Compact, covert, Dashcam and wiring questions

[Nick72]

So here's the design for 4 days parking mode independently of the car's 12V Battery. Implementation this weekend.

The switch will be engaged most of the time meaning the Dashcam is either receiving 'pass through' power from the powerbank wired to the cigarette lighter, or, just receiving stored power from the powerbank when parked up and the ignition is off. This should all be automatically sorted via the powerbank.

The switch is in there so I can switch off the Dashcam from drawing power from the powerbank when the car is parked up at home, unnecessarily flattening the powerbank. Sometimes I don't use the car for 3 or 4 days at a time WFH. We have a selection of cameras around the house and 3 at the front for stray scallies so no need to be using the Dashcam here. 

I'll just need to remember to switch it on again but that's where the illuminated switch comes in. Lit for on. The Dashcam may be installed on the passenger side so I won't necessarily have line of sight to see the 'on' LED. 

Hopefully this all works and if the Garmin subscription is reasonably affordable I should just be able to dial in via the Garmin App at any time to get a live view as well as it texting me notifications of any events.

I've ordered a deeper tray unit which sits over the charging pad as I can mount the switch just inside the slot and velcro the power bank on the tray underside. Or tie wrap it or make a small cage for it. Keep it out of direct sunlight, and robber view, but enough for me to occasionally see the charge state display on the powerbank by ducking down to look.

The only thing I'm nervous about is when the sun heats up the car and it gets to 40 plus C with a large capacity Li ion Battery in there. But then again so is the NOCO unit which I keep in the glove box. No issues with that. 

Ideally, I'd like to use the spare switch slot on the dash near the heated seats switches. Just put a rocker switch in there with built in LED. But one must walk before one runs.

 

 

[Nick72]

1 minute ago, Nick72 said:

So here's the design for 4 days parking mode independently of the car's 12V battery. Implementation this weekend.

The switch will be engaged most of the time meaning the Dashcam is either receiving 'pass through' power from the powerbank wired to the cigarette lighter, or, just receiving stored power from the powerbank when parked up and the ignition is off. This should all be automatically sorted via the powerbank.

The switch is in there so I can switch off the dashcam from drawing power from the powerbank when the car is parked up at home, unnecessarily flattening the powerbank. Sometimes I don't use the car for 3 or 4 days at a time WFH. We have a selection of cameras around the house and 3 at the front for stray scallies so no need to be using the Dashcam here. 

I'll just need to remember to switch it on again but that's where the illuminated switch comes in. Lit for on. The Dashcam may be installed on the passenger side so I won't necessarily have line of sight to see the 'on' LED. 

Hopefully this all works and if the Garmin subscription is reasonably affordable I should just be able to dial in via the Garmin App at any time to get a live view as well as it texting me notifications of any events.

I've ordered a deeper tray unit which sits over the charging pad as I can mount the switch just inside the slot and velcro the power bank on the tray underside. Or tie wrap it or make a small cage for it. Keep it out of direct sunlight, and robber view, but enough for me to occasionally see the charge state display on the powerbank by ducking down to look.

The only thing I'm nervous about is when the sun heats up the car and it gets to 40 plus C with a large capacity Li ion battery in there. But then again so is the NOCO unit which I keep in the glove box. No issues with that. 

Ideally, I'd like to use the spare switch slot on the dash near the heated seats switches. Just put a rocker switch in there with built in LED. But one must walk before one runs.

 

 

Deliberately not showing the return or 0V by the way. No need to overcomplicate.

[Nick72]

It works folks... Charging the power bank at 22W ish and supplying power to the Dashcam at the same time which is continuously recording and consuming between 1.2W and 2W at 5V. So as P = I * V it's consuming 0.2A max. With a 28Ahr bank like this one I should get nearly 6 days of continuous video recording, or well over a week in park mode. Because there are marketing claims I don't believe about the powerbank capacity I suspect it may be 5 days continuous recording days and still well over a week in park mode which seems to be closer to 1W consumption.

Well it works now but not installed on the car yet.

That's the next step. The only difference in set up will be the powerbank being charged off the cigarette lighter high power adapter I've got. And a usb power on off switch between camera and powerbank so I don't have it powered up and flattening the powerbank when at home and the car is parked for days. As mentioned, we have loads of cameras on the house. 

Strange quirk on the camera. If I use a short cable to the powerbank the camera thinks it is connected to a computer and lights up to indicate as such. But does not record. I had to connect it using the long pre supplied cable, which is how it will be when installed in the car. Still, weird. 

Slightly disappointing and misleading is the Garmin Mini 3 webpage shows options for a live view and messaging option subscriptions. But this camera doesn't support it. Apparently one needs the Garmin Live Camera for that! Not a big deal and in time I may move this set up to the rear of the car and put their Live Cam in the front. Will see what is it isn't adding value over the coming weeks.

 

[Nick72]

Will now see if it messes up anything on the car, like the dreaded bluetooth orchestrated profile loading 🤦

[ernieb]

7 minutes ago, Nick72 said:

Will now see if it messes up anything on the car, like the dreaded Bluetooth orchestrated profile loading 🤦

All looks very promising and I doubt it will interfere with your settings, it shouldn’t, but then again……

[philip42h]

9 minutes ago, Nick72 said:

If I use a short cable to the powerbank the camera thinks it is connected to a computer and lights up to indicate as such. But does not record. I had to connect it using the long pre supplied cable, which is how it will be when installed in the car. Still, weird.

