Power consumption & sleep modes

No. Your Track My Ride GPS tracker is designed to use very little power, especially when your vehicle is parked.

By default, Track My Ride recommends Online Deep Sleep for supported wired trackers, including:

• TMR-S8
• GeoBeetle Wired

Online Deep Sleep gives a good balance between low power use and keeping the tracker connected to the mobile network.

Your tracker normally enters sleep after your vehicle has been parked for around 30 minutes, provided the tracker can confirm that:

• the engine is off
• the vehicle is not moving
• the selected sleep mode conditions have been met

The tracker will not enter sleep mode if it thinks the vehicle’s engine is on, or if it detects movement.

For all new accounts, we automatically create an alert to monitor your vehicle's battery for you. If your vehicle’s battery drops below 12.0V, we’ll automatically send you an email and app notification so you can put the vehicle on a trickle charger or use the vehicle again to recharge its battery from the engine running.

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How much power does the tracker use?

While driving, the tracker uses a small amount of power and your vehicle’s alternator easily keeps up while the engine is running.

When parked, the tracker can enter a low power sleep mode to reduce battery use. The exact power usage depends on your tracker model and the sleep mode selected.

TMR-S8 power consumption

GeoBeetle Wired power consumption

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What are sleep modes?

Sleep modes allow the tracker to reduce power use when your vehicle is parked. Think of it like your phone turning off power-hungry features when it is not being used.

You can change your tracker's sleep mode from your Track My Ride account by editing the vehicle in the vehicle page.

Sleep modes are available in the following options, from least to most power-saving.

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Disabled / Always On

The tracker does not enter sleep mode.

Choose this if:

• the vehicle is used very frequently throughout the day
• you need the tracker to stay fully active while parked
• battery drain is not a concern

This mode uses the most power.

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GPS Sleep

In GPS Sleep, the tracker reduces power use while parked but stays more active than the deeper sleep modes.

Choose this if:

• you want a light power-saving mode
• the vehicle is used regularly
• you prefer the tracker to remain more active while parked

Note: In GPS Sleep, the tracker does not wake for regular hourly heartbeat check-ins.

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Online Deep Sleep (⭐ Recommended)

Online Deep Sleep is the default mode we recommend for most customers.

In Online Deep Sleep, the tracker significantly reduces power use while still remaining connected to the mobile network. This gives a good balance between battery saving and responsiveness.

Choose this if:

• you want the best everyday balance between battery saving and connectivity
• you drive the vehicle at least occasionally
• you want strong battery protection without using the most aggressive sleep mode

For most cars, utes, vans, motorcycles, and light vehicles, this is the best option.

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Deep Sleep

In Deep Sleep, the tracker uses less power than Online Deep Sleep, but it does not remain as connected while parked.

Choose this if:

• the vehicle is not driven very often
• the vehicle has an older or smaller battery
• you want lower power use and do not need the tracker to remain as responsive while parked

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Ultra Deep Sleep

Ultra Deep Sleep uses the least power. In this mode, the tracker suspends most functions to maximise battery saving.

Choose this if:

• the vehicle may sit unused for weeks or months
• battery life while parked is the top priority
• you do not need regular parked check-ins

Note: In Ultra Deep Sleep, the tracker does not wake for regular hourly heartbeat check-ins. It wakes again when movement or the relevant wake condition is detected.

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When will my tracker enter sleep mode?

Your tracker will only enter sleep mode when it is confident the vehicle is parked.

For most Track My Ride wired tracker installations, this means:

• the vehicle has been parked for around 30 minutes
• the tracker’s configured engine detection source says the engine is off
  • See the Configuring Engine On/Off detection article
• no movement is detected
• the selected sleep mode is enabled
• the tracker has completed any required data sending or background tasks

The tracker will not enter sleep mode if it thinks the engine is still on, or if it detects movement.

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When will my tracker exit sleep mode?

The tracker will wake from sleep when the vehicle is used again.

Depending on the selected sleep mode and tracker configuration, the tracker can wake when:

• movement is detected
• the configured engine detection source turns on
  • See the Configuring Engine On/Off detection article
• the ignition/accessory input is detected (If supported by your model)
• the tracker performs a scheduled hourly heartbeat check-in, where enabled. It will return to sleep mode after approximately 2 minutes.

In normal use, this means the tracker wakes up automatically when you start driving.

Note: Ultra Deep Sleep is the most aggressive power-saving mode and does not perform regular heartbeat check-ins. It wakes again when movement or the relevant wake condition is detected.

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How does the tracker know if the engine is on or off?

Your tracker uses engine detection to decide whether the vehicle is parked or in use. This is important because engine detection affects:

• when the tracker goes to sleep
• when the tracker wakes up
• journey start and stop detection
• alerts and reports

By default, Track My Ride configures supported trackers to use voltage detection, where the engine is considered on when the vehicle battery voltage is 13.2V or higher.

This works well for most vehicles because the battery voltage usually rises when the alternator is charging.

Typical example:

You can learn more about engine on/off detection here:
https://support.trackmyride.com.au/knowledge-base/engine-on-off-detection

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Why might my tracker not enter sleep mode?

