Parking Mode - how quickly the battery reaches its limit?

[SteelFK1]

Hi,

I have a relatively new car battery and an A139 Pro 3CH and want my camera to keep running when the engine is off, all with the Viofo Hardware Kit.

My questions would be:

- Approximately how long does it take for the car battery to get to its ~12 volts and then Parking Mode doesn't work properly because the battery is always ~12 volts?
Thought there 24 hours (probably too much).

- Is it possible to set up that the inner camera switches off in Parking Mode?
I would like to prefer permanent recording instead of relying on the G-sensor, gladly with less FPS.

How do you use the Parking Mode?
I drive every day ~120 Km why that is good for the car battery, but does it do anything?
I used it once with a powerbank, but with a 3CH dashcam this has not held 12 hours and the constant charging of the powerbank which also takes a long time is extremely annoying.

 

[SPL15]

Realistically, Parking Mode should really only be used on a Dash Cam specific external battery pack(s), especially with a 3-Ch configuration.
Yes, you can manually disable the interior camera by holding down the yellow exclamation button (lock video button). This isn't automatic, you have to do it manually.

Running off a USB powerbank is the absolute worst way to power parking mode: Not very much runtime & takes forever to recharge, plus it's not the safest option available.

Running off the car's starting battery will give limited 3-channel park mode runtime, even with a brand new 100AH+ AGM battery.
In addition, doing this will cause excessive discharge faults upon startup with BMW & Mercedes vehicles, as well as significantly reduce the battery's life.
AGM batteries have approx 300 - 500 cycle life under ideal conditions that don't exist in the automotive environment; running the A139 Pro on park mode will quickly cause a lead acid battery to reach end-of-life within 1 - 2 years on a BRAND NEW battery depending on how deep the battery is discharged everyday. You will begin having issues reliably starting the engine in the winter near the end of battery's useful cycle life.
Lead acid batteries, all types, require a very long top-off / absorption charge to become 100% charged, even after reaching 14.4Vdc @25C temp; this top off charge time can be 8 - 15+ hours on larger AGM batteries depending on amperage provided by the alternator during the bulk charge phase.
Lead acid automotive starting batteries typically only sit around 60% - 80% charged in winter months, up to 75% - 90% charged in summer months, even if one drives very long durations every single day.
This is due to the inherent limitations of lead acid battery electrochemistry that are defined by the laws of physics, as well as the poor charging characteristics of automotive electrical systems, & the fact that almost no one drives their personal vehicle for 4 - 8+ hours every day.
In more recent European / German vehicles (especially BMW), the alternator is programmed to NOT charge the battery while the engine is providing torque to the wheels, the alternator ONLY charges the battery during braking or while coasting, all to increase fuel economy by minuscule figures; so it doesn't matter how long one drive's the car for the batteries to be in a constant state of moderate discharge. All of this, in addition to high current draw from electric motor power steering & automatic engine start/stop functions, further puts strain on the car's batteries & will reduce their useful life-expectancy significantly. Adding a Dashcam in parking mode that constantly keeps the car's batteries in a chronic deep discharge state is simply a bad idea in modern vehicles.

Your best option for useful & competent parking mode is to use a LiFePO4 based dash cam specific battery pack system. My 14300 mAH battery banks go from 60 - 70% charged in the morning to 100% charged after driving 20 minutes back & forth to work everyday.
Useful life time based on predicted "real world" battery cycle life of 2000 cycles for Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, is around 5 - 10+ years.
A $350 USD Dash Cam battery that lasts 5 - 10+ years is very cheap compared to replacing your car's $250 - $500 AGM starting battery every year or two, and will prevent being stranded in the cold with a car battery that won't reliably start the engine in the winter.

 

[Müller]

Hello SteelFK1,

the only thing that makes sense/is consequent in regard to having a Set-it & Forget-it system in your car is a second, permanently installed 12V-battery (preferably LiFePO4) and a b2b-charger (battery-to-battery charger) and which is the standard electricity supply-system that is widely used in motorhomes. One battery for the motor (the starter-battery), one for the electric/electronic consumers (the supply-battery).

With that setup one should never have any energy problems with mobile or permanently installed devices (of course depending on the installed Ah of the supply-battery)

In this dual-battery sytem, the starter-battery lives on it´s own and is solely there for starting the car (as it should) while the bord-battery will be charged with max. amps, everytime the car is online. No hassle with powerbricks to carry around and recharge.

