Cam not turning off even when engine is off. Parking Mode not working?

[alamsas]

Hi guys, I recently installed my dashcam using the 3-wire hardwire kit on my '19 WRX. I was previously using the 12V plug that came with the dashcam when I haven't got the chance to do the full install of the hardwire kit. I believe that when the cam was just using the 12V plug, it turns off completely as the engine goes off.

I'm kind of confused as to how it should act when the engine is off now that it's using the hardwire kit. I've read that if you use the hardwire kit, I should connect the power cord to the cam (USB port?? Same as PC connection?) directly and not the mount.

I have also updated the firmware of the cam to V1.8 linked here: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/articles/19000087812-viofo-a129-duo-dash-cam-firmware. Even though the physical manual that came with the product linked me here: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/articles/19000097350-viofo-a129-duo-ir-dash-camera-firmware. Is that a wrong link? I don't think I got the IR version so I just used the first link.

So here's my issue: Whenever I turn off the vehicle or even when I plug in the cam while the car is off, the cam automatically turns on (REC and MIC on) even though I had parking mode set to Auto Event Detection.

Other issues that came up while troubleshooting this:
- I turn wifi on (using the wifi button) while the engine is still off and the REC and MIC lights on, and now I have all 3 lights on solid (including Wifi). I check my settings and it turns out my Parking Mode turned off and other settings I changed during that session were reset (this happens everytime I disconnect the cam from the car and plug it back in). Also, when I turn it back to Auto Event Detection and disconnect my phone but the cam remains on with the 3 lights.. Is it just sensing me inside the car that's why it stays on?

- When this happened I tested my connections to the fusebox. I removed the fuses and checked the voltage of the ports im connected to. They were reading 12.02V. After I plugged the fuses back in, the REC and MIC light were still on even though I have the kit set to 12.4V (highest setting).

I have unplugged the front camera itself for the night in fear that I drain my battery overnight.

Apologies on the buttload of questions. I'm new to the dashcam scene and it seems like there's such a steep learning curve with installing this thing. I'm really not sure what's wrong. Is it the hardwire kit? The dashcam itself? The app? The car?

P.S. If anyone could link a legend for all the extra icons in the display that's not shown in the manual, that'd be awesome!

Some pics below for reference:

- These show when the car is ON

- After engine is OFF and after plugging it in while engine remains OFF

- Engine OFF. After turning on wifi and fixing parking mode settings

 

[Capture Your Action]

When your car is off and you plug the power back into the camera, it will turn on because of the RED wire has power. It's just the way it is. You'll need to turn the key to accessory, let it power up normally, then turn accessory back off to let the camera enter parking mode again.

 

[alamsas]

When your car is off and you plug the power back into the camera, it will turn on because of the RED wire has power. It's just the way it is. You'll need to turn the key to accessory, let it power up normally, then turn accessory back off to let the camera enter parking mode again.

So basically the camera is just finicky that way? And once it's on parking mode does the unit stay on basically? Regardless of whether it's recording or not? I noticed that when I got parking mode to work the MIC stays solid but the REC either flashes or becomes solid when it detects something.

 

[Capture Your Action]

It's probably something that can be adjusted in the firmware, but not sure how high a priority it would be. Camera is supposed to turn on when power is applied, but in this case we assume that since there isn't any power to the ACC wire that it wouldn't turn on. Not sure we can simply expect it to re-enter parking mode though. Best to just try and remember to turn key to accessory and let camera boot back up normally, then turn accessory off to get it back into parking mode.
When the camera enters parking mode, the camera will remain on. Depending on what mode you choose, the lights will be a little different. In Auto Event Detection, once the camera does not sense any motion (or g-sensor), then the camera should stop recording and the REC button light will flash. MIC LED will remain solid. Once motion or g-sensor is activated, REC LED will become solid again until to more motion. The little car icon in the top left corner of the LCD screen means that parking mode is on, but it's not currently in parking mode. When that icon changes (when car turns off), then the camera has entered parking mode. The icon is different for each parking mode setting.

 

[alamsas]

It's probably something that can be adjusted in the firmware, but not sure how high a priority it would be. Camera is supposed to turn on when power is applied, but in this case we assume that since there isn't any power to the ACC wire that it wouldn't turn on. Not sure we can simply expect it to re-enter parking mode though. Best to just try and remember to turn key to accessory and let camera boot back up normally, then turn accessory off to get it back into parking mode.
When the camera enters parking mode, the camera will remain on. Depending on what mode you choose, the lights will be a little different. In Auto Event Detection, once the camera does not sense any motion (or g-sensor), then the camera should stop recording and the REC button light will flash. MIC LED will remain solid. Once motion or g-sensor is activated, REC LED will become solid again until to more motion. The little car icon in the top left corner of the LCD screen means that parking mode is on, but it's not currently in parking mode. When that icon changes (when car turns off), then the camera has entered parking mode. The icon is different for each parking mode setting.

