Fuses to use for dash cam

[mm5300]

I've run the wire through the firewall and I've been trying to find a battery and an ACC fuse to tap into for this dash cam. The dash cam has a parking mode that needs the battery and has a voltage check so it doesn't drain the battery.

I've been looking around at the forums and most people mention F52 (front socket plug) for ACC and F43 (rear socket plug) for battery. However, when I try to use the fuse taps I have, and seem to be all I can find, I can't connect them both without finding a fuse tap with the wire coming out of the other side. With it the way it is, I would have to cut the fuse box cover to make it fit. And actually, even using the F43 slot where it fits in the fuse box, the fuse tap is somewhat tilted because the wire pushes against the large box fuse next to it.

Does anyone know of a different constant battery fuse that I could tap for the parking mode of the dash cam?

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[Mike_Hawk]

I used an IBD to USB power adapter, works great!

 

[Steemax]

Instead try using one of these, I'm powering a GMRS radio with it and should be a cleaner solution for your dash cam. It goes inline behind your 12v socket. https://www.amazon.com/Power-Adapte...458659&sprefix=jl+wrangler+12v,aps,144&sr=8-3

 

[AndySpill]

Mike @mm5300, it's not a fuse per se, as you request, but for always on battery power there's always pin 16 on your ODB2 port, or, as I do, running a cable under the seats to the cargo port, which by default from the factory is also a battery (always energized) power source...

https://www.flexihub.com/oobd2-pinout/

 

[Chupacabra]

Instead try using one of these, I'm powering a GMRS radio with it and should be a cleaner solution for your dash cam. It goes inline behind your 12v socket.

I think he wants power all the time for "parking mode" on his dash cam. The front lighter socket is only powered on when vehicle is on. I used a similar tap on mine for my dash cam but it's only powered up when the vehicle is. Unless it's switchable to be on all the time like the rear power port?

 

[steven1955]

Here's where I powered my Wolfbox G930 mirror dashcam with the hardwire kit.

Accessory power from fuse F52, Cigarette Lighter.
Continuous power from fuse F98, SW Bank.
Note the orientation of the fuse taps. This orientation puts the new fuses in parallel with the original fuse.
If you are using fusetaps that come with fuses make sure they are a suitable size. My fusetaps came with 15A fuses where 2A or 3A would be more appropriate. I have 5A installed until I come across some 2A or 3A.

Edit: I should mention that our Jeep is a 2023 Gladiator Rubicon Ecodiesel in case fuse numbers change between model, trims, or year.

In any case one can use the Cigarette Lighter slot for accessory power and SW Bank for continuous power if you have those fuses. If you don't have those fuses I guess you'll have to break out your multimeter.

 

[AndySpill]

I think he wants power all the time for "parking mode" on his dash cam. The front lighter socket is only powered on when vehicle is on. I used a similar tap on mine for my dash cam but it's only powered up when the vehicle is. Unless it's switchable to be on all the time like the rear power port?

All true John, but--and maybe you meant this--I think the OP may want or need both accessory and battery power, which respectively provide energized power when the vehicle is on, or all the time respectively.

Many a dash camera knows to enter its reduced and monitored voltage power consumption parking mode when only the latter power source is energized.

 

[UniqueUserName]

If you have factory aux switches, you have an always-on pigtail in the passenger footwell. IIRC you have an ACC wire too. It’s also easy to route your dash cam wires up to the windshield from there.

 

[Nash_Dj]

If you have factory aux switches, you have an always-on pigtail in the passenger footwell. IIRC you have an ACC wire too. It’s also easy to route your dash cam wires up to the windshield from there.

My first thought, too...

 

[JL ME]

If you have factory aux switches, you have an always-on pigtail in the passenger footwell. IIRC you have an ACC wire too. It’s also easy to route your dash cam wires up to the windshield from there.

Yes.

 

[mm5300]

Here's where I powered my Wolfbox G930 mirror dashcam with the hardwire kit.

Accessory power from fuse F52, Cigarette Lighter.
Continuous power from fuse F98, SW Bank.
Note the orientation of the fuse taps. This orientation puts the new fuses in parallel with the original fuse.
If you are using fusetaps that come with fuses make sure they are a suitable size. My fusetaps came with 15A fuses where 2A or 3A would be more appropriate. I have 5A installed until I come across some 2A or 3A.

