Easy Method to Hardwire Any Dashcam, No Experience Required

[al_x]

Hey everyone. I've been a long time viewer of dashcamtalk. I used to have the G1W dashcam and I now have the B40 dashcam. My car only has one cigarette lighter so I was only able to use one dashcam and that kind of annoyed me since I wanted one for the rear and one for the front. I also want to use my cigarette lighter for a phone charger but that isn't really possible with the dashcam on 24/7.

I've searched on here and have seen a lot of talk about hardwiring dashcams but to the layman like me with absolutely no experience, it was quite daunting...I have no idea how to splice wires and I don't have the tools to crimp the wires.

The other day however, I found a website that had exactly what I needed. It was a hardwire kit with all the hard work done for me. No wires to fiddle with, I just had to plug and play basically. It includes a step down adapter for 12V to 5V so your dashcam won't fry.

Here is the link:
http://thedashcamstore.com/installation-kits/


They are marked up quite a bit compared to if you bought the equipment yourself and did it yourself but if you are worried about messing up your electrical system like me, it is well worth it.

Here is the step-by-step guide from the manufacturer on how to install the hardwire kit:
http://thedashcamstore.com/advanced-dashcam-installation/

It took me about 30 mins from start to finish to complete my installation. You'll have to figure out which fuse your vehicle uses but if you email the manufacturer at support@thedashcamstore.com they can help you out greatly. Just tell them your make and model and year and they'll direct you.

Here is a video on my installation:

A couple of tips that I think would be useful if you are going to hardwire your dashcam. These are general tips, not specific to this kit:
When putting the fuse into the add-a-fuse, you gotta apply a little force. At first I thought the fuse just didn't fit but I applied a bit of force and it snapped in place and I was able to just push it down.

Most of the lugs that were near my fuse box required a special tool to unscrew and would not unscrew with an ordinary torque wrench even though the screw fit. I ended up having to get some washers to attach to a smaller lug that was removable so there would be enough surface area for my ground.

Looking forward to your comments and concerns...let me know if you have any questions or if you need help installing the kit...the manufacturer replies relatively quickly but I can provide additional pictures/video of my setup.

And I just want to mention I am not affiliated at all with thedashcamstore. I know it seems like it, but I just wanted to share some information and a product I thought would be helpful to a lot of people here who might want to hardwire their dashcam but don't want to mess with wires.

Updates: Just found out that my radio goes static if I have two dashcams wired in. I thought someone was using a radio jammer at first since as I drove away from my home, it was less static.. but when I got home, I decided to unplug one dashcam and my radio was perfect. So be warned..if you are hardwiring two dashcams.

 

[Nigel]

They don't tell you to install the add-a-fuse the correct way around - potential safety issue!

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/piggy-back-fuseholders-a-right-way-and-a-wrong-way.7524/

 

[al_x]

They don't tell you to install the add-a-fuse the correct way around - potential safety issue!

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/piggy-back-fuseholders-a-right-way-and-a-wrong-way.7524/

Hm you are right about that...They do not mention which slot the fuse from the fusebox goes into but the kit does come with the dashcam fuse already installed in the correct slot, leaving the other slot for the fuse from the fusebox. It is always a good idea to mention though in case someone removes the dashcam fuse. Thanks for mentioning it though really because I ran downstairs to check my fuses just in case haha.

 

[Nigel]

The new fuse in the images appears to be a 30A fuse, there is no way that cable they have provided is 30A cable - another safety issue. They should probably be using a 2A fuse.

The original fuse is a 20A fuse. If the add-a-fuse is inserted the wrong way around then not only is the new cable not correctly protected but the original 20A cabling/components supplying power to the fuse box are also not correctly protected.

Of course if you connect everything up correctly then it will work fine, but fuses are there for safety reasons and to prevent expensive damage if something does go wrong, they should be correct.

 

[al_x]

The new fuse in the images appears to be a 30A fuse, there is no way that cable they have provided is 30A cable - another safety issue. They should probably be using a 2A fuse.

The original fuse is a 20A fuse. If the add-a-fuse is inserted the wrong way around then not only is the new cable not correctly protected but the original 20A cabling/components supplying power to the fuse box are also not correctly protected.

Of course if you connect everything up correctly then it will work fine, but fuses are there for safety reasons and to prevent expensive damage if something does go wrong, they should be correct.

Is the new fuse you are referring to in the pic the green fuse? That one, which comes pre-installed, is a 2A fuse. I've used a 7.5A fuse for my fuse from the fusebox. Do you think that should be safe? I don't have any lower rated fuses that are also hot in start.

