Idea: Wire a Dash Cam "Parking Mode" to an Aux Switch?

[cafecito]

So, if this is completely stupid, forgive me - I'm confident enough to change a lightswitch or flip a tripped breaker back on, but that's about it. I'm no electrician, nor am I a mechanic.

I've been researching dash cams recently, and I really hate the idea that all of them rely on battery power to run their "Parking Mode" (recording based on motion and/or impacts to the vehicle). I know they don't drain the battery that badly these days, but the thought of having a camera monitoring the interior of my garage just irks me to no end. So here's my idea...

Dash cam hardwire kits come with two wires (not counting the ground, obviously) - one that requires power only when the vehicle is on (ACC / accessory power), and one that requires constant power (for parking mode).

What if I were to wire the ACC cable directly to the fuse box, as intended, and the constant wire (for parking mode) to one of the AUX switches? The idea is that if I park in a public place, I can press the AUX button to turn parking mode on, but if I'm just parked at home for days on end, I can turn it off without having to pull the power cable from the camera.

Here's some expert level artistry to illustrate what I'm thinking:

If this is theoretically possible, I have a couple questions...

1. I know that a dash cam wouldn't require the high amperage from AUX 1 or 2, but would there be any potential issue(s) connecting a dash cam hardwire line to an AUX wire? A simple crimp and heat shrink connector should do the trick, right?
2. I've heard of the auto start/stop feature screwing with people's camera power sources. Has anyone had any issues with their cameras losing power while at a stop? (I can't imagine Jeep wouldn't have thought of this, but I have to ask.)

Sorry for the wall of text! I just want to make sure I'm not wasting a ton of time/money if there's some huge thing I'm missing about this.

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[The Crusader]

So, if this is completely stupid, forgive me - I'm confident enough to change a lightswitch or flip a tripped breaker back on, but that's about it. I'm no electrician, nor am I a mechanic.

I've been researching dash cams recently, and I really hate the idea that all of them rely on battery power to run their "Parking Mode" (recording based on motion and/or impacts to the vehicle). I know they don't drain the battery that badly these days, but the thought of having a camera monitoring the interior of my garage just irks me to no end. So here's my idea...

Dash cam hardwire kits come with two wires (not counting the ground, obviously) - one that requires power only when the vehicle is on (ACC / accessory power), and one that requires constant power (for parking mode).

What if I were to wire the ACC cable directly to the fuse box, as intended, and the constant wire (for parking mode) to one of the AUX switches? The idea is that if I park in a public place, I can press the AUX button to turn parking mode on, but if I'm just parked at home for days on end, I can turn it off without having to pull the power cable from the camera.

Here's some expert level artistry to illustrate what I'm thinking:

If this is theoretically possible, I have a couple questions...

1. I know that a dash cam wouldn't require the high amperage from AUX 1 or 2, but would there be any potential issue(s) connecting a dash cam hardwire line to an AUX wire? A simple crimp and heat shrink connector should do the trick, right?
2. I've heard of the auto start/stop feature screwing with people's camera power sources. Has anyone had any issues with their cameras losing power while at a stop? (I can't imagine Jeep wouldn't have thought of this, but I have to ask.)

Sorry for the wall of text! I just want to make sure I'm not wasting a ton of time/money if there's some huge thing I'm missing about this.

It sounds like a good idea. What is the amp hour rating of the auxiliary battery and the draw of the camera? You would need to run power wires through the firewall to your dash camera.

Is there an unswitched DC outlet that you could install a power switch for to feed to your camera? It would save an aux switch and eliminate the need to feed wiring from the engine bay.

 

[cafecito]

It sounds like a good idea. What is the amp hour rating of the auxiliary battery and the draw of the camera? You would need to run power wires through the firewall to your dash camera.

Is there an unswitched DC outlet that you could install a power switch for to feed to your camera? It would save an aux switch and eliminate the need to feed wiring from the engine bay.

The spec page for the camera just says that it requires 12/24v of input power, but it doesn't go into any more detail than that. Maybe it'll say in the manual (I'll check when it shows up in the mail).

https://us.thinkware.com/product-page/f200pro/

We do have a 12v outlet plug behind the armrest, but my wife likes to plug seasonal lights and decorations into that, so we'd prefer to keep it clear.
Great idea though!

 

[TroutFishingInAmerica]

If you have the factory switch group there is a constant hot in the bundle along with the switch wires so no need to go to battery. Idk about your cam but on the constant hot wire of mine it has a low voltage cutout so it cuts off if battery drains to a selected level, I have mine on the highest level but I don't remember what that was.
I wired mine kinda dirty but simple, I don't have garage/parking mode the way I wired it. I have a couple choices, (1) off, (2) on and off with the truck, (3) on and off regardless of the truck. I spliced both wires together and ran it through the voltage cutout then to my Aux switch. So what I get is when programmable switch is in Acc it comes on and off with the truck unless you select the Aux switch to off. If programmable switch is set to on/off then you just select on/off your Aux switch, it will stay on in this mode, not sleep or garage parking mode, it's just on. The low voltage cutout should protect you from a dead battery. I normally keep it in Acc and it is on/off with the truck, just a few times I have used the constant on, longest was about 8 hrs and battery was fine.

 

[cafecito]

If you have the factory switch group there is a constant hot in the bundle along with the switch wires so no need to go to battery.

But aren't the 4 wires in the AUX bundle dependent upon the PDC and AUX switches to either provide power or not? That would definitely be nice if one of those wires could bypass the need to go through the firewall, but I didn't think that was possible.

 

[TroutFishingInAmerica]

But aren't the 4 wires in the AUX bundle dependent upon the PDC and AUX switches to either provide power or not? That would definitely be nice if one of those wires could bypass the need to go through the firewall, but I didn't think that was possible.

In the factory aux switch bundle there are 6 wires. 4 go to the 4 aux switches, 1 is hot always, and 1 I think was acc.

 

[cafecito]

In the factory aux switch bundle there are 6 wires. 4 go to the 4 aux switches, 1 is hot always, and 1 I think was acc.

Well shit, even better. Thanks man!

 

[kahuna357]

In the factory aux switch bundle there are 6 wires. 4 go to the 4 aux switches, 1 is hot always, and 1 I think was acc.

Where are these wires located? Are they in the cab or in the engine bay?
Thanks

 

[TroutFishingInAmerica]

Where are these wires located? Are they in the cab or in the engine bay?
Thanks

Both, there's a bundle passenger side under the dash, and engine bay next to the battery.

 

[wildtaco]

Where are these wires located? Are they in the cab or in the engine bay?
Thanks

Both, there's a bundle passenger side under the dash, and engine bay next to the battery.

Not exactly. Under dash has 6 wires (4 aux switches, 1 hot, 1 acc) and under hood is just the 4 aux.

 

[kahuna357]

Both, there's a bundle passenger side under the dash, and engine bay next to the battery.

Thanks

 

[kahuna357]

Not exactly. Under dash has 6 wires (4 aux switches, 1 hot, 1 acc) and under hood is just the 4 aux.

Thanks

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