Fitting dash Cam to CLC - hard wiring

[Nikki2512]

Just bought a Nextbase Dash Cam 312GW (Which Best Buy) and awaiting a kit to hard wire to fuse box. Has anyone got any experience and tips before I start? The advise appears to be to wire into a fuse that turns on/off with the ignition so as not to run down the battery although does not suggest if there is a favourable fuse location to use.
Will need to route power cable across roof to pillar trim to reach under side of dash. Is this straightforward and are any specialist tools required.

Thanks. Nikki

 

[Andy.M]

Is this straightforward and are any specialist tools required.

Thanks. Nikki

It's a Merc !

Sorry couldnt resist, I've no idea but someone will give you an answer.

One tip, do not have your key in the ignition while working on the electrics!!!

 

[LostKiwi]

When doing other cars I've done as you say - run the wire through the trim down the a-pillar then under the dash to the cigarette lighter and tap into the loom there.
Not done a CLC but on other cars its fairly straightforward.

 

[Alfie]

Just bought a Nextbase Dash Cam 312GW (Which Best Buy) and awaiting a kit to hard wire to fuse box. Has anyone got any experience and tips before I start? The advise appears to be to wire into a fuse that turns on/off with the ignition so as not to run down the battery although does not suggest if there is a favourable fuse location to use.
Will need to route power cable across roof to pillar trim to reach under side of dash. Is this straightforward and are any specialist tools required.

Thanks. Nikki

You will need a torx 20 screwdriver and a flat plastic trim wedge tool.

 

[kid-jensen]

On my ML, I managed to jam the wire from the dashcam (mounted high-up) between the trim and windscreen glass edge, all the way down to the dash.

From then on it can be routed out of sight under the door-trim and through the glove compartment, then eventually to the cigar lighter wires. These go off with the ignition, so are ideal.

Use Scotchlocks or just solder the wires on. If you're feeling a bit H&S, put a fuse in if you must, but be orepared to be called a Fairy by yor friends..

Apart from where it emerges from the Dashcam itself (Iwhich is kinda unavoidable) the wire is completely invisible and makes a neat job.

Now you have the problem of finding something interesting enough to record..

 

[Nikki2512]

Will look to wire to fuse box using kit with piggy back fuse rather than go to cigar lighter. Thanks. Nikki

 

[daibevan]

Will look to wire to fuse box using kit with piggy back fuse rather than go to cigar lighter. Thanks. Nikki

has anyone used these piggy back fuses? They look easy to use. Are they any good?

Has anyone wired theirs in to a permanently live feed to keep watch in car parks? If so does it drain the battery?

 

[Nikki2512]

The nextbase webcam 312 I have just bought appears to instruct that you hard wire to a circuit that is only live when ignition is on. This stops car battery going flat, but not sure how it may record in parking situation ?

 

[Mark Q]

Have used the Nextbase hard wire kit on a couple of cars, the piggy back fuse thing is ok, bit fiddly if the chosen fuse in the fuse panel is next to the edge or a relay, but makes simple job.
There is a battery in the unit which charges, so if ignition off and some muppet stoves into you that turns the dashcam on and records him driving away - never had the bad luck to use it.

The only problem I have is on my Mercedes - R230, there are no igintion fed fuses in the cockpit, and I can't get a wire from either boot nor bonnet into it without what appears to be major surgery, so still using the very annoying cigar lighter plug. Hopefully yours will be a simple job.

 

[Nikki2512]

Mark Q, thanks for your thoughts. I will have to look at cabin fuse box to see if there is an ignition feed fuse to use.
Did speak to tech support at Nextbase and guy said he has his car cam wired to an permanent live so that it runs all the time. Apparently the camera has a sensor which turns the camera off if the car battery voltage drops to a certain level so that battery not drained. Not sure I really want to put this to the test, has anyone else run a dah Cam on permanent live ?

Other hint was to use 32gb max micro SD card and buy Sanddisk make since they work best with car cam which needs fast frame speeeds apparently. Need to buy a new SD card anyway, so will see what Sand disk has to offer.

Nikki

 

[Ken_R]

I 'piggy-backed' the supply to mine from the glove compartment light as that only works with the ignition ON.

I used 'choc blocks' but equally, Wago connectors could suffice.

I didn't bother with a separate fuse.

 

[Nikki2512]

Just got the nextbase hard wire kit for £10 on eBay so will be looking to fit over weekend. Still need to locate cabin fuse box on the CLC and find an ignition linked fuse to start ! Any ideas as to a good donor fuse function?

Nikki

 

[Nikki2512]

Which live fuse do I use to power carcam for CLC ?

Looked at cabin fuse box on drivers sise of dark board and confronted with a selection of fuses, listed as 21!22,27,28, 30,31,36,41' and 42. Any thoughts what choices I have to piggy back for a Carcam ?
Help appreciated. Thanks in anticipation ? Nikki

 

[tcats85]

I know this is an old thread, but I was looking for tips on wiring a dashcam into my CLC and didn't have much luck finding any details online, so I thought that this might be of some help to others...

I've just wired a cam using the Nextbase hardwire kit which piggy backs off a fuse (recommended 20A or less). I used the cigar lighter fuse which is rated 15A (blue) and is switched with the ignition.

Unfortunately there were no suitable fuses in the cabin or in the rear fuse box in the boot, as these were either rated >20A or they were not switched with the ignition. The cigar lighter fuse can be found in the fuse box under the bonnet (#47, if I remember correctly).

Feeding the cable into the cabin is very easy. At the back of the fuse box in the engine bay is a small bit of soundproofing sponge which plugs a hole through to behind the dash on the drivers side. This sponge can be manouvered to create a small gap to push the cable through.

If you open the drivers door and take the cover off the end of the dash, revealing the cabin fuses, then when you feed the cable through from the engine bay you'll see it come into the dash space. Next, it's simply a case of running the cable up the A-pillar and along the top of the windscreen to where your cam will be positioned, tucking it away neatly.

I'm happy with the results and very pleased that I didn't need to cut into or modify any existing wiring in the car and that it can all be removed and reverted back to stock if necessary.