Installation thoughts

Evenstar

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Perhaps you can guide me in the process of doing the ideal installation. Blendmount for mounting front camera seems to have lots of fans. Either a Cellink Neo or Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124), hardwired to fuse box for Parking Mode. (I guess I wouldn't need Power Magic Pro with the auxillary battery???). Samsung PRO Endurance 128GB Micro SDXC Card with Adapter for storage. Is this the way to go? Have I left anything out?
Thank you for any assistance.
 
Yes, you don't need Power magic if you are using Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124). When you are hardwiring the B-124, connect it to an ACC fuse only. Hardwiring the battery pack to a constant power fuse will drain your car's battery.
 
I've had second thoughts about doing hardwiring. I've been advised by "authorized Blackvue dealer/installer" that doing so could void "new car warranty" What I've been told that if it is installed via cigarette lighter, Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124)/Cellink Neo would automatically operate.
See ... https://dashcamsaustralia.com.au/powering-dash-cam-options/
As a very ordinary layman, I'm finding this issue very complicated to grasp.
Regards,
Evenstar
 
Either hard-wiring or connecting to cigar lighter directly, you get the same number of recording hours for parking mode. The only difference could be the charging time. The battery pack will charge faster if hardwired as compared to connected to cigarette lighter.
If hard-wiring could void your car's warranty, I would suggest to connect the battery pack to cigarette lighter.
 
The battery pack will charge faster if hardwired as compared to connected to cigarette lighter.
Why? Both hardwire and ciggy are connected to the battery so surely it won't make any difference. The only difference is that probably the ciggy turns off with the ignition.
 
Why? Both hardwire and ciggy are connected to the battery so surely it won't make any difference. The only difference is that probably the ciggy turns off with the ignition.

Most of the cigarette lighter sockets are rated for 5A so when B-124 is connected to 5A cigarette ligher socket, it takes around 80 minutes to fully charge the battery pack.
However, when you hardwire B-124 directly to a higher rating fuse, it can draw up-to 9A thus getting fully charged in around 40 mins.

The only difference is that probably the ciggy turns off with the ignition.
When you hardwire B-124 (to ACC fuse) , it doesn't draw power from car's battery when ignition is turned off just like if it is connected to the cigarette lighter.
 
I'm hardwired for with the powermagic pro. The powermagic pro has fuses which would blow b4 affecting the car's fuse box. I prefer hardwired since I can hide all the ugly wires. And there is a lot of it.
 
Most of the cigarette lighter sockets are rated for 5A so when B-124 is connected to 5A cigarette ligher socket, it takes around 80 minutes to fully charge the battery pack.
However, when you hardwire B-124 directly to a higher rating fuse, it can draw up-to 9A thus getting fully charged in around 40 mins.
So I agree that both supplies are probably fused differently. But how does the B-124 know what size fuse you have fitted to the supply. If the B-124 draws 9A then it will likely blow a 5A supply fuse, not just draw less current (until it blows the fuse). I know the spec says what you say, but I can't see how it works. If you supply (say) 12V to it, then it will draw the same current regardless of the in line fuse (unless the fuse is too small and blows.).

Ah, just realised that there is probably a device in the ciggy adaptor, which tells the B-124 to draw less current, which is absent when you remove the ciggy adaptor and hard wire it. But still nothing to do with the fuse rating of the supply, other than the B-124 reduces the charge current to protect the car's fuse when using the ciggy adaptor.
 
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As i'm aware you have to tell the B124 what kind of wiring you have connected it to.. Either the cig-plug or hardwired. That way, the circuit inside would be "aware" of how much power it could draw from the supply.

It's not possible for the B-124 to "meassure" if the fuse is 5A or 10A. It knows how much power to draw from the setting you select. Either Hardwire (put 10A circuit in use) or Cig-plug (5A circuit in use).
 
Correct @jeez123
There is a power switch you have to toggle:

(From B-124 Manual)
Cigarette: Select this when the Ultra Battery is powered from a lighter socket using a cigarette lighter plug power cable (standard 5 A
charging)
Hardwire: Select this when the Ultra Battery is hardwired to the vehicle's fuse panel using a hardwiring power cable (rapid 9 A charging)
OFF: Turn off the Ultra Battery
 
Taqi said:-
Most of the cigarette lighter sockets are rated for 5A so when B-124 is connected to 5A cigarette ligher socket, it takes around 80 minutes to fully charge the battery pack.
However, when you hardwire B-124 directly to a higher rating fuse, it can draw up-to 9A thus getting fully charged in around 40 mins.


The fuse would only affect the time to charge if it fused due to overload,it does not in itself limit the charge rate[when using the cigarette socket], and remember car fuses are wire type fuses and as such the fusing current is aproximately twice the indicated value.

A final point, cigarette lighter sockets are usually connected directly to the battery, either through a relay to the ACC voltage, or directly.

A fuse rating of 20A is a usual value.
 
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If the ciggy socket were to be used as designed with a ciggy lighter, the lighter would deffo blow a 5A fuse. Where does this ciggy lighter fuse rating of 5A come from? As said by franka, surely the fuse would normally be at 20A as are both the ciggy type 'Accessory Sockets' on my Honda.

I think that BV are just being ultra conservative (or stupid) when they imply that a ciggy socket is fused at 5A. I suppose that some cars might be, but I very much doubt it as there is no point.

It is logical that if you are going to tell the B124 that it is connected via a 5A fuse (even if it is connected via a 20A fuse), and it reduces the charge current accordingly, it will take longer to charge. But either way, once fully charged, it should draw negligible current anyway.
 
My bad saying that cigarette lighter sockets limit the current to 5A. It is the modes on B-124 (Hardwiring / Cigarette lighter) that limit the amount of current for charging.
 
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Yes, you don't need Power magic if you are using Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124). When you are hardwiring the B-124, connect it to an ACC fuse only. Hardwiring the battery pack to a constant power fuse will drain your car's battery.
cant you plug the B-124 into the cigarette lighter port?
 
cant you plug the B-124 into the cigarette lighter port?

Yes you can. And when you do so, don't forget to set the power switch on B-124 to the "Cigarette" position.
 
Yes you can. And when you do so, don't forget to set the power switch on B-124 to the "Cigarette" position.
Can you come up with a valid reason for switching the 124 to a 5A charge rate when it's connected to a ciggy socket fused at 20A, as opposed to hard wired? I can't think of one, but presumably BV can.
 
Can you come up with a valid reason for switching the 124 to a 5A charge rate when it's connected to a ciggy socket fused at 20A, as opposed to hard wired? I can't think of one, but presumably BV can.

You can use hardwiring mode on B-124 when is connected to cigarette lighter but it may result in overheating or product failure in cigarette lighter circuitry in some vehicles. Therefore, it is recommended to use "Cigarette" mode when powered from cigarette lighter directly.
 
You can use hardwiring mode on B-124 when is connected to cigarette lighter but it may result in overheating or product failure in cigarette lighter circuitry in some vehicles.
OK, thanks. I suppose that's because the positive connection is usually just a fairly lightly sprung centre connector with the possibility of a high(ish) resistance connection causing local heating. Valid reason.
 
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