Dashcam + sat nav = electrical trouble?

[fredsmith]

Hi All

I have a Lexus IS 250 2008. I recently had a Nextbase 622GW dashcam fitted and hardwired (by Halfords, using the Nextbase wiring kit). dashcam works fine but after my first long trip I realised that the cigarette lighter (which I use to power the sat nav) wasn't working. Took it to my local garage and they said the fuse had blown, and replaced it. Everything was fine with the sat nav for a couple of weeks, a period when I wasn't using the dash cam. But a couple of days ago I once again was using the dash cam with the sat nav, and once again the cigarette lighter appears not to be working -- presumably fused again.

Has anyone else had trouble combining cigarette lighter/sat nav with hardwired dash cam? I'm not knowledgeable on electrics but I'm presuming that the system is getting overloaded somehow -- is this because the fuse used by the dash cam is the same as used by the cigarette lighter? Is this even possible? Can it be solved by a different type of fuse (I did say I'm an idiot in these matters). Or is there some other explanation / solution?

Thank you for any pointers.

[LenT]

55 minutes ago, fredsmith said:

Hi All

I have a Lexus IS 250 2008. I recently had a Nextbase 622GW dashcam fitted and hardwired (by Halfords, using the Nextbase wiring kit). Dashcam works fine but after my first long trip I realised that the cigarette lighter (which I use to power the sat nav) wasn't working. Took it to my local garage and they said the fuse had blown, and replaced it. Everything was fine with the sat nav for a couple of weeks, a period when I wasn't using the dash cam. But a couple of days ago I once again was using the dash cam with the sat nav, and once again the cigarette lighter appears not to be working -- presumably fused again.

Has anyone else had trouble combining cigarette lighter/sat nav with hardwired dash cam? I'm not knowledgeable on electrics but I'm presuming that the system is getting overloaded somehow -- is this because the fuse used by the dash cam is the same as used by the cigarette lighter? Is this even possible? Can it be solved by a different type of fuse (I did say I'm an idiot in these matters). Or is there some other explanation / solution?

Thank you for any pointers.

Well I'm not an autoelectrician - hopefully one will be along soon! - but I've had Garmin satnavs and BlackVue dash cams in several cars for some years. And I wouldn't run them off the same power point.

Mind you, I wouldn't let Halfords fit it in the first place - but that's just a personal view!

I run the Garmin off the 'lighter' (accessory) power supply because it's only used occasionally and is removable.  However, I run the dashcam of a different point in the fuse box that is always live - even when the ignition is off.  This is because the dashcam has a 'Parking Mode' which - as the name suggests - will be activated by people, proximity and impact even when the ignition is switched off.

In other words, I would suggest that it's the dashcam that should be wired so that it's constantly available, whereas surely you only use the satnav occasionally.  

Looking at the NextBase website, I see there is a 'Series 2 Hardwire Kit' which I presume is what Halfords would have used.  It claims to have a voltage limiter built-in to prevent the Battery going flat, so you just need to find a different fuse that you can piggy-back off that is live when the ignition is off.

I don't know your model, but there might even be one spare.  I suggest that you don't use any supply point that serves something crucial - in case it blows that fuse.

Hope this helps until an expert comes along!

[fredsmith]

6 minutes ago, LenT said:

Well I'm not an autoelectrician - hopefully one will be along soon! - but I've had Garmin satnavs and BlackVue dash cams in several cars for some years. And I wouldn't run them off the same power point.

Mind you, I wouldn't let Halfords fit it in the first place - but that's just a personal view!

I run the Garmin off the 'lighter' (accessory) power supply because it's only used occasionally and is removable.  However, I run the dashcam of a different point in the fuse box that is always live - even when the ignition is off.  This is because the dashcam has a 'Parking Mode' which - as the name suggests - will be activated by people, proximity and impact even when the ignition is switched off.

In other words, I would suggest that it's the dashcam that should be wired so that it's constantly available, whereas surely you only use the satnav occasionally.  

Looking at the NextBase website, I see there is a 'Series 2 Hardwire Kit' which I presume is what Halfords would have used.  It claims to have a voltage limiter built-in to prevent the battery going flat, so you just need to find a different fuse that you can piggy-back off that is live when the ignition is off.

