Has anyone tapped a BlackVue to the domelight to get constant 12V for always on power?

[android04]

So I have a Thinkware F800 Pro D (Dual camera) that the installer said they connected to the dome lights per my request. Unfortunately, after about 45 minutes, the camera shuts off. I got the F800 Pro because it is supposed to use the least amount of "parking mode" energy.

Does anyone else have this camera and have the same issues?

Sounds like the car goes to sleep and the Thinkware turns off. The car still provides 9 volts at that connection when asleep, but it appears that your Thinkware doesn't run off of voltage that low unlike our Blackvues. You might need to use a backup battery instead or buy a small boost converter to turn the 9v into 12v for the Thinkware.


Here's a small boost converter that would work, but you need to know a little about electronics and soldering. And you need to know how to test it so it's set up correctly and doesn't fry your dashcam. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008HMETBE

 

[4hs93lsi2]

FYI, a four channel setup, aka two 2CH-DR900S cameras for a 360 degree setup, won’t work in parking mode when powered from dome light. I split the power between the two 2CH cams, turned off WiFi, reduced the resolution and quality as low as possible, and no matter what they would turn off when the car went to sleep and put the connection to 9V. So I reverted to my previous setup of one 2CH off the dome light and the other off an Anker Powerhouse in the trunk. The powerhouse supplies about 3 days of continuous power at the DR900Ss highest settings with cloud enabled. I turn it off when I park at home in the garage and let sentry take over. This gives me about 5 days of continuous use to get me through the work week and let me charge on the weekends.

 

[CtznSnips]

I used a Blackvue hardwire kit which has the red/black leads. Used Positaps to the connect in the dome lights, no issues at all.

I have my Blackvue mounted to my mirror using BlendMount mirror mount! Use my link for 12.5% off your BlendMount purchase in my signature!

Can you upload a pic of your Blackvue/BlendMount and wires going up into the headliner?

 

[android04]

Can you upload a pic of your Blackvue/BlendMount and wires going up into the headliner?

Here's mine. After I took the pictures, I flipped the spring clip the other way so that the two metal tabs that you squeeze are on top of the mount instead of hanging down. It just makes for a cleaner look.

 

[kengchang]

Here's mine. After I took the pictures, I flipped the spring clip the other way so that the two metal tabs that you squeeze are on top of the mount instead of hanging down. It just makes for a cleaner look.

View attachment 389221 View attachment 389222 View attachment 389223

Do you have problem with the mount limiting the range of motion on the rearview visor?

 

[Shopmicrocode]

I have the same setup and I'm very pleased with it and I've had no issues with the 12v battery or the cam turning off.

 

[android04]

Do you have problem with the mount limiting the range of motion on the rearview visor?

No problem with that whatsoever. There is enough of a gap that you can adjust the rearview mirror through a wide range.

 

[preilly44]

Sounds like the car goes to sleep and the Thinkware turns off. The car still provides 9 volts at that connection when asleep, but it appears that your Thinkware doesn't run off of voltage that low unlike our Blackvues. You might need to use a backup battery instead or buy a small boost converter to turn the 9v into 12v for the Thinkware.

Thanks for the response. The F800P has an option in the settings to shut off when the voltage drops below a certain point so it doesn't kill your 12v battery. I currently have it set to 12.1v. Do you think it would be safe to shut off that feature so it keeps working when the voltage drops to 9v or would that kill my 12v battery?

My wife would kill me if she couldn't start the car because I killed the 12v with a dashcam Especially now that Sentry mode works.

 

[android04]

Looks like you typed your message into the wrong part of the QUOTE tags, but I got what you asked. If your Thinkware has the option to control what voltage it turns off at, then putting it at 9 or lower (if possible) will allow it to keep recording when the Model 3 goes to sleep. It's up to you whether it's worth the risk of it killing your 12V battery. I would say that as long as you use the car every day that it will probably be fine since the 12V battery will be charged when you drive it.

 

[4hs93lsi2]

Anyone else having issues with this setup? Been working for about a year no problem. Then randomly stopped working sometime in late August. I finally had some time to debug. Getting 13.5V from power source, but presumably not enough current. BlackVue DR900S should work fine 12-24V at 1amp.

I plug my cam into 12V in center console, and it works fine. I swap my other DR900S in place of the one not working and power it from the dome light, and that one also isn’t working on the dome light.

