If I hard wire the Mobius will it drain the power?

rabite

New Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Country
United States
Or does it shut off if the voltage is getting too low? I want to have it in auto-detect mode when parked and was wondering if that will drain my cars battery.
 
there is no cutoff, if it's connected it will just keep working until your battery (and/or its own) runs out
 
What is a good low end model for a cut off for my rear camera? I am getting a high end for the front, but want to hard wire something into the back.
 
You could just wire it to your cars fuse panel, and pick a fuse that only becomes live when the ignition is on?

You can set the camera to turn off when power is cut, which is what will happen when you turn the ignition off.
 
I dont think a mobius will drain a car battery overnight or anything. 3 days or more is my guess. Unless not using the car much you should be fine. You can also hard wire it to a lighter socket and plug in a usb adapter and plug the mobius into that so you can remove it as needed. I would tap a fuse that will stay on after car turns off, attach that to a lighter socket, plug the usb adapter into that socket, plug mobius into usb adapter...unplug when needed.


You could just wire it to your cars fuse panel, and pick a fuse that only becomes live when the ignition is on?
You can set the camera to turn off when power is cut, which is what will happen when you turn the ignition off.

Why would anyone want to do this? They could just plug the mobius into a USB adapter and then their normal lighter socket...
 
Why would anyone want to do this? They could just plug the mobius into a USB adapter and then their normal lighter socket...

I DO have this setup. And it was a requirement to me. I wanted to make the thing look as much as possible as part of the car and working in a set and forget fashion.
I've used one of the spare fusebox positions for this kind of purpose. Hide a 3m USB under the head linning and through Pillar A into a 12v to USB adapter.

This way I don't have to remember to record. I just turn the key on and the mobius does it's job.
 
I DO have this setup. And it was a requirement to me. I wanted to make the thing look as much as possible as part of the car and working in a set and forget fashion.
I've used one of the spare fusebox positions for this kind of purpose. Hide a 3m USB under the head linning and through Pillar A into a 12v to USB adapter.

This way I don't have to remember to record. I just turn the key on and the mobius does it's job.

Exactly, you just turn the key on and that's it. You don't have to remember to plug anything in and then it looks part of the car.
 
Well, now I know why someone would do this. I would still take it one further and wire it into a live-after-car-off-fuse for parking purposes.

My wife is too afraid to upset the warranty on our new SUV that I am "not allowed" to hard wire anything. So I am making do with a Anker external battery that powers both mobius' while I drive (as it also recharges) and then gives power to both mobius' when the power is cut. I still have to pull both usbs out at the end of the day, let the Anker turn off (there's no off just on button), then plug both back in or the battery will be drained. Would be so much simpler if the Queen allowed her peasant to hard wire...

@xreyuk Sorry if I doubted the advice I just couldn't see it until Hangas opened my eyes :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, now I know why someone would do this. I would still take it one further and wire it into a live-after-car-off-fuse for parking purposes.

My setup also gives me that possibility. When I turn the ignition off the camera will go off.
But I can always turn it back on and recording by pressing the power button and let it record until the battery depletes or I come back.

This is be the reason I would like the motion detection mode entering when the power goes off.
 
I was doing the same, hitting the power button when turning off the car (MD mode on high). For short parking this is fine. For longer (expected or not) parking this just doesnt work for me as the battery doesnt last long enough. I could hope that if something happened, it would happen during the time that the mobius is on, but I am a worse case type of guy so hope doesnt cut it. Thus the need for the external battery.

Even though my solution bypasses the need for auto MD when power off I still hope we one day get such an option. Partly I want the option because I am sure it will make others happy. But mostly it's because I have another car and that option would make me happy.
 
Well, now I know why someone would do this. I would still take it one further and wire it into a live-after-car-off-fuse for parking purposes.

My wife is too afraid to upset the warranty on our new SUV that I am "not allowed" to hard wire anything. So I am making do with a Anker external battery that powers both mobius' while I drive (as it also recharges) and then gives power to both mobius' when the power is cut. I still have to pull both usbs out at the end of the day, let the Anker turn off (there's no off just on button), then plug both back in or the battery will be drained. Would be so much simpler if the Queen allowed her peasant to hard wire...

