Powering dashcams with standalone USB-C cables

[Agie]

Has anyone here had any experience powering dashcams with separate (to the included) USB-C cables?

I'm looking at powering Vantrue Nexus 4 Pro (which is 5V 2.4A) with a 3-metre USB-C cable but ones I've come across say that their amperage drops to 2A (due to the long length of the cable) so that won't work will it?

Might have to drop to 2m which would have same or more than the 2.4A required...

 

[Panzer Platform]

I thought you would never ask.
I’m a fan of mounting single channel, or 2-CH front dash cams on my rear window.
Most included USB cables are around 12 feet.
My rear window needs around 15 feet.
I’ve had success buying cheap USB cables of Amazon.
The current USB Type-C cable I have installed is 16 feet, and I’ve been using it with the A119 Mini, and A119 Mini 2 and the included Viofo Dual USB CLA charger.
It was $10;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B08V8Q3SZ5
I specifically bought this cable for the A119 Mini because I was using the included 12ft cable with a 3ft USB extension, but sometimes the camera would go into endless boot loop on start up due to power starvation.
Since I’ve been using the 16ft cable I’ve never had a malfunction.
But keep in mind the power consumption of the A119 Mini & A119 Mini 2 is only 3 Watts.
A power hungry multi channel dash cam like the N4 Pro can be as much as 10 Watts.
For your 10 Watt application you might be better off installing a USB power outlet closer to your camera so you can limit the length of the Type-C cable.
Or use a hardwire kit, and extend the power & ground wires with the appropriate AWG size wires.

 

[Nigel]

For your 10 Watt application you might be better off installing a USB power outlet closer to your camera so you can limit the length of the Type-C cable.

Always the best way, a voltage loss on the 12V is irrelevant, while a voltage loss on the 5V is critical, so keep the USB cables short if possible.

If you are powering from an accessory socket, you can use a 12V extension cable without worrying about volts and amps, so that a short USB cable can be used.

 

[Deleted member 85644]

Interesting discussion and a similar situation that I am about to face. I will be putting the new Viofo 229 Pro front camera on my rear windshield ( 2014 Subaru Outback ), I would like to wire straight to fuse power, no Accessory power. At the dash fuse panel can I use something akin to this USB-C breakout and then two wire to the fuse box?

Amazon USB-C breakout

 

[kamkar]

It is just 1.5 A nominal / 3 A peak, so not quite sure its enough

You can also ( if you do not intend to use parking guard ) just get a female 12 V socket, wire that into the fuse box ( with fuse adapter and fuse of course ) and plug the provided plug / power source into that, though you should probably tape the 2 together so they do not wiggle apart under the dash

I have sort of done the same, only overkill, so in my glove box i have 2 X 3 slot 12 V accessory power outputs, so i can test any dashcam with its provided power source. ( wired into a 30 A fuse )
I now also have a " quick connect " option to my fuse box so i can test hard wire kits too, without having to flex a body that's no longer flexible to get to my fuse box in a really inconvenient place.
Now i just have to kneel at the driver door and a few minutes later a new hardwire kit is wired in and ready for use, no probing needed just a screwdriver is needed.

 

[DT MI]

I'm looking at powering Vantrue Nexus 4 Pro (which is 5V 2.4A) with a 3-metre USB-C cable but ones I've come across say that their amperage drops to 2A (due to the long length of the cable) so that won't work will it?

Have you checked the actual power draw of the N4 Pro? The S1-Pro I'm currently using peaks at 1.5A @ 5V (both cameras on, WiFi on, screen on, and recording to the SD card). So in your case a drop to 2A may not be an issue even with the additional camera.

 

[Nigel]

Interesting discussion and a similar situation that I am about to face. I will be putting the new Viofo 229 Pro front camera on my rear windshield ( 2014 Subaru Outback ), I would like to wire straight to fuse power, no Accessory power. At the dash fuse panel can I use something akin to this USB-C breakout and then two wire to the fuse box?

Amazon USB-C breakout

The fuse box contains 12 volts, the camera needs 5 volts.
What I see in your link has no converter from 12 to 5 volts, so is no good.
Kamkar's suggestion is a good one, alternatively you can use a hardwire kit and extend the 12 volt cables to reach the fuse box.
If you are only using 2 wires to connect to the car then you can't use parking mode and will need a switched power source.

