[Locoblade]

Hi all

First post here but long time lurker and BabyBMW contributor. I'm about to fit a dashcam and would like to use a parking guard function but want to avoid the low battery warnings from the car when it detects the drain of the camera whilst the car isn't running.

I really don't want to go down the route of supplementary power supplies etc but I found the install guide for the BMW Advanced Eye retrofit camera which has parking guard and presumably avoids triggering these warnings despite being hardwired to the car with no supplementary power. I'm wondering if anyone has wired in 3rd party cameras using the same wires identified in the guide rather than just picking random live and ignition fuses from the fusebox and whether there's any advantage in doing so, I was hoping perhaps these are unmonitored feeds so don't trigger any warning?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/att...5&d=1428352857

Specifically this page

[jmwilson125]

Hmmm I will have to try this. I have the blacksys ch100 camera. I have it hardwired so that it will record parking functions as well.

The blacksys has a built in function where you can set it to shut off when the battery drops to a certain. Voltage. You can also set it to turn off on a timer.

No matter what voltage setting I tried, and no matter if I turned blinking LEDs off, or turned the sensitivity down so it wouldn't be triggered as often, I would still get the low voltage warning.

So far I have just dealt with it. If I don't drive the car for 24+ hours I will get the warning. I could probably avoid the warning by setting a cut off timer, but what's the point of that if it won't be monitoring all the time.

As of right now I think it records for 12-18 hours before BMW shuts the battery off.

I will try this location with my setup and let you know how it works. I would also like to avoid adding an additional power source.

[Locoblade]

Please do, the instructions just mention plug A173 and wire codes that don't mean a lot to me so not sure how easy they'll be to identify?

[jmwilson125]

May have to wait till the weekend to do this. Got a busy work week this week.

[Locoblade]

Take some pics if you do please, would be good to see the FEM A173 plug and correct wires in the flesh rather than a line drawing

[jmwilson125]

Originally Posted by Locoblade

Take some pics if you do please, would be good to see the FEM A173 plug and correct wires in the flesh rather than a line drawing

Will do. You don't already the kit do you? I'm wondering what those two clips (D and E ) look like in the flesh and if I can go pick them up somewhere?

[Locoblade]

I don't have the BMW kit as I'm fitting a Thinkware F770. I suspect they're just a wire tap something like this though
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SPLICE-SCOT.../dp/B00HBSA1G2
or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/292125922604

I've used the first type in the past and not found them to be particularly reliable so would prefer to do it properly by stripping the insulation back and soldering to the existing wire, but that's a bit more destructive and obvious if you ever have to remove it or take it in for warranty work so might have to just go with a tap.

[jmwilson125]

Originally Posted by Locoblade

I don't have the BMW kit as I'm fitting a Thinkware F770. I suspect they're just a wire tap something like this though
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SPLICE-SCOT.../dp/B00HBSA1G2
or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/292125922604

I've used the first type in the past and not found them to be particularly reliable so would prefer to do it properly by stripping the insulation back and soldering to the existing wire, but that's a bit more destructive and obvious if you ever have to remove it or take it in for warranty work so might have to just go with a tap.

That's the one I would have gone with. I found great reviews on the blacksys one though and it was about half the price. I should be pulling that panel off shortly and taking a couple pictures.

Also I like how that install talks about airbag obstruction. I was thinking about that when I wired mine.

[Locoblade]

Strange how prices vary so much from country to country, here in the UK Blacksys products are quite hard to find and the UK distributor doesn't seem to be pushing them as a brand or aiming to be particularly competitive on price. They sell the CH100 here for £230 (so ~$300?) which is a lot more than the US price on Blackboxmycar. Conversely, Thinkware UK are currently discounting the 2 camera F770 kit with a 32Gb card and hardwire kit by £40 so it's selling at the same price of £229 which seems significantly cheaper than you can get it for in the US.

[jmwilson125]

Originally Posted by Locoblade

Strange how prices vary so much from country to country, here in the UK Blacksys products are quite hard to find and the UK distributor doesn't seem to be pushing them as a brand or aiming to be particularly competitive on price. They sell the CH100 here for £230 (so ~$300?) which is a lot more than the US price on Blackboxmycar. Conversely, Thinkware UK are currently discounting the 2 camera F770 kit with a 32Gb card and hardwire kit by £40 so it's selling at the same price of £229 which seems significantly cheaper than you can get it for in the US.

Yeah right now it's $389 thinkware and $199 here. Looks like there is an f800 model and a ch200b available now haha.

I did not have time this weekend to check out the fem location. Girlfriend's car shit the bed yesterday and had to deal with that.

[Locoblade]

The F800 Pro is another £100 here and I didn't think it was worth the extra for the incremental improvements, plus I prefer the shape of the F770 with the enclosed lens and side compartment that hides the wiring.

The CH200B looks a decent option from the reviews but I couldn't find a UK seller at all, the distributor is only selling the CH100.

[Locoblade]

Just a heads up, I made a comment about the Advanced Eye camera on another forum the other day and got an interesting reply from an installer which may shed some more light on using the FEM connections (especially if he responds to my questions )
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...1201794&i=4240

[ZPrime]

From Nezil over in the M2 section, some interesting research about battery voltage and some problems he's been having with the PMP and trying to keep his Blackvue running for more than 6 hours.

Apparently something happens around the 6hr mark that causes a large amount of voltage droop (at least in an M2), and this causes the PMP to shut down because it passes below the 12V threshold (lowest that PMP allows).