Dashcam Install Help

[AdamNS]

Thank you! I was looking into DPDT switches and was confused how Id wire it up. Is the one you linked 12V compatible? The only DPDT switch I found that said it was for DC 12V was a momentary one:
https://www.amazon.com/Momentary-Automobile-Power-Window-Switch/dp/B009ERVR6G

Yeah, Almost any DPDT switch will work. This is very low voltage and amperage. (though as you noted, don't use a momentary switch)
The main differences in switches you will see is "on - on" vs "on - off - on". The difference there is that the former has only 2 positions and you are either connected to one thing or the other. The latter has 3 positions on the switch: Up is connected to one thing, Down is connected to the other, or in the middle is connected to neither. For this application, it's really just a preference if you want an "off" position or not.

All of these should work:
http://a.co/581sYbG
http://a.co/6kL5rnd
http://a.co/bbrRW8Z
http://a.co/7C3PmHQ
http://a.co/ipv8npi
http://a.co/c1GOy4z
... you get the idea

 

[SDKoala]

Yep! basically.

The purpose was to have the dashcam ALWAYS record when I get into the car, even if the connection to the battery was switched off. The switches done before in this thread is just to turn off the connection from the Power Magic battery to the dash cam. So if you forgot to switch it on before a drive, it will not record anything. With a SPDT switch, if I switch it to 12v cig power, it will still start recording when I get into the car but not utilize the Power magic battery unless I switch it back. Since my current commute is only 5 minutes, I can't keep the Power magic ultra charged consistently unless I turn on preconditioning 30 minutes a day. So I would likely keep the switch switched to 12v power a majority of the time unless I'm parked in public places.

I ordered this SPDT switch, a soldering kit, and another cig power adapter. I will try it out today or tomorrow

Let us know how it works out. You definitely don't need the more expensive BlackVue power adapter if you're just using it for the plug end. It's a simple cigarette socket plug with a 2A fuse and 24 AWG wire that goes for a couple of bucks on eBay. You shouldn't need to solder anything either. Switches like that use crimp on spade wire connectors and if you have to get into the cigarette adapter plugs, most have screw on terminals (though the BlackVue one is annoying soldered together). You could use butt connectors if you need to connect wire-to-wire.

You do get the benefit of powering on automatically no matter which way the switch is positioned, but you've added the risk of forgetting to switching to battery when parking to keep the cam running and haven't eliminated the need to switch from battery to back to 12V when getting home to avoid running out of charge overnight. Plus you'll have a hardwired switch that you need to attach somewhere. If you tuck it out of the way, chances are you'll forget to switch it over enough times to make it super annoying.

 

[ranova]

Let us know how it works out. You definitely don't need the more expensive BlackVue power adapter if you're just using it for the plug end. It's a simple cigarette socket plug with a 2A fuse and 24 AWG wire that goes for a couple of bucks on eBay. You shouldn't need to solder anything either. Switches like that use crimp on spade wire connectors and if you have to get into the cigarette adapter plugs, most have screw on terminals (though the BlackVue one is annoying soldered together). You could use butt connectors if you need to connect wire-to-wire.

You do get the benefit of powering on automatically no matter which way the switch is positioned, but you've added the risk of forgetting to switching to battery when parking to keep the cam running and haven't eliminated the need to switch from battery to back to 12V when getting home to avoid running out of charge overnight. Plus you'll have a hardwired switch that you need to attach somewhere. If you tuck it out of the way, chances are you'll forget to switch it over enough times to make it super annoying.

Yup, will do.

Turning on parking mode will require more thought from me as I will likely have to turn on the hotspot in my car as well. I will likely keep it on the 12V source a majority of the time if I am just commuting to and from work.

This would all be a lot cheaper AND easier if we could hardwire directly to the car's battery/fuse box

 

[ranova]

Yeah, Almost any DPDT switch will work. This is very low voltage and amperage. (though as you noted, don't use a momentary switch)
The main differences in switches you will see is "on - on" vs "on - off - on". The difference there is that the former has only 2 positions and you are either connected to one thing or the other. The latter has 3 positions on the switch: Up is connected to one thing, Down is connected to the other, or in the middle is connected to neither. For this application, it's really just a preference if you want an "off" position or not.