I ended up using these fuses mentioned by @steven1955 and so far it is working great!

 

[rforbes]

This is a little tricky as it is dependent on year of Jeep and options that came from the factory. Saying that, and I use....

F78 B+ F94 ACC

 

[jerevaz11]

Here's where I powered my Wolfbox G930 mirror dashcam with the hardwire kit.

Accessory power from fuse F52, Cigarette Lighter.
Continuous power from fuse F98, SW Bank.
Note the orientation of the fuse taps. This orientation puts the new fuses in parallel with the original fuse.
If you are using fusetaps that come with fuses make sure they are a suitable size. My fusetaps came with 15A fuses where 2A or 3A would be more appropriate. I have 5A installed until I come across some 2A or 3A.

Edit: I should mention that our Jeep is a 2023 Gladiator Rubicon Ecodiesel in case fuse numbers change between model, trims, or year.

In any case one can use the Cigarette Lighter slot for accessory power and SW Bank for continuous power if you have those fuses. If you don't have those fuses I guess you'll have to break out your multimeter.

Hi, I'm new to the jeep community and just installed my wolfbox dash G930, now I want to tap into the fuse box but im not sure how to do it and do not want to break or cause any issues. the hardwire kit came with 15A fuses, I wonder if they will do just fine along with the fuse that are currently in place for F52 and F98, I think they are 20A and 15A (or both 20A).
by the way, my car is a 2020 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 2.0L, I verified that my fuse box has F52 and F98 being used and ready to tap into but my concern is the fuse amp combination and such.

one more question, where did you tap the ground cable?

 

[AndySpill]

Hi, I'm new to the jeep community and just installed my wolfbox dash G930, now I want to tap into the fuse box but im not sure how to do it and do not want to break or cause any issues.

Well, ultimately, wherever you plug in the camera you are going to ultimately tap a circuit, the question is if you want to run dedicated cable from the Power Distribution Center (PDC): i.e. the vehicle's fuse box, thru the firewall and into the cabin.

This is particularly challenging if you have a standard transmission vehicle, your access point being limited to a point on the passenger's side through a grommet that's shown in below example where trailer wiring (rather than dash camera wiring) is fed from under the hood into the cabin.



I don't recommend that you run cable from under the hood into the cabin, but if you have an automatic transmission JL this is an easier way:



That said, I think both might be overkill for you. More below:

the hardwire kit came with 15A fuses, I wonder if they will do just fine along with the fuse that are currently in place for F52 and F98, I think they are 20A and 15A (or both 20A).
by the way, my car is a 2020 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 2.0L, I verified that my fuse box has F52 and F98 being used and ready to tap into but my concern is the fuse amp combination and such.

From what I can glean from online resources this camera barely pulls 1 amp of power. Don't worry about it blowing any circuit in your vehicle.

one more question, where did you tap the ground cable?

This I think best depends on how you want to run your camera: a) only running when the vehicle is on, or b) on regardless of whether the vehicle is parked or running.

Some words on this: Many dash cameras which feature the ability to run either way have 3 wires: one a common ground, one designed to have power all the time, and one to only have power when the engine is on. This setup then knows if your parked as only the "power all the time" wire, if hooked up correctly, would be energized when parked.

From what I can see on the manual for your camera, it only has one power wire and it will record for up to 48 hours in parking mode provided it has power. I want to say that its power input, based on this video, is a USB C which includes, among other pins, a positive and a ground.



Before I can tell you where to access a ground I need to know if you only want to run the camera only with the vehicle on, or even when off.

If you only want to run only with the vehicle on consider just plugging it into the cigarette lighter adapter that seems to come with it. Your cigarette lighter has both a positive and ground built into it.

If you only want to run with the vehicle on but want to hard wire it consider these 2 purchases:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0886DNNSP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and

https://www.amazon.com/Type-C-Pigtail-Cable-Extension-Connector/dp/B0BFHXWCS9/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uFDtgVsp07P4pkMruBc5hhue-USsrtl-9qfbav0Z07alYtkR0x39gcUrqa7QayAHktltnNkdMZSxAhn2UQXDQqA63qwrYYSVV9uMPcCUOep7VsxhQIBY55C7JjiiDaQ6aEpvmqnRX7d4Kn_y6EkV_m4KY8EhyFXKhqhJ24lRJlj7Q-rrpQP29san1kMgWzG-OUu45tntsBKmQS5X0fPhWLtRleeyVAbtHNCzsmmXPaw.QovH4yUszaNL3Xvg0MHzz4-21f1syaFEB5X6F2xREP8&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb+c+to+2+wire&qid=1731874486&sr=8-3&th=1

This installation is not hard and has you remove portions of your dash with a trim tool to connect the first linked item to the same wires behind the dash that energize the cigarette lighter, leaving you with two stripped wires that you can connect to the second linked item, whose distal end is a USB C plug. One wire is power, and the other is ground.