 

[android04]

Anyone else having issues with this setup? Been working for about a year no problem. Then randomly stopped working sometime in late August. I finally had some time to debug. Getting 13.5V from power source, but presumably not enough current. BlackVue DR900S should work fine 12-24V at 1amp.

I plug my cam into 12V in center console, and it works fine. I swap my other DR900S in place of the one not working and power it from the dome light, and that one also isn’t working on the dome light.

I've had no issues with mine for over a year. I soldered the power wires in. Perhaps your connection method came loose?

 

[bradhs]

My connects are also soldered on to a terminal adapter that's in their so tight it took me 20 minutes to get them in all the way. They're not going anywhere.

 

[TeeEmCee]

Have any of you observed any ill effect to the 12V battery from continuous Dashcam use when the car is left parked for several days at a time? Does the Model 3 only top off the 12V when driving?

I have a Blackvue 650 in one car and it can definitely suck the battery dry if I leave it on for a week or so (supposedly it uses some 0.5A in normal use and a bit less in parking mode). In my eTron, I have a 900 and it doesn't seem to affect the 12V battery at all. Whatever documentation I found says that the 12V battery is only charged during driving but my observations show that to be false. When I leave in the morning, I see a higher voltage than what I see after some driving, indicating that the 12V battery is charged when the car is parked (don't know if this is dependent on the car being plugged in or not). Does the Model 3 do the same?

 

[Akikiki]

Tee, this is a well known situation with the 3. You are bypassing the car's battery management system. Therefore it does not know the battery is being drained, does not know to step up recharging. Many people had their battery replaced until someone figured this out. And most, I think solved it by adding the Blackvue external battery or re-wiring so it gets its power from existing power sources. Look around, there's some good instructions for how to tap into power at the rear view mirror.

 

[SoCal Cal]

09/2019 build is almost impossible to get the wiring harness out from the hazard/console light opening. I think it's zip-tied under the headliner. Anybody know how to get the headliner off? I looked at the parts catalog and there appear to be screws under the visor hooks, but not sure how to get at them with the covers on. Don't want to break anything.

 

[4hs93lsi2]

I've had no issues with mine for over a year. I soldered the power wires in. Perhaps your connection method came loose?

Yep. Fixed by swapping out junky Home Depot taps with posi-taps (20-22 AWG). Thanks!

 

[4hs93lsi2]

09/2019 build is almost impossible to get the wiring harness out from the hazard/console light opening. I think it's zip-tied under the headliner. Anybody know how to get the headliner off? I looked at the parts catalog and there appear to be screws under the visor hooks, but not sure how to get at them with the covers on. Don't want to break anything.

I had a hard time with my 08/18 build. Not sure about any revisions like with zip tie or screws. I used old credit cards and pry tools and did one side at a time. It wasn’t easy, and I wasn’t overly forceful to avoid damaging the plastic. I had to wedge two opposite sides at once and push hard. I worked around the edges, not just one side of the edge like in this video:

I also used the long edge of my credit cards.

 

[Xerious]

Those with BlackVue setups, do all of the BlackVue models work off of the 12v/9v dome light power? Thanks in advance!

 

[Akikiki]

Yes.

 

[4hs93lsi2]

Here's mine. After I took the pictures, I flipped the spring clip the other way so that the two metal tabs that you squeeze are on top of the mount instead of hanging down. It just makes for a cleaner look.

View attachment 389221 View attachment 389222 View attachment 389223

For people ordering the blendmount (120-160ish), if you order a few extra links, you can get the camera to sit very close to the windshield and reduce glare. The out-of-the-box blendmount setup actually reduces visibility and increases glare, and the stock mount sits more flush.




Non-white dashboards, black Alcantara headliners, and polarized lenses help as well... depending on how overboard you want to go...

In order of impact on glare, in my experience it was dashboard replacement/wrap, lens filter, then blendmount last. I'm still waiting on headliner, but I anticipate that being more significant than blendmount. There's still some reflection of the A-pillars in the footage. By the way, you remove the lens filter at night because it reduces nighttime camera visibility. I just spin the filter so that it's facing the cabin, still on the camera, and not over the lens.

In my opinion this isn't for most people. I've got a very extreme setup with 4-CH DR900S (two 2-CH), all the above, and a hotspot in my car at all times for cloud dash cam access. I've given footage to police 3 times for incidents I've captured, luckily where I was just an observer and not impacted.