Hi,

 

I have a dashcam hardwired via a fuse tap like many other drivers (I now use the USB port below heater controls instead). It was almost 3 years ago I connected it to the fuse tap and had no issues whatsoever until very recently. I chose the blower as this was both switched live and only accessible area which I could fit tap into.

 

The original fuse was 30amp and replaced in the original circuit slot and 2 amp for the dashcam (supplied with accessory kit). I'll never use fuse taps again ever! The cigarette socket is permanent live on most cars these days although I think Peugeot/Citroen (some models) have 2 positions for the fuse so either always live or switched, I maybe wrong.

 

I know these taps are generally rated for 10amp maximum due to the 16awg gauge wire. The dashcam feed live and 2amp fuse all in tact along with the 30amp. I think maybe this was down to human error even though electronics is something I do regularly and it's very rare for me to make a mistake like this, I've had blown fuses before in personal projects but never melted nor melted wires.

 

There is no damage at all to the cars wiring or anywhere else in the fuse panel, just that 1 slot for the blower fan. The ground black wire was attached to a solid screw point and tight with no damage to wire. The connector wasn't lose either and normal continuity. I'll have to get the fuse panel replaced by Skoda or a VW group specialist technician.

 

The only damage was one side of the fuse tap. The red wire exited where you pull open fuse panel cover with fingers was run along below with cable ties into the 12v-5v regular which then has usb cable to dashcam. Could someone please tell what the most likely cause of this was:

 

Live wire knocked during driving by knees maybe, especially while under large load (full blower/ac on) causing lose connection, maybe over time it caused a poor connection and developed slowly?

Fuse tap failure and malfunction or too much load for the tap (the past 2 years of use with full blower with/without AC caused no issues till now)?

 

The fuses are slightly melted on the same side but didn't blow or even get close upon inspecting them.

 

 

When I fitted mine to an Octavia I pulled out the fuse and to my horror the dashcam stayed on! I had put the assembly in 180 degrees wrong and the fuses weren't in circuit.

I used a multimeter to confirm the 'live' side with fuses out and rotated the assembly 180 degrees so the fuses were in-circuit.

I had also picked a voltage source that got switched-off with the car.

Just 'maybe' for you, else don't know.

 

On my Fabia I use a USB 2A power device that gets switched off with the USB system to power the dashcam.

When I use the iPhone it gets plugged in there and a cig-to-USB plug to power dashcam, manually removed to unpower.

 

The Fabia is a Factory 2015 MY16 sold to me as having a 'real' spare and Apple Carplay -- like Hell!

Carplay via USB not Bluetooth and metal skinny spare.

Well done Wodonga Skoda!

(They've been sold to Ford, Blacklocks recently.)

A bit unfortunate that the fuse tap got disturbed I'd think, maybe designed to fail, or failed to design sensibly.

 

Edit:- in the past I've bought in a couple of fuse taps -but so far not ended up putting them to use.

Edited 21 August, 20223 yr by rum4mo