Jobs for lockdown - Hardwiring a Dash Cam

[Nick.C]

With a little more enforced time on my hands, I am looking for van related jobs to keep me occupied and thinking of tidying up our dash cam by hardwiring it in rather than having an unsightly wire that has to be plugged into a 12v socket. I know there are various threads on this, but to be honest this is all new to me and I could really do with an idiots guide to the best way to hardwire a front dash cam including which fuse box to connect to and the route taken to conceal the wiring between the dash cam and the fuse box. Photos of an install would also be really helpful. Also if I were to fit a rear dash cam, how would you recommend concealing the wiring between the two cams?

 

[T6 CFO]

With a little more enforced time on my hands, I am looking for van related jobs to keep me occupied and thinking of tidying up our dash cam by hardwiring it in rather than having an unsightly wire that has to be plugged into a 12v socket. I know there are various threads on this, but to be honest this is all new to me and I could really do with an idiots guide to the best way to hardwire a front dash cam including which fuse box to connect to and the route taken to conceal the wiring between the dash cam and the fuse box. Photos of an install would also be really helpful. Also if I were to fit a rear dash cam, how would you recommend concealing the wiring between the two cams?

Easiest way is a search for dash cam. There are a number of threads with full description of how to do it with pics.


Mike

 

[Nick.C]

Easiest way is a search for dash cam. There are a number of threads with full description of how to do it with pics.


Mike

Had searched before and again now, but still struggling to find the idiots guide!

 

[westfalia]

Here is a guide.

Dash camera install

I am going to install the dash camera today. I have to make sure the front screen blinds of the MY17 clear it in its final position and as the rear screen blind is almost flush to the window I think the rear camera will have to be mounted on the back of the wardrobe, at least that saves me...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Nick.C]

Here is a guide.

Dash camera install

I am going to install the dash camera today. I have to make sure the front screen blinds of the MY17 clear it in its final position and as the rear screen blind is almost flush to the window I think the rear camera will have to be mounted on the back of the wardrobe, at least that saves me...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thank you for the link. Wiring into the back of the control panel looks like a really neat solution, but wouldn’t splicing into the wiring loom invalidate the warranty? If so is there an easy route to hide away the dash cam cable and piggy back a fuse?

 

[TripleBee]

If you find a free fuse space in the fuse box behind the bottle holder.
I don't like cutting original cables too.

 

[Nick.C]

If you find a free fuse space in the fuse box behind the bottle holder.
I don't like cutting original cables too.

Assuming I can piggy back a fuse, what route would you take to hide the cable?

 

[TripleBee]

Depends on where you place the dashcam. In the middle near the rearview mirror? Then I'd wire it behind the headlining to the left or right side. For right steering wheel, I'd take the right side. Take out the A-pillar trim, unscrew the lower dashboard trim. You'd probably need to take out the complete lower trim (from left to right) to get to the middle. At least that is what I have to do, as I have a T5 dashboard. Don't know about the T6?
Once you have the wire under the steering column, and the complete middle trim (bottle holder and all), you can access the fuse box.
Will be a lot of work, but then you don't have to cut original wires. And if the fuse would blow, you have more easy access to it. Or if you just want to have the wire powerless.

 

[Nick.C]

Depends on where you place the dashcam. In the middle near the rearview mirror? Then I'd wire it behind the headlining to the left or right side. For right steering wheel, I'd take the right side. Take out the A-pillar trim, unscrew the lower dashboard trim. You'd probably need to take out the complete lower trim (from left to right) to get to the middle. At least that is what I have to do, as I have a T5 dashboard. Don't know about the T6?
Once you have the wire under the steering column, and the complete middle trim (bottle holder and all), you can access the fuse box.
Will be a lot of work, but then you don't have to cut original wires. And if the fuse would blow, you have more easy access to it. Or if you just want to have the wire powerless.

Thank you, sounds like I might need to rope my son in to help me with this, once he is allowed to visit us again that is.

 

[willwander]

Did my dashcam today.
Nextbase 522GW with hardwire kit from Halfords.

First routed cable into headlining



Then squished into A pillar trim towards door seal.


Then down the door seal to bottom of dash




Then under dash towards a little hole where I could get wires to fuse box which sits behind bottle holder in my T6.

