New to dash cams, need help, no power when engine on?

[Out2k]

Hi, newbie here. I seem to have a problem i can not find an answer for. So I got the DR900S-2CH and the PMP (power magic pro) as far as it working that seems ok, cloud, wireless, app.... My problem is weird. As long as the PMP is switched to "on" green light, the DR900 will run while driving and parking mode. Turn the switch "off" green light goes out. If i leave it in the off position and not use parking mode, i get in start the car, DR900 will never turn on unless i turn on the PMP. I have rechecked all connections and fuses a few times.
So i have to always have parking mode on, even when at home and not needed, or i have to reach way down and manually turn the cam on and off from PMP. Any thought's? Thanks in advance!

 

[M8TJT]

My problem is weird. As long as the PMP is switched to "on" green light, the DR900 will run while driving and parking mode.

That is the normal operation as designed.

Turn the switch "off" green light goes out.

If PMP is turned OFF, the dashcam will go OFF a short time after you turn the ignition OFF

If i leave it in the off position and not use parking mode, i get in start the car, DR900 will never turn on unless i turn on the PMP.

That is not correct, the cam should startup as soon as the engine starts

I have rechecked all connections and fuses a few times.

Have you checked the setting of the PMP switches? Set the voltage to 12V (assuming a 12V system). If you have it set to 24V, the battery will never get to 24V and the cam will never start.

So i have to always have parking mode on, even when at home and not needed, or i have to reach way down and manually turn the cam on and off from PMP.

That is correct.
Q. How does the PMP know whether you want the cam powered up for parking mode on or not?
A. By manually switching the PMP ON or Off as required.

I rarely use the parking mode on my 750, so mainly leave the PMP switched OFF. The cam starts up and switches off with Engine start and ignition OFF. If I have the PMP set to 12.5V, there is a slightly longer delay before the cam starts after engine start.

PS. Welcome to Dashcam Talk

 

[Out2k]

That is the normal operation as designed.If PMP is turned OFF, the dashcam will go OFF a short time after you turn the ignition OFF That is not correct, the cam should startup as soon as the engine startsHave you checked the setting of the PMP switches? Set the voltage to 12V (assuming a 12V system). If you have it set to 24V, the battery will never get to 24V and the cam will never start.That is correct.
Q. How does the PMP know whether you want the cam powered up for parking mode on or not?
A. By manually switching the PMP ON or Off as required.

I rarely use the parking mode on my 750, so mainly leave the PMP switched OFF. The cam starts up and switches off with Engine start and ignition OFF. If I have the PMP set to 12.5V, there is a slightly longer delay before the cam starts after engine start.

PS. Welcome to Dashcam Talk

Ok, ran out and double checked the PMP, Yes its a 12 volt system. (1)Blue,(2) pink,(3) pink,(4) pink,(5)pink, 12volt, infinity timer. Started car, display on car showed 14 volts, sat there and waited about 5 mins with engine on, staying at 14 volts, cam never started. It did of course when i switched PMP on. It is suppose to use the 3amp fuses that came with the taps right? Is the 3amps enough? Thanks again for any help.

 

[M8TJT]

Settings Correct. 3A should be ample. The BV 750 2CH draws less than half an amp. Upping the fuse value will make absolutely no difference to the amount of current available for the device to draw. The only exception to this 'rule' is that if the fuse is too small, it will blow.

1. Are you absolutely sure that you have the yellow (power supply) wire connected to a permanent live and the red (switching wire) connected to an Aux or Ign supply, and have you got a good ground. It sound like you have, but just double check.
2. What happens if you switch the PMP ON, start the engine, let the BV power up and then switch the PMP OFF? Does the BV continue to be powered or does it switch OFF?
3. Have you measured the actual voltage at the point that you have the red wire connected? The red wire has to be about 0.5V higher than the voltage set on the PMP for it to switch on, so in your case with a setting of 12V, it needs to be at least 12.5V

I have written quite a long post about the innermost workings of the PMP HERE

 

[Ralph2]

There "was" also some confusion about the PMP changing colors of the wires.. Everything points to your "always" on power being mixed up with the "ACC" power supply. Switch the wires and see if that makes a difference.

 

[M8TJT]

I've had one for a long time now that I bought with my 550 in April 2014. I also bought a new one recently. The wires are the same colour code on both. So if they changed it, it was long time ago.

 

[Out2k]

Settings Correct. 3A should be ample. The BV 750 2CH draws less than half an amp. Upping the fuse value will make absolutely no difference to the amount of current available for the device to draw. The only exception to this 'rule' is that if the fuse is too small, it will blow.

1. Are you absolutely sure that you have the yellow (power supply) wire connected to a permanent live and the red (switching wire) connected to an Aux or Ign supply, and have you got a good ground. It sound like you have, but just double check.
2. What happens if you switch the PMP ON, start the engine, let the BV power up and then switch the PMP OFF? Does the BV continue to be powered or does it switch OFF?
3. Have you measured the actual voltage at the point that you have the red wire connected? The red wire has to be about 0.5V higher than the voltage set on the PMP for it to switch on, so in your case with a setting of 12V, it needs to be at least 12.5V

I have written quite a long post about the innermost workings of the PMP HERE

1. Are you absolutely sure that you have the yellow (power supply) wire connected to a permanent live and the red (switching wire) connected to an Aux or Ign supply, and have you got a good ground. It sound like you have, but just double check.

