My dashcam drained my battery..

[skansen]

I have the Viofo Hardware Kit!

I checked when the camera powered off, i tested red wire of hardware kit and i was on 12.1~12.2v but without any power on camera.

But if i don't touch the car all night. the camera won't power off...

It's clear for my that you have Viofo Hardwire Kit.
Now I also have Viofo Hardwire Kit. But I had Black Vue Power Magic Pro before. And I had the same problem as you.
After replacing Power Magic with Viofo Hardwire Kit my problem was solved. Viofo Hardwire Kit do not switch off camera after short voltage drop.

Did you checked the voltage after closing and reopening the car?

Or you sat in the car, closed the doors using central looking and checked the voltage before reopening?

Why it is important - in most of the Honda cars some circuits are switched off while doors are locked from outside. One of the examples is interior lighting. When you turn cabin light on (permanently, not auto/door position), cabin light will be switched off after locking the doors using central locking. And will be switched on again after unlocking.

 

[Sergiosmvc]

It's clear for my that you have Viofo Hardwire Kit.
Now I also have Viofo Hardwire Kit. But I had Black Vue Power Magic Pro before. And I had the same problem as you.
After replacing Power Magic with Viofo Hardwire Kit my problem was solved. Viofo Hardwire Kit do not switch off camera after short voltage drop.

Did you checked the voltage after closing and reopening the car?

Or you sat in the car, closed the doors using central looking and checked the voltage before reopening?

Why it is important - in most of the Honda cars some circuits are switched off while doors are locked from outside. One of the examples is interior lighting. When you turn cabin light on (permanently, not auto/door position), cabin light will be switched off after locking the doors using central locking. And will be switched on again after unlocking.

I waited to the hardwire cable cut the power to the camera then checked the voltage before the hardwire switch and the multimeter read 12.1 or. 12.2v

 

[skansen]

I waited to the hardwire cable cut the power to the camera then checked the voltage before the hardwire switch and the multimeter read 12.1 or. 12.2v

OK, but did you sat in the car, and did you check the voltage without reopening (unlocking) the doors?

If you waited outside the car, then opened doors and checked voltage results will be wrong.

How the test should be performed:
You sat inside the car. You lock the doors. Hardwire Kit is switching off the camera. You check the voltage. Do not unlock doors before checking voltage.

 

[Sergiosmvc]

OK, but did you sat in the car, and did you check the voltage without reopening (unlocking) the doors?

If you waited outside the car, then opened doors and checked voltage results will be wrong.

How the test should be performed:
You sat inside the car. You lock the doors. Hardwire Kit is switching off the camera. You check the voltage. Do not unlock doors before checking voltage.

Yes i tried evertyhing...

Why i have 12.2v with ports open or close and the camera not turn on?

I cant understand..

 

[skansen]

Why i have 12.2v with ports open or close and the camera not turn on?

When Viofo Hardware Kit switch off the parking mode (and switch off the camera completely) it will not turn camera on, unless car engine will be run again.

Another possibility is that hardwire is connected to the central locking circuit, and on this circuit voltage drop is very deep.

Try to connect BAT+ wire of Viofo Hardwire battery directly to the car battery.

 

[Sergiosmvc]

When Viofo Hardware Kit switch off the parking mode (and switch off the camera completely) it will not turn camera on, unless car engine will be run again.

Another possibility is that hardwire is connected to the central locking circuit, and on this circuit voltage drop is very deep.

Try to connect BAT+ wire of Viofo Hardwire battery directly to the car battery.

I understand that but why i have 12.2v? If i have 11.6v its normal but with 12.2v i think not...

 

[skansen]

I understand that but why i have 12.2v? If i have 11.6v its normal but with 12.2v i think not...

Cheap multimeters are not very accurate. What kind of millimeter do you use? If multimeter is set to measure AC~ instead of DC= it will measure incorrectly car voltage).
So it is possible that real voltage is lower than muleteer is displaying.

In you case a see following causes:
80% wrong circuit - different circuit will work perfectly
10% wrong voltage measurement (inaccurate multimeter or wrongly set)
10% faulty hardwire kit

Try to connect BAT+ wire of Viofo Hardwire battery directly to the car battery - just temporary, for test.

 

[Leonauto]

The normal voltage of a fully charged battery should be 12.6V, what and why bothers you?

 

[Sergiosmvc]

Cheap multimeters are not very accurate. What kind of millimeter do you use? If multimeter is set to measure AC~ instead of DC= it will measure incorrectly car voltage).
So it is possible that real voltage is lower than muleteer is displaying.

In you case a see following causes:
80% wrong circuit - different circuit will work perfectly
10% wrong voltage measurement (inaccurate multimeter or wrongly set)
10% faulty hardwire kit

Try to connect BAT+ wire of Viofo Hardwire battery directly to the car battery - just temporary, for test.

Ok thanks for your suggestions. I'll try again and post here the results.

Thanks

 

[Nigel]

I waited to the hardwire cable cut the power to the camera then checked the voltage before the hardwire switch and the multimeter read 12.1 or. 12.2v

The more power that is being drawn from the battery the lower the voltage, the voltage will increase after the camera turns off.

 

[skansen]

The more power that is being drawn from the battery the lower the voltage, the voltage will increase after the camera turns off.

