Hi everyone, I'm a newbie to the forum - Steve and I too have an issue with a dashcam (Nextbase) hardwire.

I have three hardwires to do: Transit Custom mk1 (2014), Focus mk3 (2016) and Fiesta mk? (2016).
Custom took all of 5 minutes to do and has been working great for months, Fiesta I'm yet to do on account that my Focus install is just not working, though something screwy seems to be happening.

For clarity, all the dashcams are new, and will charge from a wall-socket, 12v socket, and the hardwire on the Custom.
And the fuses are all intact, with the fuse taps passing a continuity test too, so I know there are no breaks in the circuit. Furthermore, testing the location of the fuses in the tap 1-per side shows continuity on the fused circuit, and a break on the unfused, and then continuity on both circuits once both fused, with no shorting, so the tap itself is working as expected.

For my install, I chose passenger box fuse 61 - a 20A for the Cigar lighter and rear aux: stuck a phone on charge to ensure the 12v socket was still live, earthed the hardwire to the glovebox bar, pulled F61, phone stopped charging - yay, I've got the right one.
Stuck the 20A into the fuse tap (yup the fuses are in the correct way, though with a phone drawing less than 1A, it'd probably not make too much difference right now), then lobbed the fuse tap into F61, with the dashcam plugged in and - nothing. No dashcam power feed and, no phone charge either.

So in the interests of completeness, I pulled the hardwire ground and held against the A-pillar, still nothing, dashcam or phone.

Removing the fuse tap, and dropping the 20A back into F61 and the phone starts to charge again so the 12v is live again. So as I need to do the Fiesta, I used it's fuse tap, to repeat the process and get the same results.
And also tried F88 on my board, as although this would hold a 25A for the KL30 C supply (??), I have no fuse so assumed the circuitry will exist even though I don't have a KL30 C, yet still the dashcam won't power on.

Anyone have any ideas on this?
I'm particularly perplexed that both fuse taps disable power to the 12v socket.
One item of note, both fuse taps terminals are bending inwards on insertion, implying they might be slightly larger than the socket, so I also bought a Micro 2 fuse tap just in case, but this was far too small, unable to straddle the terminal separator.
I also pulled the 20A so it was almost completely out, yet the 12v remained live, just to test that the tap can still connect whilst straddling other fuses

Like I said, properly stuck on this one, bordering on just using the console 12v and running the cables around as a pseudo-hardwire, as the console 12v is rarely used, unlike the arm-rest 12v which has the phone charge on it, though a full hardwire is just a much neater, and altogether complete solution.

 

Steve
(66) Focus mk3 hatch 

Are you wanting permanent live or switched live?

The 12V socket isn't really either. The car shuts it off after a certain amount of time or instantly if the battery is low on charge. I wonder if you're just thinking it's not working because the car has shut it off.

I've always used somethings like heated seats, heated steering, things that only are live when the car is. I had no problems hard wiring a dashcam in to a 2015 Focus.

I have no preference on this, though for clarity, I am testing with the engine running, so there is no way on earth the socket should be off.

Have you tried a different tap?

I don't mean to sound rude Alex, I know you're only trying to help, but I did explain in my opening post that I've tried a different tap, and have performed continuity on everything before doing so.
I also explained everything I've tested including testing sockets before and after.
Please advise if there is something missing from my setup, like I said, the Transit Custom install was as simple as the Focus, yet the Custom is working.

It shouldn't need anything special.

It's like the tap isn't making the connection that's why I asked if you'd tried another as I wasn't quite sure.

Do you have both fuses fitted when you are testing? Usually if the tap is the wrong way all you do is end up putting the fuses in series and not properly protecting the tapped circuit, but it should still work.

Have you tried the tap in a different fuse location?

What is the fuse tap connected to? Is it a 12V socket or a hardwire kit? Have you checked all your connections from the tap and are they the correct polarity?

I realise you've done one already and have tried to explain everything, but as I say it shouldn't need anything special, so it's going to be process of elimination.

It's not completely clear in your post if you have 2 fuses in the tap, one in each slot. I'm sure you have but I'm just starting with the basics. 

If you have pulled the 20A fuse out and the socket is still live then you have the fuse tap upside down and the fuses aren't actually protecting the circuit, try the fuse tap in a different orientation. 

