Hard wiring in dash cam with parking mode

JustAnotherSaver

So I actually managed to hard wire in my current dash cam which will be nothing of a job to many of you but I had no clue where to begin not all that long ago. Some minor issues with it which I'm not sure whether it's down to car / wiring / dash cam. I'm going to replace the dash cam for a different unit with better clarity anyway.

That is the VIOFO A119 v3 and I'm deciding whether to just use the supplied 12v power cable (and have no parking mode?) or buy the hard wire kit with it and have parking mode.

So i'll go with my main questions on this first off...

1) With the parking mode it will record constantly, yes? I'm 99.9% sure it must surely do this and not require a bump to 'trigger' it but I'll ask anyway.

2) Battery drain is a concern. Is it likely to drain the cars battery? Some weeks I may finish with the car on the Friday and not use it again until the next Monday, so 2 days with nothing but constant recording.

To go 1 step further, if i'm on holiday from work then I may not use the car at all. So it'll be last used on one Saturday and not used again until 2 Monday's later - so unused for 8 continuous days.

I'm wanting to avoid getting in to the car only to find I then have to jump start it because of this parking mode.

I do have a couple more questions but the battery drain one is my main concern so want to get that out of the way first.

neilmcl

Good choice of camera, I have the original A119 and it's a great little dash cam, although I don't have it hardwired.

Might be worth asking your question on the Viofo forum on dashcamtalk.com

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/forums/a119-v3.303/

Oneye12

A119 V3 dashcam has a revolutionary improvement on parking mode, there are 3 solutions under the parking mode to meet different needs, Auto Event Detection, Time Lapse, Low Bitrate Recording. When you choose Auto Event Detection, buffered parking mode function will work automatically to record video before the event and after the event. A119 V3 supports HK3 ACC 3 wire hardwire cable (Sold separately), it will judge the car start/stop more sensitively through ACC signal.

I'm  guessing the '3 wire hardwire cable' is for constant supply power and switched (ignition) supply.

Shouldn't have a problem with car battery unless you leave it for several weeks.

On my Ford Focus supply comes from a spare fuse..

oldagetraveller1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BlackVue-Hardwire-Parking-Battery-Protection-PowerMagicPro/dp/B008B8ERIO

This is for a Blackvue camera but there's possibly an equivalent suitable for Viofo.

Prevents the car's battery dropping below a set voltage when using parking mode.

I have a Blackvue 2 channel camera set up but use a separate lithium rechageable battery to power it. The battery charges from the car but maintains power for the cameras when parked.

Not the cheapest option though but saves the risk of a flat starting battery!

JustAnotherSaver

Looking at the kit, does the VIOFO H/W kit have one of those things in built?

Amazon Link.

Seems to have a switch on the H/W Kit.

I did a bit of Googling and the articles I read suggested that you wont end up with a flat battery.

One problem I have is that I'd like a front/rear setup. VIOFO do the A129 but as far as image quality goes, I think the A119 v3 is superior. I've seen sample snapshots and videos and certainly as far as number plate detection goes, I don't think I'd want to go with the blurred option of the A129 up front in place of the A119 just for the sake of it coming with a rear camera.

I'm not a VIOFO 'fanboy' by any means. I've just done a bit of research looking for good image quality as far as number plate detection goes (as i'm not happy with my current camera) - and it's the A119 v3 for me it seems.

Which presents the problem of what to do with the rear.

I could either buy a second A119 v3 or use my existing dash cam for the rear. Either way this will also need to be wired in and it's a case of

1) how? Which fuse to use? As an electrical idiot, I don't really know the best way for this specific setup

2) How to make this camera also have parking mode - and is there going to be a sea of fuse taps behind the glovebox.

JustAnotherSaver

@neilmcl did you have any issue formatting the sd card from within the dash cam itself? I'm wondering if I've been sent a duff unit. 

I format from the dash cam and then it suddenly stops recording. Says I need to format the sd card. I obviously try again and the cycle continues but now the sd card is useless as won't record.
Connect to a pc and find nothing has been formatted at all. All my files are still there. 

Try again with another sd card, different capacity, different brand, same issue. Records when I put it in but if I format from within the dash cam then it no longer records and I just keep getting told I need to format the card.

Try to connect dash cam to pc. Pc recognises it but not as a file manager/hard drive. I can't access it at all and therefore can't update firmware.

Have contacted their support with view to return as this doesn't sound right to me.