School me on ELM327 adapter

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I would like to get one of these adapters for DIY tinkering. But when it comes to new technology I'm a little out of the loop [chronologically challenged]. I do know I would like a "mini" adapter so as to not bang my knee on it and I'll be using a free version of an app like Torque Or iOBD2. I have read it best to avoid some "clones" or "fake" versions of this product.

Here are some questions.

WiFi vs Bluetooth? I have an old smart i phone S4 and a windows laptop. The i phone can use wifi and Bluetooth but the laptop only wifi. Bluetooth seems to be the most popular. I would want a wifi version? What is the advantage of either system?

Do these elm327 adapters not work with all android/windows/iphone apps or are they specific? I downloaded and installed iOBD2 onto the iphone. Does this mean the adapter must be of the iOS type?
 
You want bluetooth adapter and an Android device with bluetooth that you can load Torque Lite onto. I wouldn't worry about mini unless you plan to drive around with the device installed a lot. I only drove with mine hooked up once in order to get some O2 sensor voltage graphs.
 
I have a wifi adapter and it works semi OK with iPad. Torque Lite is for Android but unfortunately the wifi one I have work very poorly with Android.
 
Why Bluetooth? Is wifi slow or unreliable? I have a laptop with wifi, is a laptop not better for graphing or capturing the data for later?

Just trying to make sense of all this.

I don't currently have an android device. My wife gave away an android tablet. Should have kept it.
 
I'm young and in IT, and even I was confused with the ELM 327 adapter with my iPhone at first! I use the iOBD2 app on my iPhone. Below I'll list how to use it, and include some screenshots.

Plug the ELM327 adapter into your car
Go to WiFi settings and connect to the apapter
Open the iOBD2 app and go to settings. Choose which vehicle you have and make sure the connection type is "WiFi". You can then make sure the settings are correct as far as Celsius, Fahrenheit, and other units.
When actually using the app for data, go to the home screen and wait about 30 seconds and look at the top of the screen, it'll be loading up a bunch of stuff and it takes a minute for it to say "Connection Successful". That's when you know it's ready to use.

When having connection issues, I've found the best way to solve them is with it connected to it in WiFi settings, double click the home button and manually "close" out of the app from the background and re-open it. Wait for it to connect and load up and it should work fine.

Below is some screenshots I went out and took, I also clicked on Diagnostic and show some of the features it allows, as well as then clicking on live data and showing what it offers and what it looks like when you select multiple items to view. You can then click on each individual item and see it live on a graph.

14adi8o.jpg


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Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Why Bluetooth? Is wifi slow or unreliable? I have a laptop with wifi, is a laptop not better for graphing or capturing the data for later?

Just trying to make sense of all this.

I don't currently have an android device. My wife gave away an android tablet. Should have kept it.


Never used one with wifi. You might need to put the laptop and adapter onto the same wifi network via your router. It's a little more complicated than bluetooth. But...if you don't have an Android device or can't get one cheap, you might want to go for wifi. I don't know how the adapter will communicate to your laptop while you're out driving around if you're using wifi.

I don't know what kind of software you'll need on a laptop. It might be better than torque light but it might not be free.

Basic functions like reading codes and turning off CEL and looking at temperatures and O2 voltages are pretty easy with basic software.

Diving in deeper than that, you might want to look at other options besides a cheap adapter. I've never needed anything more than basic.
 
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
My wife gave away an android tablet. Should have kept it.


They aren't expensive at all.

You've got me thinking I might need this set-up, now!
 
If you are using an iPhone, I understand WiFi is the way to go. Apple Bluetooth is picky about what devices will pair with it.

Android, I would imagine you could use either. I have a Bluetooth ELM327 and use my Samsung Note 10.1 to connect.
 
I can not give you any electronic details of those adapters but I have tried many from $4 to $30 and all had issues. The only one that worked was this one from BAFX. And the good part is owner/seller is only that contacted to see if its working. Not that it says much but he wanted to make sure that alls well and if not he wanted to know. That really shows that he wants to sell a quality product.

I am happy with the above adapter. I will be getting Torque Pro soon.
 
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Here's the link to the one I bought last year. It was on sale when I bought it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C3HAHCS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


It looks like the above adapter works with apple,androd and widows. Convenient.


This is the one I bought for my iphone, works great. I bought the 4stroke app for 5$, so for 18$ i had a quick portable scanner. gives live data and you can set up some parameters to monitor a few outputs at once, like a gauge cluster. It hooks up through wifi and its is no problem at all. Its as easy as selecting a network and opening the app like said.
 
What kind of car do you have? If you just want to generic OBDII codes, then the BAFX one mentioned earlier is a good one. Top seller on Amazon and gets the best reviews. Other cheaper $5-10 ones are hit or miss, works on some models, not on others. Basically if you have Android, bluetooth will work, if you just have apple, you have to a Wifi one which typically costs more.

For Ford, there's a free app called Forscan, might also work with Mazda. I have a Mercedes and I use a more advanced one that can scan MB specific codes so you can find error codes on subsystems like SRS, transmission, etc. Those scanners usually cost more money, typically 50-150+. There's a bunch of other scanner companies out there that will scan manufacturer specific codes, just depends what kind of car you have.
 
I have GM and Dodge cars. The BAFX is not available in Canada from Amazon. I have an old iphone and a windows laptop. Would like to be able to use both of these. I think WiFi is the way to go. I would like to see fuel trims and throttle position, MAF, MAP maybe more.
Here is one but I think it's an inferior clone.
https://www.amazon.ca/EX1-Diagnostic-Sca...ords=elm327+ios
 
Last edited:
I have the elm adapter. I was told WiFi was faster than Bluetooth. Have had both and can’t tell the difference but I only use it when idling in the driveway, not when driving around nor with a laptop.

Just bought a Ford and will look into the Forscan. That name is dangerously close to a similar word....
 
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
According to Nick his phone just connects via WiFi. I would guess the laptop would just do the same.


Yes, w/your iphone, get a wifi one. I bought one of the smaller blue ELM327 wifi units off ebay last year for $6.50 delivered. I use it w/an iphone and the iOBD2 you have installed and I leave it in my SUV. Works great for reading/clearing codes, and it's small so you can leave it installed if driving to test.

I also have one of the larger orange/black ones that is bluetooth. It also works well, but not with the iPhone. I leave it in her car along with an old, otherwise useless, android phone in case I ever need to read a code on her car and mine is elsewhere. It was also only a few dollars and I have the free "Torquelite" on the android phone for that purpose.
 
Originally Posted By: bcossa2001
I have the elm adapter. I was told WiFi was faster than Bluetooth. Have had both and can’t tell the difference but I only use it when idling in the driveway, not when driving around nor with a laptop.

Just bought a Ford and will look into the Forscan. That name is dangerously close to a similar word....


Yeah they couldn't call it Fordscan because it's copyrighted, trademarked or something like that. It's pretty powerful, even lets you program new keys to the car.

As for leaving it plugged in. Be careful as not all of them shutoff when the car is off. Some still draw power. Although a small amount but if you leave it too long, you may find a dead battery.
 
I've had plenty of cheap ones and some would not even connect to Torque on my android. And different versions of android give different results to, the newer the better.

Scantool.net has some good ones and they re ery fast and low power draw. You can leave them in all the time with a car driven once a week or so.

The different in reporting speed was dramatically faster with the Scntool one. There is a wifi version too.

https://www.scantool.net/scan-tools/smart-phone/
 
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