Wiring a dash cam. Looking for an interior fuse of 15A+ that is switched EX-T 2018 (BlackVue b-124)

GuyWithAQuestion

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Hi all.

I've been lurking for a bit, but made an account to see if I could get a very specific question answered or get pointed in the right direction as I've not found anyone else with the same issue.

I'm trying to hardwire in a BlackVue 750S-2CH dash cam into my car. However, I'm trying to do it using a BlackVue B-124 Power Magic Ultra Battery.

The long story short is that I need to find a fuse that is at least a 15A that is switched (e.g when the car is off, the fuse is off... so not permanent, otherwise it will drain my car battery). The battery itself draws 5A if plugged in through the front accessory socket, 9 to 13.5 A if hardwired through the fuse box (9A when the battery is just charging, but up to 13.5A if it's charging AND powering the dash cam).

My initially thinking was that I would simply use the Front Acc Socket (or better yet the Rear Acc Socket) as both were 20A fuses in them. However, using a multimeter, I found that these are permanent fuses; Though the sockets turn off (eg. any device plugged into the sockets turns off when the car is switched off), 12V continuously runs through the fuses even when the car is turned off (so those fuses are permanent), so I suspect the switch is somewhere after the fuse box. In fact, ALL of the 20A fuses are permanent. The only 15A fuse in the interior fuse box goes to the fuel pump and like all the other essentials of the car (e.g. SRS, Front Sensor Camera, ABS), I'm not willing to mess with something like that (only non essentials like power seats or other non-essentials or features that are missing from the car).

My question is, has anyone done any similar hardwiring into their Civic fusebox with a BlackVue B-124 (or CellLink Neo, a similar type battery) and do you have any recommendations.

Thank you in advance.
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SCOPESYS

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Hi all.

I've been lurking for a bit, but made an account to see if I could get a very specific question answered or get pointed in the right direction as I've not found anyone else with the same issue.

I'm trying to hardwire in a BlackVue 750S-2CH dash cam into my car. However, I'm trying to do it using a BlackVue B-124 Power Magic Ultra Battery.

The long story short is that I need to find a fuse that is at least a 15A that is switched (e.g when the car is off, the fuse is off... so not permanent, otherwise it will drain my car battery). The battery itself draws 5A if plugged in through the front accessory socket, 9 to 13.5 A if hardwired through the fuse box (9A when the battery is just charging, but up to 13.5A if it's charging AND powering the dash cam).

My initially thinking was that I would simply use the Front Acc Socket (or better yet the Rear Acc Socket) as both were 20A fuses in them. However, using a multimeter, I found that these are permanent fuses; Though the sockets turn off (eg. any device plugged into the sockets turns off when the car is switched off), 12V continuously runs through the fuses even when the car is turned off (so those fuses are permanent), so I suspect the switch is somewhere after the fuse box. In fact, ALL of the 20A fuses are permanent. The only 15A fuse in the interior fuse box goes to the fuel pump and like all the other essentials of the car (e.g. SRS, Front Sensor Camera, ABS), I'm not willing to mess with something like that (only non essentials like power seats or other non-essentials or features that are missing from the car).

My question is, has anyone done any similar hardwiring into their Civic fusebox with a BlackVue B-124 (or CellLink Neo, a similar type battery) and do you have any recommendations.

Thank you in advance.
You might consider using a Relay and your own dedicated fuses.

Power the relay coil via a 1A fuse from a ACC power source that switches on and off with the car.
Then from a high current source, via your big 15A fuse (dedicated for your battery unit), power the battery unit via the normally open contacts on the relay.

This is typically how most of the power circuits are on the car that have to supply high currents. They do so via a relay.
 

inc0gnito

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I'm currently using the Blackvue B-124 hardwired to power the DRS900-2ch. The only socket/fuse that works would be the 1st. Had the setup since June/July-ish with no issues so far
 
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GuyWithAQuestion

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Thank you for the response, SCOPESYS & inc0gnito.

I haven't yet considered the relay, but I imagine that would require a lot more hard wiring.

inc0gnito, do you mean the first fuse? Looks like that goes to "Accessory" and is wired for 10A. Do you know which accessory that means? I'm assuming not the accessory socket since that is labeled something else (fuse sockets 10 & 29). One thing that I wonder is what that accessory is and if it's being used without me knowing it. If that is on (and assuming it's drawing 10A) and I hardwire the blackvue b-124 which will be 9A , because the fuse-tap is a parallel circuit that might overload the lead wire with 19A and fry the wiring. Of course if the accessory isn't in use, that wouldn't happen. Of course, correct my thinking if I'm off base here.

Thank you all again!


SMALL UPDATE:

In the mean time (as of last night), I think I just found a workable solution for myself and wanted to post it here in case it helps someone else, as well.

