A129Pro Hardwire Kit?

[Nigel]

Got it — I will try it that way first. I thought that the top slot in a fuse tap won't work if the bottom slot was empty, but I guess that's not correct.

Just to confirm, there won't be any issues with different fuse sizes on the ACC fuse tap (10A on bottom, 5A on top), right?

Depends which way around you plug the fuse tap in, the wrong way and the power has to go through the original fuse first, and if there isn't an original fuse then it can't.

If you have to plug it in the wrong way around due to not fitting the other way then you will have to add an original fuse, but it is better not to do so unless you know what size it should be and that it won't supply power to something that it shouldn't!

The new fuse should always be smaller than the original.

 

[relive]

Depends which way around you plug the fuse tap in, the wrong way and the power has to go through the original fuse first, and if there isn't an original fuse then it can't.

If you have to plug it in the wrong way around due to not fitting the other way then you will have to add an original fuse, but it is better not to do so unless you know what size it should be and that it won't supply power to something that it shouldn't!

The new fuse should always be smaller than the original.

Okay, all of that makes sense now. According to my fuse diagram, the empty fuse slot in my picture is for the anti-theft alarm sensor, and the original fuse is 5A. I will try with the bottom slot of the fuse tap empty first. If that doesn't work, then I will buy another 5A fuse and add it to the bottom. Thank you for your help!

 

[Nigel]

...If that doesn't work, then I will buy another 5A fuse and add it to the bottom. Thank you for your help!

Turn the fuse tap around 180 degrees first, if it will fit, only add the extra fuse if that doesn't work, since you don't actually know what it will supply power to.

 

[Jonro2009]

I was always taught that there is a correct orientation for these add a fuse gadgets, if you put it the wrong way round then I am lead to believe that the fuse doesn't actually protect the circuit.

I could be totally wrong and if I am then it would be good to get clarity for any future projects I might do.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Nigel]

I was always taught that there is a correct orientation for these add a fuse gadgets, if you put it the wrong way round then I am lead to believe that the fuse doesn't actually protect the circuit.

I could be totally wrong and if I am then it would be good to get clarity for any future projects I might do.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

If you don't have a fuse in the bottom slot because the original fuse holder was empty, then there is only one way around that will work, that is the correct way around.

If you have both fuses then it will work either way around, but works slightly differently and there is an argument about which is the correct way. I think the correct way is the opposite way around from if you only have 1 fuse, since that will be the safest way.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I just ordered a HK3 kit with Mini fuse taps from @CaptureYourAction on Amazon. The kit is supposed to come with two 5A fuses.

This is a picture of my fuse box, and the two recommended fuse slots to use are highlighted:

The always-on slot is empty, so should I put the supplied 5A fuse in the first slot of the Add-a-Fuse? And for the ACC slot, I need to put the existing 10A fuse into the first slot of the Add-a-Fuse and the supplied 5A fuse into the second slot, right?

This thread has some good info about orientation.

Piggy-back fuseholders - a right way and a wrong way?

I'm about to hardwire in another dashcam using a piggy-back mini-fuse holder. Prior to doing this, I had a quick ferret at it with a multimeter and reckon ideally the piggy-back should be fitted one war around and not the other. It will work both ways, but one way will result in the current...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[Jonro2009]

I understand that now, the 'right' way round would be the same if the bottom fuse was there too wouldn't it?

If you put it in the 'wrong' way when you had both fuses in then the original circuit would still be protected but the added circuit would potentially carry the load to the Dashcam without going through the fuse, if I've got it in my head right lol.

The thread that has been mentioned above is the one were I got this information from, it was a tricky read thanks to a few 'internet electricians' but there were some trusted names giving well balanced answers, yours being one of them @Nigel

Hopefully I have taken away the correct information [emoji2371]

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[gabilondo77]

Just received the HK3 today,I'm wondering if I turn off Parking Mode in camera's menu,the camera will switch off when ignition is turned off,or I have to switch the camera off long pressing the camera left button if I want the camera off?

 

[Nigel]

Just received the HK3 today,I'm wondering if I turn off Parking Mode in camera's menu,the camera will switch off when ignition is turned off,or I have to switch the camera off long pressing the camera left button if I want the camera off?

It will turn off with ignition, as long as you connect the 3 wires correctly.

 

[OzAdam]

Just received the HK3 today,I'm wondering if I turn off Parking Mode in camera's menu,the camera will switch off when ignition is turned off,or I have to switch the camera off long pressing the camera left button if I want the camera off?

I plan to wire a switch into the red "BATT" wire so I can disable constant 24h power if not wanting parking mode. I assume it should still start up normally with starting the car via the ACC yellow wire. I am yet to this this theory though.

