Think I killed my Power Magic Pro...:-(

[AndyP]

Hi all,

Apologies for the length of my first post, but hopefully going through it will help work out what i might have done!

I received a Blackvue DR650 for Christmas, along with the Power Magic Pro. I've installed the camera(s) with no problem, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the Power Magic Pro

I am using the add-a-fuse piggyback holders, and determined (I think!) the correct way round to insert these with their associated fuses, based on amongst a few other sites: http://www.tsisecuritycorp.com/TSI_USA_Fuse_Plugs_ATO_ATC.html

The only thing I can think of that I might not have done according to the instructions was to insert the cables in the main body of the device before attaching the individual wires to the fuses/fusebox/earth.

As I pulled the ground cable to attach it to something metal, it brushed the frame holding the fuse box & there was a brief spark. However, once all was plugged in, the box appeared to be OK (LED light was on, and the camera powered up as normal when plugged into it).

I then set about tidying up the cables to zip-tie out of the way. Unfortunately, when I turned the box on again, the LED did not light, and the camera no longer powers up from the box.

I've just noticed the manual states 4.8W as the current consumption - shouldn't they mean Amps? I have used 5A fuses - is it possible they might have been too high?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I might try next, or is it likely I have fried the Power Magic Pro...?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.
Andy.

 

[AndyP]

Oops! Just re-read my post and I have managed to write it in such a way as to imply that the camera is not working...so much for a long-winded explanation!

The camera is actually OK (luckily), it is just the Power Magic Pro box that seems to be dead.

Sorry for confusing people with my fist post on the site...!

 

[yoho2ca]

I use add-a-fuse to connect PMP with fuse box too. How did you catch the spark? What's your steps of RED/YELLOW/GROUND/MAIN CABLE connection?
I did all these step without connect the camera:

main cable to PMP BOX 1st; RED/YELLOW 2nd; gournd(black) 3rd.

Once ground connected to metal frame the PMP Box LED will turn on. Everything is good to go.

 

[AndyP]

Hi yoho2ca,

My steps were:
Attach main cable to PMP box
Connect YELLOW to a spare fuse socket
Connect RED to washer fuse socket
Connect BLACK to a bolt behind fuse box (I'd used this to test the voltages)

The spark happened as I routed the black cable round a metal support for the fuse box. My thinking is that since I'd already plugged the main cable to the PMP box, a circuit was been completed, causing the spark, although I can't really see how this would be different to plugging it in to the PMP box after connecting everything.
Also, there were no sparks while I was attaching the black cable to the grounded bolt.

I then turned the PMP box on & it was working initially (green LED turned on when the switch was set to ON, but not lit when set to OFF - is that correct?). It was only after tidying the cables that I tried it again & got nothing...

The only thing I can see I did different to the PMP instructions was plug in the main cable before connecting to the fuses, but it appears you have done it the same way as me anyway...

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[yoho2ca]

Did you check the additional fuse on add-a-fuse circuit not burned? Or you may need to open the PMP box to see if any chip got burned.

 

[AndyP]

I've checked everything I can (I think) for continuity, and there don't appear to be any breaks anywhere (I used 5A fuses in the add-a-fuse and these are still fine - perhaps I should be using something smaller?).

I've also had a look inside the PMP box and there is nothing obviously burned. However, I don't know if a dead chip would necessarily show any external signs?

I will try wiring everything up again at some point over the next few days, perhaps using different fuse locations. I was trying to be careful to put the add-a-fuse plus fuse(s) in the "correct" way round (which somewhat limited my choice of fuses given my fuse box construction), but have read of people not doing this without any (apparent) ill effects.

Apart from that, I'm not entirely sure what to do. Given that it worked for a short time, I could try to return it and see if they will accept it...

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[kuoh]

Before you go through the trouble of wiring everything up again, temporarily connect the wires up to a 12V source and confirm the the unit is still good. If it works, then the problem is in the wiring, possibly the ground if you didn't make sure to scrape some paint off. While the bolt you used may show a good ground during testing, if the terminal ring is just sandwiched between the painted surface the the plastic fuse box, then it may not actually be getting a good ground since it isn't actually touching the bolt.

As for not connecting the fuse tap the "correct" way, it will still work, but will bypass the fuse and allow the added wire to be connected directly to the power source. This means if it accidentally touches ground or the connected device draws too much current, there will be no protection and could possibly damage the fusebox or wiring behind it if it overheats.

KuoH

I will try wiring everything up again at some point over the next few days, perhaps using different fuse locations. I was trying to be careful to put the add-a-fuse plus fuse(s) in the "correct" way round (which somewhat limited my choice of fuses given my fuse box construction), but have read of people not doing this without any (apparent) ill effects.

 

[AndyP]

Thanks KuoH - good idea!

I'm still sore from all the time I spent lying in the footwell of my car the other day! I think there is a spare battery in the garage, so will hopefully be able to try that tomorrow & report back...

