[undecided]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

The internals of a battery charger will not allow the battery to overcharge by its internals are set up... You would most likely destroy the battery using a computer PSU.

EDIT: you can use a PSU with a custom board if you know what you are doing...

If the PSU is supplying the 12V to run the computers in the car can the battery be disconnected during the flash?

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by undecided

Would it be that complicated to have the flashing code separate from the rest of the DME code so that you can reflash no matter what happens? A lot of PC have this kind of setup in their bios these days. It's not rocket science.

Paging the flash memory/failsafe ROM/etc is possible but may not be cost effective or safe in this application. Be cautious in your analogies as a desktop computer does not control ~2tons @ up to 155mph.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by HighVoltage

Why?

No overcharge protection...

Originally Posted by undecided

If the PSU is supplying the 12V to run the computers in the car can the battery be disconnected during the flash?

I am not sure... I have not seen anything on whether or not the battery is disconnected.

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

No overcharge protection...

How does a 12VDC PSU overcharge a 12.6VDC battery?

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by boostat4500

Just be glad our tunes and other parts don't carry the same cost as the Porsche's. Almost every tune we send out for at work starts at about 3k, exhausts, 5k easy, etc. etc. We have customers routinely drop 10-20k to pick up 100hp. If I spent 20k to have 640hp, it better include the hole dang car.
As for the BMW programming, I've personally seen DME's turned to paper weights from battery chargers failing in the middle of coding. So be very careful if you try anything.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to cheap out on a battery charge when you have the risk of rending the DME worthless. I plan on staying with a piggy as long as it can do the job. When a piggy can't suffice it will be time to shell out for an AEM or MoTec.

[TurboSid]

what issues is OP talking about? I've had JB3 and Procede and neither had any problems...

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by undecided

If the PSU is supplying the 12V to run the computers in the car can the battery be disconnected during the flash?

Possibly, however if you are using a desktop PSU you may have to tweak the voltage output up as the resistive load (i.e the vehicle) may pull it down.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by HighVoltage

How does a 12VDC PSU overcharge a 12.6VDC battery?

It won't work unless you bring the voltage up to 13.8 volts which is what a car battery charger uses, and once you do that, it will overcharge the battery...

To simply run the car off the PSU, their is a big risk of the PSU failing, leaving you with a $50K paperweight. Several people have tried this to run updates on their carputers, and they have the PSU fail at 50-60% of maximum load...

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

It won't work unless you bring the voltage up to 13.8 volts which is what a car battery charger uses, and once you do that, it will overcharge the battery...

The plot thickens...a modified PSU.

[undecided]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

It won't work unless you bring the voltage up to 13.8 volts which is what a car battery charger uses, and once you do that, it will overcharge the battery...

To simply run the car off the PSU, their is a big risk of the PSU failing, leaving you with a $50K paperweight. Several people have tried this to run updates on their carputers, and they have the PSU fail at 50-60% of maximum load...

I bought a PC Power & Cooling 750W PSU which puts 70A on the 12V rail "continuous". It can power a Quad CPU and two monster Video Cards. I am fairly certain it would have no problem powering the DME.

[undecided]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

It won't work unless you bring the voltage up to 13.8 volts which is what a car battery charger uses, and once you do that, it will overcharge the battery...

To simply run the car off the PSU, their is a big risk of the PSU failing, leaving you with a $50K paperweight. Several people have tried this to run updates on their carputers, and they have the PSU fail at 50-60% of maximum load...

Like replacing a bios chip?

[undecided]

Originally Posted by HighVoltage

Paging the flash memory/failsafe ROM/etc is possible but may not be cost effective or safe in this application. Be cautious in your analogies as a desktop computer does not control ~2tons @ up to 155mph.

The DME basically runs the engine, right?

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by undecided

Like replacing a bios chip?

Yes, anybody who has had an unsuccessful BIOS update, that is what it is equivalent to if the update fails on the DME...

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by undecided

The DME basically runs the engine, right?

Yes.

