What fuse to use for dashcam hardwire?

redrook

redrook

A4 Avant Technik 2.0 TDIe 163ps
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So I've just bought a nextbase dashcam and I'm looking to hardwire it, because no way am I paying Halfords £40 for 10 mins work.

I see there are two fuse boxes in the front, one on either side of the dash. Just wondering what fuse you guys would recommend using. Obviously I only want an ignition-initiated circuit. I had hoped to use the lighter but I believe that's in the boot? and I cba running a cable to the boot.

I realise this will have been asked before, and I've done a search, but I haven't found a post with someone stating what fuse they actually used.
 
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I used fuse 4 in the black connector on the drivers side with a spade terminal for the switched live. I can't remember what I used for the permanent live as I have scotch blocked it to a wire behind the fuse box. Its been wired in for over a year now with no issues.
IMG 20190730 WA0001
 
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EXSpartan36 said:
I used fuse 4 in the black connector on the drivers side with a spade terminal for the switched live. I can't remember what I used for the permanent live as I have scotch blocked it to a wire behind the fuse box. Its been wired in for over a year now with no issues.
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Awesome thanks! Any idea what that fuse is for out of curiosity? Any reason you went for a spade, and why two lives? I notice you're not using a piggyback fuse thing. I'll give your setup a go, I don't need a permanent live, and most kits seem to just have a live (with a fuse piggyback) and earth. Did you just earth it to a bolt or something?
 
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redrook said:
Awesome thanks! Any idea what that fuse is for out of curiosity? Any reason you went for a spade? I notice you're not using a piggyback fuse thing. I'll give your setup a go, I don't need a permanent live, and most kits seem to just have a live (with a fuse piggyback) and earth. Did you just earth it to a bolt or something?
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If I remember correctly it had something to do with the comfort module it would of been for an optional extra that I don't have fitted to my car. There's 2 reasons for not using a piggy back fuse. First is there is only 1 terminal in that particular fuse so I wasn't actually tapping off anything. Second the leads for my camera are individually fused in the harness itself.
 
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EXSpartan36 said:
If I remember correctly it had something to do with the comfort module it would of been for an optional extra that I don't have fitted to my car. There's 2 reasons for not using a piggy back fuse. First is there is only 1 terminal in that particular fuse so I wasn't actually tapping off anything. Second the leads for my camera are individually fused in the harness itself.
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A right, for some reason I thought I would have to use a fuse which was already there, didn't realise that circuits for non-fitted options would still work.
 
redrook said:
A right, for some reason I thought I would have to use a fuse which was already there, didn't realise that circuits for non-fitted options would still work.
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Audi is pretty good like that. The wiring to the fusebox for an optional extra is always there. All you do when you add the extra equipment is run the wire to the other side of the fuse.
 
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EXSpartan36 said:
Audi is pretty good like that. The wiring to the fusebox for an optional extra is always there. All you do when you add the extra equipment is run the wire to the other side of the fuse.
Click to expand...

That's handy for retrofitting things too!
 
I used the fuse for AfL in mine, 4 down, drivers side, 1st block on the left I think. Used a piggy back and earthed it of the dash support arm
 
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Boundy said:
I used the fuse for AfL in mine, 4 down, drivers side, 1st block on the left I think. Used a piggy back and earthed it of the dash support arm
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Nice one thanks, what is AfL? Sorry it's probably a really obvious acronym!
 
I used the mmi fuse on the pasenger side as it doesn't lose power with the stop start.
 
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Ok so I've just tried to fit it as per instructions, piggyback into MMI fuse and negative cable onto random bolt - silver, top left (which, rather alarmingly, sparked when neg spade contacted it). See pic for how I set it up.

The camera is turning on without the key in the ignition and not turning off. Anyone able to help? It's back on the cigarette lighter connection now.

20190802 220338 907x1612
 

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I used the mmi as i want the cam on 24/7 and if you use the 5amp on the drivers side, every time the stop start activates the dash cam restarts so you lose that time inbetween, so if some thing were to happen in that time you have no evidence.
 
Nosh said:
I used the mmi as i want the cam on 24/7 and if you use the 5amp on the drivers side, every time the stop start activates the dash cam restarts so you lose that time inbetween, so if some thing were to happen in that time you have no evidence.
Click to expand...

Ah I do not want it running 24/7. Do you know which fuse to use if I want it to turn off when I remove the key? I tried a couple of fuses on that side including the a/c but it still turned on without the key in the ignition.
 
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redrook said:
Ah I do not want it running 24/7. Do you know which fuse to use if I want it to turn off when I remove the key? I tried a couple of fuses on that side including the a/c but it still turned on without the key in the ignition.
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I can't remember which fuse I used on the drivers side but try and find the fuse for the cigarette lighter as that one losses power when the ignition is switched off.
 
Nosh said:
I can't remember which fuse I used on the drivers side but try and find the fuse for the cigarette lighter as that one losses power when the ignition is switched off.
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Thanks, I'll check the manual tomorrow but I think it's in the boot. I'm hoping there's a switched live somewhere in the front.
 
Nosh said:
Look at this. Its for left hand drive cars, so their driver is our passenger.
http://www.audihowto.com/audi-a4-b8-2007-2015-fuses-list-fuse-box-diagram-location-amperage/
Hope this helps.
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Yup cigarette lighter is in the trunk. I'll have to do a bit of trial and error to find a switched live.

Do you just leave your cam on all the time, or do you switch it off overnight etc? Just not sure I trust myself to remember to switch it off if I'm away for a few days or whatever and it drains the battery.
 
I leave it running 24/7. Learnt my lesson on my last car after coming out in the morning to a great big dent on the wing. I now use front and back cameras.
 
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Nosh said:
I leave it running 24/7. Learnt my lesson on my last car after coming out in the morning to a great big dent on the wing. I now use front and back cameras.
Click to expand...

Ah right, and I'm guessing you've never had the battery drain?
 
audi upgrades
Nosh said:
I use front and back camera's.

No. I drive almost every day.
Click to expand...

Me too but occasionally I'm away for a whole weekend and the car just sits. I suppose it can be switched off manually though. I assume there would be no drain if I just unplugged the camera from the mount (it's a new nextbase with the magnetic mount).
 
Before I start my trial and error does anyone know which fuses (if any) in the front are switched live?
 
Ok so I've got it wired to the driver side (RHD) and it's all good. The black fuse carrier seems to be switched live. No issue with the stop start as the camera doesn't switch off instantly. I just stuck it in a blank space on the black carrier a (neg to the bolt at the top) seems to be working fine.

20190803 094747 567x1008
 
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