Jump to content

Dash cam hard wiring


DavidBrown

Recommended Posts

Hi.

 

From earlier posts in the end we decided to buy a next base dash cam

Just hard wired it in our fiat ducato base van and simply used Fuse 51 to tap into using the next base hard wire kit (see picture below)

Which is used for (see picture below)

 

I then attached the negative wire onto a screw at the bottom of the fuel panel, which was basically a screw not attach to anything else apart from the plastic surround of the fuse panel.

 

Basically I was just wondering if this is what you would do or and if this if a perfectly fine way to hard wire it.

 

Thanks ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Without the photos or explanation I assume that the connection is a switched circuit. That way the camera will activate when the ignition is switched on and stop when switched off.. That is what happens using the ciggi socket. Thats great as it does not require human intervention. So as long as your live connection is from a switched (ignition) circuit then that is fine.

RTY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry I couldn't get the pictures to load and I accidentally posted twice but let's try again.

 

Hi.

 

From earlier posts in the end we decided to buy a next base dash cam

Just hard wired it in our fiat ducato base van and simply used Fuse 51 to tap into using the next base hard wire kit which has a fuse for the actually camera them u place the fuse you have taped into beside it.

Which is used for (according to the manual)

Climate control system, power steering control unit, reversing lights, tachgraph (+key), TOM TOM setup, rear camera, headlight alignment corrector.

 

 

I then attached the negative wire onto a screw at the bottom of the fuel panel, which was basically a screw not attach to anything else apart from the plastic surround of the fuse panel.

 

Basically I was just wondering if this is what you would do or and if this if a perfectly fine way to hard wire it.

 

Hope this makes sense

 

Thanks :-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I assume you can unplug the cable for the dash cam if say a fault should develop in the camera such as it starts to get very hot. Also the fuse rating will probably be too high for the cable used to the camera so an additional inline fuse should be fitted...e.g 1 amp.

I would not normally connect an negative cable to a screw mounting a plastic part.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the feed back. The camera and cable has its own fuse which is 2 amp. The fitting instructions said the ampage of the existing fuse you are using to tap into did not matter but it was recommend not to go over 20 amp. The fuse I taped into was only 5 amp. And yes it can easily be unplugged. And there dosen't seem to be anywhere else to attach the negative wire.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

You do not state the age of your vehicle. The following is based on my early 2006 X244 2.8JTD.

 

From photos of later vehicles, it seems that the fuse allocation and fuse panels are similar, but the fuse panel is rotated by 90 degrees.

 

Fuse 51 (Right hand end of bottom row in "CFB".), is designated in the manual as PCA (ambulance or minibus versions). I am not sure what PCA is an abbreviation for, but it could be Passenger Compartment Alarm. I suspect that while a 10A fuse is fitted, nothing is supplied by it. As you have already ascertained, the supply to fuse 51 is controlled by the ignition switch.

 

As I not yet fitted a dash cam, I do not know what is in the hard wiring kit that you mention.

 

In this application I would expect to use an "addafuse" or similar adapter, to make the connection to the fuse panel.

 

As regards the negative or earth connection, I assume that the screw that you mention is one of the M6 washer headed, mounting bolts for the fuse panel. The plastic feet of the fuse panel are fitted with metal bushes, so I think that this would remove some of Brambles objections to using this as an earthing point for a dash cam. There is a better alternative on my vehicle in the form of a hole fitted with an M6 captive nut, about 15 cms further towards the centre of the vehicle. With the addition of an M6 bolt and washer, this makes a sound earthing point.

 

Perhaps you may wish to use, the same or similar location for your earth connection?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi yes just a little. I hope the pictures I have finally managed to post will help the confusion. Thanks for the link :-D

 

I just basically tap into number 51 fuse which it states in the manual what this fuse is used for (see picture)

 

And the camera also has its own 2amp fuse. I then attached the negative cable to what looks like a M6 washer screw which you have mentioned at the bottom

Of the fuse panel which you can hopefully recognise from the picture above also. Im now thinking from ur feedback I should find a more suitable screw for the negative wire.

 

But I'm assuming the fuse I have taped into is perfectly fine to use to power the camera. It obviously receives no power when the ignition a off.

 

:-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got some decent pictures now of what I actually did. I decided to plug it into fuse 49 in the end. The original fuse is behind the one for the camera in the adaptor.

 

I then put the negative wire onto the screw at the bottom which from earlier feedback it is attached to a metal plate behind the plastic surround.

 

image.jpeg.ac4603471d5f6241dc8a387083c4c9ed.jpeg

image.jpeg.30d70362212e70ee57f2ef4ecb31bfd7.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I suspected, the fuse panel layout differs from that on my older vehicle.

 

The installation looks tidy, and as long as the metal bush is present in the fuse panel mounting foot, the earth connection should be adequate for the currant taken by the dash cam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

David’s motorhome is a current-model X290 Ducato-based Rapido V56 panel-van conversion.

 

As I may have mentioned before, a file with a .jpeg extension will attach to a forum posting but will not be immediately visible. Altering the file’s extension to .jpg before attaching it will avoid this happening.

 

 

image-2.jpg.6b251aee265c83c540f254298a369729.jpg

image-1.jpg.32d633f25a12d6867316f305daff4bb8.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...