Founding Member Mazda Man Posted March 29, 2020 Founding Member Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Well, I took the plunge and fitted my new Nextbase HD DUO HD dash cam. My previous camera was expertly hardwired by Stu via the rear of the cigarette lighter. I’m always a bit nervous messing with electrics, especially when you hear horror stories of multiplex units blowing etc. Due to the current lockdown, I can’t pop over to Stu’s so I thought I would have a go myself. Yes, I did call Stu before, just to double check a few things though. 🙂 I firstly very carefully removed the trim surrounding the shifter. Popping the shifter to neutral helped. The connectors to the two heated seat switches were removed which allowed better access. I then proceeded to remove the existing wiring from under the trim etc in readiness for the replacement new Nextbase hardwire kit. instead of undoing Stu’s soldering, I thought I leave the soldering alone, cut the wires a couple of inches away from the switch and then connect/solder the two wires from the hardwire kit. RED AND BLACK WIRES EXPOSED READY FOR THE SNIP: WIRES WERE THEN CUT SEPARATELY, NEW WIRES WERE THEN TWISTED ON AND SOLDERED TOO, FINISHING WITH A GENEROUS APPLICATION OF YELLOW ELECTRICAL TAPE, ENSURING WIRES ARE FREE TO MOVE AND NOT SNAGGING: BEFORE BUTTONING EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER THE CAMERA WAS TESTED BY TURNING ON THE IGNITION. VOILA CAMERA WORKS FINE: WIRES WERE CAREFULLY THREADED UNDERNEATH THE TRIM, THEN UNDER THE DASH (USING SMALL CABLE TIES TO KEEP THE WIRE TIDY AND SECURE). EVERYTHING STILL WORKING FINE. I know most of you could do this in your sleep but for me, I felt quite chuffed. As you can see, there are black raised dimples on the windscreen where the dash cam needs to go. The suction mount is quite useless, therefore, I have ordered a non-suction mount with some 3M VHB tape which is mega strong! Happy Days. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted March 29, 2020 Administrators Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Great work Geoff, thanks for sharing 👍 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member AhsyV6 Posted March 29, 2020 Founding Member Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Very impressive mate and Every right to feel chuffed. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted March 29, 2020 Moderators Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Excellent efforts and results Geoff!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted March 29, 2020 Moderators Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Nice one there! The Nextbase stuff works really well too , really impressed with mine. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted March 29, 2020 Administrators Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 What Pete said 😀 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted April 8, 2020 Moderators Report Share Posted April 8, 2020 I've got a few pretty pictures but they won't make sense as yet so i'll post them with the rest of it - hopefully tomorrow. Been hardwiring my dashcam and running the rear camera for it plus a couple of bulb replacements and some otherminor things. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member PaulS Posted April 9, 2020 Founding Member Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 No matter one's experience an no matter the research beforehand, the first time one does a new job, there are always some butterflies.... Well done Geoff! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Subscriber’s RevvinKevin Posted January 27, 2021 Site Subscriber’s Report Share Posted January 27, 2021 Not wanting to rain on anyone's parade, but too much electrical tape and not enough (i.e. none) heatshrink tubing. Tape will get warm or hot and will unravel eventually. Self amalgamating tape would be preferable to PVC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 30, 2021 Moderators Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 Some people shouldn't be allowed out of their padded cells, much less near electrical wiring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted February 2, 2021 Administrators Report Share Posted February 2, 2021 I wasn't sure if you were referring to the electrical tape pictured of which I was responsible, in this case, it was merely used as packing in the plug rather than insulation. However, guess you're referring to Geoff reusing the spur and I totally agree heat-shrink tubing would have been my first choice on these connections too.🤔 Nevertheless its a fused supply and its Geoffs car at the of the day I cannot it see ever failing in reality. 🤪 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Subscriber’s RevvinKevin Posted March 13, 2023 Site Subscriber’s Report Share Posted March 13, 2023 Been thinking about fitting a dash cam to the KB1 and how I would wire it. Makes sense to me to take the power from the ceiling cluster. The interior spot/cabin light feed would be the most obvious (without checking current requirements of the cameras). Can't see them taking very much. I assume they are (mostly) all 12vdc and not 5v via a micro USB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted March 14, 2023 Moderators Report Share Posted March 14, 2023 All the dashcams i've seen are USB powered and take anything up to 2A (at 5V so arguably from the 12V rail the demand would also be 2A as it'c commonly a buck converter rather than a transformer as transformers only work on AC) but the big thing here is that unless you use the car very regularly, the dashcam will flatten the battery fairly quickly. For that reason, most are fitted using a cig lighter USB adaptor, aftermarket hidden adaptors can be fitted, piggy-back wired from the cig lighter and a longer USB lead bought to run up to the mirror or thereabouts to mount the dashcam itself. This long USB cable can be hidden behind trim/headlining etc The "pyramid" in my Sterling that links to the factory alarm/immobiliser, note the slots cut into it for the camera leads, power and rear cam. It lives in the headlining just above the mirror so was an ideal place to bring the wires through. Converter from 12V to twin USB sockets mounted using trim tape, USB lead for the cam went in one output, charging lead for phone went in the other. USB lead up the A post to the headlining ^^^^^ and across to.................. ......... the pyramid, now refitted and dropped down to the top of the mirror dashcam. Hope it gives you some ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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