---

Hallo SteelFK1,

das Einzige was Sinn macht/konsequent ist in Hinsicht auf ein Rundum-Sorglos-System im Fahrzeug ist eine festverbaute Zweit-Batterie (vorzugsweise LiFePO4) und ein B2B-Ladegerät (Batterie-zu-Batterie Ladegerät) welches auch das Standard-Elektroversorgungssystem ist welches z.B. in Wohnmobilen verwendet wird. Eine Batterie für den Motor (die Starter-Batterie), eine für die elektrischen/elektronischen Verbraucher (die Versorgungs-/Bordbatterie).

Mit diesem Aufbau sollte man niemals irgendwelche Energieversorgungsprobleme mit mobilen oder festverbauten Gerätschaften haben (abhängig von den installierten Ah der Versorgungsbatterie natürlich).

Die Starterbatterie lebt für sich allein und ist ausschließlich dazu da das Fahrzeug zu starten (wie es sein sollte) während die Versorgungsbatterie mit der vollen Ampere-Leistung (nach-) geladen wird, jedesmal wenn das Fahrzeug gestartet und bewegt wird. Kein Krampf mit Kraftziegelsteinen welche herumgeschleppt und nachgeladen werden müßen.

 

[SteelFK1]

The LiFePO4 sounds good so far, the main thing is that the dashcam records, even if the purchase is expensive, it's worth it to me if everything goes well, especially since you can use it in other vehicles.


have I understood correctly that such a "LFP 12V 40AH LiFeYPo4" is a kind of "mini car battery" about which my dashcam then runs and such a B2B then charges the "mini car battery" while driving?

If so, how full is such a "mini car battery" in about 30 minutes commute with a B2B?
My concern would be again that the "mini car battery (LiFePO4) is also eventually weak.


Edit: okay i read something and i think it's not really worth it for me.... my vehicles I have often only about 1 year, then still that with BSM? hmm...

 

[Müller]

Hello SteelFK1.

1.) The 40Ah/12V (nominal Voltage) of the Winston are 480Wh. Assumed the battery is cycled COMPLETELY (upper voltage level down to the min. cut-off) and additionally assumed the A139 drains (5V/2A=) 10W (times 1h =) 10Wh, then the cam should be active for about 48h.

2.) If the b2b-charger deliveres 12V times 30A this is 360W, then every hour of charging 360Wh are being refilled into the battery.

So this is the relation: The cam drains 10Wh per hour while the b2b refills the battery with 360Wh every hour. And charges the battery AND runs the cam at the same time when the car is online. The real world efficiencies and also the choice of cycling the battery completely or (for the sake of lifetime) only partially, will differ from that but the difference in relation from energy being drawn from/put back into the supply-battery is so huge that one shouldn´t need to be concerned about that.

SteelFK1: "Have I understood correctly that such a "LFP 12V 40AH LiFeYPo4" is a kind of "mini car battery" about which my dashcam then runs and such a B2B then charges the "mini car battery" while driving?"

Positive. The b2b/Winston-combo is basically your wall-plug in your car for all your every-day electric/electronic devices. Can be scaled to your needs and portemonnaie. To additionally have the standard 220V we and most of our electronics/computers are used to (and thus rendering the b2b/Winston a real wall-plug), you might add a 220V Sinus-inverter (in case of need). Then you can live in your car ...

 

[Müller]

Hello SteelFK1.

SteelFK1: "[...] my vehicles I have often only about 1 year [...]"

Well, THAT is a different scenario. Should have told right from the Start ... ^^

 

[SteelFK1]

yes that was stupid on my part sorry :-D

Have that at the beginning so understood that you could install a 2nd battery only for the dashcam without changing anything in the car itself.

Such a possibility would not be possible because of the alternator etc. or?

 

[Müller]

Hello SteelFK1.

SteelFK1: "[...] Such a possibility would not be possible because of the alternator etc. or?"

Yes, sadly it´s not an on-the-fly installation.

 

[SteelFK1]

Hmm... and if I use the original vehicle battery for ~12 hours of recording in parking mode, then the battery will go "dead" in 2-3 years or faster?
That would be for me also still in order ifs so the case.

 

[Müller]

Hello SteelFK1.

Depends on the installed Ah of the battery, it´s charging state, it´s health-state and that in general lead-acids (Starter-batteries) are not meant to be delivering continuous power to small loads over extended periods of time but short, sharp amp-shocks to get a motor-mass moving until the combustionprocess takes over, so Starter-Ahs are unequal LiFePO4-Ahs when it comes to powering mini-offices ...

And no one can tell you for sure how the prognosis for the Starter installed in your car actually looks like in regard to lifetime when everyday-cycling it with a small load like ~15W/12h=180Wh over 2 to 3ys.

