CAN I FIT A DASH CAM MYSELF?

Dash cams have fast become a must-have in any vehicle. It’s mounted on the windshield and watches the road ahead, saving video to a memory card immediately if a collision is detected. The drive recorder can be installed in two ways. Installing a 12v automobile cigarette lighter dashcam is the simplest option, but using a hard wire kit is the cleanest.

• Putting a cigarette lighter in place
• Installation that is hardwired

There are three alternatives here in general. One is that it is powered by the camera’s built-in battery. It’s fine for short journeys, but the battery doesn’t last long, and you get bored of having to bring your camera inside to charge it every time you travel.

Using USB Port to connect

Connecting the camera to your car’s cigarette lighter or USB port with the provided cord is a preferable alternative. The former requires sufficient power to operate the camera, but the performance of the USB port in the dash differs from vehicle to vehicle. If both work, deciding which one is the cleaner installation isn’t always straightforward. The camera’s wire to the cigarette lighter or USB port under the centre console or armrest is dangling.

The ideal approach is to wire the dash cam such that it receives steady power from the car’s battery via the fuse box. The power connection can be hidden beneath the dashboard and interior panel of the automobile, and it will light up when the ignition is turned on. This choice also implies that when you park and turn off your car, the dashcam in parking mode will work. Install the DASHCAM with the internal battery first.

As previously stated, using the built-in battery is mostly a short-distance solution.  When it comes to equipment that may collect critical evidence in the event of an accident, you shouldn’t rely on this.

Battery with a very short life span. The built-in battery, on the other hand, is the cleanest and most convenient solution for shopping. Simply place the camera in the slot and switch it on and off. 

A dash cam should be hardwired into the fuse box.

Using Hardwiring to connect

To begin, place the camera precisely where you want it. This should be as close as feasible to the centre rearview mirror, giving the camera a good view of the road ahead but keeping it out of your range of vision. Keep in mind that there are restrictions on where cameras and other equipment can be mounted on the windscreen.

The cable should next be tucked between the windscreen and the roof lining, and then down the side of the Apillar. The space between the panel covering the Apillar and the dashboard varies greatly depending on the make and model of your automobile, but in many cases, there is just enough room to house the cable between the panel covering the Apillar and the dashboard.

On many cars, once you’ve reached the passenger footwell, you’ll be approaching the fuse box. It’s frequently found in or under the glove box, or behind a detachable plastic plate on the left or right foot.

Dash Cam Setup: 

Here’s how to set up your dash cam. Now you must locate a fuse that is “hot at starting” rather than “always hot,” i.e., one that is powered when the ignition is turned on. The electricity will not turn on if the ignition is turned off. The camera will drain the car’s battery if it is connected to the latter.

You can now use a circuit tester to determine which fuse socket your camera should be connected to, or look up a cigarette lighter fuse in your vehicle’s manual. Remove them with pillars and then connect them to the Dashcam Hard Wire Mounting Kit’s connections. Then re-insert it into the fuse box to power both the lighter and the camera from the same outlet.

The next step is to ground the dash cam by connecting the other end of the wire harness to the car’s metal chassis or body.

Look for nuts and bolts that attach directly to the metal body (typically near the fuse box), remove the bolts, hook the ground lugs onto the nuts, then tighten the bolts again.

Finally, switch on the ignition to see if the camera turns on and off properly, and then turn it off. If everything looks good, clean up the surplus cable with a zip tie, tuck it into another cable near the fuse box, and reconnect the removed plastic panel.

This may appear intimidating to some readers, but if the car’s fuse box is easily located (and accessible without causing any harm), the entire process should take no more than 30 minutes. It will not take much longer.

Suction cup mounts and dash cams should be placed where the road is the most visible. To keep the cable hidden, push it neatly into the top and sides of the windshield. A little gap exists between the headliner and the windshield in almost every vehicle. Look for the fuse box. It’s normally found inside or beneath the glove compartment.

Remove the existing fuse (typically a cigarette lighter fuse) and place the specialized socket in the fuse box immediately. With a “piggyback,” old fuses are simply connected to the new connection. Use metal screws / bolts in direct contact to connect the ground wire to the chassis.

Hard wiring takes only 20 minutes, which is really convenient. This is especially beneficial if you wish to hide the cord by opening an existing car power plug. It’s also useful if you wish to keep recording the dash camera indefinitely. 

Benefits of installing a dash cam include:

• Cables are well buried and scarcely apparent.
• You’ll never be without a cigarette lighter because you’ll always be connected.
• Allow the cigarette lighter to be used for other purposes. Phone is being charged.

Wiring a dashcam has a number of drawbacks.

• Installation takes a little longer (about 20 minutes)
• Hardwiring may necessitate the assistance of a specialist.

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