Dashcam Install Help

[nhirsch]

Simply showing how to recharge Blackvue battery remotely from app. Note battery input (charging at 9 amp) after climate is turned on! Charges up quickly (in this case took 18 min). Note: You can't see the charge level remotely unless you're within Bluetooth range but the climate will run for 30 min so even if battery was at zero charge, you would charge up to 75% or so in that time.

 

[turtlesz]

Simply showing how to recharge Blackvue battery remotely from app. Note battery input (charging at 9 amp) after climate is turned on! Charges up quickly (in this case took 18 min). Note: You can't see the charge level remotely unless you're within Bluetooth range but the climate will run for 30 min so even if battery was at zero charge, you would charge up to 75% or so in that time.

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Can you force the blackvue to stop recording via the app or by location? Find it unnecessary to use while at home sitting in garage and unnecessarily drain the blackvue battery

 

[K-MTG]

Simply showing how to recharge Blackvue battery remotely from app. Note battery input (charging at 9 amp) after climate is turned on! Charges up quickly (in this case took 18 min). Note: You can't see the charge level remotely unless you're within Bluetooth range but the climate will run for 30 min so even if battery was at zero charge, you would charge up to 75% or so in that time.

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Dashcam is supercharging!

 

[Akikiki]

Can you force the blackvue to stop recording via the app or by location? Find it unnecessary to use while at home sitting in garage and unnecessarily drain the blackvue battery

I've not seen a feature like that even in the 900. But here's an idea. Pick up a single pole remote 12V switch on Amazon. Usually about $16.00 Put it in line between your power source and the Blackvue. Then you can use the remote to turn it off at home. I did this for a while. Easy to manage.

 

[AdamNS]

Note battery input (charging at 9 amp)

I'm not sure I understand how to get the battery to charge at 9 amps vs 5 amps.
Is there something in the Model 3 cigarette lighter connection that limits current? Otherwise it would seem you get the same charging rate from splicing the wires right before the lighter connection as plugging into the lighter connection.

 

[nhirsch]

Can you force the blackvue to stop recording via the app or by location? Find it unnecessary to use while at home sitting in garage and unnecessarily drain the blackvue battery

Sounds like a idea! Seems the app should be able to do that.

 

[nhirsch]

I found a glitch and a solution. This morning found that the power to the 12v cigarette lighter was off while the car was on. This might have been caused by the 9amp additional draw from charging the Blackvue B-124 battery when in climate mode while car was parked. A reboot by pushing both scroll wheels reset it and all is good again. A bit of a scare!

 

[bt3k]

I found a glitch and a solution. This morning found that the power to the 12v cigarette lighter was off while the car was on. This might have been caused by the 9amp additional draw from charging the Blackvue B-124 battery when in climate mode while car was parked. A reboot by pushing both scroll wheels reset it and all is good again. A bit of a scare!

I have noticed something similar where a reseat of the cigarette adapter resolved it (obvs not possible in your case)

 

[nhirsch]

I'm not sure I understand how to get the battery to charge at 9 amps vs 5 amps.
Is there something in the Model 3 cigarette lighter connection that limits current? Otherwise it would seem you get the same charging rate from splicing the wires right before the lighter connection as plugging into the lighter connection.

Good question but easy answer. The Blackvue battery comes with two input cables. One is a cigarette plug with thinner cable for 5 amp input. The other is the direct connect cable with thicker wires. The battery has a little switch to either cigarette, off, or direct connect. Theoretically you could put the cigarette plug in and switch it to direct connect. You would then charge at 9 amps but the wires on that connector are not meant for continuous 9 amp and may get hot. Notes in manual say not to do that.

 

[SDKoala]

I've not seen a feature like that even in the 900. But here's an idea. Pick up a single pole remote 12V switch on Amazon. Usually about $16.00 Put it in line between your power source and the Blackvue. Then you can use the remote to turn it off at home. I did this for a while. Easy to manage.