I don't know your model, but there might even be one spare.  I suggest that you don't use any supply point that serves something crucial - in case it blows that fuse.

Hope this helps until an expert comes along!

Thanks Len. I've read both points of view regarding the always-live set-up. AFAIK, mine doesn't use that mode. The way the Nextbase works (I believe) is that when I want to use the parking mode to capture activity when I'm away from the car, it uses the charge in the device which will run for 3 continuous hours or so, and obviously longer if it's not constantly being switched on. In other words, good for parking in a quiet spot but less so if parked on a busy road. But anyway, at the moment I'm happy to keep it this way as I've heard people complain that parking mode can drain the car Battery, regardless of what's supposed to happen.

The question is whether I can sort this out myself (being a total non-expert) and more to the point, how I sort it out. Is it possible that the dashcam and cigarette lighter are on the same circuit? How would I know? And if this is the case, can the dashcam be connected to some other circuit? Is there such a thing as a 'spare'  circuit and spare fuse ready to take an additional electrical gadget? I appreciate you may not know the answers, I'm just sort of thinking out loud. Of course, I could just take it into a garage but it would be good to sound as if I knew what they needed to do. (I'm in Switzerland, so an additional problem is that I have to explain this in imperfect German!)

[Mr Vlad]

I suggest you look at both the internal fuse boxes in the car. There's one on each side. Start at the passenger side, crouch down so you look up under the glove box. You should see a white cover about 2 1/2 by 4 inch in size. If you don't see a white cover but you see fuses then your dash cam has been hardwired in that fuse box. (The cover will not go back onto the fuse box when a piggyback fuse holder is used). Using your owners manual find the page with the fuses showing which is which and does what. I can't remember which fuse I've used in my 322GW. Am I right in assuming your car doesn't have satnav built in?

[LenT]

1 hour ago, fredsmith said:

Thanks Len. I've read both points of view regarding the always-live set-up. AFAIK, mine doesn't use that mode. The way the Nextbase works (I believe) is that when I want to use the parking mode to capture activity when I'm away from the car, it uses the charge in the device which will run for 3 continuous hours or so, and obviously longer if it's not constantly being switched on. In other words, good for parking in a quiet spot but less so if parked on a busy road. But anyway, at the moment I'm happy to keep it this way as I've heard people complain that parking mode can drain the car Battery, regardless of what's supposed to happen.

The question is whether I can sort this out myself (being a total non-expert) and more to the point, how I sort it out. Is it possible that the dashcam and cigarette lighter are on the same circuit? How would I know? And if this is the case, can the dashcam be connected to some other circuit? Is there such a thing as a 'spare'  circuit and spare fuse ready to take an additional electrical gadget? I appreciate you may not know the answers, I'm just sort of thinking out loud. Of course, I could just take it into a garage but it would be good to sound as if I knew what they needed to do. (I'm in Switzerland, so an additional problem is that I have to explain this in imperfect German!)

The wiring kit I mentioned is stated as being compatible with the 622GW and should therefore protect the Battery.  In any case, current drain In standby mode is very small.

https://nextbase.co.uk/accessories/series-2-hardwire-kit/

I don’t know how your model compares with mine, but I can confirm that my electrician used a fuse box on the left side - as Vladimir suggests.  
I suppose that having identified the accessory fuse, you’ll see if an additional wire has been added to it - and whether it’s on the switched or unswitched side, which I suppose could cause a problem if both devices are being used simultaneously!

Ideally, as I mentioned earlier, you want to use a fused supply point that is ‘live’ with the ignition off - which may not be the case with your accessory socket.

I’m a great advocate of dashcams so I do hope you can resolve this.

And if all else fails, take it back to Halfords and tell them to sort it!

 

[fredsmith]

Thanks, both. I can confirm that the dashcam was wired to the fusebox on the passenger side but until I go and have a look later I won't know if it has a cover or not. 

Mr Vlad - yes, the sat nav is not built in. It's a basic Garmin powered by the cigarette lighter / accessory power source.

Len - Yes, if this persists I'll talk to Halfords though I'm about 1,000km from the nearest branch for the next couple of months so hope to resolve this before then! TBF, the guy seemed to know what he was doing and was pretty helpful but I hear what you say.

