Dash cam doesn't always turn on due to power interruption starting car

[whatamarket]

Hi,
I have a problem with my dash cam - it mostly doesn't turn on when starting the car as it thinks it has received a shut down signal as the power gets interupted while starting the engine. At least this is what I think is happening. I have to pull the plug out of the cigarette lighter socket and push it back in again before setting off. Does anyone know if there is a gizmo I can buy to smooth the current that I can insert between the socket and plug, perhaps?

On another note, why are dash cams so bad these days? I think I have better footage from my old dash cam than any of the new ones I see on YouTube (despite setting it to the highest quality playback - maybe it is still compressed?).
Thank you.

 

[Nigel]

It might help if you told us what sort of dashcam it is, and what you have upgraded from...

Some new dashcams are very good, the best are far better than older ones.
There is also plenty of rubbish on the market!

 

[whatamarket]

I haven't upgraded, it the same one I got from a recommendation on this site years ago and is still going strong, called mini 0906 I think. Capacitor type not battery. It definately seems confused when starting the car.

Great picture and saved me from a complete liar who reversed into me once and tried to blame me! I use an old SJcam 4000 on my motorbike and that has a decent picture too. My standard is to be able to read a numberplate passing in the opposite direction and both of these can, unlike the youtube videos I have watched looking for a replacement; made me not want to bother replacing it if new ones are rubbish, but I am open to suggestions (front and rear) if you say there are good ones and there is no fix for my old 0906 as it has finally driven me mad.

 

[LateralNW]

My standard is to be able to read a numberplate passing in the opposite direction and both of these can, unlike the youtube videos I have watched

My personal experience, reading number plates depends.
It depends of many factors.

Some days I can read many number plates and other days it is difficult.
At nights in some settings I can read number plates but not reliably.
I don't do city driving much but that's where I noticed the best results.
Dark country roads I don't expect much. The fast the car is going the less chance of getting that elusive number plate.

I would like to see faster shutter speeds but that will most likely mean it is limited to what light is around.
I would prefer the "static" image rather than the hope that HDR at night will capture the number plate. ( It does sometime quite well)

It definately seems confused when starting the car.

A work around try using a delay start up device.
This is one example.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Protect-Against-Reversal-Protection-2-16x1-18/dp/B01MS74NQP?th=1

 

[whatamarket]

Thank you, looks like a good idea. I will investigate.

The mini 0906 can't read plates at night, unfortunately, as it overexposes them.

 

[DT MI]

The mini 0906 can't read plates at night, unfortunately, as it overexposes them.

A common problem with many, many dash cams. I don't think there is a dash cam made that will capture plates at night under all conditions.

 

[whatamarket]

I have bought one of these as it was available in my country and had a case, I will update when I work out how to use it (no instructions - at all!):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B08F3QSJK6

 

[Michael23]

Hey there...whatamarket...
Go here to see how to connect the unit...
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B08F3QSJK6
Scroll way down & click on the images link down the bottom > "Reviews with images."
There's an image showing the connections.

 

[whatamarket]

Hey there...whatamarket...
Go here to see how to connect the unit...
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B08F3QSJK6
Scroll way down & click on the images link down the bottom > "Reviews with images."
There's an image showing the connections.

Thanks for that. Having played around with the little unit, that diagram on Amazon is only part of the story (with an error as far as I can tell, but I am no electrician). I am going to interrupt the fuse for the cigarette lighter socket with this configuration (below) using program 3 with its second timer set to zero (again, no instructions, you just have to play around with it using a DVM):

 

[whatamarket]

My personal experience, reading number plates depends.
It depends of many factors.

Some days I can read many number plates and other days it is difficult.
At nights in some settings I can read number plates but not reliably.
I don't do city driving much but that's where I noticed the best results.
Dark country roads I don't expect much. The fast the car is going the less chance of getting that elusive number plate.