Im starting with the simple stuff.

Just now, alexp999 said:

It shouldn't need anything special.

It's like the tap isn't making the connection that's why I asked if you'd tried another as I wasn't quite sure.

Do you have both fuses fitted when you are testing? Usually if the tap is the wrong way all you do is end up putting the fuses in series and not properly protecting the tapped circuit, but it should still work.

Have you tried the tap in a different fuse location?

What is the fuse tap connected to? Is it a 12V socket or a hardwire kit? Have you checked all your connections from the tap and are they the correct polarity?

I realise you've done one already and have tried to explain everything, but as I say it shouldn't need anything special, so it's going to be process of elimination.

Both posted pretty much the same thing at the same time lol

"And the fuses are all intact, with the fuse taps passing a continuity test too, so I know there are no breaks in the circuit. Furthermore, testing the location of the fuses in the tap 1-per side shows continuity on the fused circuit, and a break on the unfused, and then continuity on both circuits once both fused, with no shorting, so the tap itself is working as expected."

Yes, I have fused both sockets correctly - the 2A on the piggy-back and the 20A on the main circuit of the fuse tap that is, and the fuse tap is in the correct way too so as to avoid a polarity issue which would cause a problem as I'd be effectively attempting to ground the positive feed.
And the fuse tap is connected to the hardwire kit - the 12v I mention is fuse 61 which protects the two 12v cigar sockets and the rear aux sockets (there aren't any at present)

And to Alex:

"And also tried F88 on my board, as although this would hold a 25A for the KL30 C supply (??), I have no fuse so assumed the circuitry will exist even though I don't have a KL30 C, yet still the dashcam won't power on."

Fitting the fuse tap the wrong way doesn’t cause a polarity issue. The fuses are positive only. I meant have you double checked the polarity of your wiring to the hardwire kit? Just trying to think of simple stuff to check. Sometimes it’s easy to skip over the most obvious. I work in IT I should know 😅

Just now, alexp999 said:

Fitting the fuse tap the wrong way doesn’t cause a polarity issue. The fuses are positive only. I meant have you double checked the polarity of your wiring to the hardwire kit? Just trying to think of simple stuff to check. Sometimes it’s easy to skip over the most obvious. I work in IT I should know 😅

Generally speaking the fuses are positive, though for the tap, this would run from terminal 1 and out over the line to the rest of the circuit, although I have checked the tap both orientations just in case.
One thing I did check is the tap with only the 20A in field 1 obviously with the phone on the 12v: still the 12v had no power, but removing the tap and reinstalling the 20A the phone suddenly started charging so it must be something with the tap, but why a mini-blade tap won't connect with a mini-blade slot I don't get. Its a little tight, and as mentioned above, the terminals are bending in but still, no other hardwire seem to have this problem.

I'm not so much in IT - Database architect & engineer and data scientist (and Tableau expert), though I still build my own pc's and server.
Very wary of plugging things in the wrong way around - fastest way to kill a server: a cleaner was tidying-up once and plugged a disconnected cat5 cable from socket 1 into socket 2 because it was more presentable...

I know on the Mondeo there is a similar issue, and it's because the fuse tap doesn't go far enough in to make contact. The body of the tap is too thick, to get round it some people trim the casing of the tap with a dremmel so it isn't as wide. 

If the fuses are good, and the tap is good and continuity is not an issue then perhaps that's something to consider.

It is a bit tight, I'll try trimming down some, see if it'll work - tomorrow now though its properly soggy out there this afternoon.

Installed the hardwire to my wife's 2016 Fiesta onto F2, a 10A for the brake lights, using one of the two tested fuse taps that didn't work with my Focus, on the same orientation as I am attempting to use.
Just like the Custom, this went slipped in very easily, and works as expected.

This in mind, it can only be a fitment issue, as my Focus is very stiff to insert and remove. I'll take a look at F85/86 on my board first as this seems to be one that most users go for before trimming-down, as 85 & 86 are on bank 4, the furthest from the multi-plug so maybe less of a squeeze.

