Any opinions on Jebsen battery meter / phone charger?

[SW18]

Has anyone any experience of this gadget, or a similar one? I'm keen to avoid the common older Merc issue of the battery going flat whilst my car is parked (often for 2-3 weeks at a time) and thought if this works it would be a good idea to have one. It should allow a check on battery health at a glance without lifting the bonnet. Amazon reviews are generally good, not that I trust their reviews much as they are famed for fake reviews these days. So any opinions are welcome.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N00I4TM/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[m80]

I bought 2 similar, w/o the USB outputs.
Mine are cheapo's from China, some are accurate but not all.
Caution with USB kit as they can produce enough RF to swamp FM.
In truth I don't even look at my plugged in voltmeter as it isn't in a convenient place to see it easily, I'm aiming to site a different type in a more obvious place, but still discreet.

 

[Abcan]

I take it that only work’s whilst the ignition is on? The Mercedes Me adaptor has a battery voltage reading if that’s any use to you.

 

[markjay]

I bought a cheap one from Amazon (without the USB ports), and it does the job.

With regards USB, the ports on cheap devices are likely to be 1A, which is slow charging. For fast charging you want a dedicated charger with at least 3.1A port, e.g.:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01K9MQ8WW/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[SW18]

I take it that only work’s whilst the ignition is on? The Mercedes Me adaptor has a battery voltage reading if that’s any use to you.

View attachment 90992

Hmm, thanks, looks good - can I get MercMe on my early S212? Presumably there’s something to plug into the OBDII port that exports the data? I’ve never looked into what MercMe is...

 

[markjay]

mercedes me adapter | eBay

Or try your local MB dealer, some offer it for £10 or even for free.

 

[markjay]

However, with regards battery voltage, the Mercedes Me Adapter will only display the voltage when the engine is running, so in effect it shows the Alternator's voltage, not the battery's.

 

[SW18]

However, with regards battery voltage, the Mercedes Me Adapter will only display the voltage when the engine is running, so in effect it shows the Alternator's voltage, not the battery's.

Noted, thanks - it’s the battery voltage I am after, in the hope that I can pre-empt the fateful day when the now 9-year-old battery dies and the car won’t start.

 

[markjay]

Noted, thanks - it’s the battery voltage I am after, in the hope that I can pre-empt the fateful day when the now 9-year-old battery dies and the car won’t start.

In that case, a digital voltmeter in the cigarette lighter socket will do the trick, but do keep in mind that the voltage isn't conclusive evidence of the battery's overall condition, because an old or defective battery might show 12V+ under low load but still fail under heavy load (and not start the car). So given the low cost and ease of use it's still a good idea to have a voltmeter, just don't rely on it too much.

 

[steveskeggy]

You probably have a battery volt meter already in your climate control "secret" menu.
If the climate control is the same as the W212, then this video will show you how to access it, and go through the menu`s:

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It seems to have been made by an annoying child, but you can get the idea.
Its the first item on the vehicle data menu, seems to have an amp meter as well, which is handy.

 

[SW18]

You probably have a battery volt meter already in your climate control "secret" menu.
If the climate control is the same as the W212, then this video will show you how to access it, and go through the menu`s:

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It seems to have been made by an annoying child, but you can get the idea.
Its the first item on the vehicle data menu, seems to have an amp meter as well, which is handy.

Thanks, I will try this as the one in the video is the same era as mine.

 

[SW18]

You probably have a battery volt meter already in your climate control "secret" menu.
If the climate control is the same as the W212, then this video will show you how to access it, and go through the menu`s:

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

It seems to have been made by an annoying child, but you can get the idea.
Its the first item on the vehicle data menu, seems to have an amp meter as well, which is handy.

It worked! Thanks again. I’ll need to work out what’s in the data listing now and see what it means for battery health...