Hardwire Mini 0801

[tsinc80697]

Hi,

I'm looking to hardwire a couple of Mini 0801's and wanted to ask what's the best way to do this. I have the standard mini USB to cigarette socket cable, do I need a 12v to 5v convertor that I can then wire directly into a 10A fuse via piggyback fuse?

Or should I get a female cigarette lighter socket and wire that into a fuse via piggyback fuse?

Can I simply cut the end of the power cable (cigarette lighter end) and wire that into a fuse or will that try to run 12v to the camera instead of 5v and kill it?

Thanks!

 

[jokiin]

there's a voltage step down inside the plug, don't cut it off or you'll find out that electronics run on smoke (once the smoke comes out they don't work anymore)

 

[Peter Wilson]

You can get 12 multi connect auxiliary ports with dual USB sockets they have a better connection sometimes then the cigarette style which fall out easily. The only hard part is finding a USB cable long enough. I use a 2 meter USB extension and use the short lead supplied with the camera to run one of my cameras. I also wire the extension into the fuse box via a in line fuse. However you are much better off getting the prober battery saver.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Here's how I did it:
http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/wire-dashcam-interior-lights-live-feed-longer-recordings.2363/

 

[Street Guardian USA]

You could try one of these as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00D5Q1YZ6

 

[tsinc80697]

Thanks for the advice! I think I'm going to go down the piggyback fuse -> female cigarette socket with dual 2.1A USB sockets.

This dual USB car charger provides 2.1A to both ports simultaneously - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B0077PM3KG

Will any decent USB cable provide power to the camera or do I need a specific one? Would this USB 2.0 cable work - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B001G61PDS
Thanks

 

[Lunar]

Will any decent USB cable provide power to the camera or do I need a specific one? Would this USB 2.0 cable work - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B001G61PDS
Thanks

I used a couple of these right angle cables in my own car,
only 3 metres though, but I found it plenty long enough as my fuse unit is just behind the glove compartment. I also used a couple of the 12v to 5v 3amp converters similar to the ones' in jazjons link (nice and small too) and picked the feed up from the fuse unit using a fuse piggy back adapter cable, so the camera has it's own fuse. Have been using it for a couple months now without problems, and managed to hide all the cabling except for a few inches that comes down from the headlining, the camera cable in the rear is also hidden, though that one is plugged into a power socket that's already in my boot.

BTW.. AYK some cars come with 12v lighter sockets which are powered all the time, while others only have power to the lighter sockets when ignition is on, but did you know that most modern cars, including VW, Ford, Vauxhall, BMW ect also have the option to choose whether it's powered via ignition or permanently. There are two methods used, the most common is very simple, as it's just a case of moving the car fuse for the lighter sockets to the adjacent position. IOW it has 2 positions, on one side it's a live feed all the time, the other position is live just when ignition is on... cheap, but effective. (This by far is the most common)

One of the BMW service technicians told me about this, when I queried it when my car was in for service some time ago, I had to do this on my wifes Ford Mondeo too as previously they were powered all the time, though I have since wired hers into the fuse unit too, using the spare 12v to 5v converter I had.
I prefer this method, as I think it's neater, and it free's up the lighter socket for other devices.

Some cars however, in order to change how the power to the lighter sockets behave is done by using a OBDII/EOBD Code reader/programmer, and I believe a few also allow the user to simply change the behaviour of the power sockets in the cars own easy access computer settings, though I've never seen any, all my cars have just had the more common, 'move fuse' option.

 

[drboyd]

You could try one of these as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00D5Q1YZ6

I'm using one of those, and it's definitely the trick setup. Sorry, but lighter plugs are neculturny,

 

[tsinc80697]

Ordered some USB cables to see if they could power the cameras, these ones from Lindy work great. No need for the more expensive ones they offer, I bought them as well but will be sending them back.

Will be going piggyback fuse -> female cigarette socket -> dual USB 2.1a cigarette adaptor -> USB cables. Just waiting for adaptor to arrive next week then hopefully everything works once together.