All of these should work:
http://a.co/581sYbG
http://a.co/6kL5rnd
http://a.co/bbrRW8Z
http://a.co/7C3PmHQ
http://a.co/ipv8npi
http://a.co/c1GOy4z
... you get the idea

Awesome thanks. I noticed that your diagram only has 5 terminals and these DPDT switches have 6. Which 5 do I choose?

Edit: nm your diagram does have 6, but in a 4 and 2 layout and these switches are in a 3/3 layout. How would you wire that? Blackvue battery on the left 2 terminals, dashcam in the center 2 terminals, and 12V on the right two terminals? (sorry, Im an electrical noob)

 

[mister yub]

Thanks for the suggestions. Is there a way to create a switch that switches the Blackvue camera between regular 12V from the cigarette socket and the battery? I think that would be the most useful way since if you turn off the battery or create a switch to turn off the connection, you have to remember each time to turn it back on before you go on a drive. I find it really annoying that if you turn off the battery, it doesn't pass through power straight from the 12V.

If I could create a switch that switched between the regular 12V cig vs the battery, I wouldn't have to remember to turn it back on when I start driving - it should automatically power on when the screen is turned on

Below is a depiction of what Im trying to achieve: so no matter which I select, it will be on while driving.

Edit: did some research and I want a 12v SPDT switch? positive wire from the dash would go in terminal 2, and positive of each power source would go into terminals 1 or 3. Where does the negative wires go?

Another option might be to use a relay. Someone on M3OC posted this link to a guide on how to do it for a 5V system. I don't see a reason why you couldn't do it with a 12V relay instead. Uninterruptible 5V USB power supply (cheap and easy way)

 

[ranova]

Interesting idea. I actually think you want a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch (something like this: http://a.co/5JEfP5R).
The reason is: The Blackview and car batteries don't share a ground. Can be very dangerous to connect V+ of one to Ground of the other.
The setup should be like this:

View attachment 306915

Actually, I was thinking. Wouldnt the ground actually be the same for both the blackvue battery and direct connection to the 12V cig socket? Im not hardwiring anything directly to the car's 12V battery. Both the blackvue battery and direct line will be connected to the 12V cig socket via 2-socket cig lighter adapter. If thats the case, can I just wire all the grounds together?

Since the blackvue battery will essentially be always on (but not always charging the dash cam) would that cause an issue with the grounding if they were all connected together?

 

[ranova]

Another option might be to use a relay. Someone on M3OC posted this link to a guide on how to do it for a 5V system. I don't see a reason why you couldn't do it with a 12V relay instead. Uninterruptible 5V USB power supply (cheap and easy way)

Yup, someone else suggested a relay as well - but I want it somewhat manual since everytime I park, I dont want/need parking mode, but everytime I get in the car, I do want the dash cam to turn on. With a regular switch as a lot of people have utilized, if you forget to flip the switch when you start driving, the dash cam will not start recording. With this idea, your dash cam will always start recording when you get in the car, theoretically. Then when you park, you can choose whether or not you want to switch to the Blackvue battery source for parking mode.

 

[mister yub]

Yup, someone else suggested a relay as well - but I want it somewhat manual since everytime I park, I dont want/need parking mode, but everytime I get in the car, I do want the dash cam to turn on. With a regular switch as a lot of people have utilized, if you forget to flip the switch when you start driving, the dash cam will not start recording. With this idea, your dash cam will always start recording when you get in the car, theoretically. Then when you park, you can choose whether or not you want to switch to the Blackvue battery source for parking mode.

Ah, gotcha. It might not be a bad idea to look into both. Put a switch between the battery output and the bus bar, and follow everything else as in the link. That way, if the vehicle is on, the dash cam is on and charging the battery, while if the vehicle is off, the dash cam is only on if the switch is on.

 

[paladinfello]

Actually, I was thinking. Wouldnt the ground actually be the same for both the blackvue battery and direct connection to the 12V cig socket? Im not hardwiring anything directly to the car's 12V battery. Both the blackvue battery and direct line will be connected to the 12V cig socket via 2-socket cig lighter adapter. If thats the case, can I just wire all the grounds together?

Since the blackvue battery will essentially be always on (but not always charging the dash cam) would that cause an issue with the grounding if they were all connected together?