 

[kamkar]

I only use parking guard ( low bitrate ) on a 3 hour timer, this cover all my shopping, and at home i have a CCTV camera on the car.
Also at home where car is parked very dark at night so dashcam parking guard will be useless, CCTV camera have IR light for aid in darkness, and have AI motion detect that give me notifications on phone and tablet.
Granted a smart dashcam with a SIM card in it could also give you notifications, but it would still not see much in the dark back yard where i park.

Right now as seen on my PC in another window.


IF ! i was in need for long duration parking guard, and my driving habits allowed the batteries to recover / charge, well i would go with a #2 car battery on a charge controller / splitter so the #2 camera was just for dashcam, and than that battery would be one that would not be harmed by deep cycling so i could use the lowest possible cut off voltage.
There are also the dedicated dashcam power packs, but they are pretty much the same.

 

[SteelFK1]

Yes... I see. Drive a BMW G31, from 2019....

Is there no way where you can have some kind of 2nd battery like now so a LiFePO4 which is charged while driving and then takes care of the camera?
The cost wouldn't matter... I mean the system you can transfer yes again and again in other vehicles.

Here in Germany this is difficult because of data protection to record his public parking.

 

[SPL15]

On a BMW G31, adding a 2nd battery system is pretty easy due to the car’s battery being located in the rear passenger hatch / quarter panel. Could tap power from the rear fuse panel 10 or 20 amp cigarette lighter socket that is on a delayed ignition switch (some BMWs have 20 amp fuse for rear cigarette lighter socket). Ground connection for 2nd battery can be at fuse panel ground, or the car’s battery ground (preferably fuse panel).

You would need an DC-DC converter that outputs around 30% - 50% of the battery’s AH rating. A 20 AH LiFePO4 would be a good size for your use. 10 amp 12 volt DC-DC converters aren’t hard to find online.

Here’s the DC-DC converter I use on one of my BMW E70 35d’s for an auxiliary 50AH LFP battery for power when camping. Not sure if you’re able to buy this in Germany though

Victron Energy Orion-Tr IP43 12/12-Volt 18 amp 220-Watt Isolated DC-DC Converter https://a.co/d/hhwccLw

 

[mj1985]

I can recommend the power core batteries from https://www.power-core.co.uk/ with the Viofo dashcams. I've been using them for a couple of months now and hardwired them to the fuse panel for faster charging (while driving).

btw, yes public recording can be difficult, but the fines for recording are lower than costs after a hit and run (according to the police office I had a conversation to report the damage of my 2020 car)

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Hi,

I have a relatively new car battery and an A139 Pro 3CH and want my camera to keep running when the engine is off, all with the Viofo Hardware Kit.

My questions would be:

- Approximately how long does it take for the car battery to get to its ~12 volts and then Parking Mode doesn't work properly because the battery is always ~12 volts?
Thought there 24 hours (probably too much).

- Is it possible to set up that the inner camera switches off in Parking Mode?
I would like to prefer permanent recording instead of relying on the G-sensor, gladly with less FPS.

How do you use the Parking Mode?
I drive every day ~120 Km why that is good for the car battery, but does it do anything?
I used it once with a powerbank, but with a 3CH dashcam this has not held 12 hours and the constant charging of the powerbank which also takes a long time is extremely annoying.

About your first question, here is a chart of the power consumption of 139pro 3ch. You can calculate it as we do not know how much electricity your car battery can store. We cannot give you a precise result. And you can long-press the emergency button to turn off the interior camera.

 

[SteelFK1]

I bought the "POWER CORE 6200LFP (HW)" and test that first with a "Power Bank", if necessary get the extension and then report gladly further.

Let's see. Thanks for all the very detailed & helpful tips

 

[PykeOPATHIC]

I bought the "POWER CORE 6200LFP (HW)" and test that first with a "Power Bank", if necessary get the extension and then report gladly further.

Let's see. Thanks for all the very detailed & helpful tips

Hi there. I'm interested to get a 6200LFP too. But I can't find any reviews about it. How's its performance?

 

[speeddemon69]

for me on a two cam set up the dash cam powers off after 5-6hrs on my cars battery with voltage cut off set to 12v, i have it set on low bit rate continuous mode. i don't drive the car that often so thats why the short duration. if the car battery only last me two years so be it. it has a two year no questions asked replacement warranty anyway. some people go way over their heads to answer a question lol.

 

[Jamers99]

I set my voltage cut-off to 12.2v on my VIOFO hardwire kit on my A139 Pro. Is that better for the battery if I use time-lapse parking mode "or" should I choose the highest voltage setting?