Hardwiring Dash cam

rayaans · June 4, 2017

Just wondering if you kind folks could help me with regard to dashcams and hardwiring in a simple way - my electrical knowledge is poor and even worse when it comes to vehicle electrics!

So, the car is my son's VW Golf MK5. Ive bought a dashcam from amazon - spytec A118-C and its due to arrive this week. I presume I need a hardwiring kit - would the following work?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DriveSmart-In-Car-DVR-Dash-Cam-Camera-Hard-Wire-Kit-Mini-USB-Fits-NextBase-/182590243898?hash=item2a833a043a:g:0zgAAOSwK6RZJai~

Additionally, Ive popped open the cover for the fuse box and just wondering what fuse to use - the manuals didnt come with the car so Im relying on internet images

Any help much appeciated :)

sorcerer · June 4, 2017

Yes, that hard-wire kit will be fine.

Ideally I'd say the cigarette lighter fuse would be the one to go for, but according to the drawings it's supposed to be Fuse 42 and there isn't a fuse in there

You need something that is energised when the ignition is turned on and that goes off when the ignition is turned off - in every car that I've ever had, the cigarette lighter fits the bill, which is why I suggested it. Looks like you may have to do some testing with a 12V bulb or a multimeter.

rayaans · June 4, 2017

1 hour ago, sorcerer said:

Yes, that hard-wire kit will be fine.

Ideally I'd say the cigarette lighter fuse would be the one to go for, but according to the drawings it's supposed to be Fuse 42 and there isn't a fuse in there

You need something that is energised when the ignition is turned on and that goes off when the ignition is turned off - in every car that I've ever had, the cigarette lighter fits the bill, which is why I suggested it. Looks like you may have to do some testing with a 12V bulb or a multimeter.

Ah yes, the 12v one is under the dashboard I think but insurance have piggy backed the insurance box onto that one.

Would the rear 12v socket work? Number 42 - yellow 20A? Or failing that rear wiper 41?

Also it appears the earth wire for the insurance box is on the little screw. Can I put the earth for the dashcam on that as well? Thanks

sorcerer · June 4, 2017

Yes, I don't see any problem with any of that Rayann - if anyone else knows better though, I'm sure they'll let us know

steveledzep · June 4, 2017

That's the exact dashcam I've had in my IS250C and my present RX....you won't be disappointed, it's excellent value for money !

In both fitments I've hidden the cables along the top of the windscreen and down the passenger side A pillar and interior door trim. In the IS I went under the floor mat and into the centre storage box (had to drill a hole and wire in reverse from the socket to the camera.). In the RX I've done the same route but under the floor mat into the socket in the void under the gear lever etc.

I'm no expert, but I'd be unsure about going direct into a fuse holder. I believe the cigar lighter plug contains a dropper circuit to take the voltage down to something like 5.2volts if I remember correctly. Sounds problematic if you wire directly into 12volts. Hope this helps.

steveledzep · June 4, 2017

Ooops, didn't read the spec of the hard wire kit.....looks good to go. My "use the plug and socket" solution can still be done very tidily.

Bluesman · June 4, 2017

15 minutes ago, steveledzep said:

Ooops, didn't read the spec of the hard wire kit.....looks good to go. My "use the plug and socket" solution can still be done very tidily.

I thought that was the case but didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong. I remember the auto electrician that fitted mine when I said I was going to hard wire it from the cigar lighter. Still no damage done. Enjoy, I got quite a kick out of putting the card into the laptop and watching my journey.

rayaans · June 4, 2017

1 hour ago, sorcerer said:

Yes, I don't see any problem with any of that Rayann - if anyone else knows better though, I'm sure they'll let us know

Thanks. Very helpful. Hopefully I can pop the screw out with a screwdriver as I recall the insurance box fitter used a power drill!

1 hour ago, steveledzep said:

That's the exact dashcam I've had in my IS250C and my present RX....you won't be disappointed, it's excellent value for money !

In both fitments I've hidden the cables along the top of the windscreen and down the passenger side A pillar and interior door trim. In the IS I went under the floor mat and into the centre storage box (had to drill a hole and wire in reverse from the socket to the camera.). In the RX I've done the same route but under the floor mat into the socket in the void under the gear lever etc.

I'm no expert, but I'd be unsure about going direct into a fuse holder. I believe the cigar lighter plug contains a dropper circuit to take the voltage down to something like 5.2volts if I remember correctly. Sounds problematic if you wire directly into 12volts. Hope this helps.

Yes the hardwire kit should be plug and play but just wanted to make sure the fuses would be OK as well

Now that sons finished uni for this year I can play around with the 12v socket in the back to see if it still works! And then ill use that.

rayaans · June 5, 2017

On 6/4/2017 at 7:53 PM, sorcerer said:

Yes, that hard-wire kit will be fine.

Ideally I'd say the cigarette lighter fuse would be the one to go for, but according to the drawings it's supposed to be Fuse 42 and there isn't a fuse in there

You need something that is energised when the ignition is turned on and that goes off when the ignition is turned off - in every car that I've ever had, the cigarette lighter fits the bill, which is why I suggested it. Looks like you may have to do some testing with a 12V bulb or a multimeter.

Was just looking through the fuse diagram again and you know you mentioned the cigarette lighter?

Well its the same fuse and the 12v socket in the back - number 42!

