Power Magic Pro with DR550GW - Please, Please any advice?

[Saj]

Hi Everyone,

Since buying my DR550GW it has been nothing but a pain.

First installed the custom firmware which was just terrible, so reverted back and since day one the PMP doesn't seem to work how I expect it to !

With the ignition off and the DR550GW in parking mode, the PMP looses power and in turn the DR550GW switches off. This can be from a few minutes to 4-5 hours, it has not lasted me a single night without finding it switched off in the morning on the way to work.

It also switches off and on whilst driving (ignition on), again cannot explain this.

I thought the PMP was faulty but got a replacement and its the same issues.

I understand I have wired it correctly, with the Red wire going to my 12v socket fuse and Yellow cable a permanent live 12v socket fuse for the rear of the car. Both were tested with a voltmeter to make sure.

I have the PMP set to infinity and at 12v.

Any ideas where I have gone wrong !

I just want a camera to be recording and reliable !

 

[reverend]

What state is your car battery in? Do you do a lot of short journeys or long journeys?

Reason I ask is that I did some work up your way and or a couple of weeks just drove from Nelson town centre to the Oaks on Burnley Road and my battery went flat as it wasn't enough of a drive to charge the battery - wondering if that's the sort of problem you're having maybe?

 

[Saj]

What state is your car battery in? Do you do a lot of short journeys or long journeys?

Reason I ask is that I did some work up your way and or a couple of weeks just drove from Nelson town centre to the Oaks on Burnley Road and my battery went flat as it wasn't enough of a drive to charge the battery - wondering if that's the sort of problem you're having maybe?

Thanks for the quick reply, the car is a 2012 Nissan Qashqai, so would have thought the battery was ok, is there an easy way to test this?

My journeys involve travelling from Nelson (close to town centre) to where I work at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, so about 25-30 minutes journey and then back.

Battery would explain when the ignition is off, but for it to switch on and off during driving is weird !

 

[reverend]

At two years old it should be ok - do you have anything else you could try connected to the PMP just in case it is the camera?

In fact that's a good point - does the camera turn off when driving if it's connected straight into the cigarette lighter?

Shame you don't have the IS any more or you could have tried it in that

 

[Saj]

At two years old it should be ok - do you have anything else you could try connected to the PMP just in case it is the camera?

In fact that's a good point - does the camera turn off when driving if it's connected straight into the cigarette lighter?

Thanks for the tips, I will try connecting it directly and see what it does and also try something else with the PMP, I got DVD headrests installed, so I can connect one of those and keep an eye on it to see if it switches off.

I do hope its not the camera !

 

[Anthony566]

Do you have the issue if the PMP is in the on position and off position ??

 

[TallTom]

If it is switching off/on while driving, I would check the grounding wire on the PMP. It sounds like it doesn't have a good ground.

 

[Saj]

Do you have the issue if the PMP is in the on position and off position ??

To be honest never tried it in the off position whilst ignition is on, so will try this. Thanks

If it is switching off/on while driving, I would check the grounding wire on the PMP. It sounds like it doesn't have a good ground.

Good call, I will check the ground over the weekend.

Tonight it seems to be working alot longer in parking mode. It has been on for over 4 hours so far which it hasnt done for a while !

 

[Saj]

Right update, checked all the wires and regrounded it to make sure that isnt going loose.

I do not think its the camera as when it goes off, the light on the PMP is not on, if that was on but camera going off then I would have thought its the camera.

The battery cable I have connected to a different fuse which is 10a instead of 15a, to see if that makes a difference.

Will let you know how i get on !

 

[Hillbilly]

You have the permanent power connected to a fuse that is not permanently on.

The amperage makes no difference at all as a camera only needs 1 amp to be happy.

A fuse is to protect the car from the accessories NOT the other way around and is the size it is to blow at a certain overload coming back from the accessory so your car doesn't go up in smoke.

It will of course do the same if you connect a hairdryer to a 5 amp fuse but that's not what car fuses are basically for.

 

[Anthony566]

What car is this fitted to ?

 

[Hillbilly]

What car is this fitted to ?

The answer is in the second reply

 

[Saj]

Indeed its a 2012 Nissan Qashqai, ok still problems.

Interestingly enought, when I am parked up with ignition on, it goes off and when I drive off it comes on.

I am seriously thinking its an issue with the car battery and thinking of getting it checked out. Cannot think of anything else anymore!?

 

[Hillbilly]

Indeed its a 2012 Nissan Qashqai, ok still problems.

Interestingly enought, when I am parked up with ignition on, it goes off and when I drive off it comes on.

I am seriously thinking its an issue with the car battery and thinking of getting it checked out. Cannot think of anything else anymore!?

With ignition on which setting Engine running turned back to ACC or what.

If engine on voltage is dropping below what PMP is set for,

If turned back to acc could be the same or the fuse you have connected to turns off with engine.

Run a wire direct to battery and see what happens Only needs one hot wire temporarily Just pull perm wire loose and hook a long piece of wire and run it to battery outside the car for a few minutes. Should give an idea of whats happening

 

[Saj]

With ignition on which setting Engine running turned back to ACC or what.

If engine on voltage is dropping below what PMP is set for,

If turned back to acc could be the same or the fuse you have connected to turns off with engine.

Run a wire direct to battery and see what happens Only needs one hot wire temporarily Just pull perm wire loose and hook a long piece of wire and run it to battery outside the car for a few minutes. Should give an idea of whats happening

Yes sorry with engine on.

I will give that a try thanks !

 

[Hillbilly]

Yes sorry with engine on.

I will give that a try thanks !

If it still does it get the battery checked as the only reason the PMP will turn off is if the voltage drops below what the shutoff is set at Mine is at 12 V

 

[Saj]

If it still does it get the battery checked as the only reason the PMP will turn off is if the voltage drops below what the shutoff is set at Mine is at 12 V

Thanks Yes mines set to 12v as well, will try and check the battery if it still happens

 

[Saj]

Ok so I went to Manchester yesterday (aprox. 50miles) and when I got home, the camera lasted all night, for the first time since buying it. Again pointing towards the battery?

I went to Kwikfit to get a battery check who were very awkward as the car is in warranty, but after explaining, he checked it and found no issues with his meter saying it s a good battery.

Will eventually try hooking it up directly to battery soon.

 

[Saj]

Ok since the last update, I connected the DR550 directly to a 12v socket and bypassed the PMP.

I did this as I found a pattern with it switching off during driving, where if I came to a standstill or slowed down to a very slow pace it would shut down, but when I sped up again it would turn back on.

Direct connection as not seen this issue at all, so clearly not a camera issue.

Still need to try to connect it to the battery directly.

 

[Hillbilly]

Crook battery or alternator If you drive at night do the headlights dim at the same time as the camera stops