As your JL's dash cigarette lighter is only energized when the vehicle is on, there will be no dash camera recording while your vehicle is parked.

~~~~

If you want to record when parked, from what I can glean about this model of dash camera you will need to tap a power source that is always energized.

One source is the ODB 2 port by your left knee when you drive. A product like this provides the ground and taps into pin 16 of the ODB 2, which by automobile convention is powered all the time.

https://www.amazon.com/ssontong-Upgraded-Adapter-Hardwire-Surveillance/dp/B0BZYN7MQT/ref=sr_1_2?crid=15QXOIK8TVHV9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.R5IIxuQLONKCHiUVbE9HRTsK4rsx6FL6zbG9sEnKDDGW4tCDtGEFkrtG_J8b_1vhzedAOTGC4kRljJn-gsnBR3suQxlGIyqQUnVBSAdhT3IQUxPKWe1b0DGL0ZHVZD9SdCq4b42BKGqfeZKnsOhzB9SY-pqCF5Q8C50Jg1hia7r3SNaDEYq82Z_ibmAFyHwIdYJl_YFsA8_YhdLZSrlOHmbxpGneJGCd_zLYLXtV4WU.5CTmJ2tpCjGlBVO4MsvxH2ESxsOcJXsV7X79WMKUQGU&dib_tag=se&keywords=odb+2+to+usb+c&qid=1731874450&sprefix=obd2+to+usb+c,aps,136&sr=8-2&th=1

Alternatively if your JL is equipped with a power port in the cargo area, by default from the factory it, like pin 16 of the ODB 2 is always energized. A product like this

https://www.amazon.com/SPARKING-20FT-Cigarette-Lighter-Extension/dp/B08G7Y4GTP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=VENATTKW93JZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BgB-0CIHU66povl8bAXscxrApiSbddCALJtH5na8BBJFkbVhpdozzltjAqzIUfmB71_FJDRHzsqBX3aH4plPBcACEt53seIwzr41xFcbDRR8viyNnFYV3XH83Oyprbeud_hbxMMm05WA2g-IoAVQC8Vn0OGdjCChTybV0w299tC7G7cHVvhbblMHOSmVY9PXOIFwoX8wMz9FIdXHWre5k0pyM9k3qD7zohuY8pGWFHQ.3dfZynCawqRt8odwXE5oofOeL6LYVnMhlZ27V22bUII&dib_tag=se&keywords=cigarette+lighter+adapter+long+wire&qid=1731875099&sprefix=cigarette+lighter+adapterlong+wire,aps,100&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

can have you plug in power to the camera in the rear, snake the wire up to the front, and have you snip of the female end of the cigarette plug connecting it's stripped wires to the afore-linked

https://www.amazon.com/Type-C-Pigta...ds=usb+c+to+2+wire&qid=1731874486&sr=8-3&th=1

Like the cigarette lighter in front, it is equipped with positive and negative (ground) connections.

 

[steven1955]

The hardwire kit came with 15A fuses, I wonder if they will do just fine along with the fuse that are currently in place for F52 and F98, I think they are 20A and 15A (or both 20A).

I verified that my fuse box has F52 and F98 being used and ready to tap into but my concern is the fuse amp combination and such.

The issue with the 15A fuses as supplied with the fuse taps is that they are too large to protect the wiring to the mirror. The power supply has 22 or 24 gauge wire. Should that wire become damaged and short to ground you may draw enough current to melt the insulation off the wires, or even burn up the wire, and yet not burn out a 15A fuse.

The 1A or so of current that the mirror draws, when added to the F52 or F98 fused circuits will hardly be noticed by your Jeep

One more question, where did you tap the ground cable?

I just found a bolt near the battery to use as a ground. I found one that did not need to have me scrape paint off in order to have a good electrical connection.

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