G1W-C not powering on at vehicle start-up

[dredman1]

Hi everyone,

I've had a G1W-C for several months now and it's been working great.

However, recently I'm coming across situations when it won't automatically power on when I start my car. And I can verify that my cigarette lighter outlet has power on start-up since the green led on the power adaptor plug lights up.

This problem usually happens when the car has been off for at least a full day or 2. When it happens, I have to manually power it on by depressing the camera's power button, and then it comes on.

The correct Date/Time info still comes up when I do this, so it doesn't seem to be a power drain issue. However, when I first got the camera, it used to be able to save the date/time even if the car was off for 4 or 5 days. Of recent though, anything more than 2 days being off the date/time is lost.

Any ideas why it may not be automatically powering on at start-up?

 

[jokiin]

next time as a test remove the cig plug before you start up and insert once the car is running, does it power up fine then?

 

[dredman1]

Thanks. Will give it a try tomorrow (need at least a full day without use) and report back.

 

[dredman1]

Tried as you suggested and it powered on. Was that a test to see if the problem is with the cigarette lighter outlet, or something else?

Then again, I wonder if I left it plugged in and started if by chance it would have come on this time?

 

[jokiin]

Tried as you suggested and it powered on. Was that a test to see if the problem is with the cigarette lighter outlet, or something else?

something else, can you do this for the next few times and see if it works, if it does then I'll give you the detail on the problem

 

[dredman1]

OK, but it will take a while to go through a few cycles of this.

Will update again once I do.

Thanks!

 

[jokiin]

Ok thanks

 

[dredman1]

Sorry for the late reply, but I've needed to use the car almost every day the last couple weeks, so It's taken me some time to recreate the problem.

Tried what you suggested a couple times. Once it worked, and another time it made no difference.
Also on one occasion when the camera didn't come on, I tried unplugging and re-inserting the plug after I started the car, and it had no effect on the camera (it remained off). *shrugs*
One thing I did try by a fluke which got the camera to come on - after starting with the plug in and the camera not coming on, I ejected the memory card and re-inserted it. This immediately powered up the camera (without me touching the plug or power on/off switch).
Not sure if the card is the problem, but it's a Sandisk class 4 card.

 

[jokiin]

Next step would be try another card although it does seem power related

 

[dredman1]

Yep - awaiting delivery of one.

I doubt it will make a difference, but we'll see.

 

[CD55]

Seems when I unplug mine for awhile it cures this. not sure if it has something to do with the cap or what.

 

[Kick_Start]

FWIW, when I move my ignition key from OFF to START too quickly (insert the key, rotate quickly to engage the starter), the G1W-C does not power on itself. I can press the power button on the G1W-C and it will power on. My theory is that when the ignition goes to ON, the G1W-C receives power and begins the booting process, but when engaging the starter, power to the G1W-C is cut and the boot process stops.

To remedy this, I always start my car by turning the key from OFF to ON, then hold at the ON position for 2 seconds before advancing to START, which engages the starter. With this, I have reliable power-on by the G1W-C.

My theory as to why this works: leaving the ignition switch at ON for 2 seconds allows the G1W-C to complete boot and charge the capacitor. Now, when I engage the starter and power is cut to the G1W-C, it's fully charged capacitor can keep it running for the brief period of non-power until I stop engaging the starter and power returns to the G1W-C.

 

[Spikemeister]

I have the same issue with my G1w-c purchased 03/01/15......have it hard wired (tried 3 different switched fuses) and in the morning after sitting 12hrs the unit won't start/recording on its own... I can however start it by depressing the power key. Any other time I start the vehicle(after being in work for 8hrs) it will come on and start recording by itself or any time the vehicle has been out through the day. Has me baffled?? Like I stated I have tried three different switched fuses an I get the same result??? Haven't had a problem other then in the morning after it has sat for 12hrs in 32* weather. Firmware is 2014.0803.11. Unit works great other then this auto start issue...... Any thoughts??

P. S I have two of these units........ One does this, one doesn't??

 

[jokiin]

one is faulty, one isn't

 

[Spikemeister]

one is faulty, one isn't

One does that and one doesn't, not sure if it's the camera or the hard wire kit, so I wouldn't actually say the camera is faulty at this point in time until I can confirm what is causing it. I was looking for perhaps someone who has had the same issue and perhaps a definitive answer to what it was......... I will swap the cameras from one vehicle to the other and test but was looking for some input first.

 

[jokiin]

I will swap the cameras from one vehicle to the other and test but was looking for some input first.

that will confirm things one way or the other

 

[estore009]

FWIW, when I move my ignition key from OFF to START too quickly (insert the key, rotate quickly to engage the starter), the G1W-C does not power on itself. I can press the power button on the G1W-C and it will power on. My theory is that when the ignition goes to ON, the G1W-C receives power and begins the booting process, but when engaging the starter, power to the G1W-C is cut and the boot process stops.

To remedy this, I always start my car by turning the key from OFF to ON, then hold at the ON position for 2 seconds before advancing to START, which engages the starter. With this, I have reliable power-on by the G1W-C.

My theory as to why this works: leaving the ignition switch at ON for 2 seconds allows the G1W-C to complete boot and charge the capacitor. Now, when I engage the starter and power is cut to the G1W-C, it's fully charged capacitor can keep it running for the brief period of non-power until I stop engaging the starter and power returns to the G1W-C.

We agree with you.
We suggest that hold ON position for 2 seconds to offer power source to camera;

 

[Spikemeister]

We agree with you.
We suggest that hold ON position for 2 seconds to offer power source to camera;

For me that made no difference, I could turn the key to accessory where there was power to the fuse and not start the vehicle and the camera still would not power up and start recording, but I could push the power button and get it to come on???

I have completed my first test between the two units I have...... See next post.

 

[Spikemeister]

that will confirm things one way or the other

Okay I completed my first test where I removed the camera from my vehicle(one that wasn't auto starting in the morning) and put it in the second vehicle that also has the same dash cam and hard wire kit and it started up right away and started recording. It would suggest that the hard wire kit in the first vehicle may have an issue, although only doing it in the morning sounds rather odd. I will switch the cameras for a week and see if I can get consistant results on every day....... Temp may be another factor, it is hovering around the freezing mark here this time if year, may be the fact that at night it's dropping below freezing and thus causing my "only in the morning problem"

Will repost when I have a weeks worth of testing.

 

[jokiin]

the cold could be a problem for your power supply, not unheard of