Advice for hardwiring a dashcam in a 2004

[Bobbyct]

I've been sifting through some threads regarding installing dashcams and hardwiring them for power, but most of them seem to be for 2007+ model years
I have a Thinkware Q1000 that I've been using the cigarette lighter port for, but I'm looking to hardwire it in my 2004 Z71. Can anyone offer some advice or guidance on how to do so? -- Ideally without drilling holes

 

[EXT4ME]

On both my 2003 Avalanche and 2004 EXT, I use a Add-A-Circuit Fuse Tap and plug into the SEO ACCY fuse location in the left side fuse panel inside the cab.

This provides a 12v ignition switched power source for the dash cams, allowing them to power up only when the ignition is turned on and powered off when the ignition is turned off.

From the fuse box, I route the power lead up the driver's side A-pillar and under the front edge of the headliner to the dash cams mounted on the windshield just to the left of the rear view mirror.

No holes drilled anywhere.

The installation is clean with only a couple of inches of the pigtail for the power lead and the lead for the rear facing camera coming out of the headliner directly at the main front camera location.

While my Rexing V1P Pro Dual 1080p Full HD Front and Rear 170° Wide Angle Wi-Fi Car Dash Cam with Built-in GPS Logger, Supercapacitor, 2.4" LCD Screen, G-Sensor, Loop Recording, Mobile App, Parking Monitor dash cams have the ability to detect motion and record video while in a parked situation, I found this mode to use too much battery during long periods of being parked in public parking lots.

A lot of video of people walking by and vehicles passing by, but practically none of it worth the extra battery usage, IMO.

I choose to not use that function.

My dash cams come to life when I start the engine and die shortly after turning the key off.

This works well for me and has for years.

 

[Bobbyct]

On both my 2003 Avalanche and 2004 EXT, I use a Lumision ADD Circuit Blade Style ATT Low Profile Mini FUSETAP Fuse TAP + Fuse Set 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 AMPS and plug into the SEO IGN fuse location in the left side fuse panel inside the cab.

This provides a 12v ignition switched power source for the dash cams, allowing them to power up only when the ignition is turned on and powered off when the ignition is turned off.

From the fuse box, I route the power lead up the driver's side A-pillar and under the front edge of the headliner to the dash cams mounted on the windshield just to the left of the rear view mirror.

No holes drilled anywhere.

The installation is clean with only a couple of inches of the pigtail for the power lead and the lead for the rear facing camera coming out of the headliner directly at the main front camera location.

While my Rexing V1P Pro Dual 1080p Full HD Front and Rear 170° Wide Angle Wi-Fi Car Dash Cam with Built-in GPS Logger, Supercapacitor, 2.4" LCD Screen, G-Sensor, Loop Recording, Mobile App, Parking Monitor dash cams have the ability to detect motion and record video while in a parked situation, I found this mode to use too much battery during long periods of being parked in public parking lots.

A lot of video of people walking by and vehicles passing by, but practically none of it worth the extra battery usage, IMO.

I choose to not use that function.

My dash cams come to life when I start the engine and die shortly after turning the key off.

This works well for me and has for years.

Do you happen to have any pictures/wiring diagrams for that fuze box and where you tapped? And the hardware wiring kit I have that came with the dashcam has 3 leads on it, which would I connect where?

 

[EXT4ME]

Sorry, I mislabeled the fuse I used.

Instead of the SEO IGN fuse I mentioned, the fuse I use is the SEO ACCY fuse.

Look at this in-cab driver's side fuse box diagram and see the 10A SEO ACCY fuse is #12 on the top row in the middle.



Here is a picture of my fuse box with the Fuse Tap installed into the SEO ACCY fuse location.

The red cable coming from the Fuse Tap is going to the positive lead going to the dash cam.



The box shaped device with the cable coming out of it and the bundle of zip-tied cabling on the side of the picture is the power lead and transformer that was provided with my dash cam.

This power cable consists of a positive and a negative power lead and the transformer device.

My dash cam only has two leads associated with the power supply, so I can not speak to what your dash cam may have in regards to a third wire.

The positive lead of my dash cam power is attached to the large red cable of the Fuse Tap that is connected to the SEO ACCY fuse location of the fuse box panel.

The negative lead from my dash cam is attached to a lug that is screw mounted to the vehicle frame just out of sight in the picture above.

If your dash cam did not come with a power wire set up that has a positive and a negative bare wire, but only a cig lighter adapter, you may have to lob off the cig adapter, skin back the wiring cover and access the wires that way.

Best of luck with your project.

 

[Bobbyct]

Sorry, I mislabeled the fuse I used.

Instead of the SEO IGN fuse I mentioned, the fuse I use is the SEO ACCY fuse.

Look at this in-cab driver's side fuse box diagram and see the 10A SEO ACCY fuse is #12 on the top row in the middle.

View attachment 237271

Here is a picture of my fuse box with the Fuse Tap installed into the SEO ACCY fuse location.

The red cable coming from the Fuse Tap is going to the positive lead going to the dash cam.