Yes, the ground is the same ground for everything. No, it won't cause an issue as you don't need to worry about isolating any of the grounds. DC voltage is just the difference between ground and the high value point. The output voltage that the Blackvue battery and the cigarette adapter put out will differ slightly, but everything is referenced from the common ground. When wiring everything up, you may want to throw in an led or led switch to provide a visual indicator of which power source you are using. Red could indicate power from the 12v and green could indicate power from the Blackvue.
For my setup where I'm just disconnecting the Blackvue battery, I'll be able to tell the battery is on because the led will be lit up. The current draw for the led should be minimal so it won't draw down the Blackvue battery. I do like your idea of the redundant Blackvue/car battery. I might have to explore that option as I still haven't ordered any parts yet.

 

[AdamNS]

Edit: nm your diagram does have 6, but in a 4 and 2 layout and these switches are in a 3/3 layout. How would you wire that? Blackvue battery on the left 2 terminals, dashcam in the center 2 terminals, and 12V on the right two terminals? (sorry, Im an electrical noob)

Actually, I was thinking. Wouldnt the ground actually be the same for both the blackvue battery and direct connection to the 12V cig socket? Im not hardwiring anything directly to the car's 12V battery. Both the blackvue battery and direct line will be connected to the 12V cig socket via 2-socket cig lighter adapter. If thats the case, can I just wire all the grounds together?

Since the blackvue battery will essentially be always on (but not always charging the dash cam) would that cause an issue with the grounding if they were all connected together?

Will it work? Probably, but I'm not sure how the battery is wired and there's no reason to take a chance. Both the car and the blackvue battery are floating grounds. In general, you should never connect these together. Wiring it properly doesn't cost any more and isn't any more difficult so it's just not worth the chance something goes wrong with tying the grounds.

On the relay idea: A relay is just a switch that can be actuated by a computer instead of manually pressing/fliping. So yeah, if you setup a microcontroller with GPS or something it can automatically turn this on and off depending on location (or whatever other crazy ideas for automation you have). Definitely something to look into if you want an automated solution.

 

[ranova]

View attachment 307209



Will it work? Probably, but I'm not sure how the battery is wired and there's no reason to take a chance. Both the car and the blackvue battery are floating grounds. In general, you should never connect these together. Wiring it properly doesn't cost any more and isn't any more difficult so it's just not worth the chance something goes wrong with tying the grounds.

On the relay idea: A relay is just a switch that can be actuated by a computer instead of manually pressing/fliping. So yeah, if you setup a microcontroller with GPS or something it can automatically turn this on and off depending on location (or whatever other crazy ideas for automation you have). Definitely something to look into if you want an automated solution.

Awesome, thanks for the diagram. Regarding connecting all the grounds, I just went ahead and ordered the DPDT switch. I had gotten in the SPDT switch yesterday and wanted to install it right away, but I'll play it safe and wait for the DPDT.

I'll definitely take a look into automation and relays - Im hugely into automating things but for now, this project will be somewhat simple

 

[ZooSean]

Here are some pics of mine. This is front cam only for now. The red line indicates where I tucked the wire behind paneling. I is ran from the center of the windshield up into the headliner to the passenger side A pillar behind it and down the door seal then out of some panels and under the passenger floor mat.
View attachment 269162 View attachment 269163 View attachment 269164 View attachment 269165 View attachment 269166 View attachment 269167 View attachment 269168

Thanks a lot for those pictures. I have a dash cam from my previous car, and it is not that good. (A 50$ crap) I will use it for now until Tesla Dashcam function introduces as Musk promised.

 

[AdamNS]

Thanks a lot for those pictures. I have a dash cam from my previous car, and it is not that good. (A 50$ crap) I will use it for now until Tesla Dashcam function introduces as Musk promised.

My Model 3 is great. I'm not one of those Tesla haters... but I don't trust Elon's time frames on absolutely anything. I'm not holding my breath on the integrated dash cam feature.
My guess is the Model Y has a fully working dash cam feature when that's released.
Maybe we get a beta version in 2 years time.

 

[ZooSean]

My Model 3 is great. I'm not one of those Tesla haters... but I don't trust Elon's time frames on absolutely anything. I'm not holding my breath on the integrated dash cam feature.
My guess is the Model Y has a fully working dash cam feature when that's released.
Maybe we get a beta version in 2 years time.

I didn’t see a reason why Tesla could not turn it on as the hardware exists. We can turn always on for the back cam why not front.