Yeah I think I have it all figured out! If your cam is hardwired, regardless of whether parking mode is on or off, when you plug it in your car while the engine is off it WILL turn ON. Now if you have parking mode off and you switch your car to ACC and back to OFF the camera will stay OFF (with all lights off). But if you have parking mode in Auto Event Detection it WILL stay ON whether it's recording or not. Makes sense if it needs the g sensor and motion sensor to work it would still draw power.

My only question now is what is the real way to test the volt limiter? As I've mentioned, the lowest I've tested my car on is 12.02V and the highest at 12.33V. Now it wouldn't make sense for me to set the limiter to 12.4V if my car doesn't even reach that charge, but for some reason, the dashcam still powers on parking mode even if I had it set to 12.4V? This time I tested the fuse taps while they're plugged in and they were reading 12.18 while the car was OFF and the cam in parking mode. Does that mean the limiter is faulty?

 

[Capture Your Action]

There is about a 90 second delay between when the hardwire kit senses that voltage is below the set value and when it will shut down the camera. Did you wait at least 90 seconds?

 

[alamsas]

There is about a 90 second delay between when the hardwire kit senses that voltage is below the set value and when it will shut down the camera. Did you wait at least 90 seconds?

No, I did not lol. I will test that the next chance I get. I noticed that the hardwire kit switch does have a red light that shows when it's in one of the vents. I'm assuming that's a good way to know the system is off other than looking at the camera?

I could have sworn I left the switch at 12.4V though when I was doing my other tests and while I know the car's voltage jumps up when it's running, I had it on for a while during parking mode.

 

[Capture Your Action]

Yeah, red LED inside the kit means it's supplying power to the camera. When light goes out, power to camera has been cut off.

 

[Shay]

It's probably something that can be adjusted in the firmware, but not sure how high a priority it would be. Camera is supposed to turn on when power is applied, but in this case we assume that since there isn't any power to the ACC wire that it wouldn't turn on. Not sure we can simply expect it to re-enter parking mode though. Best to just try and remember to turn key to accessory and let camera boot back up normally, then turn accessory off to get it back into parking mode.
When the camera enters parking mode, the camera will remain on. Depending on what mode you choose, the lights will be a little different. In Auto Event Detection, once the camera does not sense any motion (or g-sensor), then the camera should stop recording and the REC button light will flash. MIC LED will remain solid. Once motion or g-sensor is activated, REC LED will become solid again until to more motion. The little car icon in the top left corner of the LCD screen means that parking mode is on, but it's not currently in parking mode. When that icon changes (when car turns off), then the camera has entered parking mode. The icon is different for each parking mode setting.

When the engine is off, and the cam get into the parking mode - Auto Event Detection, it is not drain the battery while the camera doesn't shut down?
I have tested it, and even after 30 minutes after shutting down the engine, the cam was still on - on parking mode, so I wonder if everything is fine in this way.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Capture Your Action]

When the engine is off, and the cam get into the parking mode - Auto Event Detection, it is not drain the battery while the camera doesn't shut down?
I have tested it, and even after 30 minutes after shutting down the engine, the cam was still on - on parking mode, so I wonder if everything is fine in this way.
Thanks in advance!

Yes, while the camera is on and in parking mode, it is draining the car battery to some degree. If your using the Viofo 3-wire hardwire kit, just set the voltage cutoff accordingly (depending on your battery health) and the kit will shut down the camera before it drains too much.

 

[Shay]

Yes, while the camera is on and in parking mode, it is draining the car battery to some degree. If your using the Viofo 3-wire hardwire kit, just set the voltage cutoff accordingly (depending on your battery health) and the kit will shut down the camera before it drains too much.

Yes we connected the camera with Viofo 3-wire hardwire kit and put the switch on the device to 12v. the parking mode do start to work when shutting down the engine.

My question is, when the parking mode starts to work, and it works when the engine is off -> in this situation, the battery doesn't got damaged like working just on the battery while the engine is off?

The battery life will end very quickly?

 

[Capture Your Action]

Quickly, no. But it will shorten the batteries life span to some degree.