BP100 output cable doesn't reach front camera from rear cargo fuse box

[victoryking]

Has anybody found a solution for when the output cable from the BP100 battery in the rear cargo area of a vehicle doesn't reach the dashcam on the windshield? The supplied output cable is only 4M. My X5 SUV doesn't have an ACCessory fuse in the front passenger fusebox, so I am installing the battery with the fusebox in the rear cargo area of my SUV, which has a path of 5-6M behind the trims.

Here are some possible solutions I could think of:
1) I'd love it if they could send me a 6M output cable (same length as rear camera cable) instead of the 4M, but they don't have this.
2) Use a 1-2M USB-C extension to extend the camera end of the BP100 output cable.
3) Keep the battery in my glovebox and wire the battery hardwire input cable GND and BATT wires to the front right fusebox and splice a longer cable to the yellow wire and run it to my rear cargo area fusebox.

I've asked these questions in the chat and via a support ticket, but instead of replies to my specific questions, they offered to send me a HK6 kit, and I am not sure how this would help the output cable from the battery reach my front camera. I wish I could get directly in touch with one of their technical people to make sure the second two alternatives above would not cause a malfunction. This is likely a new situation as other parking mode batteries (Cellink Neo, Powercell 8) only need an ACC power connection and not both ACC & BATT, so they are often kept in the rear cargo area of the vehicle and have different cabling.

Thank you.

 

[Onetenner]

Personally I'd move everything forward & extend the ACC wire, the 4m output cable is likely sized to account for volt-drop for the current draw, cross-sectional area and length of the conductors, the ACC is a signal-only connection so any volt drop will be minimal.

 

[victoryking]

Personally I'd move everything forward & extend the ACC wire, the 4m output cable is likely sized to account for volt-drop for the current draw, cross-sectional area and length of the conductors, the ACC is a signal-only connection so any volt drop will be minimal.

Thanks for the suggestion. Viofo is sending me the 6M HK6. I just found this has a 5M version of the cable that would connect from the battery to the front camera. If this doesn't work, I will extend the yellow ACC wire.

 

[lufa6977]

X5 SUV

What year model do you have? I think there should be two fuse boxes in the front left and front right.

The output voltage drop for 4m would be maybe .27 VDC, for 6m about .40 VDC. That is at 12.5 or 5.2 volts output, 1 amp, 20 awg. YMMV on those figures.

 

[victoryking]

Thank you. It's a 2023 X5 XDrive 45e. There is a left front fuse box too, but it appears that has fuses for the battery and hybrid system. Not sure any of these would be ignition controlled ACC fuses.

2023 BMW X5 fuse box diagram - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

When I get the longer HK6 cables from Viofo, I expect that should work to reach from the BP100 battery in the trunk to the front camera. Worst case I believe I can keep the battery in the glove box and extend the yellow ACC wire to reach the rear fuse box, where the ignition controlled ACC fuses are.

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Has anybody found a solution for when the output cable from the BP100 battery in the rear cargo area of a vehicle doesn't reach the dashcam on the windshield? The supplied output cable is only 4M. My X5 SUV doesn't have an ACCessory fuse in the front passenger fusebox, so I am installing the battery with the fusebox in the rear cargo area of my SUV, which has a path of 5-6M behind the trims.

Here are some possible solutions I could think of:
1) I'd love it if they could send me a 6M output cable (same length as rear camera cable) instead of the 4M, but they don't have this.
2) Use a 1-2M USB-C extension to extend the camera end of the BP100 output cable.
3) Keep the battery in my glovebox and wire the battery hardwire input cable GND and BATT wires to the front right fusebox and splice a longer cable to the yellow wire and run it to my rear cargo area fusebox.

I've asked these questions in the chat and via a support ticket, but instead of replies to my specific questions, they offered to send me a HK6 kit, and I am not sure how this would help the output cable from the battery reach my front camera. I wish I could get directly in touch with one of their technical people to make sure the second two alternatives above would not cause a malfunction. This is likely a new situation as other parking mode batteries (Cellink Neo, Powercell 8) only need an ACC power connection and not both ACC & BATT, so they are often kept in the rear cargo area of the vehicle and have different cabling.

Thank you.

