Thread: Live wires in overhead console behind windscreen?

I found out the hard way that a permanently hard wired dash cam will flatten the battery over not a very long period of time (two or three days) if the car is not driven.
So I have now powered mine (Blackvue) from the aux battery circuit.

Originally Posted by BMKal

I found out the hard way that a permanently hard wired dash cam will flatten the battery over not a very long period of time (two or three days) if the car is not driven.
So I have now powered mine (Blackvue) from the aux battery circuit.

Thanks, With Tim's Traxide dual battery system, I should be safe with the main battery always saving about 50% for the starter motor.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Thanks, With Tim's Traxide dual battery system, I should be safe with the main battery always saving about 50% for the starter motor.

Gavin, assuming your dashcam has both a permanent 12v supply and an ignition 12v supply, run the permanent supply from the second battery and the ignition supply direct from the in cabin fusebox.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Thanks, With Tim's Traxide dual battery system, I should be safe with the main battery always saving about 50% for the starter motor.

As above from DLSE…

Using the live in the roof console will draw that battery to flat in 2-3 days unless you wire in a LVC suited to cameras.

The Traxide unit doesn’t come into play on main circuits.

I have a similar question in that I just bought a dash cam and would like to run the power to it from the fuse box or the DBS. I can get the dash cam wiring into the overhead lining, but how do I get it down the A, B, C or D pillars to get to 12 volt power. I thinking about the danger presented by the crash air bags. Is there a link to suitable YouTube videos, etc.?

Just found a link: DiscoverThat - Journal: Fitting a dashcam to a Discovery 4

I wanted 12v switched and found most of the 12v switched in the overhead console "odd" in that it was timed and wouls switch off after a couple of minutes. So I just installed a suitable usb port in the overhead console. I ran the power wire along the top of the windscreen behind the head liner - there is enough flex to push the wire in without pulling the headlining down more than a couple of mm.

I removed the inside A pillar cover (just pulls off - I think it has been a while) and ran the wires down the back of the airbag so if it activates it will not collect the power wire - there are enough brackets etc there to hold the wire in place. I got it down to the area of the fuse box after a bit of mucking around - and used a piggy back fuse on the console 12v socket fuse.

Not had any issues with this arrangement. If you wanted permanent 12v then you need to search the fuses.

Garry

Originally Posted by 101RRS

I wanted 12v switched and found most of the 12v switched in the overhead console "odd" in that it was timed and wouls switch off after a couple of minutes. So I just installed a suitable usb port in the overhead console. I ran the power wire along the top of the windscreen behind the head liner - there is enough flex to push the wire in without pulling the headlining down more than a couple of mm.

I removed the inside A pillar cover (just pulls off - I think it has been a while) and ran the wires down the back of the airbag so if it activates it will not collect the power wire - there are enough brackets etc there to hold the wire in place. I got it down to the area of the fuse box after a bit of mucking around - and used a piggy back fuse on the console 12v socket fuse.

I did similar, but I used a snake on a straight(ish) line between the light, behind the air bag and down into the pillar (your idea is way better). From there ran between the glove boxes and tapped off the passenger side aux socket in the console. That way I could crimp up an adaptor and not touch the harness.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

To test, I hopped in the car and waited for everything to close down, and was still able to turn on the map lights.

That powers off completely after about 30 minutes to make sure all interior lights are out if you happen to leave a map light on.