DashCam adapters

[bluenose1940]

A thought crossed my mind and I'm wondering if any of the auto electrical guru's on here might know the answer.

If there is a dascam fitted in a car and it gives up the ghost and, the choice of replacement is a different brand/model to the original and, as a result the end connectors are different, is it possible to purchase small adapters to convert the little jack plugs so that it isn't necessary to remove all of the old cables and then replace?

I think that I am right in saying that manufacturers don't use standard connectors, it would make sense if they did, but then they'd lose money I suppose when people didn't need to buy the cables again.

If it came to it, and again to avoid the re-cabling process, is it practical to snip the old ends off and re-solder new ones on or, are the cables and fittings a bit too small for that?  Another possible problem I suppose, is the actual cable different between dashcam models?

Just my thinking about trying to eliminate trim removal etc.

 

[sorcerer]

All the cameras I've seen so far have all had mini USB connectors so I think this may be a case of the manufacturers actually using a bit of common sense for once.

However, if push came to shove then yes, snipping the plug off and soldering a new one on isn't too difficult.

Sent from my D6633 using Tapatalk

[bluenose1940]

Thank you for your input John, much appreciated.  I have had a little experience of some fine soldering work when replacing bits in a video recorder and so I would be happy to give it a go if it became necessary.

I have hopefully been able to attach a photo of the cables that I am about to put in my car.

The image shows as follows :-

The connectors on the left are the two ends of the long cable that goes between the front and rear cameras.

The centre connector (with the three black bands around it) is the one from the GPS unit (which is mounted on the windscreen)

The right cable is the feed from the fuse box and this one, rather than being a bayonet type jack plug, is one with a hole in the centre that sits over a pin at the dashcam itself.

The red, yellow and black cables are the connectors used at the fuse box.

Just wondering if you might have any further comments.  Thanks again.

 

[sorcerer]

Hiya Geoff,

No, I hadn't seen this photo until just getting your PM. It would help to know what make and model of camera you're going to fit so that I can look up the manual.

Cheers,
John

[sorcerer]

Tried to edit the above but I was too late, so here's a copy:

EDIT: Sorry Geoff, it's a Sunday and my brain never works properly on a Sunday 

I'm just a bit thrown by the fact that your original post talks about avoiding the need to replace the old cables and yet this photo above shows what are presumably the old cables and you say that you're about to put them in the car? If you're going to put the old cables in the car, why don't you just put new cables in of the type that the camera requires?

I've probably got the wrong end of the stick but....

[bluenose1940]

Hi again John,

Thank you again for your time.  I hope that I haven't confused you with what I am trying to do.  Basically what I am saying is, if my current camera no longer works, will I be able to either, fit adaptors on the ends so that a new camera will work without me having to rip out all of the cables that are in place at the moment or, snip the ends off and fit new connectors that any new camera might need.

Hope I have made that a bit clearer.  apologies for any confusion.  I have (hopefully) attached a pdf of the manual of my current camera.  If you can't open it, let me know.

Just spotted your EDIT John.  What I am trying to say really is, the camera I have at the moment was in my earlier IS300h and, I left the cables in that car as it was too much trouble to take them out when I sold it.  I am now going to fit it ( or have it fitted) in my NX but, before I go to the cost of having it done I wanted to try to clarify if I could use the cables again because if I can't, it might just deter me from having it hard-wired if you get my drift.

Thanks again.

Geoff

Panorama_X2_Manual.pdf

[sorcerer]

OK Geoff, I think I've got you now  

If I've got it right, you left the old cables in the old car but kept the camera itself for the new car that you've now got.

You're now going to fit (or pay someone to fit) new cables and the camera into your new car.

Your query is actually about some hypothetical point in the future, if or when your camera stops working, at which point you'll get a new camera and hope to reuse the wiring that will already be installed in the car.

Is that correct my friend?

If I've got that right, then looking at the connectors in that photo I would say that it's perhaps unlikely that a new camera would be able to use them, which will then mean you'll either need to replace the cabling or snip the ends off and solder the correct connectors on to the cable ends.

In reality, even if you're happy doing the soldering, I think it would be very difficult to do in the car. Take the front camera for instance, it will be mounted high up and the cables will drop down to it from up in the roof lining. If they leave a lot of slack up in the headlining space you may be able to pull enough slack to get to a comfortable working position. If there isn't enough slack you'll be working up in the air with about six inches of cable - not the ideal way to work with very thin conductors and a hot soldering iron  

[bluenose1940]

Yes you've got it John, absolutely spot on.

So, my only question is then, apart from the possible difficulties I would encounter when attempting the soldering, which I could probably mitigate by ensuring sufficient slack is available, do the cables actually lend themselves to having different terminals attached to them and, are these terminals readily available?

I was planning to install the cameras and cables myself but, I am experiencing considerable difficulty in removing the A Pillar trim.  I have managed to undo the top clip but the next one down is proving to be a bit of a pig and I doubt that I will do it.  This being the case I will have to shell out around £200.00 to have it fitted, which I won't mind if I know that I can use the cables again if I need to.  The camera is a couple nearly three years old and, although it might continue to function for quite a while yet, it could just as easily pack up in a week or so.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[sorcerer]

I think the problem is, Geoff, that we can't predict the future. Without knowing what make and model of camera you would buy in the future, we don't know what connectors it has so we can't say if they would be available or not. I think all anyone could say would be that the adapters and/or connectors you would need may be available.

The job would most likely still be doable though, even if you can't buy adapters or the connectors themselves. You would have to buy a short lead with the required connector already terminated on the end and then cut off the excess length, leaving about six inches to a foot of cable on the connector. Strip the ends off, use a multimeter to work out which colour wire is connected to which pin and then solder the new 'stub end' to the car wiring, rather than soldering a new connector on the car wiring.

Hope that all makes sense  

[bluenose1940]

That all sounds good to me John, more likely than not I should get over the hurdle should it arise.  I feel more confident than not, let's put it that way.

Thanks again for your time.  Have yourself a splendid Easter and don't eat too much choccy

[sorcerer]

You're very welcome Geoff - and I have to confess that I've probably already eaten too many Easter eggs!

Have a good one yourself too my friend.