@xreyuk Sorry if I doubted the advice I just couldn't see it until Hangas opened my eyes :)
Wait, you're not using the USB adapter/cigarette lighter 3M cable combo? There is no way to void a warranty that way and definitely not hard wired. I'm thinking midnight run that thing, get er done and in the morning no cables will be showing, so out of sight out of getting your butt kicked.
I know my Camry at home has a recessed/hidden cigarette power port and there is nothing showing at all. You run the cable in the rubber door molding and under the glove box. That must be a B---- charging that battery daily and unplugging it all the time. Not to mention the mini USB may not handle the constant use.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
And possibly it can be hardwired without voiding the warranty. I wired it to the fuse box, using a free slot and original car maker acessories and didn't had to cut and patch any wires.
I just added an extra fuse to the fusebox a pair of wires and an extra inline fuse before the 12v to USB converter.

In some cars it may be easier then others, but I've done it in a way that I can remove it without any evidence is was even there. :)

If anyone needs some tips on how to do it in a E46 bimmer I can draft an how to.
 
Its the wire to the fuse box (taped or not) that the wife gets all crazy about. Sure I can remove it but, "What if we get in an accident and you cant? What if I have to bring the car in and your not around?" Its those dam"what ifs" fecking up my life!

I am not sure if any of this would even void our warranty but she is. Even if I asked the salesman or our attorney friends and they all said it was OK to do she would still side with caution and tell me not to.

Btw- the usb cables are all hidden in the roof lining and door mouldings etc. I dont pull them from the mobius, I pull them from the external battery, usually only 1x a day.
Mobius>>usb>>usb extension>>external battery
External battery>>usb adapter>>cig lighter

-external battery+hard wire= no win :(

Wait, you're not using the USB adapter/cigarette lighter 3M cable combo?

What is this 3m magic?
 
Its the wire to the fuse box (taped or not) "What if we get in an accident and you cant?
Removing in an accident isn't important, making sure you have clean underwear is.

Btw- the usb cables are all hidden in the roof lining and door mouldings etc. I dont pull them from the mobius, I pull them from the external battery, usually only 1x a day.
Mobius>>usb>>usb extension>>external battery
External battery>>usb adapter>>cig lighter

-external battery+hard wire= no win :(
What is this 3m magic?

Mobius>>usb>>usb extension>>usb adapter>>cig lighter is better. That's how most of us are running.

Why don't you have the dealer hardwire it for you? It's common misconception that dealers install alarms systems or stereos. In fact here in the US, they give that BS when you buy the car about voiding your warranty unless they install it. Reality is that they have a stereo shop come in and do the work. It may cost a bit more yet you will have the dealer receipt and no warranty problems. Or find the shop your dealer uses, go in and talk to them with your wife and they will put her mind to ease.
 
Mobius>>usb>>usb extension>>usb adapter>>cig lighter is better. That's how most of us are running.
I dont know how thats "better". I ran it that way before buying the external battery. Unfortunately for any sort of realistic parking mode (MD in this case) the mobius battery life is just way too short, thus the external battery. So the battery powers 2 mobius', while being charged by the cig lighter when the car is on. When off it just power the mobius for md/parking mode, back on it charges...repeat till end of day when I need to pull 2 wires for 1 minute and then plug them in again to turn off the external. Not really a big deal, just less convenient then having them hard wired.

I know the stero shop the dealer uses as they had to fix an issue with the backseat entertainment system which also works our backseat lights. It was NOT set to come on when door was opened and power was off (like the front seat). It was set not to be wired like that because that's the way the dealer likes it (for the shop not to mix the cars wiring with their own). We had to argue and threaten till we got them to make it work as it would if we didnt buy the entertainment system and just had plain backseat lights. It was hell. We have no plans of ever going back to that dealer or that stereo shop.

Maybe when the external battery dies, which will be prematurely since using pass-through all the time will kill it faster, I will hard wire it and just not tell the Queen.
 
Maybe when the external battery dies, which will be prematurely since using pass-through all the time will kill it faster, I will hard wire it and just not tell the Queen.

depends how much they know about cars, you know, like when you need new tires, but the rims need replacing at the same time ;)
 
depends how much they know about cars, you know, like when you need new tires, but the rims need replacing at the same time ;)

It's not how much she knows about cars, it's how much she knows about me. Which, of course, is already too much.
 
Theres a step by step guide a guy has posted on the ford forums here in UK

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/tutorials/article/229-dash-cam-hard-wiring-mobius-actioncam/

Not sure if you have to sign up to view, gives an idea what you need to do though

Nice find! Good guide. It's basically what I WILL DO to the other car that had no warranty whatsoever once I get another cam (switching between cars is a pain even though I just use the front and leave the rear cam in place.) I cant imagine hard wiring into the overhead light and getting away with that on the new car, but its whats planned for the old one. Cant wait to see the wifes face as I leave all the wires dangling and tell her "I forgot where it all goes". :)
 
Back
Top