[Mr Vlad]

Ok. Then as you've started and Len it's probable that the fuse used for the dash cam is the one for the cigarette lighter. When you get time then have you'll find the cover not on the fusebox as the piggyback fuse sits too high for the cover to go back on. Use a torch by the way as visibility is poor without one. Hopefully you've got the owner handbook so you can see which fuse was used for the piggyback. It would be a Red 10amp fuse by the way. Swap the piggyback fuse to another 10amp fuse. Be advised the fuses are the micro type. 

[LenT]

3 hours ago, fredsmith said:

Thanks, both. I can confirm that the dashcam was wired to the fusebox on the passenger side but until I go and have a look later I won't know if it has a cover or not. 

Mr Vlad - yes, the sat nav is not built in. It's a basic Garmin powered by the cigarette lighter / accessory power source.

Len - Yes, if this persists I'll talk to Halfords though I'm about 1,000km from the nearest branch for the next couple of months so hope to resolve this before then! TBF, the guy seemed to know what he was doing and was pretty helpful but I hear what you say.

I’ve come across a couple of YT vids that might be helpful.  One is a NextBase production; the other by a guy using the same NB hardwire kit and making the point that he’s using a ‘constantly powered’ fuse supply.

I suspect that the problem has been caused by wiring the dashcam to the accessory socket.  Anyway, hopefully these may give you a better idea of what to do.  The one problem that occurs to me is that although, apparently, Halfords sell this NB hardwiring kit, it may not have been used in your case.

Even if it has, they may not have given you the other parts of it.  Anyway, hope this helps!

PS: other videos are available!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wml4-DJ0YuM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImX6OEJccwo

[fredsmith]

58 minutes ago, LenT said:

I’ve come across a couple of YT vids that might be helpful.  One is a NextBase production; the other by a guy using the same NB hardwire kit and making the point that he’s using a ‘constantly powered’ fuse supply.

I suspect that the problem has been caused by wiring the dashcam to the accessory socket.  Anyway, hopefully these may give you a better idea of what to do.  The one problem that occurs to me is that although, apparently, Halfords sell this NB hardwiring kit, it may not have been used in your case.

Even if it has, they may not have given you the other parts of it.  Anyway, hope this helps!

PS: other videos are available!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wml4-DJ0YuM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImX6OEJccwo

I can't be 100% sure about the cabling used but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt unless I knew otherwise. I didn't stand and watch everything he did but I was there at the start when he opened the box with the new dashcam in it and he certainly took out the hardwiring cables and peered at them purposefully 😀. Thanks for the videos, I'll take a look.

[is200 Newbie]

My 2007 IS 250 had a socket inside the armrest which when used (when a plug was inserted in it) the armrest would not close because the plug was too big ... so i adapted a dash cam plug and fitted it into the socket. Dont need to touch it as its not much use really. No need to hard wire it in. Quite easy to wire in as you can follow the plastic trims from the armrest up to the mrror.

[chr15gb]

I had both my dashcam and a USB C pohone cradle wireless charger in the front cigarette lighter.
It didn't pop fuses but the dashcam would reboot and the powered arms on the cradle would keep moving in and out, the socket couldn't deliver enough power for both.

Easiest and quickest way to solve it was to simply move one to the cigarette lighter in the arm rest. The dashcam wire was long enough.
With a flush USB adaptor like this, the lid doesn't foul the cable

I do have a proper fused permanent cable in the garage but one of those jobs I never seem to get around to fitting.

 

 

[Mr Vlad]

You also need a right angle adapter with that shallow USB adapter. I've been using such for over a year for Bluetooth adapter. 

 

[fredsmith]

On 4/7/2022 at 5:20 PM, Mr Vlad said:

Ok. Then as you've started and Len it's probable that the fuse used for the dash cam is the one for the cigarette lighter. When you get time then have you'll find the cover not on the fusebox as the piggyback fuse sits too high for the cover to go back on. Use a torch by the way as visibility is poor without one. Hopefully you've got the owner handbook so you can see which fuse was used for the piggyback. It would be a Red 10amp fuse by the way. Swap the piggyback fuse to another 10amp fuse. Be advised the fuses are the micro type. 

I've finally managed to find the fuses and take some rather blurry snaps.

You were right -- the cover was not on either.

