Wanted: Guide for hard wiring dash cam

Remember that I'm pretty sure the ciggy sockets are can-bus activated... so when you test, you'll need the ignition on.

Even so, when you did this wiring, and ignoring the voltmeter readings, did it not power the camera at all?

(29-12-2013 02:15pm)RacingSnake Wrote:  What info are you after?
(and I don't mean to be funny!)
You need 2 wires plumbed into the fuse box behind the glove box.

I took the ignition live from the ciggy lighter fuse (I think!), and the permanent live from the OBD fuse. (take from the bottom pin of the fuses)
I ran the cable up behind the A pillar trim, which removes by flicking out the 'SRS Airbag' plastic trim and unscrewing the T27??? torx screw behind it.
I ran the cable across the top of the windscreen, tucked under the leading edge of the roof lining and just popped the power lead down next to the mirror.
I put it on the passenger side rather than the drivers side, it doesn't really affect the pov of the camera and I don't notice it at all.

did your camera come with a cable for hardwiring with no plug or did you have to cut off the accessory plug. If so how did you know which wire was which

my camera came with a ciggy plug and I bought a 'power magic pro' which is a voltage monitor to stop it from draining the battery (ironically! lol).
the PMP came with 3 wires to plumb into the fuse box and its own ciggy socket for the camera.

I wonder if 2014MY cars with Lane Departure and Road Sign Recognition can utilise the cam behind the mirror that those systems use - or if LR secretly feeds the info into the blackbox recorder.....................

I am looking at fitting a dashcam to a family members car and I metered the feed at F67 (live feed for towbar) but measured the already mentioned 6V (I have a feeling this is being fed through a relay after the fuse before the 12V hits the rear towbar socket as you have to fit an additional relay as part of the kit). Having looked at the PMP I don't see anything special about it's installation (still needs 12V for camera to operate) so F63 as mentioned by Racing Snake must be 12V ACC+ which is needed for record only while driving cameras (doubled checked PMP fitting guide and red is ACC+).

I need to meter this fuse (F63) to double check the voltage when the ignition is on.

I would rather not have to splice into wiring looms and would like to use a piggy back fuse just like I have in my VRs.

Having also read the other posts on power connections and bing0r posts I see no mention of where he is getting the earth feed from. I am wondering if this also has an impact.

I will follow Racing Snakes advice and report back.

Seems in most cars the feed is from the top and here from the bottom and at F63 this will not fit unless I can find a different handed piggyback fuse.

(18-03-2014 08:35pm)welsh_kai_boy Wrote:  I am looking at fitting a dashcam to a family members car and I metered the feed at F67 (live feed for towbar) but measured the already mentioned 6V (I have a feeling this is being fed through a relay after the fuse before the 12V hits the rear towbar socket as you have to fit an additional relay as part of the kit). Having looked at the PMP I don't see anything special about it's installation (still needs 12V for camera to operate) so F63 as mentioned by Racing Snake must be 12V ACC+ which is needed for record only while driving cameras (doubled checked PMP fitting guide and red is ACC+).

I need to meter this fuse (F63) to double check the voltage when the ignition is on.

I would rather not have to splice into wiring looms and would like to use a piggy back fuse just like I have in my VRs.

Having also read the other posts on power connections and bing0r posts I see no mention of where he is getting the earth feed from. I am wondering if this also has an impact.

I will follow Racing Snakes advice and report back.

Seems in most cars the feed is from the top and here from the bottom and at F63 this will not fit unless I can find a different handed piggyback fuse.

I fitted the camera today using the right hand bottom nut for ground and F52 (front cigar lighter socket) as the switched live. I did see some odd meter readings (lower than 12V) however once loaded they seemed to rise to 12V.

(23-03-2014 08:36pm)welsh_kai_boy Wrote:  I fitted the camera today using the right hand bottom nut for ground and F52 (front cigar lighter socket) as the switched live. I did see some odd meter readings (lower than 12V) however once loaded they seemed to rise to 12V.

I'm in the precess of installing my PMP & dashcam and would appreciate a little clarification if you don't mind.

You used:-

12V ACC+ - Red wire - Fuse F52 - Switched Live
Ground - Black wire - Right hand bottom nut - (where exactly is this nut located?)
12V Live - Yellow Wire - 12V permanent live - (which fuse did you tap into for this?)

Many thanks

Regards
Mark

(23-03-2014 09:24pm)edgedata Wrote:  You used:-

12V ACC+ - Red wire - Fuse F52 - Switched Live CORRECT
Ground - Black wire - Right hand bottom nut - (where exactly is this nut located) It holds the fuse box in place, it's a 10mm nut accessible from bottom foot well.
12V Live - Yellow Wire - 12V permanent live - (which fuse did you tap into for this?) I didn't need a permanent live as the camera only uses +/- however I did meter one at F64.

Remember that the feed is from the bottom of the fuse position. Don't be alarmed as at F64 it originally read 9V but once I loaded the pin it seemed to rise to 12V and stay at 12V. Pretty weird but all OK.

At F52 and F64 there is plenty of room to use a fuse piggy back. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251170199430?s...1439.l2649

(23-03-2014 10:14pm)welsh_kai_boy Wrote:  Remember that the feed is from the bottom of the fuse position. Don't be alarmed as at F64 it originally read 9V but once I loaded the pin it seemed to rise to 12V and stay at 12V. Pretty weird but all OK.

At F52 and F64 there is plenty of room to use a fuse piggy back. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251170199430?s...1439.l2649

Thanks for your very helpful advice. Much appreciated.
I already have the fuse taps ready but thanks for the link anyway - could help someone else doing the same job.

Regards
Mark

I would be interested to see how this hard- wired cam work once you get it going please do post final outcome.

Thanks