I feel totally let down, I'm very unconfident with manual things and after my (new to me car) was keyed both sides within a month of getting it home, I just decided I wanted better protection - both put people off damaging my car and for driving if involved in accident.
I ended up going into my local Halfords and see their display of dashcams and saying professional hard wiring for £50. So, I went for the full package front and rear 522GW hard wired. This was during pandemic where I'd also lost my job so wasn't using car much. Battery was always depleting after I got Dash Cam and it was a brand new one bought in 2020 probably about 4 months before having Dash Cam installed. In the end after 2 years of having to take battery out to charge every other week if hadn't used the car for a few days (because it was dead) it wouldn't take a charge anymore - was shot. I had to get it replaced, batteries should easy lady 5+ years from new but mine f'ed after just 2. So, I replace it luckily it was still under warranty. This was like 2 months ago.
But last week I get home from shopping turn ignition off and instead of dashcam turning off it bleeps at me and says battery low connect charging cable. This blew my mind as I thought it was hard wired, how can it be saying this. I can't get through to Halfords on phone (you can't call stores direct anymore just a call centre in SA). So I call Nextbase and they talk me through a few things and tell me it's not been permanently hardwired - as they would recommend but has been ignition wired or something like that. Nextbase technician is almost certain this is what killed my last battery and will be doing the same now. I freak out and make trip back to Halfords store I got it at and they tell me way they install dashcams is to whatever something standard and its fine. I'm also told as I've never taken dashcam out of car to charge that's why I'm getting this message as even though I'm running car with a rear dash cam it piggy backs of front one and uses more power than what's put in it from hardwire kit. So, every month or so you need take it indoors give it a 4 hour charge or so for the internal battery and your be sweet. It sounded weird to me but I went away, disconnected dash cam found cable in box back at home and left it to charge overnight (as guy told me it has a cut off when fully charged so wouldn't damage it) but next day despite being plugged in for 10+ hours as soon as disconnected power still got that battery low message. I call Nextbase get a different person this time who tells me the lithium-iron battery inside camera has failed if it's not taking a charge.
So did way dash cam is wired up kill my previous car battery. Did it kill battery inside dashcam as it over used it to power rear dashcam?
Or did not being told I have to take it out to charge when I bought dashcam originally mean I've f'ed it buy not knowing it needed charging ever?
Who's at fault - why are Halfords installing these dashcams different to the way Nextbase are now recommending they should be hardwired if you have a rear dashcam as well?
Also why are the 522GWs not cutting off when not in use.
I've read all the comments here in this thread but now left with very little confidence in Halfords or Nextbase, nor how to install things myself. I guess I now want it so when my car is off - not in use - I want dashcam not drawing power. Guy who installed my dashcam in 2020 has changed stores and guy who took a look other day can't figure out how previous guy wired it so didn't want to mess with someone else's work. I had insisted I wanted it rewired to a permanent live as Nextbase now recommended.
So, I have now have been booked in to go to the store where original installer now works on 22nd August for him to do this but my confidence is shaken in Halfords. It's also a fair drive away but my real question is should I go through with this?
Nextbase say if I send Dashcam to them it's £31 to have internal battery replaced. Plus, I have cost of sending dashcam to them and what could happen to it in post.
I begin to wish I had never got the damn thing. If I don't get hard wiring redone to be a permanent live surely my current car battery will suffer the same fate as previous one - but this time cist me to replace.
Advice most welcome.
Can I buy, ask Halfords install a manual switch to cut power off when not using car?
Or what is that trickle charge thingy I see some of you talking about in earlier posts. Can I connect such to my cars battery when not using car for more than a few days or so. That sounds good if it would fit under bonnet with hood closed - as I park in shared car park at home. Just disconnect when driving and charge the trickle charger thingy indoors right?
What is the best course of action to take now?
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