Blackvue DR650GW-2CH Interferes with Charge Port Opening

[1NJ85D]

I have a Blackvue DR650GW-2CH dashcam installed in my Feb '15 S85D. After much experimentation, I have unequivocally proved that the DR650GW-2CH interferes with the RF signal sent from the Tesla charging cable to the Tesla Model S to command the car to open its charge port. With the camera powered on, the charge port does not open consistently. With the camera powered off, the charge port opens reliably. I must assume that the RF signal causing the interference is emanating from the rear camera, given its location near the charge port antenna (on the left edge of the rear windshield).

In this process, I have also conducted several tests to determine how to best position the charging handle when pressing the button to maximize the chance of the charge port opening. My conclusion is that you want to have the handle higher than the edge of the rear windshield (where the receiving antenna is) with you knuckles pointing down towards the location of the antenna. I must assume that the transmitting antenna on the cable handle is located opposite to the button.

 

[mrElbe]

Very strange. I have no problems that you describe. Charge port opens 99.5% of the time when pressing on the cable button even 2ft away.

 

[HebrHmr]

My rear channel is centered in my rear windshield. I haven't had any issues with it there. It shouldn't be too hard to relocate the camera or ask the installer to since they caused the interference?

 

[berkeley_ecar]

I wonder if the route taken by the cable running from the front camera to the rear camera might also influence this interaction? Different installers can take different approaches.

 

[Cricket88]

Definitely install-related.

My BlackVue does not interfere with my charge port door at all.

 

[Tech_Guy]

On this forum I've read about interference issues with Blackvue and the key fob so this doesn't surprise me... In the end it had to do with the installer cutting the factory cord for the rear camera vs just using a shorter cord, by cutting the cord the rear camera was producing enough interference to prevent the key fob from working. So first id check with your installer that they didn't cut the rear camera cord. Secondly you should also confirm they ran the wires on the passenger side of the car, I was told the drivers side at the rear hatch has other RF cables for the car that would get interference if the rear camera was run on that side.

Suffice to say I installed my own DR650GW 2CH and have no issues with the charge port or key fob. Im 99% sure the installer is to blame 1% chance you have a defective camera or rear cable....

 

[Sir Guacamolaf]

I have the same dashcam, my charge port has no issues.

 

[JPP]

We have Blackvue dual front-rear dash cams in our Model S (mine has an old 550, my wife has a 650). We have never had an issue with camera interfering with opening of the charge port door. Note however I specifically followed the advice of artsci/rick to stay away from pulling the rear coax/power cable through the left hand lift gate boot/sleeve, as GPS and other antennae/cables are there. The left C pillar/liftgate area is also where the antenna for the charge port door is located. So maybe, just maybe, if your rear dash cam cable is routed to the left side, you might have an issue. Also, side note, but early Blackvue 550s had a poorly shielded rear coax that played havoc with DAB radio (for our EU friends). Blackvue came out with a new better shielded cable, but some folks went out and bought ferrite cores to snap onto both ends of the cable to try to reduce interference (instead of re-fishing the cable). One more thing...if your camera installer took a short cut and cut off the right angle connector on the end of the cable to be able to fish it to the rear lift gate camera, and attached a new one, maybe the shielding/ground is not so good, and you are getting interference. Good luck.

 

[PaulR]

+1000 for JP's comments.... No problem on my 2015 S85 once I replaced the older poorly insulated cable with a newer one a year or so ago. Don't let the installer cut or trim or modify that cable as any of that emits unwanted RF which can cause other problems. For instance, my cable interfered with my GPS and threw off my location by a few hundred feet or more.

My rear camera is placed in the center of the back window. absolutely no problems on the charge port door.

Center placement of the camera along with a properly shielded and "uncut" unmodified coax cable should solve the problem.

 

[SMAlset]

We're about to purchase a Blackvue for our soon-to-be delivered MS. Plan to have it installed so this info is coming at the perfect time. Thanks for the question and subsequent info!

 

[whitex]

No problems with my Blackvue. I don't have WiFi always on though - not sure if that matters.

 

[CHG-ON]

I have that cam. I had intermittent issues with the port not opening. Then I just happend to move my cable hanger to be above the rear of the car, right above the charge port, hanging off the ceiling. Now what I do is press the button on the charge cable when I remove it from the holder and the port open perfectly every time. No fail. Therefore, I think the signal is captured from above the car, rather than near the charge port. And I have so many spurious radio signals for all the crap in my house that you would not believe it. Give it a try.

 

[efusco]

Interesting, I need to experiment. I have frustrations with consistent charge port door opening and have the Blackview installed as well. Hadn't considered the dashcam as a potential source of interference. Pressing the button on the charger handle opens the charge port door on my wife's Model X, at least 8 feet away, more quickly and consistently than it does my car from only a few inches away.

 

[whitex]

We have 2 Model S, one with Blackvue dashcam, one without (dashcam still on order from Amazon). There is no difference in how the charge port opens - wish UMC I have to hold it up above the trunk line, with HPWC it seems to matter much less (HPWC must have stronger transmitter or something).

 

[1NJ85D]

Thank you for your comments. Adding some additional comments of my own:


- As confirmed by Tesla, the antenna that receives the RF signal to open the charge port is located on the left edge of the rear windshield.

- Based on my experiments, the antenna that sends the RF signal is located on the charging cable handle, opposite to the button you press to open the charge port, sort of where you knuckles are, when holding the handle.

- If you raise the cable handle so that your knuckles are pointing down towards the left edge of the rear windshield, the charge port will always open, even if the dashcam is powered on.

- The intermittent problem happens when you are holding the charge cable handle below the edge of the windshield, just in front of the charging port.

- I don’t think WiFi plays a role here. I have a WiFI WAP in my garage and a WiFi mobile hotspot in my car and have not observed any issues caused by it.

- The cable that connects the front camera to the rear one has only two conductors. I must assume it is delivering 12V from the front to the back and then, using the same conductors, delivering the image from the back to the front. To do the latter, it must be modulating a high frequency signal with the video. If that is the case, that is the source of the interference.

- Disconnecting the cable at the rear camera eliminates the interference but this doesn’t prove that the interference is caused by the cable versus the rear camera given that in this case, the rear camera is also powered off.

- I did the install myself (See: Yet Another Self Install of the Blackvue DR650GW-2CH) and ran the cable on the right hand side of the car, in the headliner, did not cut the cable, and tucked the excess cable inside the right C pillar. I did not run the cable thru the rea liftgate rubber boot.

- There are some reports of the Blackvue DR650GW-2CH interfering with DAB radio in Europe and people solving the issue by wrapping the cable with self-stick aluminum foil.

- When I have a chance, I plan to put the cable (at least the portion that is inside of my C pillar and along the rear window inside of a braided shielding sleeve like, for example, Amazon.com: 1/8" Metal Braided Shielding/EMI Sleeving - 500 Feet: Home Improvement