I know there are plenty of threads on dash cams... But none seem to cover my idea:

Got hit on the weekend. SO now want CCTV front and back! (horse = bolted)

Thinking about ignition-on charged power bank e.g. http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-10000mah-...Ak-N8P8HAQ

...running two decent USB HD dash cams so I get min 48 hours running if I leave the car -all without draining main car battery.

Could run some other USB stuff too.

Any thoughts? Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

Or this:- https://www.blackvue.com/power-magic-pro/

You plug any 12v device into it, it doesn't need to a Blackvue 2006 4.2 SC
2019 Renault Zoe Dynamique Nav

Saw that, but it's not a battery. Just a cut-off device.

Figure a RR battery doesn't need anything draining it while parked.... I've got a FBH for that job!

Hence the separate battery pack.

. Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

The maplin one only has USB out, so you'd need to make sure you have a USB powered camera and not a 12v one.

It will only make a difference if you connect it to an ignition live - and then it will just run down the battery pack until flat - but no reason it shouldn't work

Another option is a Flloureon which would give you a much bigger battery and the option of 12v out.

The Blackvue will cut the dashcam off at say 12.5v which means you can at least start the car.

As said above, the small battery restricts you to a typically lower quality 5v dashcam. You could go for a 12v battery and wire that to ignition, maybe something like the stolen vehicle trackers use:- https://www.batteryclerk.co.uk/panasonic-u...oCAGjw_wcB

Also bear in mind that if you power the dashcam all the time it will burn through SD cards quite regularly, that's why the Blackvue switch is nice as I'm sure there are some occasions where you don't want the dashcam running. 2006 4.2 SC
2019 Renault Zoe Dynamique Nav

Love that idea!!

Would be ideal for me, and cheap to do too. Only thoughts are how long a 32GB card would last constantly loop recording. And as the power bank is charged by a mini USB, can you cut the plug off the lead and hard wire into the 12v? Rather than have to use the cigarette adapter and then hard wire a cigarette socket in? Accept, some days your the pigeon, some days your the statue!

''it will burn through SD cards quite regularly''


well slap my elbow with a wet kipper!!!

i didnt know SD cards can wear out and after googling i found out that they do!

apparently cards take a nominal 10k cycles and better quality cards can take more.... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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To provide an independent 12V supply for cameras you would be better using one of the many portable jump starter packs available. The packs are small enough to hide out of sight and could be charged from an ignition controlled circuit on the car or via an ignition controlled relay such that when the car ignition is off the pack would be capable of feeding the cameras without draining the car battery. A 12V supply could be taken from the pack using the booster cable outputs by removing the fitted crocodile clips and fitting an accessory socket in there place to allow the camera plug to be plugged in.

a lot of these power jump start packs do have a ciggy socket built in , some also have a 5v usb socket... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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Boydonegood wrote:

And as the power bank is charged by a mini USB, can you cut the plug off the lead and hard wire into the 12v? Rather than have to use the cigarette adapter and then hard wire a cigarette socket in?

Thanks all. I'm gonna have a go Accept, some days your the pigeon, some days your the statue!

Gonna-go-double,

I think it's an awesome idea but can I ask why you went for the 10,000mah pack? Had a quick look on EBay and there are quite a few for similar money at 50,000mah and 100,000mah. Does that mean they will last longer? Or is the 10,000 unit the one to go for due to wiring it to 12v dc and powering the camera etc?

Sorry for proberly newbie question!

I'm going to try connecting it to my trusty old 0801 dash cam (is powered by mini USB plug). If all works ok I may upgrade to a 0806. That takes a bigger 256Gb card so I guess it will last longer, as less re-writes. I know they get good and bad reviews but hasn't done me wrong yet so will stick with make.

ThankS
Tel Accept, some days your the pigeon, some days your the statue!

On capacity of power packs on eBay....

Yes, there are lots the claim very high capacity, but the claims are simply not justified. There are two issues.

- many claim mah at 3.6v, which is the native battery voltage, rather then the 5v nominal voltage of the USB out. That means they're over claiming capacity by about 40%
- the unbranded ones make claims that simply cannot be justified. 100,000mah is 100ah. Even if this is at 3.6v, that's a lot of power - about a quarter of the power capacity of your FFRR starter battery, all held comfortably in your hand. The battery technology in denser than lead acid batteries, granted, but not by anything like that much.

Rule of thumb - a 20,000 mah power bank will be really quite chunky and heavy: ok to carry in a bag, but not your pocket. Claims much above 20,000 mah are very unlikely to be true, especially if the price is cheap. Current: 2010 Range Rover L322
Vogue SE, TDV8 3.6, Bournville
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Now gone: 2002 Range Rover L322
Vogue, TD6, Giverney Green

Boydonegood wrote:

Gonna-go-double,
I think it's an awesome idea but can I ask why you went for the 10,000mah pack? Had a quick look on EBay and there are quite a few for similar money at 50,000mah and 100,000mah. Does that mean they will last longer? Or is the 10,000 unit the one to go for due to wiring it to 12v dc and powering the camera etc?
Tel

Dual car batteries would require a higher spec of cabling and switching - a pack designed for cig lighter charging will have something regulating how much current it pulls, so much easier to install

I've done dual batteries, but not on a FFRR - but some have, do a search - One example here

You basically need proper spec cable and a relay switched with the ignition.