Thanks for the input by the way, I'd rather admit being wrong if I am than be misinformed

 

[nir]

40$ ?!
are you kidding me?

 

[al_x]

40$ ?!
are you kidding me?

Yeah it is pretty expensive for what it is...I guess you can call it the idiot tax since it's designed for people like me who can't figure out wiring

 

[Nigel]

Is the new fuse you are referring to in the pic the green fuse? That one, which comes pre-installed, is a 2A fuse. I've used a 7.5A fuse for my fuse from the fusebox. Do you think that should be safe? I don't have any lower rated fuses that are also hot in start.

Yes, I was referring to the green fuse, green is used for 30A and I couldn't read anything in the image but if it is 2A then that is fine.
If you have installed it in a 7.5A socket then that is also fine. Possibly you should make sure it is the correct way around to avoid the possibility of taking 9.5A from a 7.5A socket but I wouldn't worry about it: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/piggy-back-fuseholders-a-right-way-and-a-wrong-way.7524/

 

[al_x]

Yes, I was referring to the green fuse, green is used for 30A and I couldn't read anything in the image but if it is 2A then that is fine.
If you have installed it in a 7.5A socket then that is also fine. Possibly you should make sure it is the correct way around to avoid the possibility of taking 9.5A from a 7.5A socket but I wouldn't worry about it: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/piggy-back-fuseholders-a-right-way-and-a-wrong-way.7524/

Ah okay. Thanks for all the information! I have no idea why the manufacturer used different colors for 2A...in the product picture, it is a clear color, in the installation pic it's green, in the actual kit he sent, both are orange

 

[Olli]

Cheaper alternative:
- Fuse Tap ~5 EUR https://www.ebay.com/itm/181548486357- Female 12V Plug ~2 EUR https://www.ebay.com/itm/400662824638- Fuse 3A ~2 EUR https://www.ebay.com/itm/400754988398- And you can use the power adaptor which came with the camera

- so 9 EUR vs 30 EUR (both incl. shipping)

(thanks to contributors @ https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/hardwiring.7634)

 

[Iulian]

I did it this way:

- 1x: 12V->5V converter with two usb outputs: http://goo.gl/gacX2T
- 2x: 15ft shielded usb cables: http://goo.gl/oTrKE4
- 1x: Add-a-circuit/fuse-tap http://goo.gl/vy9L3g
and a little bit of wire, solder and heat-shrink tubing.

I was lucky and found an empty and unused slot in the fuse box, so I installed it there.
I only used one fuse with the fuse-tap(the top one), since I did not use the original circuit. That slot normally requires a 7.5A fuse, but I installed a 5A fuse, didn't need more.

The 12v->5v converter is said to output 3A max, but my multimeter actually shows me 4.5A and 5.2v. (at the end of the 15ft usb cable).
I did not buy my cables from Monoprice, they do not ship to Belgium. I bought shielded ones and used my own ferrite beads.

Total cost: 10-15usd.

 

[al_x]

Cheaper alternative:
- Fuse Tap ~5 EUR https://www.ebay.com/itm/181548486357- Female 12V Plug ~2 EUR https://www.ebay.com/itm/400662824638- Fuse 3A ~2 EUR https://www.ebay.com/itm/400754988398- And you can use the power adaptor which came with the camera

- so 9 EUR vs 30 EUR (both incl. shipping)

(thanks to contributors @ https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/hardwiring.7634)

Dang...The only part I would've got stuck on his what to do with the open ended wires. I've had to deal with them before on a friend's car and we tried to just clamp the open ended wire into the blue tube but it didn't work and he had to send his product back for a replacement.

I did it this way:

- 1x: 12V->5V converter with two usb outputs: http://goo.gl/gacX2T
- 2x: 15ft shielded usb cables: http://goo.gl/oTrKE4
- 1x: Add-a-circuit/fuse-tap http://goo.gl/vy9L3g
and a little bit of wire, solder and heat-shrink tubing.

I was lucky and found an empty and unused slot in the fuse box, so I installed it there.
I only used one fuse with the fuse-tap(the top one), since I did not use the original circuit. That slot normally requires a 7.5A fuse, but I installed a 5A fuse, didn't need more.

The 12v->5v converter is said to output 3A max, but my multimeter actually shows me 4.5A and 5.2v. (at the end of the 15ft usb cable).
I did not buy my cables from Monoprice, they do not ship to Belgium. I bought shielded ones and used my own ferrite beads.

