Reasons the dashcam won't turn on?

[sausagedelay]

Hi,

I've just hardwired my dashcam wires in the lower fuse box but when i turn the engine on the dashcam won't turn on. I am somewhat confident in the quality of the work I've put in, in terms of wiring and fuses. This is the steps that I've taken:

1) One fuse tap/ piggy back fuse/ add-a-fuse onto each accessory and battery wire
2) removed a fuse that was accessory and one that used constant battery power, placed it in the slot and put it in
3) grounded the last wire

I've used pliers instead of a crimper but the metal cylinder inside was squeezed tightly and the wires were definitely touching for both. I tried many different fuses without success, these are the ones I've tried:
battery: stop lamp/horn, headlight main beams, tail lights (LH), parking lights (LH)
accessory: sunroof (it has a fuse although car has no sunroof), power window switch, audio system

The horn and audio system were working when I put in the fuse tap.

I'm definitely frustrated at this point and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Took a few pictures of the fuse if it somehow helps (open images in new tab as it's really zoomed in)

 

[Calgary Dash Camera - Robert]

Hi,

I've just hardwired my dashcam wires in the lower fuse box but when i turn the engine on the dashcam won't turn on. I am somewhat confident in the quality of the work I've put in, in terms of wiring and fuses. This is the steps that I've taken:

1) One fuse tap/ piggy back fuse/ add-a-fuse onto each accessory and battery wire
2) removed a fuse that was accessory and one that used constant battery power, placed it in the slot and put it in
3) grounded the last wire

I've used pliers instead of a crimper but the metal cylinder inside was squeezed tightly and the wires were definitely touching for both. I tried many different fuses without success, these are the ones I've tried:
battery: stop lamp/horn, headlight main beams, tail lights (LH), parking lights (LH)
accessory: sunroof (it has a fuse although car has no sunroof), power window switch, audio system

The horn and audio system were working when I put in the fuse tap.

I'm definitely frustrated at this point and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Took a few pictures of the fuse if it somehow helps (open images in new tab as it's really zoomed in)

First I would highly recommend buying a multimeter.
I can not say this enough. A multimeter is a godsend when doing a hardwire install.

Seeing how you have tried various fuses. It could be that the ground is not properly grounded. Just because you attach to a screw does not mean its grounded. Only certain screws are grounded, furthermore. Some screws are powder coated with paint that prohibits a good grounding connection. If this is the case, you would ant to scratch/ file off the paint on the side that is contacting the ground wire.

 

[Calgary Dash Camera - Robert]

I made this quick video in the past summer. It shows how to utilize a multimeter on a hardwire install.

 

[jokiin]

Seeing how you have tried various fuses. It could be that the ground is not properly grounded. Just because you attach to a screw does not mean its grounded. Only certain screws are grounded, furthermore. Some screws are powder coated with paint that prohibits a good grounding connection. If this is the case, you would ant to scratch/ file off the paint on the side that is contacting the ground wire.

exactly, a lot of the screws under the dash aren't well grounded at all, best to look for a factory ground point, there's generally one nearby the fuse panel, here's what to look for

 

[Matthew Rodgers]

Hi,

I've just hardwired my dashcam wires in the lower fuse box but when i turn the engine on the dashcam won't turn on. I am somewhat confident in the quality of the work I've put in, in terms of wiring and fuses. This is the steps that I've taken:

1) One fuse tap/ piggy back fuse/ add-a-fuse onto each accessory and battery wire
2) removed a fuse that was accessory and one that used constant battery power, placed it in the slot and put it in
3) grounded the last wire

I've used pliers instead of a crimper but the metal cylinder inside was squeezed tightly and the wires were definitely touching for both. I tried many different fuses without success, these are the ones I've tried:
battery: stop lamp/horn, headlight main beams, tail lights (LH), parking lights (LH)
accessory: sunroof (it has a fuse although car has no sunroof), power window switch, audio system

The horn and audio system were working when I put in the fuse tap.

I'm definitely frustrated at this point and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Took a few pictures of the fuse if it somehow helps (open images in new tab as it's really zoomed in)

Make sure the fuse for the camera is 5A or higher. Ideally 5A. Either way if you check the fuse and you find that it is blown, you found the problem.