Hard-wiring a Dash Cam

I just had a local car modification shop fit mine for £50, more than happy to pay that for someone who knows what they're doing. They did a fantastic job as well, no signs of tampering with the headliner or behind the dash etc
 
Hmm,
I ordered all the bits and went out to do mine this morning....

I ordered a "mini" piggyback fuse holder after searching this forum, it was generally recommended as the required part....(Im adding a female fag lighter in the glovebox to plug my dashcam into - its a Transcend drivepro 200 and needs an ignition live).

Unfortunately it isnt! If you want to piggyback on to the fag lighter fuse (f40) its a regular sized fuse....

Will have to order one of them now!

Also, can I ask, where are people putting the earth? Couldnt see anything easy in the glovebox fuse box.
 
Just done some further investigation....... Cant find any ignition live in the glovebox fuses apart from the fag lighter....

So, for all of you considering hardwiring to an ignition live, you will need a STANDARD size piggyback fuse, not a mini as has been stated In other threads!

Will update once my new piggyback arrives and I can get this thing fitted!
 
 
whoops yeah sorry forgot to add the 'add a circuit' thingy. So the red wire from the cig lighter goes to the add a circuit. And the black wire is ground.

Hmm doesn't seem too tricky !!
 
Nope, hardest bit I found was having the guts to pull hard enough on the A pillar trim! There is a good nut you can use behind the lower A pillar trim for Ground. I crimped on a spade connector, loosened the nut, and then tightened it back on to the connector. Job jobbed!
 
which fuse did you use btw ? Trying to find a copy of the owners manual so I can see clearly the fuse layout.
 
That griffin usb plug might be too short to complete a circuit, i had that problem.
 
sorry one more question as buying the bits now...

Do I need a 2 or 3 meter usb cable from the mirror to fuse ?
 
mjcourtney said:
Fuse 40 for the accessories / aux port, its the only switched live one in there.
Click to expand...

This is interesting. I never found a switched one really, all the ones I tested seemed to be always-on (though the always-on one I've picked appears not to be live when stop/start is active...). I ended up using the cigarette lighter for the switched supply. Perhaps I should switch to fuse 40 instead.
 
Fuse 40 is the cigarette lighter... Well in mine it is!

For the permanently on feed I used the fuse marked MMI, up the top left of the board. Seems to have stayed on :)
 
Ah OK, fair enough. I'll try that then. I have the voice messages on my Blackvue turned on at the moment so I can diagnose when the camera goes off or back on, looking forward to turning them off when there are no more issues!
 
Just tried playing around with the fuses on mine. Could not find a permanently live fuse anywhere! It doesn't help I think that I have the 'standard' size add-a-fuse, which limits my options a bit. Eventually just put it back how it was until I have more time to look at it, but I may have to find myself an adapter of some kind (or make one) and try out some of the smaller size fuses.
 
Hmm, I'll grab the number of the fuse I used next time I'm at the car but as far as I can tell it stays live. It's the one marked MMI in the handbook.
 
Yeh, I found that one from your description, but it's a smaller sized one. There was another (standard sized) one marked MMI but that didn't seem to work all the time.
 
cemerson said:
Just tried playing around with the fuses on mine. Could not find a permanently live fuse anywhere! It doesn't help I think that I have the 'standard' size add-a-fuse, which limits my options a bit. Eventually just put it back how it was until I have more time to look at it, but I may have to find myself an adapter of some kind (or make one) and try out some of the smaller size fuses.
Click to expand...

Every mini fuse in there is permanently live, you need a mini fuse piggy back (tap a fuse) for that.
That's the mistake I made when looking for a ignition on live one lol

Was scratching my head wondering why all of them was live all the time.
 
Ah, I wondered if that would be the case. I've been looking for a converter to plug into mini that will give me a standard sized socket to make things easier, but looks like I'll have to resolder a new fuse tap instead...
 
Hi,

Just wiring in mine now, but can't seem to get any power to the new female cig lighter. The main one works fine.

So I replace with fuse 40 which is a 20 amp fuse 2 in fron the right but nothing. Any other ideas ? Think I got it all correct.

Pictures below of where I put the ground also.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    678.5 KB · Views: 1,132
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    804.3 KB · Views: 1,244
Can't quite see where you've put the ground, is it the yellow ring around the stud?

If so, I don't think that is grounded. Youll need to pull off the plastic A pillar trim right next to the glovebox and attach it to one of the bolts in there. It's quite easy to remove, just give it a tug.

Fuse 40 is the permanent live feed in mine, but it sounds like in some cars this turn off occasionally, might depend what equipment is fitted.
 
Yeah used the one with the yellow bolt stud thing.

Ok I'll pull the trim to the left of that. Brb
 
Woooo all working, thanks.

Yeah using a metal ground for sure and just started working. Will monitor over the next few days.

Thanks for all your help
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 299
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mjcourtney
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Chardsy
Hard Wire Dash Cam
Replies
73
Views
19K
cemerson
C
C
Fitting Dash Cam - hard wired
Replies
7
Views
12K
T-800
T
D
S3 saloon dash cam wiring location
Replies
1
Views
922
spikeydoo
spikeydoo
W
Installing a Dash Cam
Replies
103
Views
17K
Mikeso51
M
Kalashnikov
Dash-cam to Mirror wiring loom.
Replies
1
Views
1K
rcnacura
rcnacura
Top
Back