5V Dash cam, can I hard wire it?

5V Dash cam, can I hard wire it?

Author
Discussion

gord115

Original Poster:

81 posts

187 months

Friday 1st December 2023
quotequote all
My son has bought me a cheap dashcam for my birthday. I was going to cut off the cigarette lighter power feed and to wire it straight to a ignition feed piggyback fuse.
However when I looked at the cigarette lighter plug it says 5v, not 12v.
Does this mean I have to use one of these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155895596162?hash=item2...

Thanks in advance

Om

1,922 posts

85 months

Friday 1st December 2023
quotequote all
You should be able to hard wire it, but usually with a kit something like:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nextbase-Hard-Wire-Kit-Ca...

Just make sure you get one with the correct outlet for your unit - min, micro usb, usb-c etc...

untakenname

5,051 posts

199 months

Friday 1st December 2023
quotequote all
Be mindful that the low voltage cutoff on the hardwire kits when using parking mode is usually below what a starter motor will need in the winter if the car battery is old or the car isn't used often.

I've just got an additional cigarette lighter hidden behind the dash with a 12v converter that powers both the dashcam and phone if needed and switches off with the main feed so doesn't drain the battery.

gord115

Original Poster:

81 posts

187 months

Saturday 2nd December 2023
quotequote all
Not sure that kit is any good. I think Nextbase dashcams are 12v.
Mine is 5v.

Polly Grigora

11,209 posts

116 months

Saturday 2nd December 2023
quotequote all
If the cigarette lighter socket in your vehicle has a permanent battery + supply remove that supply and wire an ignition supply to it

or

As posted above, buy a socket and hide it behind the dashboard wired to an ignition supply

Dog Star

16,486 posts

175 months

Monday 4th December 2023
quotequote all
Get yourself a new USB cable with a 90degree correctly handed plug for neatness. Run this down your pillar behind the trim and feed behind dash.

Get one of these and wire it in to an ignition fed supply…

Generic Car DC 12V to 5V Inverter Dual USB Female Hard Wired Power Charger for GPS Tablet Phone DVR Camcorder https://amzn.eu/d/62UdRZC

(They’re discontinued but something identical will be available).

Plug the end of your dashcam cable into this. You will also have a spare outlet - I feed this into the glovebox - handy extra usb power source.

I’ve done this on every car we’ve had since about 2010. Plugging permanently used stuff into the lighter just looks sloppy and gash.

gord115

Original Poster:

81 posts

187 months

Thursday 7th December 2023
quotequote all
Think i'll wire a 12v extension from the fusebox on an ignition live then hide it.
Thanks everyone.

gord115

Original Poster:

81 posts

187 months

Thursday 7th December 2023
quotequote all
Think i'll wire a 12v extension from the fusebox on an ignition live then hide it.
Thanks everyone.