Dash cam on permanent live?

Rick-sta · 28th July 2019, 22:21

Question for those who have a dash cam. Has anyone powered their dash cam to a permanent live power so that its on all the time? Does it have much of a drain on the car's battery?

Just thinking it would be handy to have the cameras on permanently to detect anyone bumping into the car whilst parked. I know you can get motion detection ones these days but i already have a couple standard dash cams i can use.

Gate Keeper · 28th July 2019, 22:28

Hi Rick, Dorset Bob started a thread on the dash cam he set up in his 75 with photos. He wired it in and described how how he did it. The cam he used was stealth and not obvious to anyone else that he had a dash cam on board. If you searched his name, his post would come up. By coincidence I am thinking of doing one myself and adding a tracker.

Rich in Vancouver · 29th July 2019, 04:06

I have a Pittasoft dash cam wired to terminal 11 (accessory) in my under-dash fuse box using a piggy-back fuse. It is controlled by the ignition. According to my dash cam dealer you can run down a battery by leaving the dash cam on all the time.
Pittasoft sells a device called "Power Magic" which allows you to pre-set a time limit for recording while parked which also shuts the camera off when the battery drops to a certain voltage. They also market a dedicated lithium battery backup.
I have a power magic unit that I took out of my MGF which I will be installing in the ZT when I get a chance.
Here is a link to my dealer's site. They have some good information there.
https://www.blackboxmycar.com/collections/blackvue

Terryf · 29th July 2019, 08:13

I have Front and rear cameras wired to be permanently on. BUT I have a device in the supply line which blocks the supply if battery voltage drops below 12.5 volts. I also have a switch so I can turn off when car is in garage.
All this kind of stuff is available on amazon.
Hope this is useful!

MSS · 29th July 2019, 08:41

I would not wire a dashcam to the car battery permanently. Measurements made and published on various forums have shown that dashcams typically draw between 1.2W and 3.5W from the 12V supply when operational. Taking a nominal value of 2.5W, this represents a 200mA draw at a nominal 12V battery voltage.

The above will mean a typical in-service car battery being completely drained in around 10 days. Given that deep slow discharge kills lead acid batteries, this is not something I would do. I would set a goal of never discharging a car battery to a level below 75% of its charge holding capacity in order to ensure reasonable battery life i.e longevity of the battery as opposed to its point charge state.

If I really wanted a permanently on dashcam, I would buy 2 off 20Ah Li-ion power banks and swap these between charging and the car every 2-3 days.

Mickyboy · 29th July 2019, 09:25

Hi rick,

I had a customers car come in last summer that they had piggybacked a live feed from the fusebox, it was a mark2 fusebox and it had a permanent live to the cigar lighter, they complain to me that the car was having difficulty starting it was solely because it was draining it enough that the ECM wouldn’t allow it to start, but I don’t think they was using the car daily, I then put it on a different feed that was ignition feed, this solved the problem.

Mick

Tim_Burgess · 29th July 2019, 16:32

I have a Nextbase dashcam; the one that's built-in to the rear-view mirror and a Nextbase hardwire kit. This can be wired in permanently and is supposed to detect if the battery voltage drops and shut the camera off automatically.

Canonite · 1st August 2019, 22:26

My Nextbase 512 has parking mode, so it runs off its own battery in standby mode.
Any motion captured activates it and it records a two minute clip, then switches off to standby again.
What is it you’re hoping to capture?

louis71 · 1st August 2019, 22:46

Ive had a Nextbase 512 for almost three years now and its hardwired permanently on, I turn the display screen off when its in use as to not drain the battery and remove the dash cam on a night so it doesnt get nicked. I have never had a problem with a flat battery

MSS · 1st August 2019, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by louis71

Ive had a Nextbase 512 for almost three years now and its hardwired permanently on, I turn the display screen off when its in use as to not drain the battery and remove the dash cam on a night so it doesnt get nicked. I have never had a problem with a flat battery

What you say is purely a consequence of you not leaving the car for a long enough period to notice the impact through a sufficient discharge of the battery to the extent that it is no longer able to start the car. It does not mean that the battery life is not being reduced by the repeated slow but deep discharge. This is a consequence of the type of cycling that I rationalised in my post above.

My car has never run out of fuel but it does use fuel - quite a lot of it.

28th July 2019, 22:21	#1
Rick-sta This is my second home MG ZT 2.0 CDTI+ in Typhoon, MG TF 135 in Typhoon & Rover 75 Connoisseur CDTI SE in Pearl Black Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Norfolk Posts: 7,533 Thanks: 2,718 Thanked 2,827 Times in 1,462 Posts	Dash cam on permanent live? Question for those who have a dash cam. Has anyone powered their dash cam to a permanent live power so that its on all the time? Does it have much of a drain on the car's battery? Just thinking it would be handy to have the cameras on permanently to detect anyone bumping into the car whilst parked. I know you can get motion detection ones these days but i already have a couple standard dash cams i can use. __________________ How to retrofit Cruise Control on a diesel with no OEM wiring in place: Link How to retrofit heated electric memory seats with no OEM wiring in place: Link How to operate FBH and ATC via text Link How to restore cloudy projector headlights Link

29th July 2019, 04:06	#3
Rich in Vancouver Gets stuck in MG ZT-T Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: White Rock, BC on Canada's Pacific Coast Posts: 849 Thanks: 338 Thanked 367 Times in 210 Posts	I have a Pittasoft dash cam wired to terminal 11 (accessory) in my under-dash fuse box using a piggy-back fuse. It is controlled by the ignition. According to my dash cam dealer you can run down a battery by leaving the dash cam on all the time. Pittasoft sells a device called "Power Magic" which allows you to pre-set a time limit for recording while parked which also shuts the camera off when the battery drops to a certain voltage. They also market a dedicated lithium battery backup. I have a power magic unit that I took out of my MGF which I will be installing in the ZT when I get a chance. Here is a link to my dealer's site. They have some good information there. https://www.blackboxmycar.com/collections/blackvue __________________ ZT-T190, Anthracite, LHD, Left the Line on June 24, 2002, Sold new in Switzerland, spent time in Germany, Imported to Canada in September 2021 Last edited by Rich in Vancouver; 29th July 2019 at 04:11..

