BB-SBM12 Battery Bug Starting Battery Monitor Support

Show all/Hide all

Can the wires of the BB-SBM12 be extended to mount the display remote from the batteries?

No.  The wire lengths are specific to the design of the product.  Modifying the BB in any way can cause it to function incorrectly or not at all.

What is the purpose of the flashing bar on the 'fan display?'

The flashing bar indicates the most recent cranking performance.  The solid bars of the fan indicate the overall cranking health of the battery.

What does the 'half full' battery icon mean?

The BB has determined that the battery charge level is low and the battery should be charged.

Show all/Hide all

Why is the cranking performance much lower on the first start of the day than other starts?

Cause: The BB measures cranking performance at every start and cold engines are more difficult to start (lower cranking performance) than warm engines (higher cranking performance.) The lowest cranking performance is used to determine cranking health.

The BB beeps for 30 seconds every time the engine is turned off.

Cause: The BB has recorded a very poor cranking health in a recent start and has determined that the battery is near its end of life.

Solution: Please refer to symptom 5. Reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it. If the BB again indicates to replace the battery, replace the battery now to avoid an unexpected failure.

Why does the BB indicate to replace the battery, but the engine still starts?

Cause: The BB has recorded a very poor cranking health in a recent start and has determined that the battery is near its end of life. The BB is designed to indicate a weak battery before it fails to start the engine. Under normal conditions the battery will have sufficient life remaining to continue starting the engine a period of time.
Solution: Confirm the replace battery indication by resetting the BB and starting the engine again. Reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it. If the BB again indicates to replace the battery, replace the battery now to avoid an unexpected failure.

Cause: The BB has recorded a very poor cranking performance because the battery was extremely cold. A 'temperature icon' will be indicated on the display if the BB believes the cranking health may be the result of extremely cold battery temperature.
Solution: If cold temperatures are common you should consider replacing the battery at this time. If cold temperatures are unusual, continue to use the battery and reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it.

The engine doesn't turn over, but the BB indicates Cranking Health above 20%.

Cause: The battery has been discharged to the point where it can't crank the engine. The Battery Bug is designed to distinguish between a battery that is merely discharged, and one that is near the end of its useful life. If the Cranking Health is high, but the engine fails to crank, the Battery Bug has determined that the battery is healthy, but discharged.
Solution: Charge the battery and start the engine.

Cause: There is a defect in the starting system, such as a defective starter motor or related wiring.
Solution: Have the starting system checked by a qualified technician.

The BB is beeping a few times every two minutes. What does this mean?

Cause: The BB has determined that the battery is in a low state of charge. If the battery voltage is below 12.1V continuously for more than 20 seconds, the BB will turn on the 'low battery icon' and beep every two minutes.
Solution: Charge the battery to avoid permanent battery damage.

Show all/Hide all

Why is the cranking performance much lower on the first start of the day than other starts?

Cause: The BB measures cranking performance at every start and cold engines are more difficult to start (lower cranking performance) than warm engines (higher cranking performance.) The lowest cranking performance is used to determine cranking health.

The BB beeps for 30 seconds every time the engine is turned off.

Cause: The BB has recorded a very poor cranking health in a recent start and has determined that the battery is near its end of life.

Solution: Please refer to symptom 5. Reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it. If the BB again indicates to replace the battery, replace the battery now to avoid an unexpected failure.

Why does the BB indicate to replace the battery, but the engine still starts?

Cause: The BB has recorded a very poor cranking health in a recent start and has determined that the battery is near its end of life. The BB is designed to indicate a weak battery before it fails to start the engine. Under normal conditions the battery will have sufficient life remaining to continue starting the engine a period of time.
Solution: Confirm the replace battery indication by resetting the BB and starting the engine again. Reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it. If the BB again indicates to replace the battery, replace the battery now to avoid an unexpected failure.

Cause: The BB has recorded a very poor cranking performance because the battery was extremely cold. A 'temperature icon' will be indicated on the display if the BB believes the cranking health may be the result of extremely cold battery temperature.
Solution: If cold temperatures are common you should consider replacing the battery at this time. If cold temperatures are unusual, continue to use the battery and reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it.

The display has some indications but they do not make any sense.

Cause: The microprocessor in the BB needs to be reset.

Solution: Reset the BB by removing one BB lead from the battery and re-attaching it.

The engine doesn't turn over, but the BB indicates Cranking Health above 20%.

Cause: The battery has been discharged to the point where it can't crank the engine. The Battery Bug is designed to distinguish between a battery that is merely discharged, and one that is near the end of its useful life. If the Cranking Health is high, but the engine fails to crank, the Battery Bug has determined that the battery is healthy, but discharged.
Solution: Charge the battery and start the engine.

Cause: There is a defect in the starting system, such as a defective starter motor or related wiring.
Solution: Have the starting system checked by a qualified technician.

The BB is beeping a few times every two minutes. What does this mean?

Cause: The BB has determined that the battery is in a low state of charge. If the battery voltage is below 12.1V continuously for more than 20 seconds, the BB will turn on the 'low battery icon' and beep every two minutes.
Solution: Charge the battery to avoid permanent battery damage.

The display is blank.

Cause: The BB has been installed with the leads reversed.
Solution: Reverse the red and black leads of the BB to match the polarity of he battery.

Cause: The microprocessor in the BB needs to be reset.
Solution: Remove one BB lead from the battery, wait 5 seconds and re-attach it to the battery.

Cause: The battery is completely discharged.
Solution: Fully charge the battery. Remove and re-attach one BB lead to reset the Battery Bug microprocessor.

Cause: The Battery Bug has an internal failure.
Solution: Replace the Battery Bug.