If your tracker is not entering sleep mode, the most common reason is that it still thinks the engine is on.

This can happen if you are using voltage detection and your vehicle’s parked or float voltage is still 13.2V or higher. Some vehicles, batteries, trickle chargers, or electrical systems can hold a higher parked voltage. In that case, the tracker may think the engine is on even though the vehicle is parked.

Because the tracker will not enter sleep mode while the engine is considered on, this can prevent sleep mode from activating.

Common causes include:

• a parked battery voltage that sits at or above 13.2V
• a trickle charger or battery maintainer raising the voltage
• modern vehicles with smart charging systems
• the default voltage threshold of 13.2V being too low for that vehicle
• the tracker detecting movement or vibration while parked

If this happens, you may need to adjust the engine on/off voltage threshold in your vehicle settings or adjust the method used to determine the engine on/off state.

For detailed instructions, see:
https://support.trackmyride.com.au/knowledge-base/engine-on-off-detection

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Engine detection options

The available engine detection options depend on your tracker model and installation.

Voltage detection — default

This is the default setup for most vehicles.

The tracker looks at vehicle battery voltage and treats the engine as on when voltage is at or above the configured threshold. By default, this is 13.2V for passenger vehicles.

Choose this if:

• your vehicle’s parked voltage is clearly below 13.2V
• your driving voltage is clearly above 13.2V
• you want the simplest configuration

You may need to adjust this if your parked voltage is unusually high or your vehicle uses a smart charging system.

IGNITION/ACC wire — TMR-S8 hardwired installs

The TMR-S8 can also detect engine on/off using a physical input wire.

On the Track My Ride wiring harness, this wire is labelled IGNITION/ACC. It should be connected to a circuit that is powered >= 12 volts when the ignition or accessory circuit is on, and not powered 0 volts when the vehicle is off.

Choose this if:

• you have a TMR-S8 hardwired installation with the Ignition/ACC wire connected
• voltage based detection is unreliable for your vehicle
• your vehicle’s parked voltage is too close to its driving voltage
• your vehicle disengages the alternator while driving for fuel efficiency
• you want more precise engine on/off detection

Important: The IGNITION/ACC wire must not be connected to a circuit that is always powered. If the tracker always sees ignition on, it will not enter sleep mode and its power consumption will remain hightened.

Motion detection and combination modes

Some vehicles may use motion detection or a combination of voltage and motion detection. These options can help with vehicles where voltage alone is not reliable, including some modern vehicles with smart charging systems that disengage the alternator while driving for fuel efficiency.

For help choosing the right engine detection mode or voltage threshold, see:
https://support.trackmyride.com.au/knowledge-base/engine-on-off-detection

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How do I change the sleep mode?

You can change your tracker’s sleep mode from your Track My Ride account.

To change it:

1. Log in to your Track My Ride account
2. Go to the Vehicles page
3. Click Edit on the vehicle
4. Find the tracker sleep mode setting
5. Choose your preferred sleep mode
6. Save your changes
   1. Your change will be sent to the tracker over the air, you can track its status in the Events tab.

For most customers, we recommend Online Deep Sleep.

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How do I change engine detection settings?

You can also adjust how the tracker detects whether the engine is on or off.

To access engine detection settings:

1. Log in to your Track My Ride account
2. Go to the Vehicles page
3. Click Edit on the vehicle
4. Find Engine detection
5. Choose the best detection method or voltage threshold for your vehicle
6. Save your changes
   1. Your change will be sent to the tracker over the air, you can track its status in the Events tab.

For detailed instructions, including how to choose the correct voltage threshold, see:
https://support.trackmyride.com.au/knowledge-base/engine-on-off-detection

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How do I check my battery voltage?

Your tracker monitors your vehicle battery automatically.

To view your current battery voltage:

1. Log in to your Track My Ride account
2. Go to the Vehicles page
3. Check the Power column or click "more details" dropdown to view the speed/voltage graph.

What the voltage means (with the vehicle turned off)

If your battery is below 12.0V, drive the vehicle for at least 20–30 minutes or connect it to a suitable battery charger for a few hours.

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Can I change how often the tracker wakes up?

Yes. When using supported sleep modes, your tracker can periodically wake up to report in. This is often called the sleep heartbeat.

By default, your tracker wakes up once per hour while sleeping to check in with its current location and vehicle status. You can change this to a longer interval, such as every 2, 6, 12, 24, or 48 hours, to save more power.

To change the heartbeat:

1. Go to your Vehicles page
2. Click Edit on your vehicle
3. Find Deep sleep heartbeat
4. Choose your preferred frequency
5. Save your changes
   1. Your change will be sent to the tracker over the air, you can track its status in the Events tab.

Note: If you are using GPS Sleep or Ultra Deep Sleep, the tracker does not wake for regular heartbeat check-ins. It wakes again when movement or the relevant wake condition is detected.

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Which sleep mode should I choose?

For most Track My Ride customers, Online Deep Sleep is the best choice.