Dash Cam Hard Wiring...

[Bubblyboy]

Hi everyone, I wonder if any of you well informed people might be able to answer a question that I have..
I'm going to buy the Nextbase 312GW Dash Cam and hard wire it into my 2013 Swift Sundance on a Ducato base..My question relates to the Nextbase hard wire kit or even indeed to the cheaper kits on eBay.. When I looked at the bladed fuses in the fuse box next to the drivers right knee in the cab of my vehicle, they appear to be Micro fuse's not Mini or Standard size, they are only about 10mm or 11mm wide so I'm wondering if the "Piggy Back Tail" that is supplied with these kits is small enough to fit the fuse slot?
I have searched just about every thread that I can find on here and no one mentions any problems fitting the Piggy Back tails so I'm hoping that they are suitable or else I might have to source a Micro Tail as well as the hard wire kit...
Many thanks in anticipation that someone might have an answer...

 

[Gellyneck]

@Bubblyboy
The genuine Nextbase hardwire kit comes with both.
Just done exactly what you're planning yesterday!

 

[Bubblyboy]

Oh wow that was quick Gellyneck, many thanks for that answer, its full steam ahead to order for me now then!

 

[Wombles]

Sure you will find best deal for you but more info. here https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...4-95-case-£4-95-or-less-if-buying-two.174144/ in case any of it helps.

 

[Bubblyboy]

Sure you will find best deal for you but more info. here https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/nextbase-312gw-dash-cam-£74-95-case-£4-95-or-less-if-buying-two.174144/ in case any of it helps.

I actually read your thread earlier in detail Wombles, some great info.. The 312GW is presently being sold at £79.99 at most retailers and I fancied getting it from John Lewis, who give a 2 year guarantee for the same price but they are presently out of stock and being an impatient man as I am I will probably plump for Argos or Currys, so that I can return it easily enough should there be any problems, not that I'm anticipating any of course.. thanks for your reply..

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[Gellyneck]

Oh wow that was quick Gellyneck, many thanks for that answer, its full steam ahead to order for me now then!

All assuming the same fuse layout as our 2013 Autotrail (diag attached) I used -
Fuse F49 (top row 2nd in from left) which is a switched 5A
For the earth I loosened the 10mm nut at the bottom of the fuse board a couple of turns, slipped the U spade connector under and tightened up again.
The surplus cable and transformer box pushed into the right hand side next to the dashboard panel you removed.
The cable runs up through the dashboard to the bottom of the A pillar, up in behind the door seal, over the top of the Remis blinds and along the headlining with the dashcam fitted where the mirror is usually located (I removed ours, or the wife's head did!).

 

[Bubblyboy]

All assuming the same fuse layout as our 2013 Autotrail (diag attached) I used -
Fuse F49 (top row 2nd in from left) which is a switched 5A
For the earth I loosened the 10mm nut at the bottom of the fuse board a couple of turns, slipped the U spade connector under and tightened up again.
The surplus cable and transformer box pushed into the right hand side next to the dashboard panel you removed.
The cable runs up through the dashboard to the bottom of the A pillar, up in behind the door seal, over the top of the Remis blinds and along the headlining with the dashcam fitted where the mirror is usually located (I removed ours, or the wife's head did!).

Your post is virtually a mirror image of how I planned it all today, apart from using a different fuse, I had intended using F92 ( left fog light) which is 4th from left on the bottom row. I checked with a multi-meter to make sure it was ignition switched but am not totally sure until I try a dummy run... I considered the fuse that you used but it seemed to have some important things on it eg "parking sensor control unit, battery disconnecting unit etc" and it all sounded a bit technical as opposed to "left fog light" !lol ... I have researched and all the advice was to stay away from air bag fuses, engine management fuses etc so I took the least path of resistence, ie the fog light fuse but will consider what you have done as it obviously worked ok... I even selected the same earth point and had that planned, my only concern in that area being that the bolt is tightened to plastic under the head but again its obviously worked for you, so thats what I'll use.
I'm mounting the Cam just to the left of our rear view mirror ( rear cams on that so can't remove it) bearing in mind the 40 mm intrusion into the "wiped area" and I hope it will be ok there.. failing that it will be in the top right corner of the screen but I prefer the central position better... Thanks so much for the info and the reassurance I have now that this plan will come together!

 

[Gellyneck]

Your post is virtually a mirror image of how I planned it all today, apart from using a different fuse, I had intended using F92 ( left fog light) which is 4th from left on the bottom row. I checked with a multi-meter to make sure it was ignition switched but am not totally sure until I try a dummy run... I considered the fuse that you used but it seemed to have some important things on it eg "parking sensor control unit, battery disconnecting unit etc" and it all sounded a bit technical as opposed to "left fog light" !lol ... I have researched and all the advice was to stay away from air bag fuses, engine management fuses etc so I took the least path of resistence, ie the fog light fuse but will consider what you have done as it obviously worked ok... I even selected the same earth point and had that planned, my only concern in that area being that the bolt is tightened to plastic under the head but again its obviously worked for you, so thats what I'll use.
I'm mounting the Cam just to the left of our rear view mirror ( rear cams on that so can't remove it) bearing in mind the 40 mm intrusion into the "wiped area" and I hope it will be ok there.. failing that it will be in the top right corner of the screen but I prefer the central position better... Thanks so much for the info and the reassurance I have now that this plan will come together!

Folk are gonna start talking about us!

My first thoughts were to use F92 (or F93 - 3rd in from left) but as I don't have fog-lights fitted what does this fuse actually protect? Just a further thought. If it is for one of the front fog lights do these not normally power up only when the lights are on? Could be a total red herring but .........
The bolt head (not nut!) goes through the plastic fuse board but into a metal bracket behind that (or so I believe) and works fine.

On the 40mm I had thought about that but as I have no mirror there it actually intrudes less into the wiped area. If you are concerned about it @Wombles advised on the other thread Nextbase will send you a lower profile adhesive mount that should mitigate this but may impact on the Remis blinds.

Be aware the gap between the dashboard and "A" pillar looks easy but it ain't! I had to use a fibreglass rod to pull the cable up as you can't rely on gravity dropping the cable down as the transformer box doesn't go through the gap! A lot of wiggling and shoogling around to get it through.

Also, I've only just fitted it and only tried it all with ignition on and engine running in a static position. Off on Friday for a couple of weeks so good try out then.

You should be aware there is a lot of reflection from the top of the dashboard on the footage and in the other thread @Wombles mentioned a Nextbase lens from Halfords (£20) and a cheaper option (£13) from somewhere else.

Best of luck.

 

[Bubblyboy]

Haha, let them talk! lol.. I may have assumed wrong re the "fog light" fuse and could look a right plonker in text, I assumed that it meant the rear fog lights but even if I'm right I might not be able to use it as you say as they are controlled via the headlights and might not be "live" just when the ignition is on! So in hindsight I will use the fuse that you did to piggy back off... You have confirmed the difficulty that I expected to have in getting the cable up to the cam position, I realised too that it had to go up rather than down because of the transformer box but I always enjoy a challenge! lol.. Thanks for the info re the polarised lens, I had read wombles thread and thought that I would try the cam in situ first and if it needs it I will get that at a later date.. I have just reserved the cam at Argos and ordered the sd card and Nextbase Hard wiring kit at Amazon for delivery tomorrow...I can't wait to get started! )