V3 Rebooting on Startup

[FranzWesson]

Greetings,

I've been using a dashcam for about 9 months. I bought a generic B40 unit from Aliexpress and found the quality to be... as expected.

In a last-ditch effort to salvage it, I flashed the firmware on it using random firmware I found online and it began an annoying issue where it would intermittently not "boot up" properly upon startup.

The poor nighttime quality was the final nail in the proverbial coffin so I broke down and bought a SG v3 and received it late last week.

Disappointingly, it too has the strange reboot issue. This morning it appeared to reboot three times before it actually came on and began recording. Earlier this weekend the failed boot up issue resulted in a corrupt sdcard, which is something that even my generic B40 didn't do.

Skimming the threads here, I see that a failing sdcard can cause that, but I have tried two: the one I was using with the B40 and the included 32GB sdcard but I get the same result either way.

I experimented (briefly) with the boot delay option to see if it would make any difference in terms of whether or not it would help alleviate issues booting up, but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Are there any other things I could try? I am hard-wired in so I plan to break out the cigarette lighter cord and give it a whirl, but thought I'd ask here to see if I'm missing something.

I also am going to flip-flop my add-a-circuit with my radar detector (also hardwired in) to see if that makes any difference.

Any other ideas I could try? Am I missing something obvious?

Btw, I appear to be running the latest firmware that is posted on the website.

Thanks

 

[Dashmellow]

If this is happening with two different cameras then the problem is more likely with the power that is running to them such as an intermittent voltage dropout from your vehicle.

 

[Feitelijk]

Dud you upgrade the firmware and then not format the card? If it is left on there it will reinstall every time it starts up.

 

[Feitelijk]

10 minutes already, streetguardian user support is slipping.

 

[reverend]

What hardwire kit are you using as some do cause issues like this as they have voltage fluctuations.

Always use the original kit that comes with the camera to fault find - hopefully the hardwire kit hasn't killed the new camera as well as the old one.

 

[FranzWesson]

If this is happening with two different cameras then the problem is more likely with the power that is running to them such as an intermittent voltage dropout from your vehicle.

I tend to agree.

What hardwire kit are you using as some do cause issues like this as they have voltage fluctuations.

findmint Dash Camera Vehicle Hardwiring Kit for Mini USB Devices (A118 / B40 / G1w / G1w-C / G1WH / GT680W / Mini 0801 / Mobius Action Camera / Garmin GPS / Car DVR Camera Recorder Dashboard Dash Cam) https://www.amazon.com/gp/B012RJRPH2
If it is the hardwire kit being stupid, I am disappointed because it worked fine for several months and then coincidentally started flaking out when I upgraded the firmware on the generic B40.

 

[flip9]

Probably your hardwire kit. Try another grounding point.

 

[FranzWesson]

Dud you upgrade the firmware and then not format the card? If it is left on there it will reinstall every time it starts up.

Didn't even attempt to do anything with the firmware after I saw it was already up-to-date.

 

[reverend]

There's a Street Guardian approved one I think (but can't find it) - I've only personally used the Lukas LK-290 which is still in use in the parents car running an older Street Guardian SGZC12SG camera and it's literally rock solid without having to touch it in over 18 months now.

May be worth keeping an eye on this thread here:
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/dash-cam-hardwire-test.26496/#post-312344

The Lukas kit is more expensive as is the Street Guardian approved one, but you get what you pay for with these hardwire kits.

 

[DT MI]

10 minutes already, streetguardian user support is slipping.

It's 1:00AM Wednesday morning in Aussie Land. I believe that's the one day a week that @jokiin sleeps.

 

[reverend]

Cell Power was what I was looking for:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00VLAEPJ0

 

[FranzWesson]

Probably your hardwire kit. Try another grounding point.

My radar detector and camera share a grounding point. (I heard that was an acceptable thing to do)

If it were a bad ground, my radar detector would give me fits, correct?

 

[FranzWesson]

Cell Power was what I was looking for:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00VLAEPJ0

I might give this a whirl if the cigarette lighter plug works out. Not looking forward to recabling everything.

 

[thancam]

I tend to agree.



findmint Dash Camera Vehicle Hardwiring Kit for Mini USB Devices (A118 / B40 / G1w / G1w-C / G1WH / GT680W / Mini 0801 / Mobius Action Camera / Garmin GPS / Car DVR Camera Recorder Dashboard Dash Cam) https://www.amazon.com/gp/B012RJRPH2
If it is the hardwire kit being stupid, I am disappointed because it worked fine for several months and then coincidentally started flaking out when I upgraded the firmware on the generic B40.

this hardwire kit kill alot of dashcam in my case. Not all of dashcam and not in first time. But someday, it will happen.
Try using power adaper included instead.

 

[FranzWesson]

this hardwire kit kill alot of dashcam in my case. Not all of dashcam and not in first time. But someday, it will happen.
Try using power adaper included instead.

Welp, that settles that.

I just placed an order for the "approved" kit. I'll run the cigarette lighter for a few days and see what happens.

 

[niko]

Yeah， try original supplied cigarette lighter charger. Had few similar reports in the past where 3rd party accessories were causing different recording and boot-up issues.

 

[FranzWesson]

If I am looking at it correctly, it looks like I can probably just cut the cigarette lighter end off of the supplied cable and tap that into my add-a-circuit...

I'm guessing that'd save me $30...

I am going to try it (uncut) for a few days to see what happens and then plot accordingly.

 

[Dashmellow]

If I am looking at it correctly, it looks like I can probably just cut the cigarette lighter end off of the supplied cable and tap that into my add-a-circuit...

I'm guessing that'd save me $30...

I am going to try it (uncut) for a few days to see what happens and then plot accordingly.

Yes, the SG v3 power supply has an inline voltage converter module separate from the cigarette lighter plug so you can safely cut the plug off.

 

[jokiin]

If I am looking at it correctly, it looks like I can probably just cut the cigarette lighter end off of the supplied cable and tap that into my add-a-circuit...

I'm guessing that'd save me $30...

I am going to try it (uncut) for a few days to see what happens and then plot accordingly.

yes try with the included cig power lead, the power supply you have now is a known problem model, it may be fine just by swapping the power lead over and yes you can cut the plug off to hardwire, as you've planned just test it first before you do that to make sure it works as expected, if it still has a problem there's a chance your old power supply has damaged the camera already, if that turns out to be the case let us know and we'll get it sorted out for you (on the proviso that you don't use that power supply again of course), either way let us know how you go, @Street Guardian USA will follow up with you if anything needs sorting for warranty

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Agreed, the budget hard wire kits can be a problem. Their voltage isn't stable, or extreme temps cause them to fail. The camera rebooting is the symptom in the past as well. SG9665GC also draws a bit more power than B40 (different CPU/Sensor/PCB components etc)

After testing it works in the cig port normally, here is how you can (DIY project) turn your included cigarette power adapter into a hard wire kit.