 

[Deleted member 85644]

@kamkar @Nigel

Thanks fellows, good suggestions and advice. Head slap myself as I had forgotten the cams were 5 VDC. I could extend an HK4 or wire from the rear cam to the fuse box and use a 12v to 5v buck step-down converter at the dash cam end. I am looking now for 2/20 and 3/20 silicone wire on Amazon. Might have to go to McMaster-Carr to get known good wire.

 

[Nigel]

I could extend an HK4 or wire from the rear cam to the fuse box and use a 12v to 5v buck step-down converter at the dash cam end.

The main purpose of the HK4 is to convert 12 volts to 5 volts, so if you extend your fuse tap wire to reach from the fuse box to the HK4 at the rear of the car, and find a local GND for the black wire, then plug the HK4 into the camera, everything will work fine.

Don't know if you want parking mode on it, if so then you need to extend the yellow ACC wire to the fuse box as well, unless you have an accessory socket at the rear of the car.

 

[Deleted member 85644]

The main purpose of the HK4 is to convert 12 volts to 5 volts, so if you extend your fuse tap wire to reach from the fuse box to the HK4 at the rear of the car, and find a local GND for the black wire, then plug the HK4 into the camera, everything will work fine.

Don't know if you want parking mode on it, if so then you need to extend the yellow ACC wire to the fuse box as well, unless you have an accessory socket at the rear of the car.

I had forgotten about the Cig style power receptical at the rear of the car, it only has power though when the car is running. I would not mind having the Parking mode enabled but I am concerned about battery draw with two, two channel front camera/interior camera in use. I have considered adding the Power Core 13400LFP to the main car battery, not certain though if Power Core will ship to the U.S.

Power Core

There are a mulitude of paths to get this accomplished, since I am capable of wiring and soldering it won't be much of a bother, I just want to take as low tech and simple of a method as possible to ensure good voltage/amps to the dashcam in the rear.

 

[Nigel]

I just want to take as low tech and simple of a method as possible to ensure good voltage/amps to the dashcam in the rear.

Worth noting that all the power goes through the red BAT+ wire to the HK4, you can use a really thin wire for the yellow ACC signal wire, and if you have an accessory socket in the rear then the yellow wire can probably go to that, if it turns on and off at the right times. The black GND can also go to the rear Accessory Socket. Do use automotive wire, it has insulation designed to cope with vibrations/oil etc.

Also, the A229 will probably have a parking mode duration setting, so you can set it to only record the first 3 hours of parking and then not need to worry about the battery usage.

 

[Agie]

I thought you would never ask.
I’m a fan of mounting single channel, or 2-CH front dash cams on my rear window.
Most included USB cables are around 12 feet.
My rear window needs around 15 feet.
I’ve had success buying cheap USB cables of Amazon.
The current USB Type-C cable I have installed is 16 feet, and I’ve been using it with the A119 Mini, and A119 Mini 2 and the included Viofo Dual USB CLA charger.
It was $10;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B08V8Q3SZ5
I specifically bought this cable for the A119 Mini because I was using the included 12ft cable with a 3ft USB extension, but sometimes the camera would go into endless boot loop on start up due to power starvation.
Since I’ve been using the 16ft cable I’ve never had a malfunction.
But keep in mind the power consumption of the A119 Mini & A119 Mini 2 is only 3 Watts.
A power hungry multi channel dash cam like the N4 Pro can be as much as 10 Watts.
For your 10 Watt application you might be better off installing a USB power outlet closer to your camera so you can limit the length of the Type-C cable.
Or use a hardwire kit, and extend the power & ground wires with the appropriate AWG size wires.

Thank you for your suggestions will look into these, that's it I have a sedan but no power outlet at the back (12V). There's a USB-A in there somewhere but obviously that won't give enough power..

 

[Agie]

Have you checked the actual power draw of the N4 Pro? The S1-Pro I'm currently using peaks at 1.5A @ 5V (both cameras on, WiFi on, screen on, and recording to the SD card). So in your case a drop to 2A may not be an issue even with the additional camera.

No haven't checked but just taking the stated values by Vantrue as gospel just to cover myself..