 

[silentsnow31802]

Do not wait for Tesla to enable their system. Something could happen while your waiting and youll wish you had just installed one from the beginning. Trust me on this one. Even at the 400+ dollars the blackvue systems go for. You may think its not worth it just in case something never happens but if it does these camera systems are priceless. Also the AP cameras are not known for their excellent quality.

 

[flashflooder]

No way Tesla's dashcam solution will come close to a dedicated dashcam's performance, either, IMO.

For one, the image quality from the AP cameras will not be on par. Also, one of the most appealing features of a dashcam IMO is the parking feature (to catch anyone messing or colliding with your car while it's parked), which I can't see Tesla enabling since it would effectively prevent the car from ever going to sleep.

 

[KentuckyX]

for those not wanting to spend that much on a cellink or blackvue battery, I found this:
https://www.amazon.com/Tqka-20000mA...qid=1526432301&sr=8-1&keywords=tqka+20000+mah
which has a lithium iron phosphate battery like the cellink and blackvue. Build yourself a circuit that switches between the battery and car power and you can get something similar to cellink/blackvue for very cheap.

Running a thinkware 800pro with dual cameras lasts me 18 hrs on the $20 battery.

As an odd coincidence, I purchased that same battery for the Blackvue 750s that will arrive at my house tomorrow. Is this working for you okay? Are you wired directly to your 12V and using a switching circuit like you mentioned?

 

[ranova]

View attachment 307209



Will it work? Probably, but I'm not sure how the battery is wired and there's no reason to take a chance. Both the car and the blackvue battery are floating grounds. In general, you should never connect these together. Wiring it properly doesn't cost any more and isn't any more difficult so it's just not worth the chance something goes wrong with tying the grounds.

On the relay idea: A relay is just a switch that can be actuated by a computer instead of manually pressing/fliping. So yeah, if you setup a microcontroller with GPS or something it can automatically turn this on and off depending on location (or whatever other crazy ideas for automation you have). Definitely something to look into if you want an automated solution.

Setup the DPDT switch last night as you have shown in your diagram and it works great! See attached pictures of the messy setup that I have. I will likely create a video of it in action, but essentially:

- When the switch is down, the blackvue is powered by the car's 12V socket and will always turn on when the car's screen or HVAC is on. The blackvue battery will not be used at all but will remain on and will charge whenever the screen is on
- When the switch is up, the blackvue dash cam is powered by the blackvue power magic Ultra battery which will be used sparingly when Im parked in public places.

Why do this instead of a traditional on/off switch between the power magic ultra battery? The whole point of a dash cam is really to set it and forget it. Since my commute is 5 minutes currently, theres no way to keep that battery charged unless I turn on preconditioning for 40 minutes everyday. If I have to switch it on and off each time I get in and out of the car, that is really annoying and you risk the chance of forgetting to turn it on or might figure that since youre driving for a short time, why bother... but accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. This switch is basically having redundant power - so if you switched off battery mode, it will still turn on once you get into the car. Since mine will be switched to the 12V socket most the time, this works way better than a regular switch. Worst case, if I forget to switch away from the blackvue battery and it dies, the dash cam should still turn on once I get into the car. The only real thought I have to do is to turn on the battery mode when Im in a public place.

I have a 12v 3-way splitter connected in the rear center console:
- One socket is occupied by the Blackvue Battery Ultra
- One socket is occupied by the regular 12v cig cable for the blackvue dash
- One socket is occupied by a two port Quick Charging 3.0 USB charger for use when I get the Jeda Wireless Pad. I wired it back to where the pad will be and hopefully it should provide fast charging without the use of their battery pack
- One usb port is used for my Netgear Hotspot for Blackvue Cloud

 

[zkmusa]

For those of you that own a Blackvue Power Magic B-112 battery, is the power LED supposed to always light up when it is receiving power through the cigarette lighter?

I just received mine today. When I plug it in, the 4 battery LEDs flash once and then stay off. The power LED never turns on. The dashcam, however, which is connected to the battery, turns on and stays on while the car is on. I left the car on for an hour, and the power LED nor the battery LEDs ever turned on. As soon as I turn off the car, the dashcam also turns off.

It sounds like a dead battery to me, but I wanted to make sure this isn't normal behavior until the battery gets enough initial juice?

 

[SDKoala]

Setup the DPDT switch last night as you have shown in your diagram and it works great!

Glad you were able to get it to work! Did you just screw the switch into the left wall of the center console compartment? Does it seem like it's going to hold up over time?