mckenzie
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2019
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
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- Country
- Germany
- Dash Cam
- none yet
I finally found some time to install it at last. And I have to say, it works as hoped (or expected). 
I've used all the materials I've written above. You don't need anything else, except the usual tools and supplies when doing electrical jobs on a car, e.g. squeeze connectors.
Since I wanted to have control over the camera I've installed it to the left of the rear mirror on the windscreen. The car is a german model with the steering wheel on the left side. The fuse box is on the passenger side so the cables cross the mirror and run down the A pillar. The GPS unit went to the right side of the mirror. I've run the connection cable for the rear camera also on the right side of the car.
Cabling isn't hard, but you need to put some effort in it. Especially, if you're going to use the rear cam, as I did. The following is just a recap on what I did. It doesn't come with warranty, so use at your own risk or seek professional help. And: read the friendly manual (TIS)! You'll find it using Your Favorite Search Engine.
On my F11 you'd have to remove:
For wiring the rear cam you'll need to additionally remove these:
I've glued the rear camera directly to the glass. I thought about putting it on the plastic cover, but that surface isn't even enough and I would have had to drill a hole for putting the cable through. Glueing it on the glass allowed for the cable just to be put beneath the cover.
About wiring:
The Cellink Neo comes with three fuse taps for different fuse sizes. You don't need the fuse taps from the hardwire kit (HWK) since you're going to connect that directly to the Cellink. I've used fuse #65, which is powering a lighter socket in the cover of the passenger foot area. (I didn't even know there is one). Power to the lighters is cut about 2 minutes after you turn off ignition. The Cellink just needs ACC (fuse 65) and ground. The fuse box didn't offer me a ground point so I've bolted the ground cable to a metal strut beneath the dashboard. Check using a multimeter. For checking the Cellink there's an App for your smartphone. Use the right one: there's a normal version and a Cellink plus version - the latter didn't work with mine.
You'll have to use the HWK for the camera. It has a 12V/5V regulator/cutoff device. The Cellink's comes with a three wire output cable. This and the HWKs input cable's color coding are identical, as suspected. You'll just have to connect them directly one to one.
I ran into a little problem here which made me nervous about having my wiring correct. After I connected the camera via the HWK to the Cellink, I wanted to check if it's working. But the camera didn't start. The camera worked when testing it with a lighter jack before though. You need to connect the Cellink to the board power grid and start your ignition first for the HWK to switch on. When its on you'll see a red LED on the inside of the regulator housing. Only then your camera will start.
I've put the Cellink in the glove compartment. There's a flap at the rear which covers the access to the fuse box behind. I've run the cables through there and therfore the flap doesn't close anymore. I've wrenged it in place so nothing falls into that opening.
As for first experiences:
- The Cellink charges with 9 Amps in this setup (High setting). This allows for a charging time of 30-40 minutes from 0 to 100%.
- The car doesn't bring any warnings or errors about excessive power use, even not while beeing parked - as expected. So it definitely works.
- The camera quits recording out after 24h parking mode.
- With this setup everything is "forget about the camera". It kicks in when you unlock the doors via remote (the lighter sockets are powered then) and switches to parking mode after you've left your car. Only a low chirp at power up reminds you of the camera being there and active.
- Don't expect to be able to read license plates at night at 200km/h.
I've used all the materials I've written above. You don't need anything else, except the usual tools and supplies when doing electrical jobs on a car, e.g. squeeze connectors.
Since I wanted to have control over the camera I've installed it to the left of the rear mirror on the windscreen. The car is a german model with the steering wheel on the left side. The fuse box is on the passenger side so the cables cross the mirror and run down the A pillar. The GPS unit went to the right side of the mirror. I've run the connection cable for the rear camera also on the right side of the car.
Cabling isn't hard, but you need to put some effort in it. Especially, if you're going to use the rear cam, as I did. The following is just a recap on what I did. It doesn't come with warranty, so use at your own risk or seek professional help. And: read the friendly manual (TIS)! You'll find it using Your Favorite Search Engine.
On my F11 you'd have to remove:
- the top cover in your passenger foot area, to reach the fuse box behind the glove compartment. For that you'll have to remove a bit of carpet on your center console first. The glove compartment itself can stay in place.
- the side cover of the dashboard with the passenger airbag switch, for easier access to both the fuse box and for wiring the A column.
- the trim panel of the A pillar
- the roof switch cluster with the lights and controls for the electric roof - if you have one. This one's tricky, you'll have to remove the black panel first and then unhinge the metal clamps from the side with a flat tool.
For wiring the rear cam you'll need to additionally remove these:
- B, C and D pillar trim panels
- The cover of the right hinge of the rear window. You'll put your cable through here. Leave enough cable lenght at the hinge - it moves and so does your cable. Don't apply cable ties until you've checked the full range of motion.
- The inner cover of the rear window
I've glued the rear camera directly to the glass. I thought about putting it on the plastic cover, but that surface isn't even enough and I would have had to drill a hole for putting the cable through. Glueing it on the glass allowed for the cable just to be put beneath the cover.
About wiring:
The Cellink Neo comes with three fuse taps for different fuse sizes. You don't need the fuse taps from the hardwire kit (HWK) since you're going to connect that directly to the Cellink. I've used fuse #65, which is powering a lighter socket in the cover of the passenger foot area. (I didn't even know there is one). Power to the lighters is cut about 2 minutes after you turn off ignition. The Cellink just needs ACC (fuse 65) and ground. The fuse box didn't offer me a ground point so I've bolted the ground cable to a metal strut beneath the dashboard. Check using a multimeter. For checking the Cellink there's an App for your smartphone. Use the right one: there's a normal version and a Cellink plus version - the latter didn't work with mine.
You'll have to use the HWK for the camera. It has a 12V/5V regulator/cutoff device. The Cellink's comes with a three wire output cable. This and the HWKs input cable's color coding are identical, as suspected. You'll just have to connect them directly one to one.
I ran into a little problem here which made me nervous about having my wiring correct. After I connected the camera via the HWK to the Cellink, I wanted to check if it's working. But the camera didn't start. The camera worked when testing it with a lighter jack before though. You need to connect the Cellink to the board power grid and start your ignition first for the HWK to switch on. When its on you'll see a red LED on the inside of the regulator housing. Only then your camera will start.
I've put the Cellink in the glove compartment. There's a flap at the rear which covers the access to the fuse box behind. I've run the cables through there and therfore the flap doesn't close anymore. I've wrenged it in place so nothing falls into that opening.
As for first experiences:
- The Cellink charges with 9 Amps in this setup (High setting). This allows for a charging time of 30-40 minutes from 0 to 100%.
- The car doesn't bring any warnings or errors about excessive power use, even not while beeing parked - as expected. So it definitely works.
- The camera quits recording out after 24h parking mode.
- With this setup everything is "forget about the camera". It kicks in when you unlock the doors via remote (the lighter sockets are powered then) and switches to parking mode after you've left your car. Only a low chirp at power up reminds you of the camera being there and active.
- Don't expect to be able to read license plates at night at 200km/h.
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