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by undecided

Would it be that complicated to have the flashing code separate from the rest of the DME code so that you can reflash no matter what happens? A lot of PC have this kind of setup in their bios these days. It's not rocket science.

true, but i think you should be thinking of what the DME does and its programing more like a PC's bios instead than the OS. the DME is closer to an insta-on system like the bios, there's no windows start up like bar in your car. everything is ready to go as soon as you press start.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by undecided

I bought a PC Power & Cooling 750W PSU which puts 70A on the 12V rail "continuous". It can power a Quad CPU and two monster Video Cards. I am fairly certain it would have no problem powering the DME.

I am not sure what the actual reasoning behind the boxes failing, but the question becomes is it worth taking the chance of ruining the DME for $200 more than a computer PSU...

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by JoeyFiasco

true, but i think you should be thinking of what the DME does and its programing more like a PC's bios instead than the OS. the DME is closer to an insta-on system like the bios, there's no windows start up like bar in your car. everything is ready to go as soon as you press start.

Thats not quite true. Its all a matter of time. Every system has a boot sequence. Some take a few milliseconds, while others <cough> MS Windows </cough> can take hours, err minutes.

Frankly everyone is just guessing on the particulars of the flash process for these vehicles and what is necessary to do so safely and minimize the risk. I dont know what the load characteristics of the vehicle is under the process but to imply that using a PSU increases the likelihood of a "bricked" vehicle is speculative at best.

[Hit_Apex]

Originally Posted by undecided

I bought a PC Power & Cooling 750W PSU which puts 70A on the 12V rail "continuous". It can power a Quad CPU and two monster Video Cards. I am fairly certain it would have no problem powering the DME.

12v DC? It's been a while since I gave any attention to electronics but to transform 110AC to 12VDC at 50amps continuous takes a big ass transformer, AC/DC bridge, big ass heat sink, fan etc. Something that weighs a hell of a lot more than a PSU.

BTW, why not just jumper the car being flashed to another car that's running? Seems like a viable option to a very expensive DC power source.

Also, it's not just the DME that's being powered - it's all of the cars electronics / motors / pumps etc that run when powered on but engine not running.

[smdandb2]

Wow, this thread rules.

Please use a computer power supply to flash you car. While you're at it... go ahead and just put a resistor on the tmap sensor.

Jesus Christ... what is it with the afro engineering on a 50k car around these parts? If you can't afford the right tools and mods, you can't afford the car... period.

[SW335]

Originally Posted by TurboSid

what issues is OP talking about? I've had JB3 and Procede and neither had any problems...

Perhaps I had an anomoly, but I had Procede issues and removed mine. I also see plenty of folks on these boards (again, not scientific) with stories of codes, errors etc. etc.

Don't mistake the reliability of the Audi's other parts for the turbo and tuning issues from the suppliers.

I had GIAC and APR and they were both rock solid, never threw a single CEL in 7 years with basic tune (even the stage 3 was error free if laggy as hell).

Yes, I get that BMW is recent again to tuning, but that is not the point. I'm asking whether we are getting the same quality as the 996 and A4 crowds.

On my 1.8T I went from 150/150 to 205/260 with just a chip, exhaust and filter. I later upgraded turbo to 280/320 (much, much lag)

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by SW335

Perhaps I had an anomoly, but I had Procede issues and removed mine. I also see plenty of folks on these boards (again, not scientific) with stories of codes, errors etc. etc.

did you talk with vishnu about it? maybe reload the software into the unit?

Originally Posted by SW335

Don't mistake the reliability of the Audi's other parts for the turbo and tuning issues from the suppliers.

I had GIAC and APR and they were both rock solid, never threw a single CEL in 7 years with basic tune (even the stage 3 was error free if laggy as hell).

but that's not an issue to you?

Originally Posted by SW335

Yes, I get that BMW is recent again to tuning, but that is not the point. I'm asking whether we are getting the same quality as the 996 and A4 crowds.

On my 1.8T I went from 150/150 to 205/260 with just a chip, exhaust and filter. I later upgraded turbo to 280/320 (much, much lag)

the same quality or quantity? you do understand that this is a different engine to the audi right? what can be done with one doesn't necessarily translate to the other.

[HighVoltage]

Originally Posted by smdandb2

Jesus Christ... what is it with the afro engineering on a 50k car around these parts? If you can't afford the right tools and mods, you can't afford the car... period.

Please BMW Nazi, enlighten us with the correct suite of tools and modifications deemed appropriate by the regime...