Total cost: 10-15usd.

I like your way. That's pretty cheap too and seems much cleaner than my method of having 2 kits. I wish someone would sell something like this except with the wires already connected to the blue tubing!! I would be throwing my money at them if they did

 

[scrappy]

Will finally hardwire mine, and I've ordered one of these for $7 US, ships from Shenzhen, has an inline fuse so no fuse tap is needed. I'll post when it arrives and I've done the install.
http://www.dxsoul.com/product/12v-2...e-w-protector-for-car-gps-camcorder-901312115

Update: it arrived today, 2 weeks after I ordered... not bad considering I ordered during China National Day holiday. At only 1.5" x 1" x .75", the converter box is smaller than I expected, the USB cable measures 6'6" from the box to the mini-usb end, it has a 3A fuse and the ground wire has an end for fitting to a screw, which is an improvement from the bare black wire shown in their pic. The hot and ground wire coming out of the other side of the converter box are about 3' long.

 

[al_x]

Updates: Just found out that my radio goes static if I have two dashcams wired in. I thought someone was using a radio jammer at first since as I drove away from my home, it was less static.. but when I got home, I decided to unplug one dashcam and my radio was perfect. So be warned..if you are hardwiring two dashcams.

 

[Dionic90]

wow you still listen to the radio? #relic

 

[al_x]

wow you still listen to the radio? #relic

haha I actually never use my radio..always use spotify and bluetooth it...but today I forgot to turn my bluetooth on my phone before I started driving so I had to settle for the radio momentarily

 

[Nigel]

The 12v->5v converter is said to output 3A max, but my multimeter actually shows me 4.5A and 5.2v. (at the end of the 15ft usb cable).

There is no way your camera uses 4.5A so I guess you measured that by short circuiting the adaptor? (Multimeter connected directly between 0 and 5V output.) Not all adaptors have short circuit protection so that is normally not a good idea. Just because it can produce 4.5A doesn't mean you should use a 5A fuse, if you have only used 3A cable then you should use a 3A fuse to protect the cable, I doubt that cable is rated for 5A. Safer to use a smaller fuse anyway.

 

[scrappy]

Tonight I finally got around to hardwiring the G1W-C in my Prius.
For $7.32, I recommend this part from DX as long as the length of the cable fits your needs -- see my post a couple of messages above in this thread for the URL and pic of the converter. My car's fuse panel cover is too tight to use a add-a-fuse type of fuse tap and put the cover back on, so I chose this converter from DX.com because it already has an inline fuse (3A) on the hot wire and the price was right. The video below (not mine) shows the Prius fuse panel at around 15:30 and you'll see what I mean.

I wanted to hardwire into a circuit that is on only when ignition is on, so I just used common sense and tapped into the Washer circuit by simply folding the wire over one of the mini ATM fuse blades and pushing the fuse back into the panel. If what I wrote doesn't make sense, check the video at around 17:30 or so.
There was a handy screw next to the fuse panel for me to connect the ground wire.

If anybody wants to hardwire to a gen-3 Prius, you should watch this video for some tips -- it saved me some time .

Took me about 30 minutes to install, the mini-usb cable at 6'6" long was just long enough for how I routed the cable (I did it different than the vid). I took a short test drive, the windshield washer and the cam work, and there is no radio interference... two thumbs up!

 

[germany]

10:20 in the BlackVue - Toyota Prius Installation.

You have exactly know what you're doing. Because I destroyd an airbag sensor within the A-pillar and that costs me almost 600 Euros to exchange and repair.

 

[Harsh]

Hello. I recently bought a dashcam (Mobius) and I couldn't find exact information I needed easily so hopefully someone can help me out here. I want the camera to turn on only when I start the car. So I'll have to connect it to a fuse which only supplies power when the car starts.
Here is what I currently have: 1) The dashcam itself with the mount. 2) A long usb charging cable for the camera. 3) A usb converter(charger)
So as far as I know to hardwire a dashcam to a fuse box I'm gonnna need something like this. So how do I connect this thing to the usb converter (as I cannot connect it straight to the usb cable as the camera needs 5v where as the fuse box supplies 12v if I'm correct). more about how to hardwire dash cam: http://www.azdome.hk/news-detail-211.html

The link you posted covers only how to route and conceal the USB cable. You'll need an appropriate fuse-tap and a hardwiring kit of you actually want to hardwire it.

With what you already have, connect the USB converter (charger) to your car's 12V cigarette lighter socket and use the long charging cable to power the Mobius.