Bottle holder was removed by two black clips inside which you squeeze together to release bottle cooler thing which comes away in one piece to reveal fuse box. I’ve highlighted the fuse I used and screw I used for earth


Connected to fuse with wires from fitting kit


no trim removed, pretty easy job..
Pleased with it.
Might get a rear camera later, although fitting it in an Ocean will be hassle, can’t decide if it’s worth the bother.

EDIT
After working fine for 6 months, mine started having issues, this turned out to be related to a bad earth, so I recommend using this alternative earth point.

 

[Nick.C]

Did my dashcam today.
Nextbase 522GW with hardwire kit from Halfords.
View attachment 57606
First routed cable into headlining

View attachment 57607

Then squished into A pillar trim towards door seal.
View attachment 57608

Then down the door seal to bottom of dash

View attachment 57609


Then under dash towards a little hole where I could get wires to fuse box which sits behind bottle holder in my T6.
View attachment 57611
Bottle holder was removed by two black clips inside which you squeeze together to release bottle cooler thing which comes away in one piece to reveal fuse box. I’ve highlighted the fuse I used and screw I used for earth
View attachment 57613

Connected to fuse with wires from fitting kit
View attachment 57612

no trim removed, pretty easy job..
Pleased with it.
Might get a rear camera later, although fitting it in an Ocean will be hassle, can’t decide if it’s worth the bother.

The thought of splicing into the wiring loom or dismantling the dash was filling me with dread. Your step by step guide is exactly what I needed. Thank you for taking the time to do this, it is really appreciated.

 

[Moakesy]

Can you post a pic of the dash cam in situ please.

I’d be interested in seeing what it looks like, as I’d like something not too bulky.

thx

 

[willwander]

Can you post a pic of the dash cam in situ please.

I’d be interested in seeing what it looks like, as I’d like something not too bulky.

thx

It tucks away ok
If I were to do it again, I’d probably give myself a bit more room away from rear view mirror, but you only get one chance with the sticky pad

 

[Moakesy]

[QUOTE
It tucks away ok
If I were to do it again, I’d probably give myself a bit more room away from rear view mirror, but you only get one chance with the sticky pad
[/QUOTE]

thanks for posting those. Looks good, although I see what you mean about positioning

 

[AlanC]

I have a BlackVue dashcam which I mounted below the mirror just under the windscreen mount. It is obscured by the mirror so does not restrict my view of the road. As it doesn't have a built-in screen I don't need to have it placed to see that.

Alan

 

[Jontymo]

Great write up on the cabling, think I will order the hard wire kit for my new Viofo Cam now.

 

[Hugostiglitz]

With a little more enforced time on my hands, I am looking for van related jobs to keep me occupied and thinking of tidying up our dash cam by hardwiring it in rather than having an unsightly wire that has to be plugged into a 12v socket. I know there are various threads on this, but to be honest this is all new to me and I could really do with an idiots guide to the best way to hardwire a front dash cam including which fuse box to connect to and the route taken to conceal the wiring between the dash cam and the fuse box. Photos of an install would also be really helpful. Also if I were to fit a rear dash cam, how would you recommend concealing the wiring between the two cams?

I used a you tube video by Trucking vantastic it really helped!! I fitted front and rear hard wired amd hidden wiring to fuse box on 2018 Cali Beach

 

[Jontymo]

Followed willwanders how to and hard wired my Viofo cam using the Nextbase hard wire kit, only change I made was to clamp the earth wire behind the side panel on the dash and push all the excess wire in the access hole located there.
Thanks willwander

 

[PeteS]

I have a coupe of tips to share.
Do not disconnect any of the wiring to the airbag system. If you do it will be a trip to the dealers to have the airbag warning light reset.
On my T5 I ran the wiring to the dash cam just in front to the rear view mirror post and used two small black tie wraps to hold the wiring in place.
The other thing I wished I had done is put an inline switch in the wiring to the dash cam. A couple of times my dash cam has had to be reset by removing power and a switch on the dash or nearby would be helpful.

 

[Nick.C]

I have a coupe of tips to share.
Do not disconnect any of the wiring to the airbag system. If you do it will be a trip to the dealers to have the airbag warning light reset.
On my T5 I ran the wiring to the dash cam just in front to the rear view mirror post and used two small black tie wraps to hold the wiring in place.
The other thing I wished I had done is put an inline switch in the wiring to the dash cam. A couple of times my dash cam has had to be reset by removing power and a switch on the dash or nearby would be helpful.

Thanks Pete

 

[willwander]

Decide to try fit the rear nextbase dash cam on my Ocean. Bit of a job.

