DIY Tutorial for Hardwiring a Dashcam and Radar Detector

[Megabueno]

Hi. I got a thinkware U1000 for Christmas. What battery did you get with your thinkware cam?

ivolt mini

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[scoopman]

I'm adding a battery to my setup for some additional piece of mind to not stress out the 12V battery in parking mode. Question: has anyone found any Micro2 taps in the fuse box that are SWITCHED power? From what I've found, only Micro3 fuses appear to be switched (eg, only active when the car is on) and all the Micro2 appear to be constant power.

I only have an extra add-a-fuse in Micro2 lying around -- just want to make sure I didn't miss anything in testing pretty much all of the Micro2 ones.

 

[kennelh]

I'm adding a battery to my setup for some additional piece of mind to not stress out the 12V battery in parking mode. Question: has anyone found any Micro2 taps in the fuse box that are SWITCHED power? From what I've found, only Micro3 fuses appear to be switched (eg, only active when the car is on) and all the Micro2 appear to be constant power.

I only have an extra add-a-fuse in Micro2 lying around -- just want to make sure I didn't miss anything in testing pretty much all of the Micro2 ones.

I'm waiting for my dashcam to arrive, but two months ago in preparation I checked the fuses and found fuse 6 was switched. It's also listed as unused but had 12V on it. Maybe someone else can confirm?

 

[scoopman]

I'm waiting for my dashcam to arrive, but two months ago in preparation I checked the fuses and found fuse 6 was switched. It's also listed as unused but had 12V on it. Maybe someone else can confirm?

Will check now. 5 was not switched definitely.

 

[scoopman]

I'm waiting for my dashcam to arrive, but two months ago in preparation I checked the fuses and found fuse 6 was switched. It's also listed as unused but had 12V on it. Maybe someone else can confirm?

Now I remember why I didn't test 6, there's no room at all to put an add a fuse at number 6. On one side of it is a power connector for the fuse box and on the other side of it is a plastic connector for unused number 25. There's just no room to add a fuse to number 6 because there's no clearance.

I think my plan is to get another micro 3 tap As I need two switched taps: one for my radar detector and the other to charge the external battery. Micro3 taps seem to be the only option for switched power that has room to add a fuse.

 

[sunkid]

Heya and thank you for the excellent tutorial, @MachDoc ! Just adding a link to a longer write-up of my own experience here for others that might run into a similar issue (very limited FOB range and reliability) after installing their gizmos. I ended up using fuse #24 (25 A) which eliminated that issue.

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

I decided against derailing the 21P22 VIN check thread, and figured I'd ask here: @Murse-In-Airy's post here had a great look at all the guts under the headliner. It did give me pause though -- any concern that running a rear cable in the manner suggested here would interfere with one of the curtain airbags? Ie tucking into the rubber trim above the doors and threading it through the B column?

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I decided against derailing the 21P22 VIN check thread, and figured I'd ask here: @Murse-In-Airy's post here had a great look at all the guts under the headliner. It did give me pause though -- any concern that running a rear cable in the manner suggested here would interfere with one of the curtain airbags? Ie tucking into the rubber trim above the doors and threading it through the B column?

I’m not sure I posted this pic over on the other thread. But now that you mention it, I kinda took this shot to help with this exact question.

I believe that as long as you keep the wire against the rubber seal and metal of the body/frame, the airbag will explode out of the headliner and go right over the wire. Then along the b-pillar is a plastic roll that keeps things contained. So anything you tuck beside the headliner will end up underneath/behind this plastic. Therefore behind the airbags if they do inflate.

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

I’m not sure I posted this pic over on the other thread. But now that you mention it, I kinda took this shot to help with this exact question.

I believe that as long as you keep the wire against the rubber seal and metal of the body/frame, the airbag will explode out of the headliner and go right over the wire. Then along the b-pillar is a plastic roll that keeps things contained. So anything you tuck beside the headliner will end up underneath/behind this plastic. Therefore behind the airbags if they do inflate.

Hey thanks! That's reassuring, especially with the photo. My windshield just cracked during the recall work too, so I'll have to wait a while till I can give it a shot...

 

[harrysiii]

1.) I'm looking for a little more help and clarification. I recently purchased an Escort Redline 360c and want to direct wire it (no dash cam). It appears as though I need a Micro 3 tap, correct (to go into switched 12v)?

Also, mentioned in post 99 (https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...am-and-radar-detector.5542/page-7#post-291304) says you need to keep all 3 slots filled in 15 and 16 if that is used for something else. Well, the fuse box info shows that 16 is used for the Active Suspension for the GT (which I have in my GTPE). https://fuse-box.info/ford/ford-mustang-mach-e-2021-fuses
2.) What does this mean? Does this mean I need to buy a Micro 3 tap (versus Micro 2 in 15), and does this mean I need to also accommodate a large enough fuse for that function?

3.) OR, should I be using a different fuse slot like 1 & 2?

4.) Lastly, since the direct wires also come with an in-line fuse typically, do I just match that size fuze in the Micro 3 fuse tap?

Thanks!! Just need to order all this stuff up (and modify the suction cup mount) so I can start using this.

@DevSecOps ?

 

[krazieboy]

question for all of you that did this install, where do you all put the extra slack for the rear camera cable? Up in the headliner or somewhere else? thanks.

 

[Benjamin Kegele]

question for all of you that did this install, where do you all put the extra slack for the rear camera cable? Up in the headliner or somewhere else? thanks.

I started off at the rear camera and went toward the front. So i put the slack closed to the front camera.

 

[MTNestr]

Any reason why #3 couldn’t be used for switched power?

 

[MTNestr]

Does the orientation of the Micro 3 Fuse Tap matter when I plug it into the Fuse Panel?
It appears that the orientation of the Micro 2 Fuse Tap does matter.

 

[SnatrapS99]

Anyone in the LA area do this? I have a dashcam and a radar detector I'd like to install but I am scaredy-cat when it comes to this stuff.

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