I can't decide whether its better to go for the cigarette lighter or the rear wiper - probably doesn't matter but its a dilemma nonetheless

sorcerer · June 6, 2017

Like you say, it doesn't matter. As long as it's a supply that's only live when the ignition is on then just pull any fuse, put in the piggy-back, replace the fuse and Bob's you'r mother's brother

rayaans · June 6, 2017

2 hours ago, sorcerer said:

Like you say, it doesn't matter. As long as it's a supply that's only live when the ignition is on then just pull any fuse, put in the piggy-back, replace the fuse and Bob's you'r mother's brother

Wife threw the multimeter away saying I never used it - it was 20 years old (and bright yellow) and Id used it once in my life

The 12V socket only turns on when the car turns on, I believe the 55 and 06 plates had permanent lives but the 08 appears not to so should be OK to use that I think

rayaans · June 6, 2017

So the dashcam has arrived and looks sturdy enough. It's even more discrete than I imagined so thumbs up so far!

Unfortunately, the wiring kit and the 32gb SD card (went for Samsung evo) haven't and the weather is dreadful as well. I hope they arrive tomorrow so I can get cracking.

Just to clarify, it's OK to put 2 ground wires on one screw then? Something or other won't blow up? Only reason I ask is I don't have torx screws so it'll have to be on the Philips screw where the ground for insurance box is already attached to

steveledzep · June 6, 2017

No problem with common grounding.

rayaans · June 6, 2017

3 hours ago, steveledzep said:

No problem with common grounding.

Thanks Steve. Good thing I didn't go into electrical work! I'll keep you guys updated!

rayaans · June 7, 2017

So finally got it fitted today - the SD card hasn't arrived yet (Aaarghhh!) but atleast the dashcam itself is in.

Ran into one major problem though:

- the 20A fuse for the ciggy lighter (no. 42) is too big and wouldnt fit into the piggyback. Therefore I had to find a switched fuse which was small enough so logically, I started from the 1st one. That was permanent live so then went to 2nd which is switched!! Its for the ABS or something but hey ho.

Anyway, its all done and working, no problems so here it is:

sorcerer · June 7, 2017

Excellent, well done

What does it look like from outside the car? I'm just wondering if it's a permanent fixing and will be left in all the time or will it be removed when parked up for the night - don't want some scrote seeing it and breaking in to rob it.

J Henderson · June 7, 2017

Good camera that. I had a A118c in my previous car and it captured it's subsequent demise in perfect clarity.

CropiPic_7_6_16_28_45.mp4

steveledzep · June 7, 2017

2 hours ago, J Henderson said:

Good camera that. I had a A118c in my previous car and it captured it's subsequent demise in perfect clarity.

Ouch !!

Same as the one I had in my IS250C. You can make a neater installation Rayaan by shortening the top part (hacksaw), it doesn't contain any of the workings. The advantage is that you can have the lens just peeking out immediately beneath the shaded part of the windscreen. Less obvious to people outside the car.

The similar one I've got for my RX is shorter so makes for a very neat installation.

rayaans · June 7, 2017

3 hours ago, sorcerer said:

Excellent, well done

What does it look like from outside the car? I'm just wondering if it's a permanent fixing and will be left in all the time or will it be removed when parked up for the night - don't want some scrote seeing it and breaking in to rob it.

Its not too noticeable TBH. Its about an inch under the rain sensor.

It'll probably go in the glovebox and can be removed quite easily - the good thing is that the wire is behind the black tail thing so it can't be seen from outside

3 hours ago, J Henderson said:

Good camera that. I had a A118c in my previous car and it captured it's subsequent demise in perfect clarity.

CropiPic_7_6_16_28_45.mp4

Well atleast it works!

On a side note, WTH happened there? he decided to go for you?

11 minutes ago, steveledzep said:

Ouch !!

Same as the one I had in my IS250C. You can make a neater installation Rayaan by shortening the top part (hacksaw), it doesn't contain any of the workings. The advantage is that you can have the lens just peeking out immediately beneath the shaded part of the windscreen. Less obvious to people outside the car.

The similar one I've got for my RX is shorter so makes for a very neat installation.

Ah should have thought of that before - bit late now!

capese21 · June 7, 2017

Great Cameras great choice. You could just use the camera and discard the extension. Mount it to the shaded area. It will be neater and less noticeable from the outside.

rayaans · June 7, 2017

1 hour ago, capese21 said:

Great Cameras great choice. You could just use the camera and discard the extension. Mount it to the shaded area. It will be neater and less noticeable from the outside.

How do you remove the pieces? It seems stuck on fairly well.

Looks like this from outside. It's not overly noticeable as the car is quite dark inside due to 80% tints in the back

steveledzep · June 7, 2017

I reduced the length of mine with a fine-tooth hacksaw then smoothed with fine wet&dry. This allowed the camera to be mounted higher up with just lens showing. This was on my IS250C

Your installation looks very visible. I'll take some pics of mine on the RX tomorrow.

rayaans · June 7, 2017

25 minutes ago, steveledzep said:

I reduced the length of mine with a fine-tooth hacksaw then smoothed with fine wet&dry. This allowed the camera to be mounted higher up with just lens showing. This was on my IS250C

Your installation looks very visible. I'll take some pics of mine on the RX tomorrow.

Yep perhaps

I could have a go but how do I remove the dashcam now it's stuck onto the glass?

J Henderson · June 8, 2017

I think you have to slide it upwards towards the roof.

rayaans · June 8, 2017

2 hours ago, J Henderson said:

I think you have to slide it upwards towards the roof.

I meant the actual 3M sticky adhesive

anyway managed to pull it off to try and make it more discrete at 6am this morning :D

So here it is now:

Had to use an old bank card to get the adhesive off - the string was useless.

Also, there's only about an inch between the top of the windscreen and the dashcam so didn't bother cutting down the tail - I think its fine without it.