Install gps tracker into working 18v lithium ion battery

[John Coughlan]

Im trying to work out how to wire in an off the shelf cellular gps tracker into an 18v makita battery.

I've dissembled a 3ah battery and removed three cells and the battery still works charges etc... This should make room for the gps device.

I could use some advice now on how to wire in a gps device. I think the voltage will need to be reduced to 4v mini usb.

i know absolutely nothing about electronics and i could really use some help with the voltage reduction and what gps tracker to use.

Many Thanks

JonnyC

 

[davenn]

I could use some advice now on how to wire in a gps device. I think the voltage will need to be reduced to 4v mini usb.

have you chosen a GPS module you want to use
I couldn't quite understand what you were saying in your first sentence ..... did you want a cellphone connection as well ?

 

[John Coughlan]

The off the shelf gps trackers that i have looked at all seem to have a sim card in them. You text the sim card and it sends back to co-ordinates of device location. like this one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Smallest-...836966?hash=item1ecd25f9e6:g:ZBwAAOSwfkdZjEwy

 

[John Coughlan]

My plan is to take one of these apart and install the curcuit board into a working makita 3ah battery. And have it powered by the makita battery.

 

[73's de Edd]

Sir John Coughlan . . . . .

Now . . . . . coming right out of a Dirty Harry movie . . . . . ." I gots to knows ? "

• Are you having theft of your equipment ?
• Do you have an " ERRANT " employee ?
• Is this secret agent 007 related ?

What are the chances of the battery ending up inside of a metal toolbox, such that it can't constantly ping and handshake with GPS sats for trangulation.
OR that the unit otherwise ends up shielded within a vehicles metal shell such that the same RF intercommunication fault exists.
It would sound downright fishy if you had to request that the drill always be stored up on the dash.

Tell us all . . . . . . . we're impatiently awaiting . . . . .the rest of the story.

73's de Edd

 

[John Coughlan]

Im a tradesman, a carpenter. We carry a lot of expensive kit around and theft of work vehicles is a big problem nowa days. I know multiple other people in the trade that have had there vans broken into and kit stolen on a yearly basis. Deadlocks and lockboxes are a deterrent but that is all, they are not %100 fool proof, and lets face it... i want to catch these buggers that are thieving our gear... its a horrible feeling when you go to your van in the morning to find the side door open and all your gear missing.

I understand what your saying regarding the device being able to get a signal. But sooner or later the thief is going to have to move the stolen gear out of the vehicle and either into storage or sell it on to someone who doesn't mind buying stolen goods.

either way, at some point your stolen battery is going to send you its location and you can tip the police as to its whereabouts. And who knows, they might even do something about it!!

If there's someone out there that has knowledge of how to put a product like this together then i would like to work with them and finance the development of it.

I think there's definetly a market for this kind of product, i know of plenty of people in the trade that would happily dosh out £200 for a product that locates their tools and possibly catches the culprits.

 

[SARBS-LID]

Hi John
Is there any update on your project. It seems very valuable for our company. Did you able to set up GPS tracker on Li Ion Battery?
Thanks

 

[Bluejets]

Batteries now-a-days come with a bluetooth device built in ( at an extra cost) that can be traced via an app on either apple or android mobile.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DeWalt-...m3d23ff4f92:g:2skAAOSw-itXwZKk&frcectupt=true


Then there is also a tag on device

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/48-21-2000

 

[SARBS-LID]

Hi
Bluejets

Thank you for you reply. Actually i already have 100 K pcs battery installed in telecommunication site. But recently for some incident i need to add a GPS device inside battery, for example the device can be set up onto BMS. Can you give me some idea about it?

Thank

 

[Bluejets]

Hi
Bluejets

Thank you for you reply. Actually i already have 100 K pcs battery installed in telecommunication site. But recently for some incident i need to add a GPS device inside battery, for example the device can be set up onto BMS. Can you give me some idea about it?

Thank

Only know what is in the link...I did an edit a few seconds ago and added a Milwaukee device....did you see that?

 

[SARBS-LID]

Hi
Bluejets
Thank you
I'm looking into it

 

[dave9]

Batteries now-a-days come with a bluetooth device built in ( at an extra cost) that can be traced via an app on either apple or android mobile.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DeWalt-...m3d23ff4f92:g:2skAAOSw-itXwZKk&frcectupt=true


Then there is also a tag on device

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/48-21-2000

Bluetooth is far too short a range to be much good for tracking purposes... usually thieves don't stick around but if they did on a jobsite because they have to be there working, they'd probably hide their ill gotten goods in a metal vehicle which substantially reduces the effective range even further.

Even the purpose made Milwaukee can only do ~100ft, (probably the best case scenario)... not in something like a metal tool box.

 

[Bluejets]

Bluetooth is far too short a range to be much good for tracking purposes... usually thieves don't stick around but if they did on a jobsite because they have to be there working, they'd probably hide their ill gotten goods in a metal vehicle which substantially reduces the effective range even further.

Even the purpose made Milwaukee can only do ~100ft, (probably the best case scenario)... not in something like a metal tool box.

From experience, 99% of the time one will have a battery on charge, usually with a group of others.
Along comes "don't give a toss" and grabs the first battery they come to.
Markings on the charger and battery don't seem to make any difference.
If one is lucky, considering some of these workplaces might have 200-300 workers, one just might come across it one day.
In the meantime, one has to grin and bear the fact that the new $150 battery has been replaced with a worn out POC 5 years old.
And I'm betting they know right from the start and it ain't a mistake.
If these things were available a few years back it would have save me a few times. A quick lap around the site with even a device @100ft would be more than sufficient.