Zenfox T3 Triple channel dash cams free test invitation, limited quantity

[Nigel]

Yes. He contacted me back. I'll await the sample now. Be very interesting to evaluate their camera. No word on if there's a hardwire kit for the Zenfox T3. Packaging on website only shows a cigarette lighter adapter. If there is a hardwire option, I'll have to see if it'll fit with the current A129 Duo piggy pack fuses plugged in. Alternative might as be to pickup and hardware a battery pack versus double load on my car's battery. We'll see when it arrives how I decide to do this one.

In my experience, you should use the power supply that comes with the camera, I've not found another that doesn't cause problems!
It does take more power than any of the dual cameras. I'm guessing a hardwire kit will appear before the camera goes on sale.

 

[kamkar]

Interesting it gobble power like that, but i guess more or less this is just something we have to get used to with 4K and all on the rise.

 

[Nigel]

Interesting it gobble power like that, but i guess more or less this is just something we have to get used to with 4K and all on the rise.

Every time the chips improve and they become more efficient on power, we add more resolution and more channels and so end up using more power! At some point we will have enough resolution and channels, and power consumption will actually start to drop.

 

[kamkar]

yeah.
While computer CPU's also get made on smaller and smaller tech, then they also get more and more cores and more and more powerful, so the actual power savings are not as large as it could be.
I remember when they scaled down to 90 Nm and thought OMG that's so small, and TSMC are well under way with 5Nm now and just cranking out 7Nm parts.
you can also get some pretty good processors ASO for laptops and the like that can do a lot in a 30 watt envelope.
My not that old Threadripper CPU idle at 180 watts, though it is also a but more potent than a laptop CPU, and also have about 50% more cores.
The new Ryzen 9 - 3900X have the same core count 12/24 but it is just 105 watts

Then again the threadripper 3990X is a 280 Watt part, but also 64 / 128 cores, and a well over 3000 USD price tag

 

[Nigel]

you can also get some pretty good processors ASO for laptops and the like that can do a lot in a 30 watt envelope.
My not that old Threadripper CPU idle at 180 watts

My Intel desktop (the whole thing is Intel built) only uses 16W, and less at idle.
But it can't process 3 video streams at the same time in real time like the Zenfox T3 does on 5W!

 

[kamkar]

like i have demonstrated in video my computer can process three H.265 4K 100 mbit videos just fine, barely break a sweat.
the part that replaced mine was still 180 Watt, and only had a 800 MHZ higher boost clock 4.3 GHZ VS mine i run at 4 GHZ but are supposed to only be 3.5GHZ from the factory.
My overclock dont seem to have effected the idle speed power consumption, i have a smart PSU Corsair RM850I that tell me the power it draw from the wall.

 

[HonestReview]

In my experience, you should use the power supply that comes with the camera, I've not found another that doesn't cause problems!
It does take more power than any of the dual cameras. I'm guessing a hardwire kit will appear before the camera goes on sale.

Agreed. Which is why I wonder if he has a hardwire kit with the cams or not. If so, instead of tapping into the fuses, I could use a battery pack.... I'll have to research them - Any Recommendations? - Cellink Neo?

Other option is hardwire to fuse box. My A129 hardwire does cross over fuses, so I'll have to see if there's a workable fuse that isn't obstructed by the piggy back fuses I already use.

 

[Nigel]

If I remember correctly, you can connect an accessory (cigar) socket to the Cellink, and then plug the standard power adaptor for the camera into that.

You can also connect an accessory socket to a fuse tap if that helps to keep things neat.

And you can connect multiple cameras to one fuse tap if you are short of accessible fuse locations. Just crimp several hwk/accessory socket wires into the same fuse tap crimp connector. With a 5A fuse it is still safe and will work fine.

Not sure it is a great camera for parking mode, it will empty the battery about 4x faster than a Blueskysea B1W, and it is always better to have some picture than an empty battery!

 

[kamkar]

I have 2 fuses tapped, but the one are for my old 12 V expansion to the back of my car, so that one i will use for parking mode in new systems, that way i just have to locate a always on fuse too.

 

[HonestReview]

If I remember correctly, you can connect an accessory (cigar) socket to the Cellink, and then plug the standard power adaptor for the camera into that.

You can also connect an accessory socket to a fuse tap if that helps to keep things neat.

And you can connect multiple cameras to one fuse tap if you are short of accessible fuse locations. Just crimp several hwk/accessory socket wires into the same fuse tap crimp connector. With a 5A fuse it is still safe and will work fine.

Not sure it is a great camera for parking mode, it will empty the battery about 4x faster than a Blueskysea B1W, and it is always better to have some picture than an empty battery!

My battery is aging. I'm not sure if original to the vehicle or when I bought it 4 years ago. Car was built in 2014 and first used by dealer for 1 year beginning in 2015. Then I bought in 2016 with 3200km. So car battery may be 4-6 years old.

I've noticed the length of time my A129 Duo runs on the battery has lessened. I got a service visit coming up so will definitely see where battery life stands. So once concern about putting extra load for parking mode.

I have noticed the socket fuses on battery packs. But I wondered if that setup is compatible with all dash cameras that use a cigarette lighter socket or just specific models? Also, I believe the battery pack can plug into a 12V socket or be hardwired to charge with ACC when the vehicle is turned on if I am correct?

