VicoVation TF2+ randomly loses power

[Themistocles472]

I bought a TF2+ new off Amazon late 2012. I have been using it full time since then with no issues until the last couple weeks. It simply loses power. The green LED on the plug will sometimes go dim and sometimes go out completely. This NEVER happened before. I have tried all three of my 12V power outlets and it happens equally in all of them. Additionally, I put a DOD LS300W up last week in addition to the TF2+ yet the DOD never loses power.

I realize the LS300W is battery powered and doesn't shut down for ~10 seconds after power is lost, but I have left them alone after the TF2+ lost power for longer than that and the LS300W keeps going, while I have to jiggle the plug on the TF2+ around to get the light back on and have it restart.

MY THEORY: The metal springs/clips that stick out of the power cord for the TF2+ have, after ~14 months of use, simply worn down. They do not appear to have any corrosion. Of note: My car sends power to the 12V outlets at all times, even when the car is shut off, so I have been manually plugging the dash cam(s) in when I get in and out back out when I get home (I just let them run when I park somewhere away from home).

IDEAS TO FIX IT?: I ordered a splitter (one male end to put into the car, two female ends) so that I can plug the TF2+ into the splitter, I could try cleaning the metal in the end of the power cord just-because, and I also ordered a cheap thin sheet of copper from eBay that I figure I can cut/fold and shove into the splitter's socket to give the power cord a tighter fit.

I tried looking for a replacement power cord, figuring if it was inexpensive enough that would be worth trying, but couldn't find any. Would a USB cord supply enough power to runt he camera and have the capacitor charged for graceful shutdown?

It's a good dash cam that has been completely trouble and maintenance free for over a a year, I want to keep using it, but I can't have it shutting itself off and needing messed with, sometimes it does it zero times in a day, sometimes it does it 10 times in an hour.

 

[CheckYourLights]

Would a USB cord supply enough power to runt he camera and have the capacitor charged for graceful shutdown?

In my experience with my TF2 +P it seems like if you use a regular MiniB USB cord Auto On will not work or at least it stopped working for me when I did not use the original cable.

 

[kamkar]

Perhaps put a little switch on the power cord so you dont have to yank the plug all the time, or dive under the dash and put a switch on the wire leading to the 12V output.

PS. i think i read somwhere on this site that some allways on 12V sockets can be reprogrammed to not allways be on, but this is not a DIY job.

 

[Themistocles472]

Perhaps put a little switch on the power cord so you dont have to yank the plug all the time, or dive under the dash and put a switch on the wire leading to the 12V output.

PS. i think i read somwhere on this site that some allways on 12V sockets can be reprogrammed to not allways be on, but this is not a DIY job.

Any links to examples of a switch that could be used this way?

 

[kamkar]

sadly no but perhaps the local radio shack can help, i have to admit most inline switches i have seen have been fairly large and for use in lamps and so on.

But i do have some small switches myself of the toggle typem witch proberly is a bit larger than a simmilar slide type switch.

Googeling for "small inline switch" i found these 2

And the type i recognise from my RC hobby.

Both should be able to handle the limited load a dashcam have.