View attachment 237272

The box shaped device with the cable coming out of it and the bundle of zip-tied cabling on the side of the picture is the power lead and transformer that was provided with my dash cam.

This power cable consists of a positive and a negative power lead and the transformer device.

My dash cam only has two leads associated with the power supply, so I can not speak to what your dash cam may have in regards to a third wire.

The positive lead of my dash cam power is attached to the large red cable of the Fuse Tap that is connected to the SEO ACCY fuse location of the fuse box panel.

The negative lead from my dash cam is attached to a lug that is screw mounted to the vehicle frame just out of sight in the picture above.

If your dash cam did not come with a power wire set up that has a positive and a negative bare wire, but only a cig lighter adapter, you may have to lob off the cig adapter, skin back the wiring cover and access the wires that way.

Best of luck with your project.

The third wire is yellow labeled battery, guess it's what the dashcam uses to know if the car is on or off to activate parking mode, I'm not too bothered about actually using that for now at least since I don't want to worry bout battery drain;
Think it'll be alright if I just twist it into the same lead as the red positive wire, that way both receive power only when the truck is on?

 

[Bobbyct]

Notes & Results for anyone looking to make this quality-of-life change to their Avalanche in the future:
- Low profile Fuse Taps will NOT work due to the plastic piece in between the prongs hitting a plastic stabilizer bit in between the reciprocals on the Avalanche's fuze boxes. You need to use regular Mini Fuse Taps, I grabbed this one from Advance Auto Parts and it works great:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...pack-0fhm0200zp/12024924-P?selectedStore=6613
- If your dashcam has a 3rd wire for parking mode and you don't mind losing that functionality, just twist the end of that wire with the regular positive and insert them together into the fuse tap. Otherwise you can tap a second fuse that's powered at all times.
- The wire coming out of the fuse tap should be facing left as the positive side of the fuse is on the right prong.
- I just used the upper bolt located a few inches away from the fuse box for ground, might be a little hard to get a ratchet wrench in there if you have to use an extension, mine just about fit on a bit of an angle.
- For the most low-effort but also clean routing from the fuse box to the headliner, remove the A-pillar (You need to get it on its side, careful not to rip the wires out of the speaker if applicable), push the dashcam's wire up through the plastic piece behind the fuse box cover's clamp holes, use tweezers or some needle-nose pliers to grab and pull the wire up, then route behind the A-pillar and under the headliner.

Images & descriptions here:

https://imgur.com/a/nEGxzrM

 

[EXT4ME]

Very interesting.

Thank you for updating this post with your observations.

I apologize if you bought a non-functional tap because of the link I posted.

I do not have an explanation as to why the fuse taps in the link I provided have the added plastic tab that prevents proper insertion into the fuse box panel.

To make sure of what was installed in my trucks, I ran out and had a look at both of them.

Here is a picture of the one I just pulled out of my Avalanche and both of them are the same with no added plastic tab to cause problems.



You can also see in the background that I also used the same lug to attach my ground wire.

Now, what has got me confused is when I composed my post and linked to the fuse taps I used, Amazon showed me buying these twice and both times corresponded with the time I installed each of my two dash cams.

I haven't bought any more of these for any other purpose, so there lies my confusion.

All I can figure is there may have been a product change since the last time I purchased one.

Sorry about that.

I will follow your links in the future should I need any additional taps.

I will also edit the link out of my post to not send anyone else off to a bad link.

Problem is, I have provided these links when this subject was discussed both here and online before.

I do try to provide good information.

 

[Bobbyct]

Very interesting.

Thank you for updating this post with your observations.

I apologize if you bought a non-functional tap because of the link I posted.

I do not have an explanation as to why the fuse taps in the link I provided have the added plastic tab that prevents proper insertion into the fuse box panel.

To make sure of what was installed in my trucks, I ran out and had a look at both of them.

Here is a picture of the one I just pulled out of my Avalanche and both of them are the same with no added plastic tab to cause problems.

View attachment 237320

You can also see in the background that I also used the same lug to attach my ground wire.

Now, what has got me confused is when I composed my post and linked to the fuse taps I used, Amazon showed me buying these twice and both times corresponded with the time I installed each of my two dash cams.

I haven't bought any more of these for any other purpose, so there lies my confusion.

All I can figure is there may have been a product change since the last time I purchased one.

Sorry about that.

I will follow your links in the future should I need any additional taps.

I will also edit the link out of my post to not send anyone else off to a bad link.

Problem is, I have provided these links when this subject was discussed both here and online before.

I do try to provide good information.

No problem, chances are the seller changed suppliers or something at some point since they're likely all just re-branded anyway.

 

[redheadedrod]

I just did the same thing in mine. Bought a bag of 10 add a circuits. Use a VOM and find two circuits. You need to put the battery lead to a fuse that has constant 12 volts and the other to an ignition on lead.

You have those leads so the cam can come on if someone hits your truck when you are away. You may have some strange behavior with your cam if you do not hook it up correctly. Just use two of those. I have 3 in mine as I have a third I am using to power switches I have for auxilary lighting and such. Verified which fuses were live when by using a Digital Volt Ohm Meter.