I've finally got round to buying a 2nd Garmin 55 to use as a rear dash cam for my estate. Can anyone give some pointers as to the best way of wiring this up - I want a permanent, ignition live, connection. The supplied cable would not reach from the fuse box to the rear screen, even if I did have a spare ignition-switched fuse available.

 

Can I tap into something like the rear wiper - would that be ignition switched ? Is there a good/accessible earth on the  rear door ? 

 

Also, how do you best take the cable supplied and alter it - it is provided with a 12v cigarette lighter plug on one end.

Ain't there a 12v cigarette lighter plug that is a permanent live in the rear of the estate (open boot & look on the left side) I have 2 12v cigarette lighter plugs (1 front, 1 rear)  But if you do find the rear 12v plug, you might not want to leave the dash-cam plugged in all the time, might be best to unplug it when you need to or buy a power-magic.

Make sure the Cigar plug hasn’t got the 5v regulator built into it if you are going to wire it direct to 12v. If you remove it you will be chucking 12v up the USB plug into the camera.

should be easy to wire the camera to the 12v socket in the rear but be careful not to flat the battery

Edited 28 September, 20187 yr by JohnnyType2

I use a Volton PCT ZR1220 Split Charge Relay wired with a 12v plug feeding the input and a 12v socket on the output.  In my case it is to run a 12v coolbox in the boot automatically turning it off a few seconds after I turn the engine off.

Edited 28 September, 20187 yr by bigjohn

I know that connecting it to the 12v socket in the boot would be easy, but the chance of running down the battery means it is a non-starter for me. The front Garmin already gets used in parking mode. 

 

 

14 minutes ago, Danbury_Collins said:

I know that connecting it to the 12v socket in the boot would be easy, but the chance of running down the battery means it is a non-starter for me. The front Garmin already gets used in parking mode. 

 

 

Hence the suggestion of the Volton PCT ZR1220 - disconnects from the battery

 

I'm looking into how to wire up a rear dash cam............

 

The Volton PCT ZR1220 looks ideal, but will a 2019 Octavia have a "Smart" alternator that only cuts in periodically.

 

I have a voltmeter in her A3 and it shows the smart alternator only cuts in intermittently in daylight (ie no headlamps on). The voltage can be down around 12V with the engine running.   Would the Volton think the engine was stopped and switch the dash cam off...?

 

 

Hmm, decided to answer my own question....!

 

Just borrowed the plug in voltmeter and been for a 40 mile run in the Octavia.  The voltage ticks along at 12.5 volts for much of the trip but ocassionaly rises up to 14+ volts as the alternator decides to kick in.

 

So I'm thinking the Volton isn't suitable for my car.

All you need to do is connect it directly to the main power cable of the rear windscreen wiper, as silly as it might sound it is actually a permanent 12v ignition controlled feed, the controller has voltage permanently and switches it to the motor when it recieves the command via Canbus.

 

Its all of 6" away from where you mount the dashcam and works like a dream.

 

I have Sasha to thank for the tip which saved me loads of time.

Thanks, that sounds handy - I'm back in the UK with the time and space to do a bit of work on the car, so that'll be going on the list of jobs.

 

 

On 25/08/2019 at 15:55, J.R. said:

All you need to do is connect it directly to the main power cable of the rear windscreen wiper, as silly as it might sound it is actually a permanent 12v ignition controlled feed, the controller has voltage permanently and switches it to the motor when it recieves the command via Canbus.

 

Its all of 6" away from where you mount the dashcam and works like a dream.

 

I have Sasha to thank for the tip which saved me loads of time.

 

Have you got a link to more details please? I need to get around to wiring mine.

Edited 28 August, 20196 yr by Dave77

A link?

 

Would you like me to create a web page to show you how to do it or come round and do it for you?

 

The 12v feed you need is the largest diameter cable leading to the rear wiper motor, use any convenient chassis earth point.

44 minutes ago, J.R. said:

A link?

 

Would you like me to create a web page to show you how to do it or come round and do it for you?

 

The 12v feed you need is the largest diameter cable leading to the rear wiper motor, use any convenient chassis earth point.

 

Yes, a link to where Sasha kindly informed you on how to do it, that's what forums are all about. No need for the arrogance.

No idea where to find it, the search function does not work well for arrogant people, you may have more success.

 

I can tell you there was less detail than I have given you both initially and after your request for more, she just said to use the rear wiper feed.

 

I did not need to be Einstein to find the wiper motor right beside where the reversing cam mounts or to deduce what was the permanent 12v feed, I have saved you the trouble of buzzing them out with a multi-meter, if I could recall the colour I would tell you but I have suffered brain damage and have no short term memory, its obvious which wire it is by its larger cross section.

 

Hope that helps.