Please Help Me to Select a Switch to Pair with Dashcam Hardwiring

MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 11:08
Last edited 03/03/2023 - 13:35

Hi

Appreciate if you could help me in selecting a 12v switch.

Bought a Viofo 129 Plus dual and planning to hardwire it. But I don't use my car much - probably 30-45 minutes max per week and rest of the time it just sleeps in the garage.

I can set the cutoff voltage to max (12.4 to 12.6) but even that seems to cause battery issues in the long run. So I was thinking of adding a switch to hardwiring setup so that I can turn it off when I am home and use the Parking-mode when when parked other places .

Diagram of what I am trying to do - https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/62529/102073/dashcam-s…

I don't want to drill and was looking for an alternative SPST switch that can be added using 3M tape. Found one on eBay - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/385065574189 but the Amp settings seems to be .2Amp. But it has been mentioned as switch for fog lamp which I thought going to draw more amp than .2. Just confused.

Amazon US has this - https://www.amazon.com/Jtron-Switches-Water-Button-Lights/dp…

Anyone has any suggestions please?

Thanks and happy weekend to you all…

Automotive Dash Camera

Comments

  • wiipantz on 03/03/2023 - 11:23
    -2

    Just get an OBD2 cable with a switch? This terrible link below might help

    https://www.amazon.com.au/Ssontong-Adapter-Hardwire-Charger-…

    • Boioioioi on 03/03/2023 - 11:30
      -1

      Dont think you wanna wire it to ODB2, usually its to the fuse box

      • wiipantz on 06/03/2023 - 22:17

        Not talking about hardwiring. Click the link and look at the cable, it uses the OBD2 power source with a switch.

    • kekw on 03/03/2023 - 11:30
      -1

      might as well use the 12v that comes with the cam…

    • MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 11:37
      -1

      thanks, thought about it. There are some issues

      1) parking mode wont work. you cant user buffered PMode etc. Hardwiring works based on ACC/Cost-on switching.
      2) That doesnt have cutoff voltage that is configurable. A lower cutoff of 11.6/12V could be problematic.

      • John Kimble on 03/03/2023 - 11:41
        +1

        There's no buffered parking mode on the Plus version anyway.

        You can also consider a trickle charger for your garage perhaps?

        • MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 11:46
          -1

          yes, that is correct. Plus has only time-lapse. I was referring to the issues in general when powering up from OBD.

      • wiipantz on 06/03/2023 - 22:16

        yes it does for both of those. I personally have done it and use parking mode and it has a cut off inbuilt… each to thier own but this solution worked great for me. No hardwiring needed and switch operable with literally all the benefit

  • John Kimble on 03/03/2023 - 11:31

    Why bother hard-wiring it then? Or you also want parking mode out and about when you do happen to use your car?

    You could consider a power bank in that case?

    • MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 11:38
      +2

      Thanks. Parking mode when I am outside, turn it off when I am home

  • Boioioioi on 03/03/2023 - 11:33
    +1

    I did the same, but drilled a hole into a replaceable panel on my car. Didnt want to drain the battery when the car is in my garage.

    But… Why not get a regular switch and mount it inside a small project box like this, then you can hide the wires too. Use your adhesive to mount the box to the car. Something like this: https://www.jaycar.com.au/jiffy-box-black-83-x-54-x-31mm/p/H…

    • MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 11:39

      thanks good idea. I was not aware of such a box. Will have a look.

  • Euphemistic on 03/03/2023 - 11:46

    Does t u car have any switch blanks in the dash? Most cars I’ve had will have a couple. Mount the switch in the blank, then if you want to remove it, get a replacement blank. Alternatively, mount the switch inside the glovebox, or a storage hatch out of view.

    Double sided tape is a poor solution in a hot car.

  • peetah on 03/03/2023 - 11:46
    +4

    Can't you just unplug the power when you get home and plug it in when you take off? Quick google shows it's powered off miniUSB so even though you hardwire it the cable still has to come out of the roof lining and plug into the miniUSB on the unit.
    Granted it's much less elegant than a hardwired inline switch

    • Ugly on 03/03/2023 - 12:42
      +2

      I thought this. Why not just pop the power cable out of the side/top of the camera when you don’t want it to drain the battery?

      • Jaduqimon on 03/03/2023 - 12:48

        you can even buy switches for usb connection or just solder in your own switch at the usb end

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 03/03/2023 - 12:53

          That's what (I was thinking)[https://www.amazon.com.au/Switch-Extension-Upgraded-Strips-System/dp/B07ZRVMTFS] , then I remembered the other end was 2 separate wires?

          I connected mine to fuse taps, but still haven't plugged it in.

        • peetah on 03/03/2023 - 12:59

          https://core-electronics.com.au/usb-cable-with-switch.html
          Something like this would suit I reckon. Granted this is a USBA to USBA, you'd have to look at your specific hardwire kit.

          Fusebox >> Hardwire Kit (depending which might need to resolder into a USBA female or solder directly into the USB switch - 4 wires max VCC, -, +, GND) >> USB Switch mounted somewhere >> MiniUSB Cable >> Dashcam

          Granted the hardwire kit im picturing is nothing more than a dumb kit that hooks up your fuse to a USB connection - no voltage monitoring or anything like the old powermagics.

