How Would You Connect A Rear Dash Cam?

[giddyup]

I've just ordered a cheap dash cam from Ebay, which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket. If I wanted one to cover the rear of the car where would I connect it?

[richard_smith237]

It depends where your car battery or fuse box is.

On some cars, the Front Dash cam is wired through the roof liner all the way to the battery in the boot, so for a rear cam it might actually be easier.

Some dash cams can be wired directly into the fuse box which could also be in the boot, Or, if the fuse box is in the front you can wire through the head liner above the doors.

There are videos on the internet that show you how to do it... they should help, you might even find how to fit the cam to your specific car.

Be careful though as I've read that some cars can be problematic if you are wiring them directly to the fuse box or battery.

I know this doesn't specifically help the Op, but, there are also a couple of shops in Bangkok that you can buy the dash cams from and they will fit them for you....

I am going to buy one and get it fitted by these guys within the next couple of weeks (BlackVue DGR-400 HD II)

Seoul Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

• Contact details
• 339/116-118 Vibhavadee Rangsit Rd., Thanyaburi, Pathumthani 12130, Thailand
• TEL: 66 2 9923366
• Fax : 66 2 9921690

Edited March 13, 2013 by richard_smith237

[giddyup]

I should have mentioned that I have an Isuzu pickup, so I wonder if it could be spliced into the wiring for the rear window demister or the stoplight inside the rear window. The front dashcam can be plugged straight into the cigarette lighter socket.

Edited March 13, 2013 by giddyup

[Daffy D]

All the DashCams I've seen come with a cig lighter plug. This plug reduces the 12 volt to what ever the camera uses so you must use the cig lighter plug.

The easiest way is to buy one of those cig lighter multiplug things, available in most car accessory dept in Tesco and BigC, and that you can connect directly to the battery, through a fuse, or plug into your existing cig socket, as long as you still use the cig plug that came with the camera.

The wire for the camera is quite small and can easily be run from the front to the rear of the car under the carpet or tucking it into the edge of the roof lining.

[BSJ]

If you wire it to the stoplight circuit it will only come on when the stoplight is on. You need to find a spare 5 amp (or 2 amp) fuse in the fuse box on the ignition circuit and run a wire from there under the carpet, up behind the rear seat to the camera.

[Ace of Pop]

If you wire it to the stoplight circuit it will only come on when the stoplight is on. You need to find a spare 5 amp (or 2 amp) fuse in the fuse box on the ignition circuit and run a wire from there under the carpet, up behind the rear seat to the camera.

Same as a Front One buut point it ro the other end,

[Spoonman]

Power from rear window demister is a good idea but I would not leave the actual demister connected. How do you turn the camera on and off ?

Edited March 14, 2013 by Spoonman

[giddyup]

Power from rear window demister is a good idea but I would not leave the actual demister connected. How do you turn the camera on and off ?

Wouldn't the power to the demister only be available once the ignition is on, same as the cigarette lighter?

The best suggestion seems to be a multi-connector for the cigarette lighter.

Edited March 14, 2013 by giddyup

[Daffy D]

As you say the best way is to connect it to the cig lighter as then it will be on the accessory circuit and come on and off with the ignition key.

I have a Toyota PickUp that has a Cig lighter and an accessory socket so this may not be the same as you but this is how I connected front and rear cameras.

I decided to use the accessory socket as it was easier to get at. First I removed the lower glove box by pressing in the sides and it just popped out. I could now see the back of the accessory socket and by fiddling a couple of plastic clips on the panel holding the accessory socket the panel popped out and gave better access to the rear of the socket.

Because of the lack of slack in the wiring getting to make a connection to the socket was going to be fiddly so went looking for some quick splice connectors, something nobody had heard off.

Eventually the Misses got some, for free, from one of those car stereo places where they come with installation kits and they just throw them away.

I got one of those cig multi-connectors and ran the cable behind the glove box to the side of the passenger foot well. The wire that came with the multi-connector was a bit flimsy so I replaced it with some thicker domestic wire and also added an in-line fuse. The accessory socket will have already been fused so my extra fuse was not really necessary, but I tend to be a belt and braces kinda person.