3m USB Cable
http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapt...3m-usb-2-0-cable-type-a-to-mini-b-black-p1129

5m USB Cable
http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapt...5m-usb-2-0-cable-type-a-to-mini-b-black-p1130

 

[Dr Nicky]

Ordered some USB cables to see if they could power the cameras, these ones from Lindy work great. No need for the more expensive ones they offer, I bought them as well but will be sending them back.

Will be going piggyback fuse -> female cigarette socket -> dual USB 2.1a cigarette adaptor -> USB cables. Just waiting for adaptor to arrive next week then hopefully everything works once together.

3m USB Cable
http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapt...3m-usb-2-0-cable-type-a-to-mini-b-black-p1129

5m USB Cable
http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapt...5m-usb-2-0-cable-type-a-to-mini-b-black-p1130

You may find that the voltage drop through the extended USB cables to much and the camera wont operate correctly (as I found).

I use one of these and it works perfect.

 

[tsinc80697]

What kind of problems did you encounter? I tested the cables by plugging them into my laptop and leaving the cameras on for around 4 hours. Recorded ok and when I plugged them into the car they turned on and started recording as expected.

 

[Dr Nicky]

I found that the battery was forever charging which indicated to me that the cable was just not supplying enough to feed the camera and the battery, it could have been the quality of the cables ( a 3m & 5m ). In the end, because they are so cheap, I opted for the DC-DC converter and have had no issues.

The actual one I got was this one because I wanted to charge my phone as well. Also the leads are longer on this one which means I can hide it all behind the trim.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321230720970

 

[tsinc80697]

So when your camera is on you just get the blue flashing light? Not a blue to red flash?

 

[Dr Nicky]

With the lead it was constantly flashing Blue - Red. With the DC-DC converter it's mostly flashing blue only, only occasionally does it flash Blue - Red and that is because when you turn the ignition off the camera draws from the battery whilst it shuts down and therefore needs to recharge.

 

[tsinc80697]

Thought so, I'm just testing the USB cable that came with the camera to see if that will eventually get the camera to just a blue flash. How long does the in-camera battery take to charge?

i did notice that going from the USB cables I posted above to the shorter OEM USB cables that when the camera flashes red it is a stable red, whereas with the longer USB cables it was a slightly flickering red.

I'll try a couple of more expensive USB cables I bought to see if they have the flickering red light as well once the camera is charged.

 

[tsinc80697]

I've just swapped USB cable to a more expensive cable and it is now flashing red/blue/red/blue with solid lights, not flickering like the cheaper USB cable. Hopefully once the camera is charged it will flash blue/off/blue/off.

This is the cable I'm now testing - http://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapt...5m-cromo-usb-2-0-type-a-to-mini-b-cable-p6869

I wonder if it is doing any damage to the camera though to use the cheaper cable that is constantly charging the camera? As aside from constantly red/blue/red/blue flashing it seemed to work fine recording for several hours.

 

[Dr Nicky]

I can't remember how long the initial charge was. But now, when its on a charge cycle, I get Flashing Blue-Red for no longer than a couple of minutes.

One thing you should remember is that it is good practice to discharge the battery every six month.

 

[tsinc80697]

Thanks, I'll leave the cameras on and recording for an hour. If they're not charged I'll turn them off recording but keep charging. One by the OEM cable, one by a 5m USB cable.

 

[iahim]

In my attempt to hardwire my Mini0801, I changed +5V pin with GND by mistake. I inserted the mini-USB connector into the bracket and nothing happened(for about 5 seconds). I reinserted it for 3 seconds and again nothing happened. Then I realized that I reversed +5V with GND. I took the camera to my nose and I felt something like hot electronics (camera is like a closed box, so not too much smell I could feel, even if it might have been very hot).
I reversed +5V with GND and reconnected the camera. it seems that it is working.
Question for those that know a bit of electronics: is there possibility that something is burned inside my camera? Should I expect it to fail soon?

 

[Peter Wilson]

if it was just hot you might be lucky there is a Diode and Transistor based circuit stops power going through the wrong way, basically it shorts and gets hot rather then sending power through the main circuit and frying the delicate electronics beyond.