 

[Nigel]

I plan to wire a switch into the red "BATT" wire so I can disable constant 24h power if not wanting parking mode. I assume it should still start up normally with starting the car via the ACC yellow wire. I am yet to this this theory though.

Your switch will turn it off permanently, you can just use the camera power/menu button which will allow it to turn back on with ignition.

 

[gabilondo77]

It will turn off with ignition, as long as you connect the 3 wires correctly.

Thank you @Nigel ,this is for my wife's car which sometimes is just sitting in garage for several days,don't want the battery to be discharged even if I set it to the highest 12.4V option.The 12V lighter socket is continuously supplied in her car,and I'm sure she will forget to take it out draining the battery,that's why I will install the hardware kit

 

[OzAdam]

Your switch will turn it off permanently, you can just use the camera power/menu button which will allow it to turn back on with ignition.

Let me guess - the main power comes from the red BATT wire and the yellow ACC wire is a sense isn't it? No matter, if so I can work my way around this.

Camera is behind my rear-view mirror - I have to shift the mirror each time to get to the buttons and I find that annoying. I don’t want to record in my garage so I will be adjusting this feature regularly.

I also have a brand new Vico Power Plus which I plan to chain into the Viofo HK3 kit to control that BATT wire based on the Vico's timer cut-out, temperature cut-out and it also allows more granularity in low voltage control than the HK3. Most importantly it has a switch to enable and disable parking mode on it.

I need to keep the Viofo HK3 for the ACC switching feature as well as the fact it is the voltage reducer for the A129 Pro (12v to 5v).

Annoyingly today upon testing the Vico Power Plus, it has some kind of voltage drop problem out of the factory. Possibly poor circuit design. When the battery is 12.4 volts the Vico outputs 11.7. That is below the lowest setting on the HK3.

I MIGHT need to use a relay which I will control with the Vico Power Plus output Why am I doing all this? I want the parking mode bypass switch, the car interior temperature cut-out and timer features on the Vico Power Plus. I know the timer is inaccurate on this unit but no big deal if it has like a 2 hour lag or whatever. I could try the Power Magic Pro but it doesn't have temperature cut-out which I would like to be honest.

I think I will be making a thread over in the Vico forums to ask for advice regarding what the deal with the low output voltage is. Strange thing is it should just be a smart switch so to speak passing the voltage and current directly though to its output.

Edit: Confirmed that yes, all power for the camera is supplied via the BATT wire with the ACC wire acting as a 'car running / acc' trigger signal. If the BATT wire is not connected, the camera will not work at all even with the ACC wire connected.

 

[Nigel]

When the battery is 12.4 volts the Vico outputs 11.7.

It will be doing the switching using a transistor, a 0.6 volt drop is typical for normal transistors.
Using it to drive a relay seems a reasonable work around, of course it uses a little extra power so not ideal, which is why they have chosen to use a transistor, but I can't think of a better way.

 

[jokiin]

I plan to wire a switch into the red "BATT" wire so I can disable constant 24h power if not wanting parking mode. I assume it should still start up normally with starting the car via the ACC yellow wire. I am yet to this this theory though.

use a SPDT switch and wire one side to B+ and the other to ACC, if you flick the switch to disable parking you will have both power wires to ACC, that way if you forget it will still turn on when you start the car

 

[OzAdam]

It will be doing the switching using a transistor, a 0.6 volt drop is typical for normal transistors.
Using it to drive a relay seems a reasonable work around, of course it uses a little extra power so not ideal, which is why they have chosen to use a transistor, but I can't think of a better way.

Actually yes, that didn’t occur to me. Sounds like transistor based switching indeed! Annoying as its going to trip the low voltage cutout on the Viofo hardwire kit. I am yet to test this but it’s logical if the lowest is 11.8v.

Indeed - another 150ma of current draw. Only other way is try the power magic pro but I lose the over temp cutout but gain an accurate timer. Always trade-offs...

use a SPDT switch and wire one side to B+ and the other to ACC, if you flick the switch to disable parking you will have both power wires to ACC, that way if you forget it will still turn on when you start the car

Good idea @jokiin. I have moved into now using either the Vico or a PMP but if all fails I have can use a SPDT switch. Thanks for the idea.

 

[relive]

Getting ready to install my HK3 kit and noticed that there is a ferrite core near the USB plug. Do you guys tuck the cable into the headliner after the ferrite core, or is there an elegant way to hide this as well?

 

[OzAdam]

Getting ready to install my HK3 kit and noticed that there is a ferrite core near the USB plug. Do you guys tuck the cable into the headliner after the ferrite core, or is there an elegant way to hide this as well?

Hide it all under the liner. The ferrite core is undetectable in my install and posed little issue. Only part visible is the USB plug that connects to the camera itself.

 

[chito]

can I use a celllink b for the pro?