Yi Dash Cam drains my car battery

[Klif]

If I leave my cam plugged in, and don't start the car for 24 hours or more, then it drains the battery and I have to jump my vehicle.

I don't know if this is a dashcam issue, a Yi issue, or a car issue.

Silver Yi Dash Cam
2008 Chevy Equinox

The cam is mounted in the front windshield, plugged into the USB cable that came with it, snaked through the trim up and around and down to the back seat floorboards, then to the center console 12-volt cigarette lighter receptacle, via a usb-to-12v adapter.

I don't know the first thing about dash cams, cars, batteries, or anything.

How do I make it stop killing my car?

 

[dash riposki]

You may have to unplug the cam when parked for the weekend, or use an alternate power source.
The car battery may also be going south, if it's only parked 24 hours.
I had a problem with plugged in stuff and weekends on my pickup. Sometimes I didn't drive the pickup all weekend, and left things plugged in. Duh!

 

[Klif]

You may have to unplug the cam when parked for the weekend

I was hoping to avoid that answer. I'm going to forget. I will. There's no way around it.

or use an alternate power source.

What does that entail?

The car battery may also be going south, if it's only parked 24 hours.

What's the best way to find that out?

 

[dash riposki]

Most auto electric or repair shops can load test the battery. I think places like autozone or advance will also do it, free. (They're happy to sell you a battery, also.
I kind of doubt that is the original battery in a '08, but if the battery is 5 years old or so, it's days may be numbered.

I have an '03 GMC pickup, with two cig outlets, one on a low voltage disconnect, one not. I sometimes left an external sat receiver plugged in the hot outlet when home for a couple of days, it would kill my battery. 'maybe' one of your outlets has low voltage disconnect, or you can buy an external hard wire kit that includes one? (Easy hook up to the fuse panel,but cuts off the camera when the battery voltage starts to drop to a point the car won't start. Doesn't help you if you want the camera running when parked.)

The other external option is to just use a rechargeable power bank to power the cam while parked, or one of the larger jump start things. You'd also have to remember to plug that in, also.


The cams don't use a lot of power, but you can also try turning off the display after a minute or so in the settings, I forget what the options are in the Yi?

 

[Klif]

The cams don't use a lot of power, but you can also try turning off the display after a minute or so in the settings, I forget what the options are in the Yi?

It does have similar options -- but I already lowered everything that takes extra battery D:

I kind of doubt that is the original battery in a '08, but if the battery is 5 years old or so, it's days may be numbered.

I've had it more than 5 years, and i've never changed the battery. maybe this is my early-warning that i need to replace the battery!

...one on a low voltage disconnect, one not...

thanks, i'll look into that