The Halfords guy was definitely doing something on the passenger side when I saw him working on my car. I presume that's  the cable seen running to the passenger side fusebox. 

On the driver side is the fusebox with (highlighted) fuses for cigarette lighter socket and the other power source found in the armrest. the lower blue one is probably the one added by the garage last month when I asked them to look at why the socket wasn't working. (I didn't know then what I know now about fuses!)

The question is what's best to do here. I can replace the fuse again (presuming it's blown) and run the sat nav off the armrest power source instead. A bit inconvenient as the armrest won't close with a device plugged in there. Or could I reposition the dash cam cable and plug it somewhere that wouldn't affect the main cigarette lighter socket? I'm reluctant to fiddle about too much in case I do something serious to the electrics. If no one knows for sure I guess I'll have to find an auto electrician. Thanks for any insights. 

[Mr Vlad]

Ok I've just realised something. Is your car a Left hand drive? I'm not sure if there's a difference in which fusebox does what between left and right hand drive cars.

However the top photo. That looks about where I have my piggyback fuse located. Does your piggyback back fuse contain a 2amp and a 10amp fuse?

[LenT]

 

Checking up with my Manual....it doesn't have a fuse layout for the two  boxes in the passenger compartment!  Astonishing!

But I did a little searching and came up with this:

Fuse Box Diagram Lexus IS250 / IS350 (XE20; 2006-2013) (fuse-box.info)

I have assumed - possibly incorrectly! - that yours is a lhd Lexus. So although you refer to passenger /driver side, the fuse box with the cig lighter fuse is under the glove box and is shown as No.10.  In other words, not the fuse on the driver's side that you identified as the cig lighter.

As the fuse box diag. shows, the fuse next to No. 10 is No.11 which is identified as the Power Outlet - which I suspect is the permanent live supply which NextBase recommend is used for a hardwired connection. - as per the NB link I provided earlier.  This could be checked with a small electrical screwdriver.

It certainly looks like Halford Man has introduced a lead to piggy-back off a socket - and It may well be the cig. lighter.  I think Vladimir and I are both of the same mind that your problems stem from trying to run both items off the same power source.

If HM has used the cig. lighter than the Power Socket (according to this diagram ) is next to it - so simply swapping the two around will restore the cig. socket to a single outlet and give the dashcam a permanent power supply.

Finally, the NextBase hardwire Kit is a £20 extra accessory.  I don't think it comes included with the standard 622GW and the difference appears to be that the lead incorporates a Battery protection system that cuts off the camera if the voltage drop too low.  It appears to have a small black box attached to it with a blue light that indicates that there's power to the camera.  So you should know if you have that or the camera has been installed without the benefit of this kit.

Hope this helps a little more!

PS: Just seen Vladimir's reply - that's the two fuse system that my installer used with a piggy-back lead.  And, to reiterate, it the fuse box under the glove box.

PPS: Just seen your reply.  So it's still the fuse box under the glove box on the left side!!

 

[fredsmith]

10 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

Ok I've just realised something. Is your car a Left hand drive? I'm not sure if there's a difference in which fusebox does what between left and right hand drive cars.

However the top photo. That looks about where I have my piggyback fuse located. Does your piggyback back fuse contain a 2amp and a 10amp fuse?

No, it's a British RHD. I'm working in Switzerland at the moment but brought my car over. TBH, I don't know what the amps are for the piggyback -- I'm finding it very hard to get to it at my age!   

[fredsmith]

6 minutes ago, LenT said:

 

Checking up with my Manual....it doesn't have a fuse layout for the two  boxes in the passenger compartment!  Astonishing!

But I did a little searching and came up with this:

Fuse Box Diagram Lexus IS250 / IS350 (XE20; 2006-2013) (fuse-box.info)

I have assumed - possibly incorrectly! - that yours is a lhd Lexus. So although you refer to passenger /driver side, the fuse box with the cig lighter fuse is under the glove box and is shown as No.10.  In other words, not the fuse on the driver's side that you identified as the cig lighter.

As the fuse box diag. shows, the fuse next to No. 10 is No.11 which is identified as the Power Outlet - which I suspect is the permanent live supply which NextBase recommend is used for a hardwired connection. - as per the NB link I provided earlier.  This could be checked with a small electrical screwdriver.