So, the short cable is a data cable, while the long cable is power only?

[Nick72]

49 minutes ago, philip42h said:

So, the short cable is a data cable, while the long cable is power only?

Both USB C to A. Both are power cables. No data connection from the power bank, just power. 

I think this is Garmin's way of determining what it is connected to based upon cable length and resistance through voltage drop. If there's a high voltage drop then it's their long cable installed in the car. If it's a low voltage drop, it must be a computer so I'll go into a data mode. It's a poor way of doing it if this is the case.

Tried a few cables now and the common factor is length. Short cables don't power up the camera into recording mode but long ones do. 

Makes no odds as the long cable between cam and powerbank will be used in the car. And powerbank separately plugged into cigarette lighter. 

 

However, my wife has just changed my car installation plans as she now needs picking up from work and has also planned a trip to the farmers market tomorrow. 🤦 So I'll need to squeeze this all in somehow.

[Nick72]

All installed. Works perfectly.

USB LED indicator switch so I can choose when I want it in park mode using the powerbank brick.

Revisiting the calcs with actual usage I should get at least 5 days continuous video recording when parked before the powerbank goes flat. Or 7 to 10 days in park mode. Like going abroad and leaving the car at the airport or at the railway station for a few days.

Slightly disappointed with the cigarette lighter adapter which claims 30W out per channel and there are 2 channels. Reality is it's only 10W or 11W into the powerbank. Dashcam consuming at 1.7W plus or minus 0.2. So any recommendations appreciated for a decent cig adapter. 1 USB A and 1 USB C would avoid me using adaptors but I'd probably do that for a decent cig adapter. 

 

Really surprised the manufacturers are not doing affordable kits like this. I mean, with a less overpriced mini Dashcam to the Garmin and a black Friday deal on the pass through charge powerbank you could it it for 120 quid. Versus the top end Dashcam kits which cost 300 to over 400. What am I missing?

Went for passenger side installation of the cam btw. I can see the lights when I duck slightly but otherwise it's hidden from my view behind the rear view mirror.

Now I just to sort this rats nest of wires out. 😂🤦

[Nick72]

Almost done. 

Just ordered a higher power and more flush cig lighter adapter and lots of 90 degree bend USB adapters. I should be able to push the powerbank back further with those and velcro it down. 

I had to remove my tray insert accessory as the powerbank wouldn't fit. I may switch powerbanks in the coming months to something phone factor and drop it into a modified tray insert, keeping the charge pad clear for passenger use and the powerbank out of sight. I have a separate high speed wireless charger holder so it's not an imperative for me. 

[Nick72]

I did wonder if there was an accessory to essentially block view of the the contents of the wireless pad charger? 

If not I may scan and 3D print something if I can be ....ed. Only really an issue for this oversized powerbank. 

[ernieb]

Looks good it will be interesting to see how it works in practice.

Ive just bought this accessory plug, voltmeter, I x USB A, I x USB C. Works fine,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LQ65DRF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

[Nick72]

1 hour ago, ernieb said:

Looks good it will be interesting to see how it works in practice.

Ive just bought this accessory plug, voltmeter, I x USB A, I x USB C. Works fine,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LQ65DRF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Thanks Ernie. Finished some exhaustive testing today but needs long term tests. I'll give it a go for the the next few months before deciding on the end solution (slimmer powerbank, integrated into the console accessory). Meanwhile I'll tidy up the cables, create some extra room and push things back a bit.

Thanks for the link. Looks useful though I'm going for one that barely sticks out from the cig lighter so the powerbank can go as far back as possible. 

[Nick72]

1 hour ago, ernieb said:

Looks good it will be interesting to see how it works in practice.

Ive just bought this accessory plug, voltmeter, I x USB A, I x USB C. Works fine,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LQ65DRF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

One thing that did happen and I thought oh FFS was when I opened the Garmin App for a live view to position the camera, AA dropped out, as did my profile! Fortunately I won't need to access things this way very often.

[Nick72]

Update...

Minus 4C last night. Left the camera on recording for about 30hrs total plus some live view as it was within range of the house WiFi mesh network. 

Result was fully charged to 40%. Livable. But clearly at these temperatures where Li batteries are terrible (notwithstanding the clever heat pump on the PHEVs) I'm looking at 2 days not 5 to 7 days of supply to the camera. Still, better than most expensive dash cam installs including those drawing off the 12V.

More annoying is the powerbank thermal management solution. It's not charging. Message says stop using, temperature too low. It's working to discharge power to the camera ok but it just isn't accepting charge. That is an annoying issue.

Heating on in the car on full for 10 minutes. Still not warm enough. Powerbank feels like a cold brick. Irony is, with a higher Wattage load from the webcam it would keep itself warmer and be more effective. Perhaps I need to get a higher power consumption webcam to ironically get more life out of the Battery and make it charge when ignition is on! Currently in these temperatures (great for electronics) the dash cam mini is only consuming under 1.4W whilst in record mode. 1W in park. 

Darn it reality! 

 

As I type, waiting for an appointment I'm too early far, pb just started charging again! 15 minutes and it's back to temperature. Seems like it has a thermal cut off not mentioned anywhere I could see of about 3 to 5C. 

More tinkering needed.

[ernieb]

Didn’t think about temperature but it makes sense. You could consider a thermal sensitive load that would increase the current drain although I think you’d be getting into the law of diminishing returns. Just might be better off buying a bigger capacity 12v Battery with the dash cam in park mode?