1. Yes , red is on the battery cable, in line fuse 3amp, red is on a Ign supply with fuse tap in fuse box. ground is on a main chassis ground bolt.

2. What happens if you switch the PMP ON, start the engine, let the BV power up and then switch the PMP OFF? Does the BV continue to be powered or does it switch OFF?

2. It powers down, when switch is turned off, "engine on or off", also i noticed green light turns off as well on PMP. ( don't know if that is normal )

3. Have you measured the actual voltage at the point that you have the red wire connected? The red wire has to be about 0.5V higher than the voltage set on the PMP for it to switch on, so in your case with a setting of 12V, it needs to be at least 12.5V

3. At the wires coming in thru firewall to PMP connection , I have 14 v on battery "yellow" always, and red has 14v only when engine is on. Grounds were check and seem fine.

I also unhooked a know switched line (to my speakers amp) and tried direct connect to the red switched wire at the pmp, to see if that was causing it, "a bad switched feed"from fuse tap maybe? still the same results.
Maybe just a bad PMP? Also is the green light supposed to go out when in off position? Thanks again for the help.

OH : i hooked the cig plug that comes from the BV into my center console cig plug, since that only powers when engine on, and the cam turns on and off with car like normal, without the PMP. Just fyi.

 

[M8TJT]

Your 1. I assume that you mean 'yellow red is on the battery cable, in line fuse 3amp......
Well, I'm a bit stumped I'll just go and try my spare on a PSU so that I can answer your Q2
I'll edit this post with the result in about 10 mins.

This is what happens wrt the green light.
1. Initially, with only the yellow wire connected, the green light does not come on regardless of the PMP switch. But see note below.
2. Yellow and red connected. Green light ON regardless of the PMP switch.
3. Disconnect red with PMP switch ON. Green light stays ON (Presumably for the duration of the time delay setting ON.
4. Disconnect red with PMP switch OFF. Green light goes out after about 5 seconds
Note. Once the PMP has been put into time delay mode, the green light switches ON and OFF the same as the switch.

Also is the green light supposed to go out when in off position?

Yes, unless the red has 12V on it. (IGN on)

I'm off to watch the F1 now.

 

[Out2k]

Your 1. I assume that you mean 'yellow red is on the battery cable, in line fuse 3amp......
Well, I'm a bit stumped I'll just go and try my spare on a PSU so that I can answer your Q2
I'll edit this post with the result in about 10 mins.

Yes sorry that was a typo, yellow is on battery "constant", 3amp in line fused, and red wire is on "acc", fuse tapped 3amp.

 

[Out2k]

Well maybe some progress just a short ago. So i changed the switched "red wire" to another "acc" source , with 3amp fuse on it.
If i start the car, and then i turn the switch on the PMP to off position, the PMP and cam will stay on. Once the car shuts off, then it will shut down. Green light will stay on PMP for about 10 sec then turn off, after the car is off.

I also noticed, i stay at 14 volt when the car is running, and it will slowly fall to about 12.3 volts, at the PMP, after about 1 min. and stay at 12.3 volts after the car is turned off. I must have checked it too soon early ago when i checked it and got 14volts.
Maybe my battery is too close to the thresh hold for PMP to stay active? New battery?
Thanks again, for any input. : )

 

[M8TJT]

If i start the car, and then i turn the switch on the PMP to off position, the PMP and cam will stay on. Once the car shuts off, then it will shut down. Green light will stay on PMP for about 10 sec then turn off, after the car is off.

That's exactly what should happen with PMP OFF.
Now, what happens if you have the PMP switched ON and active as above and turn OFF the ignition. Does the PMP/BV stay ON. (It should stay ON for the duration that you have set)

I also noticed, i stay at 14 volt when the car is running, and it will slowly fall to about 12.3 volts, at the PMP, after about 1 min. and stay at 12.3 volts after the car is turned off.

That is quite normal

Maybe my battery is too close to the thresh hold for PMP to stay active? New battery?

No, it has to go below 12V(if that;s what you have set) before the PMP will switch off the camera.
Will you please clarify what the problem still is after doing all your tests.

EDIT: Regardless of the position of the PMP switch, the PMP should power up the BV when you start the engine. Does it?

 

[Out2k]

That's exactly what should happen with PMP OFF.
Now, what happens if you have the PMP switched ON and active as above and turn OFF the ignition. Does the PMP/BV stay ON. (It should stay ON for the duration that you have set)
That is quite normal No, it has to go below 12V(if that;s what you have set) before the PMP will switch off the camera.
Will you please clarify what the problem still is after doing all your tests.

EDIT: Regardless of the position of the PMP switch, the PMP should power up the BV when you start the engine. Does it?

Yes , my original problem was it would only power up, when the PMP switch was in the on position. Never with it off, and i started the car. (not using parking mode). Then the problem seemed to reverse, on when off and off when on. ( trust me , i was getting confused, lol ). I blame the newer cars setup,haha!
Finally!
After changing the "ACC" wires location to another source,(in the car, not the fuse box, where it was) it seems to be working as intended. They were both giving a switched 12v signal when car was started so i do not know why it made a difference, but i am happy either way it is now working as intended. Thanks again for all the help, M8TJT.

 

[M8TJT]

Strange, but a jolly good outcome. I'm pleased for you that it's now working OK.
I was pretty easily confused by the PMP when I first got one and it wouldn't power up. That is until someone said to me "Start the bloody engine, dick head". I learned stuff from that.

 

[Hillbilly]

I didnt quite say that LOL