Tried F87, this is a fused circuit for heated steering wheel, although I have no heated steering wheel saw tried this - no luck, but also, as I have no heated steering wheel, I'm also unable to test whether the circuit is still active.
But, I did try F76 for the reverse lights without trimming the tap, I have a partial success - the reverse lights came on ruling out an issue with the tap, but I still don't have power to the camera; and I'm uncertain as to whether the fuse tap can stay on F76 as I'm not sure at which point the circuit receives power: is it live from ignition, or live from ignition + reverse gear selection?

But at least I've managed to progress, but now even more stuck as I have the two ends of the hardwire in front of me, so no chance of disconnection further up the line. And earthing to the A-pillar is still having no effect.

1 hour ago, BecauseYouMadeMe said:

and I'm uncertain as to whether the fuse tap can stay on F76 as I'm not sure at which point the circuit receives power: is it live from ignition, or live from ignition + reverse gear selection?

 

Only one way to find out for sure, use a multimeter.

I know you said all the cameras work from a wall socket, but it would be worth taking the camera from the Focus and plugging it into the working circuit in the Fiesta or the Custom - assuming it's the same connection. 

What cameras and hardwire kit are you using?

I did say first line of the second paragraph:
"For clarity, all the dashcams are new, and will charge from a wall-socket, 12v socket, and the hardwire on the Custom."

And the kits were a bundle Nextbase 622GW + Nextbase hardwire

Have you tried with a multimeter at the end of the hardwire kit, at the same time as when the reverse lights are on?

Could the hardwire kit on the focus be broken?

I know you have tried different taps in the Focus but have you tried a different hardwire lead in the Focus, one proven to work in the custom?

Can you plug the camera directly into the 12V socket of the car to check it powers on in the car? - I know you've had it powered via the hardwire kit in the custom. 

Is it worth trying a different tap?

And by that I mean a different mini-tap, by a different manufacturer.

Perhaps the ones you have are just a bad fit and a different one would fit better?

Just now, alexp999 said:

Is it worth trying a different tap?

And by that I mean a different mini-tap, by a different manufacturer.

Perhaps the ones you have are just a bad fit and a different one would fit better?

I've used ones from eBay in the past which were a bit flimsy, the blades wobble a little. I now get mine from autobeam as they seem to be better quality, so that might be a good shout. Have you double checked that he hasn't already said he's done that though, you don't want to get "quoted" at 🤣

I had a similar issue with my NB kit. Ended up having to shave off a bit of the casing on the fuse tap so it would make proper contact with F61. (See yellow outline for original size)

Even then it still required a good bit of pressure to plug in properly evident by the bending enclosure.

If it still isn’t working then I’d buy a different fuse tap at that point.

On 2/13/2022 at 1:44 PM, BecauseYouMadeMe said:

as mentioned above, the terminals are bending in

That seems to be the only significant difference between your installations. I wonder if the bending in is causing an open-circuit in the tap. I know you had partial success in F76 but maybe it wasn't bending quite as much in that location. Would it be worth trying trimming a smidgeon off the outer edges of the blades?

17 hours ago, Copacetic said:

I had a similar issue with my NB kit. Ended up having to shave off a bit of the casing on the fuse tap so it would make proper contact with F61. (See yellow outline for original size)

Even then it still required a good bit of pressure to plug in properly evident by the bending enclosure.

If it still isn’t working then I’d buy a different fuse tap at that point.

Thanks @Copacetic & @mjt, it was only when I saw your pic 2 (Copacetic), and the pressure its placing on the wall, that I was able to hone in on the cause. Quick trim with a pair of secateurs (and then insulate the exposed terminals), went in smoothly with the phone still charging - good, 12v socket is still live.
Earthed the hardwire negative and the cam's up too - yay.

Glad it was only something as simple as an overly wide socket - 0.5mm too wide that is.
 

1 hour ago, BecauseYouMadeMe said:

Thanks @Copacetic & @mjt, it was only when I saw your pic 2 (Copacetic), and the pressure its placing on the wall, that I was able to hone in on the cause. Quick trim with a pair of secateurs (and then insulate the exposed terminals), went in smoothly with the phone still charging - good, 12v socket is still live.
Earthed the hardwire negative and the cam's up too - yay.

Glad it was only something as simple as an overly wide socket - 0.5mm too wide that is.
 

If only someone had said to trim the casing earlier.

I mean I could quote my comment if that helps 🤦🏻‍♂️