Dashcam Connector

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Pirots
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2019 5:17 am

Post by Pirots »

Collecting the car on Tuesday so I have ordered a 32gb Blackvue 750s 2ch. I was looking at the 900 but I preferred the night view on the 750 and got the 750 for under £300.

I have been looking at which way to connect it. Use the OBD port connector or get the magic pro and use empty fuses 86 and 12. The OBD connector looks like the easy solution? Anyone have theirs connected with this?

I will be looking at locating the camera as far away from the mirror as poss.
Volvo XC40 1.5 T3 R-Design, Auto, Thunder grey, Xenium pack, Intellisafe surround, Winter pack, Convenience pack, Spare wheel.

ciuncky
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:46 pm

Post by ciuncky »

I have the same dashcam, sadly it was installed by the seller so i haven't checked if fuse or OBD. However the magic pro is located on the side panel that's visible when you open the passenger door, where the airbag deactivation knob is located. That makes me feel the cables are routed towards the fuse box.

I know the same seller installed it via fuse on my Mazda 3
Pirots
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2019 5:17 am

Post by Pirots »

If I am correct? The OBD replaces the Magic Pro.
Volvo XC40 1.5 T3 R-Design, Auto, Thunder grey, Xenium pack, Intellisafe surround, Winter pack, Convenience pack, Spare wheel.
Pirots
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2019 5:17 am

Post by Pirots »

With it not actually raining today and it not being too cold I thought I would install my dashcam.

I ended up buying a Connecta OBD power cable but I can't get this to work. I have tried unplugging it numerous times, flicking the switch, putting the ignition on but I can't get the dashcam to power up. If I plug the fag lighter cable in it powers up ok. So I have just contacted Blackvue about the cable.

Routing the wiring was very very easy, a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

Still not 100% decided exactly where to stick the camera though. I will probably place it 15cm away from the intellisafe stuff on the passenger side at the top of the windscreen. I have been toying with the idea of putting it lower so it's in the sweep of the window wiper but it looks awful there. I have read somewhere that things need to be at least 15cm away. The problem with placing the camera here is that it will not be central and whether I would see enough of the drivers side, but the problem will have to wait until I sort the power cable out.
Volvo XC40 1.5 T3 R-Design, Auto, Thunder grey, Xenium pack, Intellisafe surround, Winter pack, Convenience pack, Spare wheel.
Pirots
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2019 5:17 am

Post by Pirots »

Blackvue said to leave the car running for between 5 to 10 minutes so it can get a voltage reading. Seems ok now.

They should say that in the instructions.
Volvo XC40 1.5 T3 R-Design, Auto, Thunder grey, Xenium pack, Intellisafe surround, Winter pack, Convenience pack, Spare wheel.
Gears
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:26 am

Post by Gears »

OBD connector does not replace the Magic Pro. The Magic Pro does nothing more than sit between the permanent live and the camera, and based on the battery voltage and a timer judge whether it powers the camera or not. The OBD connector is just another way to grab a permanent live wire - nothing else.

A proper installation normally routes into headlining, down the A-pillar (passenger side), into the fuse-box which is typically behind/below the glovebox. The tricky part is routing through the A-pillar without interfering with the curtain airbags, but if other wires already run through the A-pillar it is easy enough to run parallel to those.

You should have plenty of space to fit a Magic Pro or similar near the fusebox (or just keep it in the glovebox!)
Gonzo
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:27 pm

Post by Gonzo »

I installed a Nextbase 312 with an adhesive mount, next to the mirror on the passenger side to keep the positioning UK legal. WiFi turned off so as to not interfere with the radar. Cable tucks easily under headlining across to the A pillar. (I don't think it is a good idea to disturb the A pillar trim because of the airbag). At the pillar I just ran the cable externally across the trim join and then tucked it into the door seal down to the footwell area at the rear of the passenger seat thence to the fuse box under the seat. (Can't remember which fuse I used in the end). The only bit of cable that is really exposed to view is the short run across the trim join at the top of the A pillar and no-one has noticed it yet. Camera and radar unit have worked for three months or so without problems. This routing also means the camera can be easily uninstalled if necessary without the risk of trim damage. I also fitted a rear facing Nextbase 112 attached with an adhesive mount to the plastc headlining blank on the centreline directly in front of the tailgate screen. Again the cable is run under the tailgate seal around to the lower driver side where it connects to the fixed 12V supply. A better solution in my opinion than a front mounted camera with an integral rear facing camera giving an uninterrupted view of the back seat passengers. The camera postion gives a good rear view and is not too intrusive when checking in the RV mirror.
WelshRobin
Posts: 161
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2020 8:55 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post by WelshRobin »

Am I being obtuse? My Nextbase dashcam runs on 5v so is there a 5v supply in the fuse box under the passenger seat. If not, how do you transform down from 12v?
robert_j_day
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2019 7:44 am
Location: Black Country

Post by robert_j_day »

welshrobin,the next base dashcam is a 12v unit with a 5amp fuse. I hope this helps
Silver Moose
Posts: 344
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:10 am

Post by Silver Moose »

WelshRobin wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:31 pm Am I being obtuse? My Nextbase dashcam runs on 5v so is there a 5v supply in the fuse box under the passenger seat. If not, how do you transform down from 12v?
You're not being obtuse, it's the correct question - plenty of people have killed their dashcam by trying to cut USB cable & connect to fuse box.

Nextbase sell a hard-wiring kit which has an inline transformer:

https://www.halfords.com/technology/das ... 59302.html
Real name Carl
T4 Inscription Pro ordered 13/12/2018 - collected 30/3/2019
Bright Silver/Charcoal
Convenience pack, Intellisafe Pro, 360 camera
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