Three Wire Kit Strangeness

[bjones211]

I have the three wire kit hooked up through my 2019 F-250's up-fitter switches which are fused switches up by the rear view mirror. I have the battery wire hooked to a switch that when in the on position supplies constant battery voltage. I have the ACC wire hooked up to another switch that when in the on position supplies accessory voltage only when the truck is running. I did all this so I could easily turn off recording and parking mode separately with the up-fitter switches. I tested these connections with a voltmeter before hooking up the three wire kit.

My idea was if I left the battery up-fitter switch in the off position I could use the dashcam without the parking mode. I'm seeing that the battery switch must always be on or the dashcam won't work. This tells me that the three wire kit won't pass any voltage through the cable if it sees no battery voltage even though there is accessory voltage. Does that sound right or do I have a bad three wire kit?

 

[GilesP]

That would be logical - a lack of voltage on the permanent supply may result from a blown fuse, caused by a wiring fault - you wouldn't want your installation to continue working if faulty surely?

I have been curious as to the biasing between the loads of the permanent and switched supply, does the switched supply provide the main load current, and the permanent just a maintenance current for parking mode, or is the switched supply just a sense connection which carries no load?

I don't suppose anyone has fitted a amp-meter to each connection to determine this?

 

[SP777]

This tells me that the three wire kit won't pass any voltage through the cable if it sees no battery voltage even though there is accessory voltage. Does that sound right or do I have a bad three wire kit?

Yes, it is by design. ACC input is used only as a signal, all the power is always taken from the Battery input.

 

[bjones211]

I rewired the dashcam yesterday as follows:

• Yellow wire to fuse location that turns on with ignition (accessory wire).
• Red wire to always on battery tap controlled by an up-fitter switch in the cabin.

Now I'm seeing that I have to toggle the up-fitter switch one or two times to get the camera to come on after I had turned it off as I don't want parking mode to be engaged in my driveway.

Is the camera thinking it "lost power" due to a battery drain and behaving strangely? Why would the camera just not come on again when it sensed acc and battery power? Starting to think the three wire kit is a piece of crap...

 

[Capture Your Action]

I rewired the dashcam yesterday as follows:

• Yellow wire to fuse location that turns on with ignition (accessory wire).
• Red wire to always on battery tap controlled by an up-fitter switch in the cabin.

Now I'm seeing that I have to toggle the up-fitter switch one or two times to get the camera to come on after I had turned it off as I don't want parking mode to be engaged in my driveway.

Is the camera thinking it "lost power" due to a battery drain and behaving strangely? Why would the camera just not come on again when it sensed acc and battery power? Starting to think the three wire kit is a piece of crap...

Are you turning the BATT red wire (up-fitter) switch on before starting the car? I believe the camera needs to see constant power from the red wire before it sees power from the yellow wire.
Maybe turn on the up-fitter switch and wait about 10 seconds, then turn on the truck and see how it operates.

 

[benkar]

Are you turning the BATT red wire (up-fitter) switch on before starting the car? I believe the camera needs to see constant power from the red wire before it sees power from the yellow wire.
Maybe turn on the up-fitter switch and wait about 10 seconds, then turn on the truck and see how it operates.

I mainly miss the sense a 3 wire set over a up-fitter switch. What is it good for? Or did I misunderstand that?

 

[Capture Your Action]

I mainly miss the sense a 3 wire set over a up-fitter switch. What is it good for? Or did I misunderstand that?

I believe an up-fitter switch is just an in/off switch built into the vehicle. It supplies 12V. Instead of having to manually turn the camera off when he doesn't want the camera to enter parking mode, he wants to turn the camera off with the switch (it's probably easier to see and reach).

 

[bjones211]

Exactly, the up-fitter switch is handy vs. fumbling with the dashcam. I'll try flipping the switch before I start the truck and see how that works. Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[benkar]

Exactly, the up-fitter switch is handy vs. fumbling with the dashcam. I'll try flipping the switch before I start the truck and see how that works. Thanks for everyone's help!

It seems unnecessary to me. Either I want to have the parking mode active, then set it in the camera menu (the camera stays on until it reaches the volts limit). Or I don't want the parking mode and the camera turns off when the engine is switched off (in my case, after the key is removed). But it is only my opinion, it may not suit everyone.