I'm so glad you posted this suggestion. I installed my own cam and battery (not as elaborate a set-up splicing wires, soldering, and routing holes like @nhirsch) and have it plugged into a cigarette socket splitter with a built-in switch that lives under the compartment arm rest. I did this to have a switch so I could turn it off overnight in my garage since my commute isn't long enough to charge the battery fully. Remembering to turn it on is easy, but remembering to turn it off is much harder without a visual clue.

I was planning to hardwiring a rocker switch but couldn't find a unobtrusive place for it in the center console. A wireless switch is a much easier solution and I could easily just Velcro the remote on the phone cradle mat, which would be an obvious reminder to turn off the cam when I get home for the night.

Do you have a suggestion on a good 12V wireless switch? There's a few on Amazon and eBay but reviews are scant.

 

[Akikiki]

I'm so glad you posted this suggestion. I installed my own cam and battery (not as elaborate a set-up splicing wires, soldering, and routing holes like @nhirsch) and have it plugged into a cigarette socket splitter with a built-in switch that lives under the compartment arm rest. I did this to have a switch so I could turn it off overnight in my garage since my commute isn't long enough to charge the battery fully. Remembering to turn it on is easy, but remembering to turn it off is much harder without a visual clue.

I was planning to hardwiring a rocker switch but couldn't find a unobtrusive place for it in the center console. A wireless switch is a much easier solution and I could easily just Velcro the remote on the phone cradle mat, which would be an obvious reminder to turn off the cam when I get home for the night.

Do you have a suggestion on a good 12V wireless switch? There's a few on Amazon and eBay but reviews are scant.

Better part of the remote switch over the rocker switch is you will have two remotes. One in the house where you will see it as a reminder, then you stick your head and arm out the door toward the garage and on or off with a click. A couple of the remotes have not just a single button, but two buttons so you have a "on/light and off/light" (that's why the cost a couple of bucks more). I've used this one a couple of times. Including removing it from its case, wrapping it in a plastic bag to reduce its footprint.
12V 15Amp Relay with two remote controls.

 

[SDKoala]

Better part of the remote switch over the rocker switch is you will have two remotes. One in the house where you will see it as a reminder, then you stick your head and arm out the door toward the garage and on or off with a click. A couple of the remotes have not just a single button, but two buttons so you have a "on/light and off/light" (that's why the cost a couple of bucks more). I've used this one a couple of times. Including removing it from its case, wrapping it in a plastic bag to reduce its footprint.
12V 15Amp Relay with two remote controls.

Is there a benefit to getting one with a remote that specifically has separate on and off buttons? I guess maybe if you're not sure if you turned it off and so you can point the remote at the garage and hit the off button just in case?

I'm pretty certain that I'm not going to forget turning it off as long as the remote is in plain view of the phone dock because I always plug my phone in when I'm driving the car. I was planning on attaching the remote with Velcro on the phone mat on the passenger-side since it's never used, but could still be removed easily and replaced if I have a passenger that wants to charge. I went more for aesthetics and just ordered this one.

 

[Akikiki]

Is there a benefit to getting one with a remote that specifically has separate on and off buttons? I guess maybe if you're not sure if you turned it off and so you can point the remote at the garage and hit the off button just in case?

I'm pretty certain that I'm not going to forget turning it off as long as the remote is in plain view of the phone dock because I always plug my phone in when I'm driving the car. I was planning on attaching the remote with Velcro on the phone mat on the passenger-side since it's never used, but could still be removed easily and replaced if I have a passenger that wants to charge. I went more for aesthetics and just ordered this one.

Yes, in my opinion, and you answered your own question. I put a smile on my classic S. I will show you the picture. I used the two button remote to tell when it was on/smiling and off/not. I wanted to be able to turn it on and off while driving when I saw another Tesla approaching. I got many a "Tesla nods", and honks from folks as the passed when they saw the smile. I had one remote hanging from a short lanyard on the shift lever. Sometimes I also carried the other in a my pocket and would flash the smile when walking towards it or people waked past it. It was such a hoot to smile at them as they walked by.