As I said above, I couldn't find any 20A internal fuses that were switched, so I started looking at the lesser amperage fuses; one of those that does switch off with the car is the 3rd fuse slot that goes to "RR Wip" (my EX-T does not have a rear window wiper, hence despite there already being a fuse there it is unused). I used a fuse tap in that slot; I left the lower slot on the fuse tap empty and filled in the top slot that goes to my dashcam with the 10A fuse. According to the iOS app that goes with the BlackVue b-124, I can see when the car is powered on with the dash cam and it's hardwired it draws 9A and uses 0.3A for the camera, so it might be using up to 9.3A, which is below the original 10A. If I upgrade my camera in the future and it draws more than 1.0A at a time this may not be a workable solution, but for now it works and seems safe.

Additionally, I've been monitoring temperatures at various times and the highest I've seen the internal battery temp go was 30 degrees Celsius (well within what the user manual's Charging Temperature: 0 Ā°C āˆ’ 45 Ā°C (32 Ā°F āˆ’ 113 Ā°F) )... and that's when I turned on my heated seats this morning :).
 

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Only the 1st one worked for me to where the battery would discharge when car is off. I tried slot 36(empty)/37(option) with no luck and just about every other one as well. The 1st one powers the head unit of the sport touring.

Honda Civic 10th gen Wiring a dash cam. Looking for an interior fuse of 15A+ that is switched EX-T 2018 (BlackVue b-124) 20181109_202408


Honda Civic 10th gen Wiring a dash cam. Looking for an interior fuse of 15A+ that is switched EX-T 2018 (BlackVue b-124) 20181109_201537
 


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GuyWithAQuestion

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Thanks! It looks like the same fuse box diagram as mine (not a big surprise).

For me, slot 36 doesn't appear to go to anything, but then again it still stays powered when the car is off. Fuse slot 37 I was initially wondering what it went to until I pulled it while the car was running... turns out the "Option" went to my LKAS & CMB which are two things I wanted to steer clear of messing with. I had to drive around for a half an hour to get them to reset once I put back in the fuse :) .

If it's a Touring I'm assuming you wouldn't have anything going to the RR Wiper either and if it's wired the same as mine it should shut down when the car is off.

I have no idea how much power the head unit actually draws in (I couldn't find it anywhere when I searched) but if it is anywhere close to that 10A the fuse is rated for I would wonder about overloading the lead wires. This is one the videos that made me seek out advice about all this in the first place. I didn't have a firm grasp (and still am not 100% sure), but wanted to share what I was thinking.

Great follow up and information so far! I truly appreciate it.
 

SCOPESYS

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Thanks! It looks like the same fuse box diagram as mine (not a big surprise).

For me, slot 36 doesn't appear to go to anything, but then again it still stays powered when the car is off. Fuse slot 37 I was initially wondering what it went to until I pulled it while the car was running... turns out the "Option" went to my LKAS & CMB which are two things I wanted to steer clear of messing with. I had to drive around for a half an hour to get them to reset once I put back in the fuse :) .

If it's a Touring I'm assuming you wouldn't have anything going to the RR Wiper either and if it's wired the same as mine it should shut down when the car is off.

I have no idea how much power the head unit actually draws in (I couldn't find it anywhere when I searched) but if it is anywhere close to that 10A the fuse is rated for I would wonder about overloading the lead wires. This is one the videos that made me seek out advice about all this in the first place. I didn't have a firm grasp (and still am not 100% sure), but wanted to share what I was thinking.

Great follow up and information so far! I truly appreciate it.
If your Head Unit's Specification says 9A (and may even have it's own 10A fuse), then that is the MAXIMUM current that the manufacturer clams the HU can draw, under the worst conditions, playing at FULL VOLUME etc.

The Typical current may well be only 1 or 2 amps, so the heating effect on any wiring is not a continuous 10 A, but more like 2 amps.
The wiring "should" be heavy enough for a continuous 10A if the circuit in the car is fitted with a 10amp fuse ... so NO NEED TO WORRY about oem wiring not being heavy enough.
 
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Only the 1st one worked for me to where the battery would discharge when car is off. I tried slot 36(empty)/37(option) with no luck and just about every other one as well. The 1st one powers the head unit of the sport touring.

20181109_202408.jpg


20181109_201537.jpg
Hi, did u note which is the load side on No: 1 slot? Thanks Plan on wiring my dash cam soon...
 

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Sorry, I don't know all the technical terms. Possible to expand on that question more?
From what Iā€™ve read the top of the fuse slot is the power side which completes with the bulb tester when itā€™s grounded that is lights up when testing the bottom slot it does not light up I know you have to keep this in the proper order itā€™s like positive to positive negative to negative from what Iā€™ve read it does make a difference
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