Dashcam installation trouble

[Darkman]

Hello,

Just bought a 2011 Focus Titanium TDCi and came to installing the dashcam which I removed from my previous car, a 2004 Civic Type S.

dashcam is a Nextbase Duo HD with hardwire kit.

I've installed it using a variety of fuses i.e. Aircon, reversing light, etc - but the dashcam is *always* getting power, even when the car isn't running and this is not what I want. Engine off should mean camera off- there's no need for it to be recording the garage wall all night!

I don't know if it's complicating matters that my car has a start button and no key?

The reversing light, for instance, doesn't come on when the engine isn't running, so how is the dashcam getting power via the same fuse?

On the Civic I had it hooked up to the rear wiper fuse, but on my Focus, that fuse is in the engine compartment which opens up a whole can of worms!

Any ideas? Thx!

Dave

[TomsFocus]

Can't remember what is was for now, but this is the fuse I used in a 2012.  I'm assuming yours is Mk3?  As there were a few late registered Mk2s in 2011.

[dezwez]

I used a wire in the light switch cant remember witch 

[Darkman]

26 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Can't remember what is was for now, but this is the fuse I used in a 2012.  I'm assuming yours is Mk3?  As there were a few late registered Mk2s in 2011.

Looks like F86 - restraint system/passenger airbag deactivation system?

I didn't try that one - the word "airbag" scared me away.

(And yes - Mk3)

[TomsFocus]

13 minutes ago, Darkman said:

Looks like F86 - restraint system/passenger airbag deactivation system?

I didn't try that one - the word "airbag" scared me away.

(And yes - Mk3)

Yeah, F86 rings a bell.  It was a common one to use on Mk3s back in 2018 when I fitted it. 

Didn't remember it being SRS, that does seem a bit risky now, but as long as you put the piggyback in the right way round it should be fine.

[Darkman]

26 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Yeah, F86 rings a bell.  It was a common one to use on Mk3s back in 2018 when I fitted it. 

Didn't remember it being SRS, that does seem a bit risky now, but as long as you put the piggyback in the right way round it should be fine.

There's a right way and a wrong way? 

[TrevorB]

Yes, there is a right and wrong way - although all will work ok even if fitted incorrectly, but if fitted incorrectly the dash cam power won't go through a fuse, so if something shorts in dash cam kit it will not blow fuse but damage fuse box/wiring etc.

See this link at approx 8 minutes in. 

 

Also earlier on in the link the guy points out why the A pillar trim needs to come off so the cable is routed correctly behind/at the back of the airbag.

There are literally hundreds of videos (especially on YouTube) where these "experts" route the  dash cam cable through the slot at the top of the A pillar to headliner joint, which means the cable runs OVER/ON TOP of the airbag.

There are literally hundreds of videos (especially on YouTube) where these "experts" do not advise the right way to connect the  hard wire the correct way round to a piggy back fuse.

[Darkman]

20 minutes ago, TrevorB said:

Yes, there is a right and wrong way - although all will work ok even if fitted incorrectly, but if fitted incorrectly the dash cam power won't go through a fuse, so if something shorts in dash cam kit it will not blow fuse but damage fuse box/wiring etc.

See this link at approx 8 minutes in. 

 

Also earlier on in the link the guy points out why the A pillar trim needs to come off so the cable is routed correctly behind/at the back of the airbag.

There are literally hundreds of videos (especially on YouTube) where these "experts" route the  dash cam cable through the slot at the top of the A pillar to headliner joint, which means the cable runs OVER/ON TOP of the airbag.

There are literally hundreds of videos (especially on YouTube) where these "experts" do not advise the right way to connect the  hard wire the correct way round to a piggy back fuse.

You learn something every day. I don't even remember the Nextbase hardwire kit manual itself mentioning any of that (and that's exactly how I had the cable routed on the old motor) 🙃

Incidentally my hardwire kit isn't like the one in the video - it older and has only a live and a spade connector/ground, though I understand there's now a newer hardwire kit with permanent live/ignition live/ground.

Been faffing most of the day now, on and off and got pretty much nowhere, other than establishing that the car powers most stuff down after 10 minutes but the dashcam continues to record as it's still drawing power somehow.

Tis all very odd.

[Darkman]

Endless Googling turns out that the best option is F85 for this specific car, which protects the passenger airbag deactivation switch, among a heap of other things.

I still don't really get why it didn't work on the reversing light fuse or any of the others. You wouldn't think those circuits would be perma-live especially when the reversing light doesn't work with the ignition off.

But hey ho, it works as required now. Thanks for all the suggestions. 👍

[mrmetallica]

4 hours ago, Darkman said:

Hello,

Just bought a 2011 Focus Titanium TDCi and came to installing the dashcam which I removed from my previous car, a 2004 Civic Type S.

Dashcam is a Nextbase Duo HD with hardwire kit.

I've installed it using a variety of fuses i.e. Aircon, reversing light, etc - but the dashcam is *always* getting power, even when the car isn't running and this is not what I want. Engine off should mean camera off- there's no need for it to be recording the garage wall all night!

I don't know if it's complicating matters that my car has a start button and no key?

The reversing light, for instance, doesn't come on when the engine isn't running, so how is the dashcam getting power via the same fuse?

On the Civic I had it hooked up to the rear wiper fuse, but on my Focus, that fuse is in the engine compartment which opens up a whole can of worms!

Any ideas? Thx!

Dave

have you turned auto off off if hard wired it needs turning off let the car turn it on and off