Dash cam = battery drain ?
 

This is a quick question... I have just got a couple of Cobra dash cams. On my '12, the cigarette lighter is only powered when the ignition is on, on the '05 it's always on, so I'm wondering what are the chances of killing the battery if it gets left on accidentally overnight. It uses 5V but I can't find specs for the current draw....

Hey,

I have a Urive Albatross II dash cam hard wired in my 2008 A8L (switched/unswithced power). When the car is off I have it set to record on motion only. However I once left it parked in front of a waterfall/stream for 13+ hours. Due to the constant motion it recorded the whole time. When I got in the car my battery dropped from 100% to 75%. I received the battery warning light when I started the car. It turned over fine, and there were no issues.

Hope that gives you some insight.

Leave my Genius FHD590 (not sure of the draw) plugged in usually only a few hours but occasionally overnight, everyday, for the past year with no problems.

The battery management module will shot down the power/lighter sockets as the battery drains. At least in theory.

The battery will go flat
 

I myself have started fitting a dash cam and my research has highlighted that the battery manager will have no influence on dash cams powered from cigar lighter sockets or otherwise.

The reason for this is there are two basic supply rails available in the car.

Terminal 30 (permenant supply direct from battery)

Terminal 15 (switched supply comes on with ignition on etc but turns off once car is asleep)

For those wishing to power a dashcam with parking mode the only sensible choice is to purchase a separate power saver module that you wire or plug inline that monitors battery voltage so it will disconnect the consumer should the battery drop below a set point.

I'm fitting this

Those interested how the battery manager in the car saves your battery when it's discharging may be surprised to know like I was that it's done via commands sent to the connected devices on the can networks so they shut down rather than just have their power cut from a supply rail.

Hope that clears things up for you all.

I stand corrected.

good info, thanks guys!

I forgot leaving it on all day... nothing happens
 

Supposedly, the good camera should have motion detection. If it sits in the garage or the parking lot facing the wall, it should turn itself off. I'm sure yours should have the option of motion
recording.

Cheers,

Louis

I guess I should have asked which car you were fitting it too.

The D3 was what I was referring too, as to the D4 I'm not familiar with the car or power systems so could offer no tips as to where to get power.

But the power saver box that I am getting should be fine in both cars, you would just need to find a constant feed so the dashcam has power to do as its meant too.

I have a Mobius 1080P HD camera (with motion detection) connected to the cig lighter [not switched] in my D3 A8; I have left it on for 24+ hours without issues.