Thinkware F770 Fuse problem: only continuously records, wont go into parking mode

dragonrider

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I installed a Thinkware F770 dash cam into my 2017 Honda CRV EX-L. The hardwire kit comes with 3 wires:
-BLACK (ground wire). I've got this attached to a bolt behind the pedal. No problem.
-YELLOW (labeled-battery wire). I've got this attached to #10: 20amp, CTR accessor socket. No problem.
-The RED (labeled-ACC wire) is the PROBLEM!

I have tried numerous combinations and no matter what I do, every time it stays in the continuous recording mode. Its only when I unplug the RED labeled ACC wire that it will go into parking mode.

I've tried numerous combinations and no luck. When I called BlackBoxMy car they stated that Honda's were tricky and to keep trying the fuses. I've pretty much tried all the "safe" ones and none are left. I'm stumped. Do I just say screw it and leave it in continuous recording mode?!
 
It wont go into parking mode because the Yellow (BATT) wire needs to be connected to constant 12v+. Center accessory socket is usually not constantly powered (test it by plugging an accessory with the car off)

Use a multimeter or test light to find a fuse with constant 12v+.

Also double check parking mode is indeed enabled in the settings.
 
I finally figured it out. I kept testing and testing and finally found the right 2 fuse combinations to make it work. I now gotta crick in my neck, my knees hurt, and my right elbow is skinned up. I'm just glad I got it working.
 
I finally figured it out. I kept testing and testing and finally found the right 2 fuse combinations to make it work. I now gotta crick in my neck, my knees hurt, and my right elbow is skinned up. I'm just glad I got it working.

Haha I think I was the one who spoke with you on Saturday, glad to hear you got it working.
I believe on the 2016 Civic that I did, one fuse was called power outlet while the other was accessory.

While we're on this topic, I might as well clarify for anyone else what we mean by the ignition switched fuse being tricky to locate (without a circuit tester/multimeter).

Traditionally, if you went in while the car was off and you found fuses that were off, you could assume that is an ignition switched fuse. However with certain cars (e.g., Honda, Toyota, Mazda) the fuses don't necessarily light up when you start the car. Instead you might have to hit the button/switch for that accessory to get power to that fuse

I just had a customer today come into our shop with a 2016 Mazda 6, he had wired the accessory wire to the rear defroster fuse. He noted that some days the camera would start up normally, while other days it wouldn't turn on unless he hit the power button. He also noted that the camera would turn off while driving. Essentially the issue was that on his car, the rear defroster fuse doesn't light up unless the button is pressed.
We've seen the same with Toyota/Lexus as well as Honda vehicles, things like the power door lock or low beam might not be ignition switched but actually switched using a specific button in the car.

When looking for a switched fuse, it would be a good practice to check while the car is off and to check again while the car is on to make sure it stays on while the car is on.
 
Yeah, and sometimes you have to check that a switched fuse stays off when the car is off too. Like Dragonrider, my F770 stayed in continuous recording and would not go into parking mode. As it turns out I hardwired the Cellink B to an ACC Outlet fuse that had constant power and not ignition switched (as I assumed it was). The ACC power outlet on that fuse was dead with the engine off, and hot with the engine turned on. The outlet was also dead when the fuse was removed while the engine was running. What is baffling however is that the volt meter picked up 14V's in the fuse slot when the fuse was removed and the ignition off. So the Thinkware "thinked wrong" ... that the engine was on all the time and it stayed in continuous recording, never activated parking mode. I moved the fuse tap to a different fuse that was truly ignition switched and now my Thinkware "thinks right" ... records continuously when the engine is on, and automatically switches to parking mode when the engine shuts off. And yes, it's a Honda.
 
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I just had a customer today come into our shop with a 2016 Mazda 6, he had wired the accessory wire to the rear defroster fuse. He noted that some days the camera would start up normally, while other days it wouldn't turn on unless he hit the power button. He also noted that the camera would turn off while driving.

You folks must have the patience of Job.

I'd tear my hair out (what little is left) having to deal with that sort of stuff...
 
You folks must have the patience of Job.

I'd tear my hair out (what little is left) having to deal with that sort of stuff...

It does get challenging sometimes especially since vehicles can be very different from each other, but we're here to help in any way that we can!
 
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Hello all,
I had my F770 and a cellink battery b professionally fitted about a month ago and have just noticed that the camera isn't going into parking mode either for time lapse or incident recording, it's just continuous; no files appear in the parking folders. I'm guessing that the dash cam doesn't know I've parked and is continuously recording using the cellink battery as power?
I will contact the company that wired it for me, possibly copy and pasting your advice so please don't be critical as I know they had issues getting their phone to "talk" to the F770 via wi-fi (it does take a while to connect and the phone app crashed a number of times although it seems stable now) but has anyone else had and resolved this issue? If it helps: 2015 Mini Clubman.
Thanks everyone/anyone.
Simon.
 
