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I noticed this dash cam has a three pole DC barrel connector.
I understand that the three poles are for constant power, switched power and ground.
First question, what does the dash cam do with each of those circuits?

I would like to hard wire it using the mirror tap MTX-2015.
It is a traditional two pole barrel connector.
Second question, will it damage the dash cam if I use a two pole DC barrel connector?
From a quick continuity test, using a 2 pole DC Barrel connector, it would just ground the ACC circuit.
Once again, not sure if this would damage the camera or what the camera does with this extra circuit.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
3 wire needed for parking mode, if you just want it to run while driving you can run it 2 wire, it will overheat while parked in summer anyway so maybe better to just run it 2 wire so it doesn't run while parked
 
So with only constant power, I can't have the dash cam run when parked and just shut off when the battery goes below threshold?

Does grounding the ACC circuit on the three pole DC jack hurt anything on the camera (with the 2 pole DC connector I'm planning to use the ACC part of the barrel jack will be grounded)?
 
I was thinking about this and the ACC contact on the camera will be shorted to ground but unless there is voltage on the camera side, this shouldn't matter, right?
It should be the same as the ACC not having any voltage and shouldn't damage anything.
 
I was trying to figure out how to get this to work with a standard two pole barrel connector since I have a no splice kit on hand not the three pole it comes with.
 
It won't power up at all with a 2 pole connector. Your 2 pole will probably be Live up the centre pin and earth on the outside.

Thinkware needs Ignition & Earth on the outside of the pole and Permanent power up the centre pin.
 
Not entirely true.
If you test continuity on the car adapter that comes with the unit, you will find ACC/Run circuit on the outside barrel connector is not hooked up.
It just supplies ground on the one outside contact and power on the center.
So, in theory, as long as grounding the ACC/Run circuit on the camera doesn't hurt anything, the unit should run on a two pole connector.
I was mainly asking if this will be a problem (grounding the ACC/Run circuit on the camera).
 
The outside part on the Car Adaptor is linked within the connector to the centre pin so both parts will be Live when the Car adaptor is powered! The Thinkware HAS to have 2 Powers to the camera to make it work properly. If you only powered the Centre pin it means you would have to manually press & hold the power button on the camera to make it come on.
 
I double checked my car adapter and that is not the case.
On the car adapter that came with mine only the center pin gets +12v, the ACC/Run outside is not connected and the base outside is ground.
Turns on and records like normal on the car adapter this way.
 
I don't know what lead you have there but that isn't correct! I just got one here and took a Picture:
20200107_091319.jpg
 
Yeah, I just checked with it plugged into the car and see the same behavior you describe now.
There must be some electrical magic going on there because continuity does not show that connected to hot.
Only when it's actually powered does that contact become live.
Thanks, though, this answers my question.
 
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