You can combine the hardwire output cable adapter included with our HK6 hardwire kit to extend the length:

 

[victoryking]

You can combine the hardwire output cable adapter included with our HK6 hardwire kit to extend the length:

View attachment 89148

Thanks and glad to hear from you. I see what you are saying if you combine the 4m section of the HK6 with the 2m extension that would be 6M. With that approach, the rectangular connector might not be easy to conceal in the headliner or under the door weatherstrip. I was thinking instead if I have the 6M HK6, then I can use the 5M section to connect from the BP100 in the rear cargo to the front camera instead of the supplied 3M output cable. Will there be enough power to the camera using the 5M output cable?

As an alternate solution, if I install the BP100 in the front of the vehicle, do you think it is acceptable to splice a wire to the yellow ACC input cable to reach the ACC fuse in the rear cargo area fuse box?

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Thanks and glad to hear from you. I see what you are saying if you combine the 4m section of the HK6 with the 2m extension that would be 6M. With that approach, the rectangular connector might not be easy to conceal in the headliner or under the door weatherstrip. I was thinking instead if I have the 6M HK6, then I can use the 5M section to connect from the BP100 in the rear cargo to the front camera instead of the supplied 3M output cable. Will there be enough power to the camera using the 5M output cable?

As an alternate solution, if I install the BP100 in the front of the vehicle, do you think it is acceptable to splice a wire to the yellow ACC input cable to reach the ACC fuse in the rear cargo area fuse box?

There is no need to extend the yellow cable. As mentioned in previous message, simply combine the HK6 hardwire kit with the hardwire output cable adapter, the total length is far more than 6M.

 

[victoryking]

There is no need to extend the yellow cable. As mentioned in previous message, simply combine the HK6 hardwire kit with the hardwire output cable adapter, the total length is far more than 6M.

Thanks. The first question was about a scenario (#1) where I have the BP100 in the rear cargo fusebox and I understand what you recommended. The second question was about an alternate scenario (#2) if I have the BP100 in the glovebox. In my 2023 BMW vehicle, the BATT fuses are in a separate location from the non-delay ACC fuses. The only instant off switched ACC fuses are in my rear cargo fusebox and the constant power fuses are in my front fusebox. So in regard to the input cable, the red BATT wire would connect to the front fusebox where I have constant power. The yellow wire of the input cable would need to go a separate path to my rear fusebox. What I was asking is if I need to route the yellow wire of the input cable to the rear of the vehicle, could I splice a wire to connect it to my rear fusebox ACC slot? I think the answer is yes, but wanted to confirm.

 

[tenderloins_strigilator]

3) Keep the battery in my glovebox and wire the battery hardwire input cable GND and BATT wires to the front right fusebox and splice a longer cable to the yellow wire and run it to my rear cargo area fusebox.

Doable, why not. If you're sure your ONLY accessory fuses are there in the back - you could pull the yellow cable all the way there.
This cable carries no high currents and is only probed to see if the generator is running. All the power is sent through the red and black wires.

Here are some other options:

1. Delayed ACC fuses in the front should be ok (if you have them)
It's just that BP100 and/or whatever it feeds pass-through would keep pulling the main battery for the duration of the delay.
If that's ~10 minutes and not 5 hours - maybe that's okay for you?

2. Move everything to the back.
This was already suggested above.

 

[ogzogz]

There is no need to extend the yellow cable. As mentioned in previous message, simply combine the HK6 hardwire kit with the hardwire output cable adapter, the total length is far more than 6M.

I see a support user who can't provide support.@viofo @VIOFO-Support

 

[Julian23]

In my 2023 BMW vehicle, the BATT fuses are in a separate location from the non-delay ACC fuses. The only instant off switched ACC fuses are in my rear cargo fusebox and the constant power fuses are in my front fusebox

Are you really sure about that?
Some of the smaller form factor fuses in the front should be switched.
I checked out a similar year BMW (but different model) that had several ACC fuses that could be used.

BMW has 3 types of fuses:
- Always on
- On when vehicle is unlocked and powered 3-6 minutes after locking the car
- ACC that turns on and off with ignition

Maybe double check before you try to extend anything.

 

[tenderloins_strigilator]

BMW has 3 types of fuses:
- Always on
- On when vehicle is unlocked and powered 3-6 minutes after locking the car
- ACC that turns on and off with ignition

The last two should both be perfectly OK for use with the dashcam.
No big deal if it goes into parking mode 3-6 minutes later rather than immediately.

