternator involved

According to FCA this is a healthy charging system

Yeah it's been said more and more as by design but doesn't explain why it's different with the Tazer married and not married. It would be the same either way right? Sorry, can't accept the by design (Jeep thing) comment on this. I'll just keep the Tazer off and let it do it's by design Jeep thing the way it was apparently supposed to.

 

[Mantacon]

Would be cool if Tazer made cheaper lite versions like standalone Tazer JL Light Show model, etc. I honestly only want the Tazer for the Light Show

They do. Tazer lite

 

[WranglerMan]

Which “live” features are you using, besides ESS (which is “automatic” in 11.0.8). If none, just unplug it and enjoy the non-live features and get a Smart Start Stop for ESS. A few of us run this combo and it’s perfect.

Seems silly to invest in a FlashCal that does less than the programmer you already own.

This is what I have been doing for months and have zero issues, the Smart Stop/Start module is a blessing and I only needed the Tazer to change tire size, tpms limits and a few other vehicle settings then I unplugged it

 

[WranglerMan]

Yeah it's been said more and more as by design but doesn't explain why it's different with the Tazer married and not married. It would be the same either way right? Sorry, can't accept the by design (Jeep thing) comment on this. I'll just keep the Tazer off and let it do it's by design Jeep thing the way it was apparently supposed to.

No you are correct it should be pretty close to the same with it married and installed or unmarried and removed so without me doing voltsge checks my guess would be a parasitic draw on the battery so a good test would be is to marry the Tazer and make some changes on the vehicle side like TPMS alarm, tire size or what ever and then unplug it and leave it married and see what the displayed voltsge is and if it’s not reading 14+ all the time leave it that way for a few days to get a good baseline then plug the Tazer in and leave it plugged in and see what the voltsge does and if after a day it spikes to 14+ and stays there then you have a parasitic draw from that device but you would have to verify how much of a draw it is with a meter

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