 

[HonestReview]

And you can connect multiple cameras to one fuse tap if you are short of accessible fuse locations. Just crimp several hwk/accessory socket wires into the same fuse tap crimp connector. With a 5A fuse it is still safe and will work fine.

Image of what this looks like? Just curious

 

[Nigel]

Image of what this looks like? Just curious

In this photo, it suggests putting 1 wire into the blue crimp connector, you should be able to put 2 in easily, possibly 3, and if not then you can cut the blue connector off and put a bigger one in its place, that will easily take 3.

I would probably cut the blue connector off and solder the wires together with some heat shrink tube to provide the insulation, gives a more reliable connector but needs a soldering iron.

 

[kamkar]

I dont mind crimp connectors, if you have the right crimp tool,,,,,, which i dont have, so solder and heat shrink for me too with such matters.

 

[HonestReview]

In this photo, it suggests putting 1 wire into the blue crimp connector, you should be able to put 2 in easily, possibly 3, and if not then you can cut the blue connector off and put a bigger one in its place, that will easily take 3.

I would probably cut the blue connector off and solder the wires together with some heat shrink tube to provide the insulation, gives a more reliable connector but needs a soldering iron.

1. So basically using one piggy back fuse but crimping 2 wires to each fuse for example? I.E. Yellow Wire from Viofo and Yellow Wire from Zenfox T3 into the same Piggy Back fuse? Does that work reliably? Couldn't that put ONE HELL of a load onto the same fused since the connection would be shared between two dash cameras?

VIofo Fuse Taps are 16 AWG Wire... Someone had a Chart on max amperage somewhere... I believe 7.5 Amp Fuse is max on 16 AWG? Anyway for my Mini Fuse Taps, I have the original fuse closest to fuse box and then the top fuse protecting Camera is a 5 Amp. Would a 5 AMP be sufficient to protect two cameras???

2. https://www.zenfox.com/

Website lists hardwire kit. Automatically switch to parking mode with Zenfox ACC Hardwire kit. Didn't see that before.

 

[Nigel]

Each camera needs less than 1A at 12V, so with a 5A fuse you can power 5 cameras safely and the fuse tap still has 50% more capacity spare.

Yes, it is safe.

 

[HonestReview]

Each camera needs less than 1A at 12V, so with a 5A fuse you can power 5 cameras safely and the fuse tap still has 50% more capacity spare.

Yes, it is safe.

Here's a chart: I believe 5A is most appropriate for 16 AWG. Not sure what length they use to measure the cord? Would it be the cord of the Hardwire Kit or the cord of the Front - Rear Camera? As it can max at 10 Amp with a 2 meter (6ft) cord or less.

 

[HonestReview]

I would probably cut the blue connector off and solder the wires together with some heat shrink tube to provide the insulation, gives a more reliable connector but needs a soldering iron.

Aside note... I soldered the piggy back fuses to the viofo hardwire kit and crimped them. On other car I merely crimped. Both work reliably but I'd have to trash the current piggy back fuses since they are already soldered and crimped. that or cut off a length and add on a new crimp. We'll see.

Only major worry here is my battery health. I'll get that checked in about 10 days. Will decide whether to buy a battery pack or hardwire to fuse box. Having 2 Cameras draw from my battery for parking mode will definitely result my car battery having a much shorter lifespan. And also decrease the length of which parking mode works for both cameras.

 

[Nigel]

Aside note... I soldered the piggy back fuses to the viofo hardwire kit and crimped them. On other car I merely crimped. Both work reliably but I'd have to trash the current piggy back fuses since they are already soldered and crimped. that or cut off a length and add on a new crimp. We'll see.

Only major worry here is my battery health. I'll get that checked in about 10 days. Will decide whether to buy a battery pack or hardwire to fuse box. Having 2 Cameras draw from my battery for parking mode will definitely result my car battery having a much shorter lifespan. And also decrease the length of which parking mode works for both cameras.

I don't see why you need two cameras in parking mode, especially when one of them has 3 channels and infrared, even for testing purposes it seems a bit extreme.

Also remember that with both drawing current, the battery voltage will drop a bit, so one of the hardwire kits will turn off sooner, possibly while the battery is still nearly full.

 

[kamkar]

4 AWG that was the wire in my car for the car stereo in the 90ties
And something like 8 AWG to each amplifier from the splitter, as i recall my biggest fuses at the battteries & caps was 250 A

At full tilt and even driving / charging, the batteries would discharge

 

[HonestReview]

4 AWG that was the wire in my car for the car stereo in the 90ties
And something like 8 AWG to each amplifier from the splitter, as i recall my biggest fuses at the battteries & caps was 250 A

At full tilt and even driving / charging, the batteries would discharge

Viofo uses 16 AWG. I have it protected by a 5 Amp Mini Fuse. It definitely puts a load on the car's battery. My battery as I said is between 4-6 years old. I have a 110,000 KM / 70,000 mile service coming up so I will have them check battery health.

I did find the diagram I was looking for about how to hardwire a Battery Back if I go that route. On the Cellink Neo Hardwire Kit would I be correct in saying: The Loop is Ground. Where does single cable go? - Accessory or Battery?