29th July 2019, 08:41	#5
MSS This is my second home Rover 75CDT, Jaguar XF-S 3.0V6, V'xhall Omega V6 Estate, Twintop 1.8VVT, Astra Estate and Corsa 1.2 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7,083 Thanks: 283 Thanked 624 Times in 440 Posts	I would not wire a dashcam to the car battery permanently. Measurements made and published on various forums have shown that dashcams typically draw between 1.2W and 3.5W from the 12V supply when operational. Taking a nominal value of 2.5W, this represents a 200mA draw at a nominal 12V battery voltage. The above will mean a typical in-service car battery being completely drained in around 10 days. Given that deep slow discharge kills lead acid batteries, this is not something I would do. I would set a goal of never discharging a car battery to a level below 75% of its charge holding capacity in order to ensure reasonable battery life i.e longevity of the battery as opposed to its point charge state. If I really wanted a permanently on dashcam, I would buy 2 off 20Ah Li-ion power banks and swap these between charging and the car every 2-3 days. Last edited by MSS; 29th July 2019 at 10:20..

29th July 2019, 09:25	#6
Mickyboy SERVICING AND DEALER DIAGNOSTICS MG ZT CDTI 135 + & MGZT CDTI AUTO 160 & ROVER 75 TOURER CDTI 160 TROPHY YELLOW Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hernebay Posts: 4,331 Thanks: 818 Thanked 2,414 Times in 1,141 Posts	Hi rick, I had a customers car come in last summer that they had piggybacked a live feed from the fusebox, it was a mark2 fusebox and it had a permanent live to the cigar lighter, they complain to me that the car was having difficulty starting it was solely because it was draining it enough that the ECM wouldn’t allow it to start, but I don’t think they was using the car daily, I then put it on a different feed that was ignition feed, this solved the problem. Mick __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] T4 Owner Jobs done : new UBP, Spy hole mod, Rear hub(wheel bearing),plenum cleaned and emptied, Inline thermostat fitted,Full service, In car Digital tv/DVD Bluetooth Satnav etc, Replaced UBP, Restored headlights,Fixed airbag connection.replaced HP pump,replaced rear light seals,changed intercooler O rings. Jobs to do: ,replace drivers lock,.[/SIZE]

29th July 2019, 16:32	#7
Tim_Burgess This is my second home 1999 75 Connoisseur SE 2.5, 2000 75 Classic SE 2.0, 2012 Lancia Delta 3, 2016 Dacia Sandero Ambiance Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kilcreggan Posts: 3,191 Thanks: 334 Thanked 334 Times in 162 Posts	I have a Nextbase dashcam; the one that's built-in to the rear-view mirror and a Nextbase hardwire kit. This can be wired in permanently and is supposed to detect if the battery voltage drops and shut the camera off automatically. __________________ *The fact there's a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers.*.

28th July 2019, 22:28	#2
Gate Keeper This is my second home 4X4 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Nairobi Posts: 20,056 Thanks: 8,286 Thanked 7,017 Times in 4,160 Posts	Hi Rick, Dorset Bob started a thread on the dash cam he set up in his 75 with photos. He wired it in and described how how he did it. The cam he used was stealth and not obvious to anyone else that he had a dash cam on board. If you searched his name, his post would come up. By coincidence I am thinking of doing one myself and adding a tracker.

29th July 2019, 08:13	#4
Terryf Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon BRG Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Retford Posts: 573 Thanks: 119 Thanked 142 Times in 69 Posts	I have Front and rear cameras wired to be permanently on. BUT I have a device in the supply line which blocks the supply if battery voltage drops below 12.5 volts. I also have a switch so I can turn off when car is in garage. All this kind of stuff is available on amazon. Hope this is useful!

1st August 2019, 22:26	#8
Canonite This is my second home BMW 330d Tourer, MG ZT 180 SE XPG, VW Polo 6R 1.2 TDI Bluemotion Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: York Posts: 6,022 Thanks: 363 Thanked 574 Times in 319 Posts	My Nextbase 512 has parking mode, so it runs off its own battery in standby mode. Any motion captured activates it and it records a two minute clip, then switches off to standby again. What is it you’re hoping to capture?

1st August 2019, 22:46	#9
louis71 Avid contributor MG ZT 1.8T+ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Republik Of West Yorkshire Posts: 201 Thanks: 118 Thanked 24 Times in 22 Posts	Ive had a Nextbase 512 for almost three years now and its hardwired permanently on, I turn the display screen off when its in use as to not drain the battery and remove the dash cam on a night so it doesnt get nicked. I have never had a problem with a flat battery __________________ Jobs done with help from this forum:- Head Gasket/Belts/Water Pump. T4 session and spare key fob reprogram (thanks BigRuss). Shannon Tube Replaced. Boot Leak fixed. Bonnet Cable fix. Additional Boot LED lights fitted. Plenum Drains cleaned. Air Bag warning light. Low Fan Speed Resistor Replaced. Drivers door central locking (thanks Unclefista). Handbrake compensator mod (thanks Harry). Alloy Wheel Refurb. New Turbocharger. 190 front brakes/caliper/discs upgrade.