Mirror USB charging socket

[MeteorOcty]

Hi, fingers crossed I'll be picking up a 2023 VRS TSI estate next week. I have a dashcam and intend to use the socket on the mirror......although it appears to be setup for the LHD market as its on the drivers side. What cable do you use? Is there small one available and is the socket permanently powered to allow the camera to be used with parking mode? Thanks

[RADIOTWO]

1 minute ago, MeteorOcty said:

Hi, fingers crossed I'll be picking up a 2023 VRS TSI estate next week. I have a dashcam and intend to use the socket on the mirror......although it appears to be setup for the LHD market as its on the drivers side. What cable do you use? Is there small one available and is the socket permanently powered to allow the camera to be used with parking mode? Thanks

They are on the drivers side so for RHD, the socket is a Type "C" and yes you can get a short cable, but no the power goes off

with the IGN off.

But I would not leave the camera running all the time any way as if it is recording by the time you twig there has been a problem

it would have written over the wanted recording.

Talking of "parking mode" my camera goes off with the IGN and if there is a incident it wakes up and records just for a few mins on its internal battery 

[MeteorOcty]

That's great thanks for the info. 

 

Problem is, on a RHD UK car you would normally have the dashcam on the passenger side

[SteveTheElder]

A 30cm cable is long enough to reach round from the port to a dashcam on the passenger side - best try to get one with a 90 degree usb c plug (or a suitable adapter which may give an extra bit of length).

It does, of course, depend to some extent on you dashcam and where its connector is.

[spcdust]

I have got this one for my Nextbase dashcam.  Perfect length with no slack so neat and tidy:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Duttek-Degree-Converter-Digital-Devices/dp/B075M4CQHZ

Edited 20 January by spcdust

[RADIOTWO]

12 hours ago, MeteorOcty said:

That's great thanks for the info. 

 

Problem is, on a RHD UK car you would normally have the dashcam on the passenger side

Yes you do but I don't think you can get a very short lead, as others have said it just go's from the camera

to the socket

[Sussex]

I bought a 90 degree ‘elbow’ to reduce how much it stuck out, routed toward the passenger / near side and just wrapped the excess cable a few times around the mirror stalk and cable tied. Probably a 60 -80cm cable?

[Maxi24]

Even with a short, 90degree cable I still thought it untidy so hard-wired the power in.

[Llwyngwernog]

[TheWanderer]

You could always use a coiled cable with an adapter at dashcam end.

[SouthernComfort]

While the mirror C socket is designed for LHD, my Garmin Mini 2 is apparently designed for RHD (that is if it were to be mounted on the passenger side). Anyhow, it's tiny enough to fit neatly behind the mirror on the driving side, but needed an elbow at the device end.

[MeteorOcty]

Cheers for all the relies, I have a Nextbase 622 so will probs get the cable spcdust recommends.

 

Thanks again, Adam

[spcdust]

9 minutes ago, MeteorOcty said:

Cheers for all the relies, I have a Nextbase 622 so will probs get the cable spcdust recommends.

 

Thanks again, Adam

The cable is tight,  which does dictate the camera placement to some extent, but this is what makes it very neat as no extra cable hanging.   I have the suction pad of the camera stuck on the black dots that surround the centre rear view mirror housing on the passenger side which is perfect for the lens view and means the camera is more-or-less tucked behind the mirror although you can still see the LED indicating it's functioning.

Edited 22 January by spcdust

[TheWanderer]

8 hours ago, MeteorOcty said:

Cheers for all the relies, I have a Nextbase 622 so will probs get the cable spcdust recommends.

 

Thanks again, Adam

 

Like I said get coiled cable from AliExpress or Temu. You can find most things on those two. I have the same (GW622) dashcam.

[TheWanderer]

Here's my wire, it cost about £6-7, from Temu.

 

A cheap coiled USB C to C cable and a £1,50-2 USB C to Mini USB adapter.

 

 

It's hanging down as I removed the dashcam to download it after a near miss with an a**ehole who decided to run a roundabout whilst holding his mobile phone texting! I suspect he's not going to be happy getting a NIP! 😈

Edited 25 January by TheWanderer

[Maxi24]

IMHO it's better hard-wiring in as there are no unsightly cables (OCD - yes please). I'm probably in the minority but I wouldn't be able to 'un-see' the cable if it was wrapped around the front of the mirror housing. Not a complex job to do - took me 30 mins but that included crimping the wires that fed into the fuse / earth point.

[dan245]

On 25/01/2024 at 23:00, Maxi24 said:

IMHO it's better hard-wiring in as there are no unsightly cables (OCD - yes please). I'm probably in the minority but I wouldn't be able to 'un-see' the cable if it was wrapped around the front of the mirror housing. Not a complex job to do - took me 30 mins but that included crimping the wires that fed into the fuse / earth point.

Did you have to remove the a-pillar trim or manage to tuck the cable in without?
I had a right faff with the panel clips on my MK3 which I don't really want to repeat.

[dan245]

On 22/01/2024 at 09:24, spcdust said:

The cable is tight,  which does dictate the camera placement to some extent, but this is what makes it very neat as no extra cable hanging.   I have the suction pad of the camera stuck on the black dots that surround the centre rear view mirror housing on the passenger side which is perfect for the lens view and means the camera is more-or-less tucked behind the mirror although you can still see the LED indicating it's functioning.

I bought the same cable but just can't get it to work passenger-side with my Nextbase 322GW.
The cable I received is only 25.5cm, but the extra 5mm advertised wouldn't solve it.

 

My nextbase is too bulky to have on the driver side. So I think I'll either hardwire it, or get the mini garmin and mount like @SouthernComfort

[Maxi24]

1 hour ago, dan245 said:

Did you have to remove the a-pillar trim or manage to tuck the cable in without?
I had a right faff with the panel clips on my MK3 which I don't really want to repeat.

 

Panel trim raised (but not removed) & glovebox removed as it just makes the whole thing easier.

Edited 20 March by Maxi24

[RobL50]

I have a Garmin DC2 connected to the power socket with a 30cm USB C cable that has a 90 degree elbow.

The cable is tucked into the small gap between the windscreen and the mirror / camera housing so it is not visible.  The dashcam is then fitted on the passenger side and is hidden from the driver by the mirror.

 

The socket is powered off when the car is switched off.

[RobL50]

Here is a picture of mine:

 

[dan245]

That's a neat solution @RobL50

[RobL50]

1 hour ago, dan245 said:

That's a neat solution @RobL50

Thank you.  It had to pass the wife test.

[MeteorOcty]

On 20/03/2024 at 16:42, Maxi24 said:

 

Panel trim raised (but not removed) & glovebox removed as it just makes the whole thing easier.

Without removing the panel and securing the cable properly are you sure it won't interfere with the airbag?

[MeteorOcty]

On 20/03/2024 at 15:12, dan245 said:

I bought the same cable but just can't get it to work passenger-side with my Nextbase 322GW.
The cable I received is only 25.5cm, but the extra 5mm advertised wouldn't solve it.

 

My nextbase is too bulky to have on the driver side. So I think I'll either hardwire it, or get the mini garmin and mount like @SouthernComfort

This was far too short for me too. I found a 50cm on ebay which is nice and tidy