      • John Kimble on 03/03/2023 - 12:54

        Could eventually damage the port.

        • peetah on 03/03/2023 - 13:00

          Fair point there.

        • lgacb08 on 06/03/2023 - 22:26

          mini usb port damage is pretty much unheard of, micro maybe but that'd take a good few years if you do it everyday like the old android phone. For OP case I'd say that'd take easily the life of the unit before the port goes busted.

    • MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 13:36

      This works to some extent but the Hardwiring and its circuit will sill work, esp 12v conversion to 5V which will still drain battery if the car is unused for some time, if I am not wrong.

      This is what needed - https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/62529/102073/dashcam-s…

  • MtGeobugi on 03/03/2023 - 13:09

    Thank you OP for asking these questions. I also want to know about how to handle the battery-consumption challenges when a car is idle most days of the week.

  • specks on 03/03/2023 - 15:58

    If you only use the car 30min p/week, have a look at car battery isolator switch. It can cause other issues if left disconnected, but would save your car battery more than simply adding a switch to your dashcam.

  • Richardc on 03/03/2023 - 16:10

    why not just turn it off when you got home?

  • Jayblesz on 03/03/2023 - 16:16

    Hi OP, I recommend something like you have put in your wiring diagram to be by far the best option. I did a similar job with a wireless car charger that doubles as a cradle. Only wanted it turned ON sometimes.

    I used one similar to this: https://autobarn.com.au/ab/Autobarn-Category/Shop-our-Full-R…

    You can usually grab them from mitre 10 or similar cheaper than Autobarn. I'm pretty sure I paid like $5 ish.
    If you don't want to drill/cut your car why not find a small piece of scrap plastic or wood that you can install it into, then attach that somehow to the car with 3M tape or similar?

    I ended up wiring mine through to a hidden spot in the glovebox and cut a small hole in there. Looks very professionally installed. I
    ll see if I have a pic floating around….

  • pjetson on 03/03/2023 - 17:55

    Diagram of what I am trying to do

    Do you have any "mental" in your car? If not, what are you going to connect the black wire to?

    • MondaySleeper on 03/03/2023 - 18:26

      nice find. Stole that pic from viofo site. :)

  • brad1-8tsi on 04/03/2023 - 07:38
    +1

    I have the Viofo and parking mode and park for days on end with no battery issues. I'd suggest that your battery might be on the way out.

  • BatsRule on 04/03/2023 - 17:09

    thanks for asking about this issue 👍

  • MondaySleeper on 10/04/2023 - 18:12

    Just an update on this…

    1) Bought one of this- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004766204766.html and the Battery wire is connected to this switch.
    2) When I am home and not using it for a few days, I will just switch it off.

    Now something I noticed is that when you switch off the switch (dashcam also then switches off ) and then turn it back on, dashcam actually not going back to parking mode which is a good thing. Otherwise there is a chance that I will switch it off and forget to turn it back on. Also, you need all 3 wires (Acc, Batt and ground of course) for the dashcam to work properly even when the car is in Driving Mode. Now I am looking for a momentary-off switch which cutoff the circuit for a short time simulating my current usage of Switch-off and then switch-back-on.

  • Stevesie76 on 23/07/2023 - 10:50
    +1

    For anyone else dealing with this issue. What I ended up doing in a 2023 Prado was mounting a Toyota size/format "Camera" switch from Aliexpress that fitted the switch plate on the right of the steering wheel in one of the blank spaces. That panel pops out with a trim tool.

    That dash switch connects to a SPDT relay that has its power output connected to the 12+ constant of the dashcam hardwire kit. The 2 inputs to the relay connect to 12v constant and 12v acc.

    The switch in the dash allows you to leave parking mode off most of the time, so you get the benefit of the dashcam with no need to remember to turn it on or off and no battery drain when parked, but when you want to use parking mode you just hit the switch on the dash before you turn the car off and it will switch the power to the hardwire 12v constant over from car 12v acc to car 12v constant. The yellow acc wire in the hardwire kit is wired to acc as usual. Power was grabbed from the fuse box using fuse taps.

  • capslock janitor on 26/07/2023 - 22:59

    oh so much jargon in here i gotta learn

    but i been wanting parkingmode too

  • billy72 on 29/07/2023 - 00:49

    I just use this 2 in 1 switch: https://amzn.asia/d/ewHGyxB
    However, the parking mode of Viofo is crap. Also, you can not manually turn parking mode on and off, which is stupid.

    • MondaySleeper on 06/08/2023 - 10:13

      Thanks for the link. But what does this do and how does it fit in the hard-wiring diagram? My parking mode works fine. I use the time lapse.

      • billy72 on 06/08/2023 - 14:07

        The 2 inputs have one coming from the hard-wired power source and the other one from a normal cigarette/USB port. So when you press the switch button, the power source jumps from hard-wired to cigarette port. So just use the cigarette/USB port when at home or a safe place and use the hard-wired when needed. Also, if you don't want to destroy the car battery, you can use an external battery pack.

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