 

[AdamNS]

Good question but easy answer. The Blackvue battery comes with two input cables. One is a cigarette plug with thinner cable for 5 amp input. The other is the direct connect cable with thicker wires. The battery has a little switch to either cigarette, off, or direct connect. Theoretically you could put the cigarette plug in and switch it to direct connect. You would then charge at 9 amps but the wires on that connector are not meant for continuous 9 amp and may get hot. Notes in manual say not to do that.

Makes sense. Thanks. Next time I'll RTFM

 

[paladinfello]

Good question but easy answer. The Blackvue battery comes with two input cables. One is a cigarette plug with thinner cable for 5 amp input. The other is the direct connect cable with thicker wires. The battery has a little switch to either cigarette, off, or direct connect. Theoretically you could put the cigarette plug in and switch it to direct connect. You would then charge at 9 amps but the wires on that connector are not meant for continuous 9 amp and may get hot. Notes in manual say not to do that.

Still waiting for my B-124 to arrive and finishing loan paperwork for my 3 delivery this month, so this may be a dumb question. Could one just use the 9A setting on the 124 and splice a cigarette plug (or use a cigarette plug with a larger gauge wire and attach the connector) on to the direct connection wire? The owner's manual says the 12V socket is good for 12A continuous draw, so is the limiting factor in the factory option the wiring gauge?

 

[nhirsch]

Still waiting for my B-124 to arrive and finishing loan paperwork for my 3 delivery this month, so this may be a dumb question. Could one just use the 9A setting on the 124 and splice a cigarette plug (or use a cigarette plug with a larger gauge wire and attach the connector) on to the direct connection wire? The owner's manual says the 12V socket is good for 12A continuous draw, so is the limiting factor in the factory option the wiring gauge?

You could do that. The connector is an XT-60 which is on older drone batteries so you can get at hobby shop or online. Downside is you'd be using the only source of 12v in the car for the camera. And the work in splicing I elected to splice into wires connected to the car's cigarette receptacle.

 

[paladinfello]

You could do that. The connector is an XT-60 which is on older drone batteries so you can get at hobby shop or online. Downside is you'd be using the only source of 12v in the car for the camera. And the work in splicing I elected to splice into wires connected to the car's cigarette receptacle.

Call me stupid bu tI'm trying to make as few permanent modifications to the car as possible. Scared to Tesla blaming me for something going wrong becuase I spliced a wire here or tapped the power there.
On another note, do you happen to know what the connector is that connects from the Blackvue battery to the cam? As other have mentioned, I'm thinking of adding a switch inline between the battery and the camera. Simplest option would be for me to create a switched wire and plug in the dash cam to one end and the battery to the other. Battery arrives this week/next so cant physically check to see what that connector is.

 

[flashflooder]

Been following this thread for a while and finally got my car. Forgive what may be a stupid question, but how many people have actually had issues hardwiring directly to the 12V battery?

 

[Supertester777]

Been following this thread for a while and finally got my car. Forgive what may be a stupid question, but how many people have actually had issues hardwiring directly to the 12V battery?

Everyone. There is an onboard monitor that aggregates the consumption from all known devices/connection and if the drain is higher (since we are charging the battery or using the camera) it flags it as an issue and also drains the 12V battery. The first swap if free and then Tesla is going to bill you for future replacements.

 

[nhirsch]

I found a glitch and a solution. This morning found that the power to the 12v cigarette lighter was off while the car was on. This might have been caused by the 9amp additional draw from charging the Blackvue B-124 battery when in climate mode while car was parked. A reboot by pushing both scroll wheels reset it and all is good again. A bit of a scare!

Happened again and scroll reboot didn't reset it but power off and then on again worked. Actually I might have misspoke as maybe it was power off and on the first time.