I would like to see faster shutter speeds but that will most likely mean it is limited to what light is around.
I would prefer the "static" image rather than the hope that HDR at night will capture the number plate. ( It does sometime quite well)



A work around try using a delay start up device.
This is one example.
View attachment 72061

https://www.amazon.com.au/Protect-Against-Reversal-Protection-2-16x1-18/dp/B01MS74NQP?th=1

Thanks for this idea. I didn't think I was going to be able to use it at first as all the programs either needed a trigger (and the timer wouldn't start if the trigger wire was left in place) or it would continuously cycle on and off, which is not what you want for a dash cam But setting the second delay cycle to zero on a program that didn't require a trigger cured it (program 3).

 

[LateralNW]

Thanks for this idea. I didn't think I was going to be able to use it at first as all the programs either needed a trigger (and the timer wouldn't start if the trigger wire was left in place) or it would continuously cycle on and off, which is not what you want for a dash cam. But setting the second delay cycle to zero on a program that didn't require a trigger cured it (profram 3).

Glad I could help out.

Look forward to hearing the results. Keep us posted.
Posting how to make it work - for the timer you purchased might help many others.

 

[whatamarket]

Glad I could help out.

Look forward to hearing the results. Keep us posted.
Posting how to make it work - for the timer you purchased might help many others.

Well, it seems to work but I have only had time to temporarily wire it and start the car twice. I will post a picture of the installation when I wire it in properly and use the car normally for a few days.

The images below is how I wired it for anyone interested (I changed the plan slightly after thinking about the easiest way) - basically I replaced the cigarette socket fuse with a fuse tap/timer relay, thereby delaying power to the cigarette socket itself by 4 seconds to get past the voltage drops when starting the car. The timer relay is rated to 10amps so I downgraded the original cig socket fuse to match and used appropriate guage wires for all connections. The most my socket ever sees is powering the dash cam and phone charger: If I used my socket for anything which drew a heavy current then I would have instead delayed the power to just the dash cam itself rather than the socket.

I am just stating here what I did, I am not advising anyone to follow this, especially without professional advice or professional installation:

 

[LateralNW]

Well, it seems to work but I have only had time to temporarily wire it and start the car twice. I will post a picture of the installation when I wire it in properly and use the car normally for a few days.

The images below is how I wired it for anyone interested (I changed the plan slightly after thinking about the easiest way) - basically I replaced the cigarette socket fuse with a fuse tap/timer relay, thereby delaying power to the cigarette socket itself by 4 seconds to get past the voltage drops when starting the car. The timer relay is rated to 10amps so I downgraded the original cig socket fuse to match and used appropriate guage wires for all connections. The most my socket ever sees is powering the dash cam and phone charger: If I used my socket for anything which drew a heavy current then I would have instead delayed the power to just the dash cam itself rather than the socket.

I am just stating here what I did, I am not advising anyone to follow this, especially without professional advice or professional installation:

Nice work.
I'm sure there is someone out there that will appreciate you posting the wiring diagram.
Interesting use of the cig circuit. Tidy solution for the problem at hand.

Plastic Timer Relay, LED Display Adjustable 12V LED Timer Relay, Automotive Control System Electrical Equipment for Smart Control
Brand: Neel

 

[whatamarket]

Thanks. There isn't much to see, but here is a short clip of it working. It has definitely cured the problem. It is stuck to a small, angled ledge directly under the fuse box, but I may have to relocate it as it could be distracting now I see it in the dark!

Edit: couldn't upload a vid so here are a couple of photos instead. I have good access to change the timer if I need to, but it is a bit weird looking where it is. I will put it under the dash some time in the future, but for now, job done.

 

[LateralNW]

Thanks. There isn't much to see, but here is a short clip of it working. It has definitely cured the problem. It is stuck to a small, angled ledge directly under the fuse box, but I may have to relocate it as it could be distracting now I see it in the dark!

Edit: couldn't upload a vid so here are a couple of photos instead. I have good access to change the timer if I need to, but it is a bit weird looking where it is. I will put it under the dash some time in the future, but for now, job done.

I see what you meant lol

You're right you can't post videos here.
The way we post videos on this site is to post them on youtube and then share the link here.
There are many other ways to share a video like posting on eg Dropbox.com the Free basic option.