Have I just been fobbed off?

[Borris]

Several weeks ago I strolled into our local Halfords and purchased a Nextbase 522GW dash cam for our brand new Beach. I also purchased a Nextbase rear window camera kit and a 64gb sd card for said dash cam. Today I took our Beach into the same branch having made an appointment to have the whole kit and caboodle fitted. Unfortunately the young girl whose job it was to do the fitting gave up after half an hours poking around looking for the appropriate fuse. She informed me that she couldn't do the job as there wasn't an ignition fuse! She then advised me that under the circumstances, the dashcam to have was a "Blackview" with either a "Power Magic Pro kit" or a "Connecta plug" kit. She told me that I'd need one or the other to protect my vehicle's battery from going flat. At this point I thought I could smell the faint whiff of bullshit.

Now I'm not an auto electrician and know just enough to not meddle in these things but having had our previous two Calis (T5 SE and a T6 Beach) successfully fitted with Nextbase dash cams at this same branch of Halfords by someone else, I suspect that I was being fobbed off. Anyway long story short, I still have these items and I thought I'd ask you knowledgeable people here on the forum before taking any further action to have this kit fitted. Having been left dissapointed I may now either have a stab at fitting it myself, subject to obtaining reliable instructions. Failing that it's back to the dealers to get them to fit it. Or was the this young lady correct and I have got the wrong kit? Our Beach has the Comfort dash layout.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[MartG]

I don't know about Nextbase but your Beach certainly does have an ignition feed, and an accessory feed if you need 'parking recording'. The California models don't have obvious fuse box info / layouts, but it is a straightforward job picking up both feeds and earth from the fuses behind the wine chiller... Have a search or get back if you need help doing it yourself, but Halfords should manage...

 

[ShmBK]

I got the same dashcam hardwired m on an ocean by VW last month. I don’t see why it’s not possible for a beach. They gave me the boxes and there was a hardwire kit there

 

[Borris]

I don't know about Nextbase but your Beach certainly does have an ignition feed, and an accessory feed if you need 'parking recording'. The California models don't have obvious fuse box info / layouts, but it is a straightforward job picking up both feeds and earth from the fuses behind the wine chiller... Have a search or get back if you need help doing it yourself, but Halfords should manage...

I did mention that there were fuses behind wine chiller having had a quick read of the hand book. I think she did access them but didn't appear to want to go any further! I will do some research and may have a go myself.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Trebor]

Several weeks ago I strolled into our local Halfords and purchased a Nextbase 522GW dash cam for our brand new Beach. I also purchased a Nextbase rear window camera kit and a 64gb sd card for said dash cam. Today I took our Beach into the same branch having made an appointment to have the whole kit and caboodle fitted. Unfortunately the young girl whose job it was to do the fitting gave up after half an hours poking around looking for the appropriate fuse. She informed me that she couldn't do the job as there wasn't an ignition fuse! She then advised me that under the circumstances, the dashcam to have was a "Blackview" with either a "Power Magic Pro kit" or a "Connecta plug" kit. She told me that I'd need one or the other to protect my vehicle's battery from going flat. At this point I thought I could smell the faint whiff of bullshit.

Now I'm not an auto electrician and know just enough to not meddle in these things but having had our previous two Calis (T5 SE and a T6 Beach) successfully fitted with Nextbase dash cams at this same branch of Halfords by someone else, I suspect that I was being fobbed off. Anyway long story short, I still have these items and I thought I'd ask you knowledgeable people here on the forum before taking any further action to have this kit fitted. Having been left dissapointed I may now either have a stab at fitting it myself, subject to obtaining reliable instructions. Failing that it's back to the dealers to get them to fit it. Or was the this young lady correct and I have got the wrong kit? Our Beach has the Comfort dash layout.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Wouldn’t let anyone from Halfords touch my van Borris . I used specialists in Poole advanced-incar.co.uk to fit Thinkware front and rear cameras which they recommended after I returned 2 cameras to Halfords due to poor quality . They did a brilliant job . They also fitted Vw original rear camera . There must be Specialist near you Boris .

 

[MattBW]

She was probably just got intimidated by the job. I think I'm with others I'd get someone who knows what they are doing, they are just installers after all and not qualified electricians.

 

[Loz]

The centre row of fuses in the C box (behind the wine cooler) are ignition switched.

 

[calikev]

i used a piggyback fuse that i bought from halfords lol

 

[Borris]

Wouldn’t let anyone from Halfords touch my van Boris . I used specialists in Poole advanced-incar.co.uk to fit Thinkware front and rear cameras which they recommended after I returned 2 cameras to Halfords due to poor quality . They did a brilliant job . They also fitted Vw original rear camera . There must be Specialist near you Boris .

I had our previous two Calis and Mrs B's car done by Halfords and up until now I've been pleased with the results.

I think it was probably as Matt says, she was probably intimidated by the job. Running the hard wire kit to the rear camera might well be an issue on a Cali. I didn't help when I told her that I'd rather she didn't proceed if there was the slightest change of damage being caused. I must say thst I wasn't very confident after having seen that she really didn't know where anything was or how it came apart. I'm not being sexist as I would have felt the same whoever was doing the job.

 

[Borris]

The centre row of fuses in the C box (behind the wine cooler) are ignition switched.

