How does this type of hardwire kit work? Fuse tap question

[yidxc]

I've got a hardwired DDPAI Z40 but it's using an old mini usb one with a series of adapters so I want to update it and maybe get parking mode too. This seems to be the most common type (not necessarily DDPAI branded), but I can't understand how the fuse taps work, they look to be hard wired and as far as I can tell there's only one so would it also be shared with whatever fuse you tap off? Am I better off getting a 3rd party/different one that uses bullet connectors. Thanks

 

[arcticfire]

When you say hardwired, do you mean hardwired into that little black box or hardwired as in the fuse taps are integrated? It's effectively the same setup as using bullet connectors, although personally I like to use my own fuse taps (add-a-circuits).

The red and yellow wires will be individually assigned. One goes to an ACC+ fuse slot (only receives power when the ignition is on) and the other will need a BAT+ fuse slot that receives constant power, whether the ignition is on or off. The instructions will say which colour goes to what. Usually the ACC one is just a signal wire so it knows when the car is on or off and the power always comes from the BAT+. Connect the ground to a suitable bolt and then plug the USB-C cable into your camera and you should be good to go.

However, if the black box is just a voltage convertor and not a battery protect and your camera doesn't have anything built in to limit voltage drain or parking mode duration, then I would highly recommend getting a battery protect device instead.

This is the hardwiring kit I fitted last weekend: https://viofouk.co.uk/product/type-c-hk4-hardwire-kit-cable-for-t130-dash-camera/

I used my own fuse taps and I also use ferrules on the red and yellow wires for a tight fit when crimping the fuse taps. (link)

 

[yidxc]

When you say hardwired, do you mean hardwired into that little black box or hardwired as in the fuse taps are integrated? It's effectively the same setup as using bullet connectors, although personally I like to use my own fuse taps (add-a-circuits).

The red and yellow wires will be individually assigned. One goes to an ACC+ fuse slot (only receives power when the ignition is on) and the other will need a BAT+ fuse slot that receives constant power, whether the ignition is on or off. The instructions will say which colour goes to what. Usually the ACC one is just a signal wire so it knows when the car is on or off and the power always comes from the BAT+. Connect the ground to a suitable bolt and then plug the USB-C cable into your camera and you should be good to go.

However, if the black box is just a voltage convertor and not a battery protect and your camera doesn't have anything built in to limit voltage drain or parking mode duration, then I would highly recommend getting a battery protect device instead.

This is the hardwiring kit I fitted last weekend: https://viofouk.co.uk/product/type-c-hk4-hardwire-kit-cable-for-t130-dash-camera/

I used my own fuse taps and I also use ferrules on the red and yellow wires for a tight fit when crimping the fuse taps. (link)

Thanks, I'm specifically referring to the fuse connections in those kits, none of them show the back so I can't see if they do in fact have two fuses like a fuse tap with bullet connectors would, or if it's wired directly into a single fuse. I'll make sure to get one with a battery cut off. They look to be a single fuse so that means it's not individually/dual fused like a tap with bullet connectors?

 

[arcticfire]

Thanks, I'm specifically referring to the fuse connections in those kits, none of them show the back so I can't see if they do in fact have two fuses like a fuse tap with bullet connectors would, or if it's wired directly into a single fuse. I'll make sure to get one with a battery cut off. They look to be a single fuse so that means it's not individually/dual fused like a tap with bullet connectors?

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View attachment 84290

Ah ok, I see what you mean now. Yeah, they don't look like they can take two fuses. There might be some sort of protection inside of the casing, but personally I would be using independent add-a-circuits with separate slots for the dashcam fuse and the car's fuse so that there's no risk of losing the car's function that the fuse slot relates to.

 

[Finnegan]

@yidxc - I don't know anything about your vehicle but those fuse taps would not work for me at all.

They appear to be designed to be inserted into unused fuse slots in the fuse panel. I looked all over my
fuse panel and I had dozens of unused slots, but none of them had metallic contacts so there was no power
available in them.

The kit I got already came with the "2-fuse" taps so it worked well.

 

[yidxc]

Ah ok, I see what you mean now. Yeah, they don't look like they can take two fuses. There might be some sort of protection inside of the casing, but personally I would be using independent add-a-circuits with separate slots for the dashcam fuse and the car's fuse so that there's no risk of losing the car's function that the fuse slot relates to.

@yidxc - I don't know anything about your vehicle but those fuse taps would not work for me at all.

They appear to be designed to be inserted into unused fuse slots in the fuse panel. I looked all over my
fuse panel and I had dozens of unused slots, but none of them had metallic contacts so there was no power
available in them.

The kit I got already came with the "2-fuse" taps so it worked well.

Thanks both, good point about losing car functions if the dashcam blows the fuse. Also yeah most of my empty ones aren't wired up so I'd need to share. I went for this kit in the end which should do what I need (and has low voltage cut off).

 

[arcticfire]

The ACC+ I was using with my previous install was via the adaptive cruise control fuse, which was empty because I don't have adaptive cruise control. Presumably, it can be retrofitted, hence the fuse slot having terminals. But there are also many that are comlpetely blank.

Looks like a more flexible kit you've posted. I don't think it has an adjustable low voltage cut off setting and it's fixed to 11.6V which is pretty low. If you start to struggle to start your car there's no option to increase the voltage, so worth keeping a close eye on it, maybe park facing downhill lol

Good luck with the install.