Automotive

HELP w/ carcam+battery pack+power outlet setup

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  • Aug 23rd, 2017 1:14 pm
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Aug 22nd, 2017 2:26 am
tranquility922 [OP]
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Sep 21, 2010
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Aug 22nd, 2017 2:26 am

HELP w/ carcam+battery pack+power outlet setup

I have a carcam that gets power via a usb wire that plugs into my car's power outlet. I also have a battery pack that the wire plugs into when my car's off/locked because no power comes out of the outlet unless car's on. This means that I have to go through the trb of un/plugging to and fro between the car's outlet and battery pack.

I thought of a new setup and wanna know if it'll work or somehow fry something? I will plug the carcam into the battery pack, which in turn will plug into the outlet. Will that mean the battery pack will never drain? Do you guys see any prb w/ this setup?
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Aug 23rd, 2017 4:08 am
CaptSmethwick
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Aug 23rd, 2017 4:08 am

It all depends on whether or not your battery pack can simultaneously be charged and provide power. If it can, you should be good for trips that are long enough for which the battery pack can supply power as presumably your dashcam would consumer power supplied by the battery pack faster than the pack's charge is being topped up (although that is not necessarily so).

Alternatively, you can rewire your car's power outlet to not switch off with the ignition - which, depending on the car model, is either easy or really really complicated.
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Aug 23rd, 2017 9:52 am
Kasakato
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Mar 25, 2005
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Aug 23rd, 2017 9:52 am

Find a constant power circuit and hardwire via a battery saver. The battery pack will be run down fairly quickly if it's in a car all year and is charged/discharged.
Aug 23rd, 2017 12:41 pm
tranquility922 [OP]
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Aug 23rd, 2017 12:41 pm

CaptSmethwick wrote: ↑ It all depends on whether or not your battery pack can simultaneously be charged and provide power. If it can, you should be good for trips that are long enough for which the battery pack can supply power as presumably your dashcam would consumer power supplied by the battery pack faster than the pack's charge is being topped up (although that is not necessarily so).

Alternatively, you can rewire your car's power outlet to not switch off with the ignition - which, depending on the car model, is either easy or really really complicated.
Argh, the answer is no, just tested it. If I don't want to mess w/ the car itself, I guess that I'm stuck w/ my original setup?
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Aug 23rd, 2017 1:14 pm
tranquility922 [OP]
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Aug 23rd, 2017 1:14 pm

seafish wrote: ↑ OBD to USB adapter? I think it's always powered. But you may drain your 12V battery if you leave it on for a long time (description tells that it has a protection to automatically power off in case of low voltage, but I wouldn't count on it)
Ya, that's too 'high tech' for me, don't wanna mess w/ my OBD port or drain my battery.

Just wanted to confirm here if this (my original setup) is the 'best' I can do w/ my limitations.

EDIT: scratch that, 1 battery pack didn't work but my 2nd one can simultaneously charge and provide power...weird how they differ. So now my only step is to unplug the battery pack from the power outlet whenever I leave the car overnight. Otherwise, it's all set up.
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