Wiring up my dashcam. Take power from...?

[rlievens]

Hi all,

So I wanted a dashcam for a long time now, but I never wanted it to be in my sight and block my sight even more (the Astra already has pour visibility). But I got a dashcam for free which I modified so the camera can be separated from the little screen and housing.

I want to attach the camera itself directly over my automatic high beam assist camera (which I don't use because it's not so good). There it has a perfect view of the road ahead.
The screen itself will pop out behind/next to/above my rear view mirror.
No problem here.

BUT I was looking for a good power source, where I don't have to pull a way a ton of trims. I got a small 12v to 5v usb mini power brick which I can tuck away where I want.
Was planning to take power from the roof curtesy lights. Actually was about to tap into the correct wires when I thought of something.. These wires are allways live? Even if you turn of the ignition and lock the car, the lights stay on if you have turned them on.

- Do the wires stay live untill the battery is drained? Or do they turn off after ... minutes?
- Do you know of another 12v wire I can cafely tap into that is up there?

Need a solution :( I don't want to run a wire all the way to the cigarette lighter in the center console. Thanks.

[sparkyscfc74]

Hi all,

So I wanted a dashcam for a long time now, but I never wanted it to be in my sight and block my sight even more (the Astra already has pour visibility). But I got a dashcam for free which I modified so the camera can be separated from the little screen and housing.

I want to attach the camera itself directly over my automatic high beam assist camera (which I don't use because it's not so good). There it has a perfect view of the road ahead.
The screen itself will pop out behind/next to/above my rear view mirror.
No problem here.

BUT I was looking for a good power source, where I don't have to pull a way a ton of trims. I got a small 12v to 5v usb mini power brick which I can tuck away where I want.
Was planning to take power from the roof curtesy lights. Actually was about to tap into the correct wires when I thought of something.. These wires are allways live? Even if you turn of the ignition and lock the car, the lights stay on if you have turned them on.

- Do the wires stay live untill the battery is drained? Or do they turn off after ... minutes?
- Do you know of another 12v wire I can cafely tap into that is up there?

Need a solution :( I don't want to run a wire all the way to the cigarette lighter in the center console. Thanks.

I’m not sure if I’m 100% correct on this and maybe someone could back me up but if your car has the little ambient light in the courtesy light I’m sure you can take the feed from there. But like I say could do with someone else confirming this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kebibg]

I thing the module in courtesy light is manipulated by LIN bus (if have green thin cable). Then Ambient light LED will be switched ON/OFF via LIN bus.All Other bulb too. Many modules in this car like in my Insignia are controlled via LIN bus because this will eliminate many cables. One IC for LIN bus is around 1$ max. Check for green thin cable on lamp module. Original camera, Rain sensor, Light sensor all of them are read over LIN bus.


Regards

[rlievens]

Thank you both.
You are correct, there is an ambient light in those courtesy light switches.
If I can find the correct wire I might be able to tap into that. But I wouldn't have a clue to which one.

Do the rainsensor, camera, light sensor all receive 12V? I'm a bit scared to fumble with those wires, don't want to fry the sensors.

I don't 100% get what you think I should do @kebibg. Do I just tap into this thin green cable or...?

Need some more advise please

[zzattack]

Do not tap into the green wire if that contains the LINbus signals. If there's a switched 12V there you could use it of course, but I doubt that's the case. Seeing as the light is still on until you open/close the door and lock it, etc.

You mention not wanting to run wire down to the center console. Why not? This is exactly what I'd do. Getting the wire from the ambient lights panel to the A pillar, along the glove box to behind the radio is all fairly accessible and certainly a proven and clean way of doing it.

[rlievens]

idk, it seemed easyer to just take power from up there rather then going all that way behind all those other panels.
But I'll do it if there's no other easy way

Just wanting to check if people know any other solution. Seems hard to believe none of all those wires are good to tap into

[Rusty2009]

Here's a couple of pins out which mat help you.

[rlievens]

Thanks a lot Rusty!
I know next to nothing about the electronics in a car, so I still might need some help to interpret these scheme's.

Is it safe to assume that I can use:
Pin 9. Battery Positive Voltage
Pin 10. Ground
to wire up the dashcam?

EDIT: probably not as they will probably stay powered even after you switch off ignition..

Anybody want to figure this out for me ?

Thanks!

[zzattack]

Is it safe to assume that I can use:
Pin 9. Battery Positive Voltage
Pin 10. Ground
to wire up the dashcam?

EDIT: probably not as they will probably stay powered even after you switch off ignition..

Yes this way they will stay on indeed, so don't use pin 9. Run/crack would work, that gives a possible voltage while the car is running but stops immediately when you shut the engine off. It's more common to use 'accessory' or 'ignition' for this, where I personally prefer accessory because ignition gets cut while cranking.

[rlievens]

Oh I see, allright, I'll try Pin 10 and 11 then.
If I understand it correctly, the downside will be that if I get into an accident or whatever and the car stalls, the powers cuts out immediately?
Maybe not so perfect after all.

[sparkyscfc74]

Oh I see, allright, I'll try Pin 10 and 11 then.
If I understand it correctly, the downside will be that if I get into an accident or whatever and the car stalls, the powers cuts out immediately?
Maybe not so perfect after all.

If you struggle to find a solution, you could run a obd2 power cable down the A pillar
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01NH0M...14WjQlDxhL



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zzattack]

OBD2 output is also constant

[kebibg]

Hi again,
I want to apologize for lying to you. The cable is the same but the communication protocol is GMLAN.
This is SWCAN bus (Single Wire CAN bus) on 33.3kbps.

Now lets return on question:
Your camera drain no more of 20mA current.You don't have a problem to connect it anywhere on 12v with sleep function.
I thing pin 1 (circuit 6815) on connector of dome/readings lamps connector is fine. this is 12v. only when the car is Wake UP. If car is sleep don't have a power this is in my mind.You can easy check it with one LED on 12v or LED with resistor in series because LEDs are 2v or around .
When your car is in sleep? Your car will go to sleep 4 seconds after last door lock. Car go to wake up when unlock or click on button for tailgate or button on keyless if have. Sorry for my bad English.

Pins 10(circuit 1550) for "-" and pin 11(circuit 39) for "+" too need to work fine.

Regards

[niteram]

Hi, I now need to wire in some electrical stuff into the centre console (below the radio) of my daughters J
where is the best place to take a permenant 12v feed from?

[niteram]

OK, I took the feeds I needed from the front fusebox behind the glovebox, one permenant 12v and one ignition 12v.
the perm 12v now feeds the parrot handsfree kit and the ignition feed powers 2 usb charge ports (via a 12v-5v adapter)

the reason I fitted these and not genuine GM items was simply down to cost, they were already fitted in my daughters old car, so I just had to remove them and refit in the J.
just cost me the price of 2 fused adapters.
I'm not tight just careful, very careful.