Asset Tracker Real-World Operating Voltage Range

Hi, everyone,

Automotive engineer here. Loving my Asset Tracker v2. I see the GPS shield is plainly marked “12VDC Max.” So here’s the thing: most automotive electrical systems are nominally rated at 12 V, but actually operate a bit higher, usually between 12.5 and 14 V, maybe even as high a 14.5 V. Is the input voltage tolerance of this shield such that I don’t need to concern myself with installing a buck converter? I see that I can also power it via a robust USB power source.

The documentation is unambiguous: 12 V Max, on the part, and in the docs.

I ask the question about the automotive battery power, since one can infer from several threads here that that a simple 12 V hookup is what people are doing, apparently without issue. The key word being “apparently.”

Thank you in advance for your suggestions and clarifications.

The AssetTracker can handle 14.5V from a typical lead-acid battery and charger, such as solar applications.

However we don’t recommend connecting it directly to an automobile electrical system without additional protection, as there can be voltage transients much larger than 18V.

One such option is the Ford OpenXC interface. Specifically, the power supply here:

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Thanks, Rikkas7. That is indeed most helpful.