 

[GilesP]

It seems unnecessary to me. Either I want to have the parking mode active, then set it in the camera menu (the camera stays on until it reaches the volts limit). Or I don't want the parking mode and the camera turns off when the engine is switched off (in my case, after the key is removed). But it is only my opinion, it may not suit everyone.

I think if you park in the same place, all the time, it's probably not an issue, but if you park in a variety of different environments, parking mode may be unsuitable - for example having motion triggered parking mode on a busy road or shop car-park would fill your card with recordings - see my other thread on a feature request.

 

[bjones211]

I live in a very safe gated community and don’t want/need parking mode in my driveway. It could sit for several days without being driven so I just reach up and flip a switch to disable the battery connection so no parking mode.

 

[benkar]

I live in a very safe gated community and don’t want/need parking mode in my driveway. It could sit for several days without being driven so I just reach up and flip a switch to disable the battery connection so no parking mode.

I think if you park in the same place, all the time, it's probably not an issue, but if you park in a variety of different environments, parking mode may be unsuitable - for example having motion triggered parking mode on a busy road or shop car-park would fill your card with recordings - see my other thread on a feature request.

I still don't understand, but I'm interested. Please explain more. Does the camera consume electricity when it is off? I think not. Wouldn't it be better to use a USB cable and a cigarette adapter for this particular case (such a connection also supports parking mode-I hope) and is it possible to easily disconnect the camera from power when needed? Or use a USB socket with a rocker switch. It seems to me that the Hardwire kit is unnecessary in this case (more complex installations and connections).

 

[bjones211]

Parking mode draws power and by hooking up the battery wire to the switch I disable parking mode without having to touch the camera and go through the menus. Pull into my driveway, flip the switch and I’m done, parking mode disabled.

 

[benkar]

Parking mode draws power and by hooking up the battery wire to the switch I disable parking mode without having to touch the camera and go through the menus. Pull into my driveway, flip the switch and I’m done, parking mode disabled.

OK, thank you.

 

[Capture Your Action]

I still don't understand, but I'm interested. Please explain more. Does the camera consume electricity when it is off? I think not. Wouldn't it be better to use a USB cable and a cigarette adapter for this particular case (such a connection also supports parking mode-I hope) and is it possible to easily disconnect the camera from power when needed? Or use a USB socket with a rocker switch. It seems to me that the Hardwire kit is unnecessary in this case (more complex installations and connections).

The automatic parking mode (turns on and off with the engine) will only work with the Viofo 3-wire hardwire kit.

 

[benkar]

The automatic parking mode (turns on and off with the engine) will only work with the Viofo 3-wire hardwire kit.

I tried that the parking mode is activated after a few minutes even if connected via a cigarette adapter and USB cable.

 

[Capture Your Action]

I tried that the parking mode is activated after a few minutes even if connected via a cigarette adapter and USB cable.

Correct, parking mode does work with the included 12V cigarette power adapter and Viofo USB cable, but it is not triggered by the ignition like it is on the Viofo 3-wire kit. Without the 3-wire kit, the camera relies on motion (or lack there of) to enter parking mode. If there is continual motion in front of the camera, then it may never enter parking mode. With the 3-wire kit, it will always enter parking mode as soon as the engine is shut off.

 

[benkar]

Correct, parking mode does work with the included 12V cigarette power adapter and Viofo USB cable, but it is not triggered by the ignition like it is on the Viofo 3-wire kit. Without the 3-wire kit, the camera relies on motion (or lack there of) to enter parking mode. If there is continual motion in front of the camera, then it may never enter parking mode. With the 3-wire kit, it will always enter parking mode as soon as the engine is shut off.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Bart57266]

If you set the 3-wire kit's switch to its highest setting (12.4V), wouldn't that eliminate the need for the switch you want to flip when parking the car long-term? In other words, you would let the camera go into parking mode, even when you know it's going to sit for several days. Then, when the battery voltage drops to 12.4, the camera would turn off and stay off until you drive again. I'm no expert, but 12.4 seems like a very safe level.

 

[benkar]

If you set the 3-wire kit's switch to its highest setting (12.4V), wouldn't that eliminate the need for the switch you want to flip when parking the car long-term? In other words, you would let the camera go into parking mode, even when you know it's going to sit for several days. Then, when the battery voltage drops to 12.4, the camera would turn off and stay off until you drive again. I'm not expert, but 12.4 seems like a very safe level.

I agree, I have the same opinion. I think another switch is useless.