As for the ground bolt: I was actually using a spare (M8) nut on the end of a bolt sticking out of the footwell, sandwiching the connector between the nuts. But there was some thread lock on the bolt, so it is possible that had some effect (even though the PMP box worked for a while initially).

 

[AndyP]

Right...I tried connecting the PMP box to a spare car battery today, but it still doesn't work...

When connected with the yellow wire and ground, I get a little sparking when initially touching the battery terminal, which I guess at least indicates that a circuit is being completed there. However, I get nothing at all when using the red and ground wires. All wires, plus add-a-fuse holder & fuse(s), appear OK (continuity check with a multimeter).

All of the above give no response from the LED on the PMP box.

Is there anything else I might try, or should I admit defeat and see if I can return the PMP box for replacement...?

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[kuoh]

I presume you tried the red and yellow wires together? One wire, usually yellow is constant 12V, while the other is ACC, which signals power on / off. If you still get nothing except a spark, then there is likely an issue with the unit.

KuoH

 

[AndyP]

Actually...I hadn't...!

I presumed it was either red or yellow plus ground.

However, I have now checked connecting red and yellow...and I still get no response from the PMP box...

The only time I got a spark was with yellow and ground, and nothing seems to light the LED on the PMP.

Unless anyone has any other suggestions I can try, it's looking like I'm going to have to try to return it

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[kuoh]

There's more troubleshooting that could be done, but if you have the option of returning it, that may be best. The spark from the yellow wire is possibly a capacitor charging, a protection diode or some other damaged component drawing current. You can connect a DMM and measure the current draw on the 10A range, since a spark often indicates at least an amp. If the current is initially high, then quickly drops to the low 100mA range, then it's likely a capacitor and is normal. If it's high and stays high, without anything else connected to it, then it's a shorted component, which will require board level troubleshooting.

KuoH

 

[AndyP]

Hi KuoH,

Thanks for that - you may be right about trying to return it at this point!

However, since I'd also like to try out your suggestions, and because I'm a bit of a novice on the electrics front, can you explain in a little more detail how to test the current?

I have used my DMM on the 10A setting across all combinations of connector (yellow/ground, red/ground, red/yellow) but get nothing registering at all. This is all whilst the PMP is not connected to anything - is this correct, or should it be connected to a power source to carry out this check?

If it needs power, how should things be connected up, and which leads should I be testing on (I would presume it would need to be some output lead (the cigarette lighter socket?), rather than the ones connected to the power source, as would that not then be measuring the current available from the power source instead...)? Please forgive me if my understanding of all of this is wrong!

Also, it has been a couple of days since I tested the PMP with battery - could be capacitor have discharged itself in that time?

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[kuoh]

You will need to connect the DMM in series with the power or ground leads and apply 12V, but it sounds like you have very little experience with this, so I would recommend reading up on some basics of using a DMM to measure current. There are probably some Youtube videos that can explain it way better than I could type it. Do not use the 10A setting until you know what you're doing, or else you may end up frying the DMM as well, since it's usually not fuse protected.

KuoH

 

[Hillbilly]

You do have the switch on the PMP turned ON I presume
and read this
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...-a-right-way-and-a-wrong-way.7524/#post-91084

 

[AndyP]

Hi KuoH & Hillbilly,

Apologies for the delay in replying.

You are correct that I have not had much experience at this, although it is obvious to me now you have mentioned it! However, I have decided not to carry on with my testing as at this point I doubt this is anything I could fix myself anyway, so I'm currently looking to replace the PMP.

Hillbilly: yes, I tried with the switch both on & off. It was in fact working briefly, which was why I was unsure if it may have been a faulty unit, or if I had connected it wrongly and fried it (albeit with a delay).

I had looked at your link before, but from what I can see there appears some discussion as to whether that is the correct way to test it. Logically (to me at least!), if you only use the top (accessory) fuse holder, then it will only work one way, since no circuit is completed with no fuse in the bottom and the holder in the 'wrong' way round. Using a low amperage fuse (say 2A), should therefore be safe as the options are: a) it doesn't work as the circuit isn't complete, b) it works OK or c) it is connected the right way, but blows the 2A fuse which 'saves' the PMP...does that sound logical?

Cheers,
Andy.

 

[Hillbilly]

The object of using the addafuse is that you put it in an existing fuses position and "Add" another on the top to power your camera.

As you see in the pic of it the power should run INTO the left blade and OUT of both the right hand blade through the original fuse in the bottom socket and the wire at the top through the ADDED fuse you put in it. The camera lead has its own 2 amp fuse in it so I havent put fuses to the PM other than the one I posted later in that thread. If you are using a spare socket you wont need the bottom fuse in . Then if you put it in back to front you will have no power to the wire.

All the toing and froing in that thread just confuses people Do it that way and it will work