It's also interesting possibility.
40Ah is relatively small battery so the voltage fluctuations can be quite high.

According to Nigel's suggestion, perform test in this way:
Sit in the car.
Plug in the multimeter.
Check the voltage.
Lock the doors.
Check the voltage.

The point is to check the voltage before hardwire switch camera off.

 

[skansen]

In the field of circuits swtched off after door locking - this video showing how it's works I made especially for @Sergiosmvc

I think that you camera can be connected to the circuit like this...

 

[Sergiosmvc]

In the field of circuits swtched off after door locking - this video showing how it's works I made especially for @Sergiosmvc

I think that you camera can be connected to the circuit like this...

But in my case if i turn engine on for some minutes and then turn it off and exit the car and lock the doors the camera will record for entire night.

I think the problem is the 40Ah battery 5 years old...

 

[skansen]

But in my case if i turn engine on for some minutes and then turn it off and exit the car and lock the doors the camera will record for entire night.

If i drive the car for 1h and then turn of the engine and get the parking mode low bit rate enabled, if i don't touch the car it will record for the entire night.
If i do the same thing but try with my keyfob open and close the locks, after 1 or 2 minutes the cam shuts down.

Could you clarify? First you wrote that after locking the doors camera stops recording, now you wrote that after locking its recording for entire night...

 

[Sergiosmvc]

Could you clarify? First you wrote that after locking the doors camera stops recording, now you wrote that after locking its recording for entire night...

If i drive the car for a while then exit the car and lock the doors the camera will record for entire night but if i need to enter the car for some reason after lock the doors and after 1 or 2 minutes the camera shuts down.

 

[skansen]

If i drive the car for 1h and then turn of the engine and get the parking mode low bit rate enabled, if i don't touch the car it will record for the entire night.

I understood this that you switch the engine off and then you are not locking the doors...
My assumption was that you are not locking the doors, and that locking is causing hardwire cut-off.

If i drive the car for a while then exit the car and lock the doors the camera will record for entire night but if i need to enter the car for some reason i need to enter into the car then after lock the doors again after 1 or 2 minutes the camera shuts down.

OK so it's a bit different situation. Is that sequence:
*cars stops - camera is recording
*you leave the car, and lock the doors - camera is recording
*after some time you go back to the car. Before you unlock/open the doors you are checking if camera is recording. And camera is recording
*you are unlocking/opening the doors and after couple of minutes camera stops recording?

 

[Sergiosmvc]

OK so it's a bit different situation. Is that sequence:
*cars stops - camera is recording
*you leave the car, and lock the doors - camera is recording
*after some time you go the car. Before you unlock/open the doors you are checking if camera is recording. And camera is recording
*you are unlocking/opening the doors and after couple of minutes camera stops recording?


Initially, I understood that you switch the engine off and then you are not locking the doors...

I'm sorry about my english ..

Yes before unlock the doors i checked and camera is recording.

After i unlock the doors the camera will record for 1~2 minutes then shuts off.

 

[skansen]

I'm sorry about my english ..

Don't worry - it's not problem of English.
Sometimes it necessary to describe all steps, even steps which are considered not important.

Yes before unlock the doors i checked and camera is recording.

After i unlock the doors the camera will record for 1~2 minutes then shuts off.

In you case I think that the scenario is as follow:
*when you stop driving, the voltage is ~12.5V. Locking the doors cause small voltage drop, but not causing power cut-of.
*when you go back to the car, voltage is lower, for example ~12.2V. Voltage drop caused by unlocking/locking the doors is long/deep enough to switch power off.

First off all, try to perform the same test but with interior lights switched of permanently. It can by electric receiver other than locks winch cause voltage drop. Interior lighting is one of example.

Before replacing battery you can try to find different circuit or connect directly to the battery. On other circuit/on battery voltage drop can by lower.

 

[HonestReview]

My car is an Honda Civic Hybrid. The car battery is 40Ah. My cam is connected with Viofo's 3HK
If i drive the car for 1h and then turn of the engine and get the parking mode low bit rate enabled, if i don't touch the car it will record for the entire night.
If i do the same thing but try with my keyfob open and close the locks, after 1 or 2 minutes the cam shuts down.
The voltage is set to 11.8v and I've checked the circuit before the cable voltage switch and i get 12.1v - 12.2v with multimeter. So i can't understand why this occurs.
I've tried to disconnect the usb power cable from the cam and connect again but i've get no power.
If i turn the engine on the cam power up again


Any sugestion?

Sounds like the fuse you tapped isn't a good pick. I had a similar issue.

Fuse I tapped worked "fine". Turn on car, car goes into battery mode (ignition). Turn off car, camera goes into parking mode...However, if I turned off camera, then locked my doors / folded my mirrors, the camera turned itself back on.

Point I'm making is that you are probably tapping into a fuse that is connected to other systems. I always recommend using Power Seats for Battery (if they aren't tied to other systems) and then something like WIndshield Wipers, Heated Seats, for ACC. Just make sure these fuses are independent of critical systems like

Airbags, Infotainment (electronics), ABS Brakes, etc

 

[Nigel]

I think the problem is the 40Ah battery 5 years old...

Older batteries often run at a lower voltage when full, you could set the voltage on the hardwire kit 1 step lower and the battery will probably still be OK. If it doesn't like it then it is an old battery anyway so you don't loose much.