Greetings fellow DIYers, just wanted to share some details of a dashcam install. This is a slightly different approach to how you might have seen it done elsewhere, however this has worked well for me and I've done two cars like this.
Step 1, Change the interior overhead light for LED.
Normal interior light:
View media item 102789
LED interior light:
View media item 102790
The difference between these two bulbs in terms of current should be enough to run a dashcam off. You might get away without doing this and still not blow a fuse, but since it's just a few quid involved I always do this. You have to fit the LED bulbs the right way round but it's a minor annoyance.
Step 2, obtain 12v -> 5v converter off ebay.
One like this will do:
View media item 102794
I don't really rate these CPT ones, they are not as efficient as others you can get now, but I had this >5 years unused and didn't want to waste it. One slight annoyance is that it didn't come with a female USB output, for the dashcam, which had to be soldered on.
Step 3, inspect/adapt interior overhead light unit.
These usually just slide forward or back a bit and then you can lever them out. They invariably come with bare 'PCBs' if I can call them that, which have tracks that are severed during manufacture to make up the circuit. There should be points at which you can attach leads, either by soldering or (if you're lucky) with a crimp. Depending on the car you should find 12v switched from the ignition somewhere on the unit. Also, if you have a lower spec model it's very likely there will be components missing from this unit which provide the ideal position for the 5v converter, in this case stuck on with a glue gun:
View media item 102797
Here is the soldered earth connection:
View media item 102793
Once you have a USB socket up there, it should be a simple matter of connecting the power to your dashcam as the roof fabric is usually flexible just above the windscreen and you can probably push it through.
Step 1, Change the interior overhead light for LED.
Normal interior light:
View media item 102789
LED interior light:
View media item 102790
The difference between these two bulbs in terms of current should be enough to run a dashcam off. You might get away without doing this and still not blow a fuse, but since it's just a few quid involved I always do this. You have to fit the LED bulbs the right way round but it's a minor annoyance.
Step 2, obtain 12v -> 5v converter off ebay.
One like this will do:
View media item 102794
I don't really rate these CPT ones, they are not as efficient as others you can get now, but I had this >5 years unused and didn't want to waste it. One slight annoyance is that it didn't come with a female USB output, for the dashcam, which had to be soldered on.
Step 3, inspect/adapt interior overhead light unit.
These usually just slide forward or back a bit and then you can lever them out. They invariably come with bare 'PCBs' if I can call them that, which have tracks that are severed during manufacture to make up the circuit. There should be points at which you can attach leads, either by soldering or (if you're lucky) with a crimp. Depending on the car you should find 12v switched from the ignition somewhere on the unit. Also, if you have a lower spec model it's very likely there will be components missing from this unit which provide the ideal position for the 5v converter, in this case stuck on with a glue gun:
View media item 102797
Here is the soldered earth connection:
View media item 102793
Once you have a USB socket up there, it should be a simple matter of connecting the power to your dashcam as the roof fabric is usually flexible just above the windscreen and you can probably push it through.