I had my F770 and a cellink battery b professionally fitted about a month ago and have just noticed that the camera isn't going into parking mode either for time lapse or incident recording, it's just continuous; no files appear in the parking folders. I'm guessing that the dash cam doesn't know I've parked and is continuously recording using the cellink battery as power?

Sounds like they mixed up the BATT and ACC wire to the Cellink. Im guessing the installers didnt read the labels and just connected yellow to yellow and red to red.

Thinkware has also swapped the hardwire kit colours depending on when you purchased it.
 
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Hello all,
I had my F770 and a cellink battery b professionally fitted about a month ago and have just noticed that the camera isn't going into parking mode either for time lapse or incident recording, it's just continuous; no files appear in the parking folders. I'm guessing that the dash cam doesn't know I've parked and is continuously recording using the cellink battery as power?
I will contact the company that wired it for me, possibly copy and pasting your advice so please don't be critical as I know they had issues getting their phone to "talk" to the F770 via wi-fi (it does take a while to connect and the phone app crashed a number of times although it seems stable now) but has anyone else had and resolved this issue? If it helps: 2015 Mini Clubman.
Thanks everyone/anyone.
Simon.

Most likely what the above poster said about flipped wires. Do you hear your Cellink beep once when you start and beep twice when you turn the car off?
 
Hi. No beeps, it tells me "continuous recording started" ( or something like that) in the morning; presumably because the Cellink Battery B has run flat and consequently the dash cam turns off. Does it sound like I just need to swap the cables or might there be more to it than that I wonder. The installers are going to have a look at it at the end of the week so hopefully it will get sorted.
 
I have same issue here and no idea where I am going wrong. Bmw f31

#143 is ACC or the red wire. (5A + 5A)
#161 is CON/BATT or the yellow wire. (20A + 5A)

Ground is on the bolt next to comm box.

Using a MS MultiSafer which continues to flash red every second. I am using a thinkware cigar connector directly into the Ms.

If i power car off the camera has constant feed of power.

if i press the button on the MS multisafer it will kill the power whenever the car is turned off.

i know that 161 is live when engine is off
 
I have same issue here and no idea where I am going wrong. Bmw f31

#143 is ACC or the red wire. (5A + 5A)
#161 is CON/BATT or the yellow wire. (20A + 5A)

Ground is on the bolt next to comm box.

Using a MS MultiSafer which continues to flash red every second. I am using a thinkware cigar connector directly into the Ms.

If i power car off the camera has constant feed of power.

if i press the button on the MS multisafer it will kill the power whenever the car is turned off.

i know that 161 is live when engine is off

If you are using a multi safer with the F770, that's most likely where you're going wrong.
The cigarette cable will not tell the camera when you turn the car on/off so it only stays in continuous mode.
You need to use Thinkware's direct wire hardwire kit. For an F31 you'll need to get that wire extended a few feet though
 
I was thinking this also but the Ms is there to save my battery as I do not trust the thinkware software. If I purchase a cell link b would I still be in the same situation with the camera not knowing it is in parking mode
 
I was thinking this also but the Ms is there to save my battery as I do not trust the thinkware software. If I purchase a cell link b would I still be in the same situation with the camera not knowing it is in parking mode

If you purchase a Cellink B, you'll still need to get Thinkware's hardwire kit and splice it into the cellink's output.
The Thinkware voltage cutoff seems to work quite reliably, if you have a multimeter handy you can compare the voltage reading with what the camera reads. I actually prefer the software/built-in voltage cut off as it's so much more intuitive to set.
You don't have to refer to a user manual to find out what dip switches mean. If your camera is going into parking mode correctly, you'll also reduce power consumption a bit since GPS won't be running.
 
I was thinking this also but the Ms is there to save my battery as I do not trust the thinkware software. If I purchase a cell link b would I still be in the same situation with the camera not knowing it is in parking mode

The Thinkware voltage cutoff is reliable and you can set a timer cutoff on top of it. There is no need to run a separate hardwire kit.

The F770 parking mode will NOT work with the Multisafer and/or a cig plug cable. (which would answer your other thread about parking mode not engaging)

You need the proper thinkware hardwire cable with 3 wires so the cam has constant power and knows when the ignition is on/off.
 
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I finally figured it out. I kept testing and testing and finally found the right 2 fuse combinations to make it work. I now gotta crick in my neck, my knees hurt, and my right elbow is skinned up. I'm just glad I got it working.

So what were the fuse combination you used for it to work on the CR-V 2017?

Thanks!
 
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