Dashcam Installation

tsinc80697

tsinc80697

tsinc80697

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I bought a couple of Mini 0801's a few weeks ago and I've finally got a chance to install them but wanted to check something on the electrical side of things before I go and blow up the car. I want to hardwire them into the car and tuck the wires away.

The power cable I have is a mini USB to cigarette lighter. A sticker on the cable says input DC 8-48V, output DC 5v 2A, meaning I only need 5v/2A to power the camera?

I was planning on using a piggyback fuse onto a 10A fuse for rear view mirror, can I simple cut the end of the power cable (cigarette end) and wire this into the piggyback fuse? Or will this be 12V and I need 5V for the camera?

Piggyback fuse
k1gu.png


Or do I need a female cigarette socket that can connect the power cable to and then wire into the piggyback fuse?

Female cigarette socket
ham8.png
 
tsinc80697 said:
The power cable I have is a mini USB to cigarette lighter. A sticker on the cable says input DC 8-48V, output DC 5v 2A, meaning I only need 5v/2A to power the camera?
Click to expand...

No, this means the USB adapter is rated to supply 5v up to a maximum of 2 amps. The adapter obviously knows nothing about the cameras power requirements, but as long as they need less than 2 amps in total it should be fine.

tsinc80697 said:
I was planning on using a piggyback fuse onto a 10A fuse for rear view mirror, can I simple cut the end of the power cable (cigarette end) and wire this into the piggyback fuse? Or will this be 12V and I need 5V for the camera?
Click to expand...

Without seeing the cable in question it's not possible to say. However, the majority of cigarette lighter adapters have the actual voltage regulator built into the cigarette lighter plug, so you can't splice into any cables.

tsinc80697 said:
Or do I need a female cigarette socket that can connect the power cable to and then wire into the piggyback fuse?
Click to expand...

This would probably be the simplest option. However, cigarette lighter power plugs are notoriously unreliable, especially if the cigarette lighter has ever been used for it's intended purpose. The slightest movement can cause the connection to break.

Assuming the regulator is built into the cigarette lighter plug, the best option for size and reliability would be to remove the PCB from the plug, attach your own 12v power wires and then insulate the resulting assembly.
 
Thanks, here's a photo of the power cable. I was hoping for a simple cut and connect but looks like it won't be without any possible reliability issues.

Power cable
n3mc.jpg
 
with that power cable and mentioning a female socket, could you simply remove the electronics from the power cable and piggyback them onto the back of the lighter socket and have the pcb from the adapter within the dash? that's what I think I'd do as like you said that fused lead will supply 12v, then again you could just use the electrics from the adapter and connect it up to that fused power adapter in the first pic?
 
Do not cut ciggy lighter bit off - That drop's your 12v to 5v - Look on your instructions -it should say 5v for camera.

I have two with flip down screen and both are 5v - I also have a Roadhawk and that runs on 12 or 24v.

DO what you said about female ciggy socket.

Dave
 
If I was going down the female socket route it wouldn't be wired into the in-car socket as they'll be a pain in the arse to get to. I was going to just connect the power cable to a female socket then piggyback a fuse, and have the power cable connecting to the female socket next to the fusebox. If that makes sense?

So I wouldn't be touching the in-car cigarette sockets, just going fuse -> female socket -> power cable.
 
I always use piggybag fuse that goes on and off with ignition. Connect an ebay female cigarette lighter to the piggybag and put it on the glovebox. Then take the power cable from the dashcam to the glovebox and plug into cig lighter.

Always the easiest.
 
Can you post the eBay link? There are loads of lighter adaptors but I'd rather buy a couple that someone has used and work ok than some half arsed ones.

Internal fuse box for me is on the drivers side, will have to investigate if I can fit in the sockets/cables nearby.
 
Meh just get any old one with a wire sticking out of it, they're all the same.

I just did uk only and pap lowest first with 1st class delivery.

Or you can ditch the cig altogether and chop the end off the power cable, power into fusetap and the get a ground nearby..
 
tsinc80697 said:
That's what I had planned on doing but people have said that won't work as the camera needs 5v not 12v.
Click to expand...

you'd have to take the electrics out of the end of the power lead so that it converts the 12v to 5v, could probably get a small electronics box from maplin or something to make it tidier. so you would essentially be hard wiring the piggyback fuse to the lighter socket power lead....just without all the plastic bulk :)

(love doing this sort of stuff hehe :) )
 
tsinc80697 said:
Fancy earning yourself some beer tokens Sasso? ;)


So something like this, but not from the far east would be ideal? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Power-Converter-Display-Supply/dp/B008VORADW Although that does say 3A and the power cable I have states 2A.
Click to expand...

Always want beer tokens!!! :p

well you don't even need to buy that really... as that's pretty much what's in the end of that power lead ;) only real tricky bit would be making sure you get the live and ground connections soldered up the right way round xD and finding a ground point for it ;)
 
Ah ok, is it safe to use that one from Amazon or not as that is outputting 3A when the camera only needs 2A? Just wondering if it is easier to buy something rather than cut up these cables in case I ever want to sell the cameras :D
 
tsinc80697 said:
Ah ok, is it safe to use that one from Amazon or not as that is outputting 3A when the camera only needs 2A? Just wondering if it is easier to buy something rather than cut up these cables in case I ever want to sell the cameras :D
Click to expand...

mmmm yea that's true I suppose, less cutting of original things would be good for resale xD

and it's rated to output UP TO 3amps, so the camera will only draw 2 amps as it needs. so this way round is fine :) just think of like like PC usb devices. pc's typically can output 5v @ a max of 500mA. so anything that requires less than 500mA is fine and draws what it needs, but if it requires more then you either have a double usb connector (giving 1A) or you need an external power source to power the device :)


so your way round is fine, but if the came needed 3A and the converter would only put out 2A then either the camera just wouldn't function or you could damage the converter :p

pretty sure that's all correct anyways
 
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