Brand New A329S power issue

[terrorindeed]

I received a brand new 3CH A329S yesterday from Amazon. The main camera did not power on via my trucks usb type c ports, or a power brick via the onboard 150W truck outlet. I took the camera inside and tried off an outlet. No power on, nothing. I contaced amazon and have set the device to be returned. I order another and received delivery of it this morning. I immediately tested the camera inside with supplied cable and an ipad usb type c power brick. The lights came on, I selected english and set my time zone, and then the unit powered off. I have attempted holding the R reset button, moved the usb cable to the USB rather than POWER, but still no power. 2 units in 2 days? For reference I initially purchased 2 units and installed on into my wifes car with success. What is going on here?

 

[TonyM]

It is likely that your truck's USB-C port and the USB-C power bricks are either a) not capable of supplying 5V at 3A, or b) they are Power Delivery type sockets that the A329S cannot use. The dashcam does not communicate with the socket to negotiate the amount of power needed, in the way a phone or ipad does. I believe this is true for most if not all USB-C dashcams.

Did you try the 12v-to-USB power adapter in the box?

What power supply are you using in your wife's car?

 

[TonyM]

I immediately tested the camera inside with supplied cable and an ipad usb type c power brick. The lights came on, I selected english and set my time zone, and then the unit powered off.

This sounds as though the power brick can only supply enough power to operate the camera when it is not recording. After getting through the menu settings it tried to start up and realised there was not enough power available, so it shut down.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Did you try the 12v-to-USB power adapter in the box?

ipad usb type c power brick

 

[terrorindeed]

My truck 2024 GMC 2500HD does not have a 12 V cigarette plugin, but does have a 150W power outlet in the center console. The iPad power brick does not power on the dashcam at all. I was only able to power it on briefly with the iPad brick inside my house via an outlet.

 

[terrorindeed]

It is likely that your truck's USB-C port and the USB-C power bricks are either a) not capable of supplying 5V at 3A, or b) they are Power Delivery type sockets that the A329S cannot use. The dashcam does not communicate with the socket to negotiate the amount of power needed, in the way a phone or ipad does. I believe this is true for most if not all USB-C dashcams.

Did you try the 12v-to-USB power adapter in the box?

What power supply are you using in your wife's car?

But then why would the dashcam boot up inside my home, to then power off ? I will try the 12V in my wife’s car later today

 

[terrorindeed]

I have an HK6 on order , shipping from china

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I find the small square white USB power supplies that come with apple products to be troublesome in powering some dash cameras. I stopped trying them about 5 years ago after it wouldn't power on a A119 (other USB wall chargers that supplied 1A or more worked fine on the same camera).

 

[Julian23]

As everyone mentioned above, use a "dumb" 5V 2A power brick.
They work fine.
My QC or PD charger will not work.

 

[Mtz]

I received a brand new 3CH A329S yesterday from Amazon. The main camera did not power on via my trucks usb type c ports, or a power brick via the onboard 150W truck outlet. I took the camera inside and tried off an outlet. No power on, nothing. I contaced amazon and have set the device to be returned.

Oh, so you put the dashcam in the car and tested with everything but not the original chargers. So you decided the camera is bad. Why such actions? You can even test it at home before sending by connecting it to a smartphone charger.

 

[TonyM]

You can even test it at home before sending by connecting it to a smartphone charger.

OP did try a phone charger but as mentioned above it was probably 'smart' so the camera can't talk to it.

 

[Mtz]

Yeah, but when buying an electronic product the first thing to do about it is to use its original charger.

 

[mentadent]

Congrats on removing all profit they might have made with your return, without even contacting their support.

 

[viofo]

If there is only USB-C port in the car, you can try to use a USB-A to USB-C adapter.

We are developing a specific USB-C to USB-C cable as some new cars don't have a cigarette socket lighter.

For apple devices, the iPhone 15 Pro max, iPhone 16 Pro max can power on the dash cam, if you connect it with the A329S side USB-C port, the camera will enter to the card reader mode instead of recording mode.

 

[lufa6977]

I have an HK6 on order , shipping from china

Good purchase. Meanwhile, take the cigarette lighter adapter, the camera, and visit a friend who has a vehicle with a CLA. I would almost bet your dashcam powers up and runs.

 

[terrorindeed]

I spoke with support, the original camera does not power on via car charger, thanks.
Support also mentioned the development of the new usb-c cable and that the supplied usb-c cable does not work with usb-c ports, it only works with the 12V charger.
Support suggested I try a USB-A - USB-C cable. That powers the camera, but at only 8" it won't be the cable.
How many people in the forum have a 2024+ model vehicle without 12V cigarette car charger?
Perhaps a manufacturer of a 2025 electroncic device would provide the necessary adaptors and cables for all vehicles manufactured today? $702 CAD and I do not have a working setup, + $50 CAD HK6, and a USB-A - USB-C 4M cable $20 CAD to power the device. Great

 

[terrorindeed]

To those who replied with criticisms and profit margins, get a life . I bought a brand-new $700+ CAD kit that would not power on in a brand-new 2024 truck. I did my due diligence, tested in multiple vehicles, inside, contacted support, and then posted here. What are forums for you say?

This isnt user error, this is about manufacturers needing to supply proper cables and adaptors for expensive electronics in 2025.

 

[lufa6977]

I spoke with support, the original camera does not power on via car charger, thanks.
Support also mentioned the development of the new usb-c cable and that the supplied usb-c cable does not work with usb-c ports, it only works with the 12V charger.
.

Well, I am missing something here. The A329S comes with a CLA charger, but Support is telling you it won't work? I understand it won't work in your car due to it not having a CLA port, but it should work in an
older model. I have a CLA with two USB ports, which powers my cameras, phones, and tablets.

Automobile manufacturers are in a transition period when it comes to the CLA. Many devices still rely on a CLA as a primary or secondary power source, especially those used by hikers, campers, and adventurers.

 

[TonyM]

How many people in the forum have a 2024+ model vehicle without 12V cigarette car charger?
Perhaps a manufacturer of a 2025 electroncic device would provide the necessary adaptors and cables for all vehicles manufactured today?

Sorry, I do not have a modern vehicle - my 2021 car still has a single 12V socket.

I have tried powering various dashcams with the USB-C port on powerbanks and power stations and found that most did turn on, whereas they would all work happily with a USB-A to USB-C cable, so that was the basis of my suggestion to try a non-USBC power source.

It is an interesting point that dashcam manufacturers may not be keeping up with changes in car interior design if they rely on a socket type which is being phased out.

I suppose that's why USB-C to 12V adapters are now available:

 

[EricSan]

I did my due diligence, tested in multiple vehicles, inside, contacted support, and then posted here.

Hi and welcome to the forums! Good to hear that you tried multiple power supply arrangements first. For some added context, it is a very frequent complaint among people who are new to dashcams to attempt to power them with various third party devices only to discover that they don't work properly. 99% of the time, this is because the third party power supply is not well designed and the voltage sags under the current load, so the camera malfunctions. Or, someone plugged the power supply cable into a USB-C port that is not meant to power the camera.

As a result, the typical reply when someone says "it doesn't work" is generally to say "use the power supply that came with the dashcam." It seems you've come across the pretty rare case where something else is wrong.