 

[victoryking]

Are you really sure about that?
Some of the smaller form factor fuses in the front should be switched.
I checked out a similar year BMW (but different model) that had several ACC fuses that could be used.

BMW has 3 types of fuses:
- Always on
- On when vehicle is unlocked and powered 3-6 minutes after locking the car
- ACC that turns on and off with ignition

Maybe double check before you try to extend anything.

Thank you for your reply. I've checked with a lot of people and also looked at the fuse diagram for the front passenger location to see all the components they are for. Everything seems to be ACC delay, so the camera would end up recording for up to 15 minutes before entering parking mode. The rear cargo fuse box seems like a great place to store the BP100 battery. For the ACC non-delay fuse, I can use F205. For the constant power, I will ask the installer to wire to the back of the fuse panel. Now that I have a 6M HK6 cable, I will have the length to go from the rear fuse box area to the front camera. Looking forward to getting it installed. The only thing I am still trying to figure out is if there is any possibility of the BP100 draining my car battery (which is why I got the battery for parking mode instead of hardwiring.)

 

[victoryking]

The last two should both be perfectly OK for use with the dashcam.
No big deal if it goes into parking mode 3-6 minutes later rather than immediately.

Thank you. I believe the ACC delay fuses in the front will stay on for 15 minutes, so I will get constant recording for 15 minutes before it goes into parking mode. Some people have decided to live with that. I decided on installing the BP100 in the area of my rear cargo fusebox (which has a lot of space for a battery), where I have an instant off ACC fuse. For the constant power, I will ask the installer to wire to the back of the fuse panel. Now that I have a 6M HK6 cable, I will have the length to go from the rear fuse box area to the front camera. Looking forward to getting it installed. The only thing I am still trying to figure out is if there is any possibility of the BP100 draining my car battery (which is why I got the battery for parking mode instead of hardwiring.)

 

[Karagandinez]

The only thing I am still trying to figure out is if there is any possibility of the BP100 draining my car battery (which is why I got the battery for parking mode instead of hardwiring.)

If everything is connected correctly and the BP100 is charged only when the ignition is on, it will not discharge your car's battery.

 

[Hack_man]

Thank you. I believe the ACC delay fuses in the front will stay on for 15 minutes, so I will get constant recording for 15 minutes before it goes into parking mode. Some people have decided to live with that.

@victoryking
Doesn't your dashcam automatically go into parking mode after 5 minutes of inactivity while powered by both BATT and ACC wires?
One combination I've never thought of is a dashcam that first goes into parking mode via the 5 minute wait time, and then gets another trigger from the ACC signal.

 

[Julian23]

Thank you for your reply. I've checked with a lot of people and also looked at the fuse diagram for the front passenger location to see all the components they are for. Everything seems to be ACC delay, so the camera would end up recording for up to 15 minutes before entering parking mode. The rear cargo fuse box seems like a great place to store the BP100 battery. For the ACC non-delay fuse, I can use F205. For the constant power, I will ask the installer to wire to the back of the fuse panel. Now that I have a 6M HK6 cable, I will have the length to go from the rear fuse box area to the front camera. Looking forward to getting it installed. The only thing I am still trying to figure out is if there is any possibility of the BP100 draining my car battery (which is why I got the battery for parking mode instead of hardwiring.)

I don't know if the fuse boxes are exactly the same but I found F61,F61 and F71 in the front to be switched without delay.
The rear fuse F205 matches with my findings.
You can also use a fuse tap to F273 for BATT. That is the power outlet. With this configuration the battery charges as it should but once the vehicles is locked and goes to sleep there is absolutely no current draw since the car will shut this circuit off.

 

[victoryking]

If everything is connected correctly and the BP100 is charged only when the ignition is on, it will not discharge your car's battery.

That is what I was hoping, but was wondering why the BP100 needs a constant power connection when all the other parking batteries only use accessory power. The constant power connection is what concerned me.

 

[rcg530]

That is what I was hoping, but was wondering why the BP100 needs a constant power connection when all the other parking batteries only use accessory power. The constant power connection is what concerned me.

The VIOFO BP100 is not the only dash camera battery pack to be connected directly to constant power. The Thinkware iVolt Xtra BAB-95, IROAD battery packs, and the 70mai battery pack are a few that can/do use a constant power connection for the charging power. The accessory power wire of the three wires is what instructs the BP100 battery pack whether to draw charging power from the constant battery power connection to charge the battery pack.