Whereas a dash camera is a great investment, your hard-earned money could go down the drain due to a lack of a fuse.
It is no secret that the importance of a fuse is indispensable since protecting electronic gadgets.
Besides having a fuse, the right size is equally important to ensure your dash camera receives the right amount of power and protection.
So, what’s the right fuse for a dash camera to ensure it functions excellently?
Experts recommend using a fuse with a rating between 10A and 30A.
Let’s discuss this vital topic further.
Which Fuse Slot Is Best for Dash Cam?
Whereas the recommended fuse slot should have a rating ranging from 10A to 30A, it is not advisable to follow this recommendation blindly.
On the contrary, always check your vehicle’s manual and use its manufacturer’s recommendations.
Otherwise, your dash camera may not get enough power to work properly.
Equally important, some fuse slots control some safety features, including airbags; hence important not to mess with them.
How Many Amps Does a Dash Cam Use?
It turns out that most dash cams can take up to 0.45 amps to power up.
The lower range is usually 0.25 amps, which is enough to power the dash cams despite their dynamic and numerous features.
How Do You Connect a Fuse to a Dash Cam?
Here is a guide on connecting a fuse to a dash cam.
Our focus will be on hardwiring installation thanks to its convenience.
You should follow these steps for the correct installation of your dash cam and its successful connection to the fuse;
Step 1: Gather All the Necessary Tools
Thorough preparation to connect a fuse to your dash cam requires you to have the following tools;
- Cable clips
- Dashcam
- Fuse extraction tool
- Fuse tap cables
- Hardwire kit or Advanced Hardwire Kit HW1
- Multi-meter although optional
- Suction mount
- Wrench
- Zip ties
You are ready for the next step if you have all the above.
Expect the tools to simplify connecting a fuse to your dash camera.
Step 2: Locate the Fuse Box Compartment
Your vehicle’s menu contains information regarding the exact location of its fuse box compartment.
There are high chances it is under its steering wheel since that’s often the norm.
Remove its cover by pulling it down a little; the process is usually easy.
You will most likely not use the lid since it is hard to close the fuse box completely after plugging in the fuse tap cable.
So, store it somewhere, such as the car’s glove box.
Step 3: Select a Fuse Slot
Various fuse slots are available, and the ones recommended for a dash camera are those with a current ranging from 7.5 to 15 Amperes.
Other fuse slots are available since they are rated from 10A to 30A.
Regardless of your choice, ensure it provides enough power to power the camera.
Again, your car’s menu is the best reference to ensure that the fuse slot you choose suits your vehicle.
Avoid messing up with fuse slots that control the horn, stability control programs, and airbags.
On the contrary, go for safer alternatives such as those controlling the sunroof or the radio.
Find the constant fuse using a circuit tester and ensure your car’s engine is off and its key is out of its ignition.
Only a constant fuse lights up a circuit tester, and that’s how you identify it.
Besides, find the ignition-switched fuse; you can notice it easily if it reads cold or the engine is off.
Upon putting the key back into the ignition and turning it to the on position, the circuit tester should light up if it is an ignition switch fuse.
Step 4: Connect the Respective Wires
A good hardwiring kit has labels, and you should take your time to use them for excellent results.
Regarding wires, the yellow one goes to the ACC or ignition-switched fuse, whereas its red counterpart is connected to the constant fuse.
On the other hand, the ground wire is the C-shaped one.
The fuse taps you choose also matter, and their ratings are as follows;
The dash cam needs fuse taps with a rating of at least 5A, whereas a rating of about 10A will work with a dash cam battery pack.
As for the grounding, connect the wire to an unpainted and bare metal section.
Plastic and metal bolts attached to plastic won’t work in this case, either.
Ensure you tighten the screw properly to avoid power issues due to loose ground.
Otherwise, your dash camera will start restarting randomly.
Step 5: Testing the Dash Cam
Ensure you have connected all the wires properly before plugging the kit into the dash cam and starting your car.
Everything is great if your dash cam powers on at this point.
If so, ensure no wires are dangling near the fuse box or the dash cam.
You can tuck the excess cables away with electric tape or zip ties.
Does Hardwiring Dash Cam Drain Battery?
Hardwiring uses a device known as a hardwiring kit.
Its role is to give your dashboard constant power; since it is the source, it won’t drain your vehicle’s battery.
It explains why your dash cam will power up despite your vehicle being turned off.
So, it is wrong to say that hardwiring a dash cam will drain your battery.
On the contrary, it saves your battery since it uses the hardwire kit as a power source.
Why Does My Dash Cam Keep Blowing Fuses?
If your dash cam blows fuses often, it will likely draw much current.
Under such circumstances, it will blow the fuse up, and regardless of how often you replace it, the fate will be the same unless you do something.
The dash cam most likely has an internal short, but that’s solvable.
Failure to resolve this issue could damage the fusible link, socket, and fuse box.
However, if changing the dash cam doesn’t solve the situation, the problem could be the cord or the charger.