On the left of the passenger foot well is a panel held by just one screw and a couple of poppers and come of quite easily. I plugged the two cameras into the multi-socket and because the plugs felt a bit loose I secured them with string. Not very professional I know but nobody sees it and it does the job.

Fortunately the wire to the rear cameras was long enough so no problem with it being too short. All the wiring is neatly tucked into the edge of the roof lining and door seals so nothing is visible and the accessory socket is still available for Um! accessories.

(Apart from the front camera blocking my GPS signal I please with the result)

[Spoonman]

Power from rear window demister is a good idea but I would not leave the actual demister connected. How do you turn the camera on and off ?

Wouldn't the power to the demister only be available once the ignition is on, same as the cigarette lighter?

The best suggestion seems to be a multi-connector for the cigarette lighter.

Rear demister or multi connect ciggie lighter either will only be powered when the vehicle ignition (not true in all cases as the Ranger ciggie lighter is powered 24/7 even with ouyt the key in the ignition) is on and in the spirit of a car cam thats when you would be needing it to be on.

The rear demister is more convienent as the power wire is alread there (just disconnect it from the glass) where as a ciggie lighter will involve the running of wires.

[Spoonman]

As you say the best way is to connect it to the cig lighter as then it will be on the accessory circuit and come on and off with the ignition key.

I have a Toyota PickUp that has a Cig lighter and an accessory socket so this may not be the same as you but this is how I connected front and rear cameras.

I decided to use the accessory socket as it was easier to get at. First I removed the lower glove box by pressing in the sides and it just popped out. I could now see the back of the accessory socket and by fiddling a couple of plastic clips on the panel holding the accessory socket the panel popped out and gave better access to the rear of the socket.

Because of the lack of slack in the wiring getting to make a connection to the socket was going to be fiddly so went looking for some quick splice connectors, something nobody had heard off.

Connecter .jpg

Eventually the Misses got some, for free, from one of those car stereo places where they come with installation kits and they just throw them away.

I got one of those cig multi-connectors and ran the cable behind the glove box to the side of the passenger foot well. The wire that came with the multi-connector was a bit flimsy so I replaced it with some thicker domestic wire and also added an in-line fuse. The accessory socket will have already been fused so my extra fuse was not really necessary, but I tend to be a belt and braces kinda person.

Snap Connectors.jpg

On the left of the passenger foot well is a panel held by just one screw and a couple of poppers and come of quite easily. I plugged the two cameras into the multi-socket and because the plugs felt a bit loose I secured them with string. Not very professional I know but nobody sees it and it does the job.

Plugs.jpg

Fortunately the wire to the rear cameras was long enough so no problem with it being too short. All the wiring is neatly tucked into the edge of the roof lining and door seals so nothing is visible and the accessory socket is still available for Um! accessories.

(Apart from the front camera blocking my GPS signal I please with the result)

Do you camera's automatically turn on when power is present or do you have to manually press a button on the camera to power it up ?

[Daffy D]

The cameras come on when the accessory circuit is on, thats the first click of the key in the ignition that powers the radio and navigator and accessories.

Never need to touch the camera.

If I cut the engine but not fully switch off to remove the key the accessory circuit, radio navigator and cameras are still active.

Obviously the cameras are active all the time the engine is running.

There is an adjustable time delay on the cameras so when I switch off and remove the key it they will record for several seconds, good if you have to get out and confront an angry motorist.

[Spoonman]

Cool what camera's do you have as mine is annoying cause I have to manually turn it on/off.

[giddyup]

Thanks for all the good advice.

[Daffy D]

This is my front camera

The back one is a different model but both work basically the same.

I think this is a case of having to read the manual. The wife set mine up for me, (all this new fangled technostuff is getting beyond me) but she can't remember what she did.Thinks there may be a setting in the menu or more likely just plugging it in makes it work off the car supply.

Try plugging in the car power lead then switching on the camera. Switch on the ignition key wait a few moments for the camera to operate then switch off the the key. Wait some time, could be many minutes, depending on the delay setting, and the camera should switch off.

You should not have to switch the camera on and off while connected to the car power. If you take the camera out and use it's internal battery then that's a different story.

Hope this helps.