Thanks Loz you are a star. Now I'm getting somewhere. I might have a go it it myself however the weather is going to have to perk up a bit before then.

 

[Borris]

i used a piggyback fuse that i bought from halfords lol

So it's back to Halfords for me then.

 

[Borris]

She was probably just got intimidated by the job. I think I'm with others I'd get someone who knows what they are doing, they are just installers after all and not qualified electricians.

You are probably right Matt. I'm no auto electrician and whilst I'm starting to think that it can't be that difficult I really don't want to get involved. It could get messy.

 

[AlisonF]

When getting my towbar and electrics sorted they needed to remove the carpets, seat etc. to run cabling from dash to towbar and reversing camera... maybe something similar here? Just a thought, so please be kind if I’m barking up the wrong tree folks

 

[LemonDrop]

your Beach certainly does have an ignition feed, and an accessory feed if you need 'parking recording'. The California models don't have obvious fuse box info / layouts, but it is a straightforward job picking up both feeds and earth from the fuses behind the wine chiller... .

What is the wine chiller in the Beach? Thanks!

 

[MartG]

What is the wine chiller in the Beach? Thanks!

I hope that the Beach has one after I said this! In the Ocean, centre console below dash, there is a bottle holder / cooler, which you could put a bottle of Louis Latour Montrachet, just in case...

 

[LemonDrop]

I hope that the Beach has one after I said this! In the Ocean, centre console below dash, there is a bottle holder / cooler, which you could put a bottle of Louis Latour Montrachet, just in case...

Aah I think that's just in the comfortable dash - we have the uncomfortable dash so we just have the (too small to fit any existing cup on the planet) cup holders for our builders tea .

 

[Legin]

I hope that the Beach has one after I said this! In the Ocean, centre console below dash, there is a bottle holder / cooler, which you could put a bottle of Louis Latour Montrachet, just in case...

Well I learnt something today. Always wondered what that seemingly useless thing at the bottom of the console was for. Just use the fridge myself and keep my glasses in the cubby.

Does it work ?

 

[MartG]

Haha, not very well... it has an opening disc with holes, which you can rotate (same as in the glovebox) which admits air from the front vents, which if the aircon is on, might just drop it down to 10-12 C.
We have used it for water bottle to sip from when driving. Far better of using the fridge for your wine / beer / gin.

 

[a892374923874]

I fitted a Viofo Duo (front and back) in my Beach powered from the leisure battery. I ran a wire for ignition sense from the centre console fuse box behind the wine bottle holder to the leisure battery area under the passenger seat. Used fuse piggy back taps. Bit of care needed to get the cable from the front camera to the back camera, but much easier with a set of electrician's fibre glass rods.

 

[sidepod]

Several weeks ago I strolled into our local Halfords

There’s your problem right there.

 

[Borris]

I fitted a Viofo Duo (front and back) in my Beach powered from the leisure battery. I ran a wire for ignition sense from the centre console fuse box behind the wine bottle holder to the leisure battery area under the passenger seat. Used fuse piggy back taps. Bit of care needed to get the cable from the front camera to the back camera, but much easier with a set of electrician's fibre glass rods.

Thanks very much, that sounds like a good set up.

I haven't decided where I'm going with this yet. It sounds like a fairly straight forward job but I'm still rather reluctant to try it myself. At the moment I'm minded to to find someone who does this sort of thing all the time for a living. The wiring is one thing but it's the trim that worries me. I don't want to break anything.

 

[Borris]

There’s your problem right there.

You are probably right. I suppose it all depends on the fitter where ever you go. On the last three occasions the chap at Halfords was an ex VW tech so knew exactly what he was doing. The result was he was quick, efficient and the result was excellent. However this time the young woman who was tasked with the fitting didn't seem to have a clue about either trim removal, what constitutes a viable fuse to use or where to find them. Hopeless!

 

[B J G]

Halfords fitted mine with power taken from the point mentioned by others earlier.
They did leave me with an Air Bag fault light (put ignition on with the passenger switch panel out) and tried to say that there was no need to worry about it!
Eventually after saying that I'd take it to VW and bill them I got sent to a Halford's Service Centre to get it reset.
Apparently Halford's Service Centres and the shops aren't the same Business. The Free Fit to me cost the shop for resetting the warning.

Would I use Halfords again? It would depend on the economics and whether I thought a DIY was possible.

 

[hirsty]

My Nextbase camera had a piggyback fuseholder on the end of it's power lead & somewhere on this forum I found guidance as to the appropriate fuse to pull out of the nearside footwell & pop back into it.

My power lead then runs under dashboard to the doorframe & up the A-pillar, but I'll admit I'd not fancy running one to the back. At the time I think Mike CFO was doing similar & succeeded.

 

[WelshGas]

My Nextbase camera had a piggyback fuseholder on the end of it's power lead & somewhere on this forum I found guidance as to the appropriate fuse to pull out of the nearside footwell & pop back into it.

My power lead then runs under dashboard to the doorframe & up the A-pillar, but I'll admit I'd not fancy running one to the back. At the time I think Mike CFO was doing similar & succeeded.

Not that difficult with a straight piece of stiff wire and some plastic trim tools. You don't even have to remove any internal trim. Very easy to ease the wire under the trim using the tools, even on a SE/Ocean so should be a doddle on a Beach.