rcg530
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2021
- Messages
- 1,696
- Reaction score
- 2,790
- Location
- California
- Country
- United States
- Dash Cam
- BlackVue, Thinkware, VIOFO, Vantrue, Blueskysea, FineVu
I have asked Thinkware for a U3000 to test/review, but all of the marketing units had already been sent out to reviewers. I thought my U3000 review was not going to happen. Then Ben @safedrivesolutions reached out to me and said he was willing to loan me a U3000 Dual channel and an IROAD QX2. I quickly said YES before Ben changed his mind. Ben, thank you very much for the loan of the two dash cameras. They should be arriving tomorrow.
To prepare for the Thinkware U3000 review, I decided to install the Thinkware iVolt Xtra BAB-95 battery pack that I purchased for my recent review of 7500 mAh dash camera battery packs. The main reason for the installation of the BAB-95 was to test the battery communications cable connection to the U3000.
The wiring for the BAB-95 is different than most other battery packs in that it requires a constant battery power connection to the input charging port and there is a green wire in the output connector for "ACC In" power. As the name suggests, the "ACC In" is connected to a switched/accessory power feed from the car. It is used to determine when to charge the battery pack and it's also passed along to the dash camera via the "ACC Out" wire in the output port of the battery pack.
Yesterday, I spent several hours removing panels and the rear seat from my car so I could run a 10 foot 12 AWG custom made charging cable and an 18 AWG accessory power wire from the trunk of my car to the installation location for the BAB-95. My car has its starting battery and a fuse panel located in the trunk. I'm running out of places to put a battery pack in my car, so the only place left was the floor under the front driver side seat. I used an inline (12 AWG wire) fuse holder at the battery to protect the charging cable power to the BAB-95.
So, I'm as ready as I can be for the U3000 testing.
Thanks again to Ben for loaning me the dash cameras.
To prepare for the Thinkware U3000 review, I decided to install the Thinkware iVolt Xtra BAB-95 battery pack that I purchased for my recent review of 7500 mAh dash camera battery packs. The main reason for the installation of the BAB-95 was to test the battery communications cable connection to the U3000.
The wiring for the BAB-95 is different than most other battery packs in that it requires a constant battery power connection to the input charging port and there is a green wire in the output connector for "ACC In" power. As the name suggests, the "ACC In" is connected to a switched/accessory power feed from the car. It is used to determine when to charge the battery pack and it's also passed along to the dash camera via the "ACC Out" wire in the output port of the battery pack.
Yesterday, I spent several hours removing panels and the rear seat from my car so I could run a 10 foot 12 AWG custom made charging cable and an 18 AWG accessory power wire from the trunk of my car to the installation location for the BAB-95. My car has its starting battery and a fuse panel located in the trunk. I'm running out of places to put a battery pack in my car, so the only place left was the floor under the front driver side seat. I used an inline (12 AWG wire) fuse holder at the battery to protect the charging cable power to the BAB-95.
So, I'm as ready as I can be for the U3000 testing.
Thanks again to Ben for loaning me the dash cameras.