First step was to thread the inner metal cable of a bicycle brake cable through the headlining at the front to the B-Pillar on the passenger side. The metal cable is stiff so is easier to find a route and push through


I then taped the dashcam cable to this metal cable and pulled the metal cable through pulling the dashcam cable through with it.


I had to remove the passenger side B-Pillar trim to thread cable, easy to take off trim but a faff to get back on due to seatbelt adjustment clip.

Pulled the metal cable through dragging dashcam cable behind.
Then removed two small lights above sink so I could access cable.

Next the hardest bit. Routing cable past rear air vents into back of wardrobe. The only route I could find was to the top and front of vents. This took a long time to get metal cable and pull dashcam cable through successfully. Multiple attempts and much swearing.

Comes out in top of rear wardrobe cupboard

next was to connect it to dashcam end at top of rear cupb

cable is stuffed through trim and connects to dashcam which is mounted as in photo below

here is view from back

Not a bad place to mount it, you get a decent view from cam, and you don’t have to worry about tailgate. Rear blind is still closes ok, just need a bit more care so you don’t knock cam.View from cam.

Quite a tricky job. Lots of swearing trying to route cable, but it’s all turned out well. Really pleased with it.

Will

 

[Nick.C]

Decide to try fit the rear nextbase dash cam on my Ocean. Bit of a job.

First step was to thread the inner metal cable of a bicycle brake cable through the headlining at the front to the B-Pillar on the passenger side. The metal cable is stiff so is easier to find a route and push through
View attachment 57764

I then taped the dashcam cable to this metal cable and pulled the metal cable through pulling the dashcam cable through with it.

View attachment 57765
I had to remove the passenger side B-Pillar trim to thread cable, easy to take off trim but a faff to get back on due to seatbelt adjustment clip.
View attachment 57766
Pulled the metal cable through dragging dashcam cable behind.
Then removed two small lights above sink so I could access cable.
View attachment 57769
Next the hardest bit. Routing cable past rear air vents into back of wardrobe. The only route I could find was to the top and front of vents. This took a long time to get metal cable and pull dashcam cable through successfully. Multiple attempts and much swearing.
View attachment 57771
Comes out in top of rear wardrobe cupboard
View attachment 57772
next was to connect it to dashcam end at top of rear cupb
View attachment 57773
cable is stuffed through trim and connects to dashcam which is mounted as in photo below
View attachment 57774
here is view from back
View attachment 57775
Not a bad place to mount it, you get a decent view from cam, and you don’t have to worry about tailgate. Rear blind is still closes ok, just need a bit more care so you don’t knock cam.View from cam.
View attachment 57776
Quite a tricky job. Lots of swearing trying to route cable, but it’s all turned out well. Really pleased with it.

Will

A great step by step guide again , thanks Will. I am a little undecided whether to bother with the rear dash cam though as we have a bike rack so view would not be great.

 

[willwander]

A great step by step guide again , thanks Will. I am a little undecided whether to bother with the rear dash cam though as we have a bike rack so view would not be great.

I will not lie, getting the cable through to the back was an absolute tw#t, I nearly gave up a couple of times, glad it’s finally done.

 

[Nick.C]

Fitted the front dash cam today. Followed Will’s route and not a cable in sight. Only thing was the earth which ended up being connected by the passenger air bag. All worked out well. Thank you all for your advice and help

 

[RayH]

View attachment 57614

View attachment 57615
View attachment 57616

It tucks away ok
If I were to do it again, I’d probably give myself a bit more room away from rear view mirror, but you only get one chance with the sticky pad

Did my dashcam today.
Nextbase 522GW with hardwire kit from Halfords.
View attachment 57606
First routed cable into headlining

View attachment 57607

Then squished into A pillar trim towards door seal.
View attachment 57608

Then down the door seal to bottom of dash

View attachment 57609


Then under dash towards a little hole where I could get wires to fuse box which sits behind bottle holder in my T6.
View attachment 57611
Bottle holder was removed by two black clips inside which you squeeze together to release bottle cooler thing which comes away in one piece to reveal fuse box. I’ve highlighted the fuse I used and screw I used for earth
View attachment 57613

Connected to fuse with wires from fitting kit
View attachment 57612

no trim removed, pretty easy job..
Pleased with it.
Might get a rear camera later, although fitting it in an Ocean will be hassle, can’t decide if it’s worth the bother.

Thank you, this was a great help!