Hi All,

I’m new to this forum .  
 

I’ve recently installed a dashcam that came only with a cigarette socket plug. No surprise to some, the cigarette power socket is permantly powered. I’ve tried searching (My

 question may have already been answered) but can’t seem to find the answer.

 

My question is:

is there a way to have the cigarette lighter socket to switch off when  the ignition is off, and switch back on when the ignition is on? 

 

Skoda Superb 206 - 2016 model

Not by coding... You'll need to rewire it to an ignition switched supply

 

You might be better buying a dashcam hardwire kit and using an appropriate fuse rather than messing with the 12v socket.

Thank you @langers2k. Will see if I can source a hard wire kit from the manufacturer

Just get a piggy back fuse and a cable mounted socket then you can wire it into one of the fuses behind the glove box. That’s what I did and it works as you describe when the ignition is on it’s powered and goes off when ignition is switched off.

attached is where mine is connected

Thank you @SkudMissile21, I’ll have a look at this option as well.

 

I’ve also been advised by the manufacture that I can get a hardwire kit for the dash cam, which kinda is opposite of what I wanted to do. With the hwk, the dash cam will be always switched on until it detects a low battery voltage, by which time it will cut power to the dashcam. I guess this could be an option as my main aim was to prevent battery drain.

 

Once again, thank you all for your suggestions. You’ve been very helpful !

 

 

My dashcam (must get it installed in the new car) came with a cigarette lighter plug on it, I got a matching socket from, the now defunct, Maplin and it fits in the space above the fuse box near the glovebox with a feed from an used outlet in the fusebox.

As above all you need is a piggyback fuse plugged into an ignition controlled circuit and a cigarette lighter socket.

Kenny’s photo above is exactly the setup I have though I know you can get a hardwire kit for the nextbase models that replaces the cigarette lighter shaped adapter with flying leads that go straight to a piggy back fuse as that’s what I installed in my wife’s car. It’s expensive in hellfrauds but I think we got it from Amazon during one of their sales so it made sense at the time.

Edited 10 December, 20205 yr by SkudMissile21

I had my dash cam hardwired to the ignition by my local Halfords as I'm not technically competent. All the wiring is hidden and the dash comes on when I switch on the ignition and goes off when I switch ignition off. Halfords supplied all the necessary fixings and their guy who'd done hundreds of installations did a first class job. I was happy to pay the £30 charge. 

Thanks for all the kind advice. 
just an update:

 

I purchased a generic hardwire kit recommended by the dashcam supplier. Managed to plug it into a spare fuse socket , which coincidentally runs on ACC power and not permanently on. Now I have a hwk with battery protection which only runs on ACC power. Go figure! 😜

There will be a permanent live fuse you could use if you want the camera powered all the time.