It certainly looks like Halford Man has introduced a lead to piggy-back off a socket - and It may well be the cig. lighter.  I think Vladimir and I are both of the same mind that your problems stem from trying to run both items off the same power source.

If HM has used the cig. lighter than the Power Socket (according to this diagram ) is next to it - so simply swapping the two around will restore the cig. socket to a single outlet and give the dashcam a permanent power supply.

Finally, the NextBase hardwire Kit is a £20 extra accessory.  I don't think it comes included with the standard 622GW and the difference appears to be that the lead incorporates a Battery protection system that cuts off the camera if the voltage drop too low.  It appears to have a small black box attached to it with a blue light that indicates that there's power to the camera.  So you should know if you have that or the camera has been installed without the benefit of this kit.

Hope this helps a little more!

 

I'll have to read your post again Len for the finer detail but my car is a British RHD. The Halfords dashcam hardwiring was to the passenger side. The 10/11 cigarette lighter/power socket  are on the driver side.

[Herbie]

I'm not sure just exactly what is happening but I think you're becoming bogged down in the "which fuse" thing.

Fuses are rated for the current they will carry all day long. So a 7.5A fuse will carry 7.5A all day long and never break into a sweat. It would take about 10A or even more to make it blow.

The power requirements for the Nextbase 622GW are 5V @ 1.5A. I don't know what the requirements are for your satnav but I'd be very surprised if it took the fuse to breaking point.

I hate to say it but I think you have a fault somewhere rather than just using the wrong fuse.

[fredsmith]

48 minutes ago, Herbie said:

I'm not sure just exactly what is happening but I think you're becoming bogged down in the "which fuse" thing.

Fuses are rated for the current they will carry all day long. So a 7.5A fuse will carry 7.5A all day long and never break into a sweat. It would take about 10A or even more to make it blow.

The power requirements for the Nextbase 622GW are 5V @ 1.5A. I don't know what the requirements are for your satnav but I'd be very surprised if it took the fuse to breaking point.

I hate to say it but I think you have a fault somewhere rather than just using the wrong fuse.

Hi Herbie,

Thanks. You're right, the topic has meandered a bit. I'm actually quite happy with the installation of the dashcam (until told definitively that it's wrong). The issue is that I've twice used the dashcam with the sat nav (which is powered by the cigarette lighter socket) and twice the latter has stopped working -- fused the first time, according to the garage, and presumably fused the second time again. This seems like more than a coincidence as nothing else has ever fused in 12 years of owning the car. So I guess my more general question should be: what could be the explanation for this, and the therefore the solution -- given that I'm an electro-idiot. As shown in the photos, the dashcam is wired to the passenger side fusebox while the fuse for the cigarette lighter is on the other side, and seems to have no connection to the dashcam. So I'm trying to understand what's happening here. Thanks.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, fredsmith said:

So I guess my more general question should be: what could be the explanation for this, and the therefore the solution -- given that I'm an electro-idiot.

To be honest, you're not going to fix this by just looking around and poking about. It needs some logical, methodical, diagnostic work and for that, you'll need (at the very least) a multimeter or 12V test lamp, and most importantly, the knowledge to use them and understand what they're telling you.

I think it may be best to take it to an auto electrician (not a mechanic) and get them to sort it.

[LenT]

51 minutes ago, Herbie said:

I think it may be best to take it to an auto electrician (not a mechanic) and get them to sort it.

Herbie’s right, of course.

Once you entertain the possibility that there’s a fault in the hardware, or even somewhere in the electrical system, then you’re probably better off handing the problem to an auto electrician.

Not what you wanted to hear - but it may save time in the long run. 🙁

[is200 Newbie]

Have you tried taking the dashcam out and using the sat nav on its own - does it still blow the fuse? Also, on the other hand, have you tried using the dashcam with the sat nav off - does that blow the fuse? If either of the above scenario's blow the fuse then as above, i agree that there's likely something else at fault. I would still recommend plugging it into the centre console armrest socket - just adapt the dash cam plug to fit and leave it plugged in. No issue with that as its pretty useless otherwise.

[BC99]

Is is possible the fuses are getting knocked if the cover is removed.

Is there any dirt in the power socket?

Do you use the satnav in any other car without isse, try it in the other socket, although it is awkward.

Try other devices in the socket, do they work?