Dash Cam Installation Instrutions-How To Hardwire Guide?

Written By Andrew Brooks Published on January 13, 2023 Dashcams Last Updated June 5, 2024 Edited by

A dashcam is one of the essential safety equipment that you need to have in your fleet. It helps you to improve driver safety and avoid unfortunate events. It also helps to collect crucial evidence to protect your company and drivers from false litigation. But what more? Well, it can also help you to protect your assets from prying eyes. A dashcam hardwired into the vehicle can provide your continuous recording of the surroundings.

Generally, there are two ways to power your dashcam, one by plugging the device into the cigarette lighter socket & the other is by hardwiring it.

You may find the first option convenient and easy. But hardwiring it is the safer option. You can even do this by yourself and save time & money.

But is it the right way? Or safe? Well, no. It may seem convenient, but it is not safe for the device. Most vehicles have a 12-volt socket usually to charge the mobile device. There are two options for you to plug the device into it, either by using a USB car charger or a USB cable port.

In either case, you are damaging the device if you are connecting the dash cam with the USB cable or USB car charger specifically meant for file transfer purposes or charging the mobile. They do not provide a stable power source and are usually less than 1A. It can cause the device to freeze and also can damage your vehicle. Additionally, the cables can obstruct your view and appear ugly.

Hardwiring a dashcam may seem inconvenient and time-consuming, but it is worth it. It can help you to stay updated for every small event and provide maximum protection against theft even when the vehicle is parked.

Before we explain the steps to hardwire the device, let us explore some benefits of hardwiring it.

Benefits Of Hardwiring Dashcam

Parking Surveillance

Most of the dashcam powered by the battery or cigarette lighter socket turns off when the vehicle’s ignition is off. But what if your driver parks it in the parking lot and someone tries to steal it?

When the engine is off, you are left alone to speculate what is happening with your vehicle. It is not good for your peace of mind. So what is the solution?

You can resolve this problem by hardwiring your dashcam to the fuse box. By following some minimal steps or seeking professional help, you can ensure maximum security for your vehicle and stay updated even when the truck is parked.

We have curated a list of the best dashcams with parking modes available in the market. You can check them out!

Discreet Setup

When you connect your dashcam to the cigarette lighter socket, wires hang in front of you. It is untidy and can obstruct your view, which is dangerous for the driver’s safety.

The other benefit of hardwiring your dashcam is to protect it from prying eyes. Nowadays, thieves are becoming more tech-savvy and informed. When they see the dashcam on the vehicle, they try to remove it or disconnect it before stealing the truck. But when you hardwire your device, they will not be able to disconnect, and you will have enough time to respond to the crisis or notify your drivers to rush back to the vehicle.

Stay Connected

There is always a chance of knocking it by mistake while you power your dash cam to the cigarette lighter socket. Or what will you do if the cord is not properly connected? You will miss out on any events, and what if they are crucial? You can ensure that the dashcam is connected to the vehicle 24/7 by hardwiring it.

Free Up Cigarette Lighter Socket

Hardwiring your dash cam will also free up your cigarette lighter socket. So the drivers can charge their mobile phones in case of emergency or running out of battery.

Dashcam Installation Instruction

Before beginning the installation, you should do some preparation. Gather the tools you will meet to complete the process, such as a hardwiring kit, essential tool kit, pliers, socket wrench, electrical tape, multimeter, crimping tool, trim tool, and car manual.

Find out the ideal position to mount your Dashcam

First, you should think about the position of your dashcam. Sit on the driver’s seat of your vehicle and try out the various places to get the perfect view of the surroundings.

Ideally, you should mount the dash cam within your arm’s reach, but you have to ensure that it does not obstruct the view of the road ahead.

Another popular choice to play the dash cam is the windshield. You should also consider the specific restriction laws of your country before mounting the dash cam so that you do not violate the traffic law. For this, you can refer to the local traffic law guide.

If you are still confused about where to mount your dash cam, you can do it in the middle of the windshield and write behind the rearview mirror. You can also check the live footage from your smartphone while sitting in the driver’s seat to ensure that the camera has a perfect angle and maximum coverage.

Locate the vehicle’s fuse box

What is a Fuse box?

The fuse box is the controller of the electric current in your car. It protects the electrical components of the vehicle from being short-circuited. It prevents overheating damage or any possibility of fire in your truck. You have to connect your dash cam to the fuse box through the hardware kit to get power.

To locate the vehicle’s fuse box, you will have to consider the model and the year of your car. You can check the user manual or contact your manufacturer for information.

For most vehicles, the fuse box is located- underneath the driver-side glove compartment in the steering column, under the dashboard or the roof, or the trunk. If your vehicle has multiple fuse boxes, you should look for the nearest one from your dash cam.

Note:

You can check YouTube with your car model to locate it. They can also show you the way to remove the fuse box.

Determine The Fuse Slots To Use

Now that you have located the fuse box, you have to determine which fuse slots to use. Remember, every slot is not equal, some are for airbags, stability control, and horn, and you should not mess with them. For this, you can refer to the owner’s manual.

You have to choose a slot, i.e., constantly getting a power supply even when the vehicle’s engine is off.

For this, turn off the engine, and use the circuit tester to find a constant fuse. It should light up as the circuit tester touches it.

Ideally, you should use a few slots rated between 10A to 30A to ensure a power supply for your dash camp works smoothly.

Now, remember most of the hardware kids come with three wires. The first connects to the constant fuels, the second goes to the ignition fuse, and the last wire fits into the metal ground bolt.

Therefore to proceed further, you should look for the ignition fuse. You should locate a fuse that reads cold when the engine is off.

Now test the same by turning your engine on and if it lights up, switch off the ignition and connect the wire to this.

Install An Add-A-Fuse Tap

The next step includes installing Add-A-Fuse Tap. It is a popular option for hiding wiring the dash cam to make it secure in the long run. There are many variations in the market, but you should refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual to determine the suitable one for your car. And before connecting the fuse tap to the fuse slot, you should identify the input and output site. For this, you can use the voltmeter.

Test the east side of the fuse slot connector with the help of a voltmeter. If the reading is +/-12.0 to 24.0v, mark it as the input size.

Now test the other side. It should display 0.0 v. If it does, then mark it as an output side.

Now that you have figured out the input and output side of the fuse slot, it’s time to insert the red, add a fuse cable to the constant and yellow, and a fuse cable to the ACC fuse slot in the correct input-output side.

Before crimping the Add-A-Fuse tap, do a final check of the connection using the voltmeter. Turn off the car ignition and touch the aluminum end of the red Add-A-Fuse Tap.

The reading should be +/-12.0 to 24.0v. Otherwise, recheck the connection and fix the errors.

Now turn the vehicle’s key to the ACC position and test the aluminum end of the yellow piggyback cable. It should give a reading of +/-12.0 to 24.0v.

After the final check of the voltage reading, you can go ahead with the installation.

Ground Point

The next step includes locating a ground point and connecting the Add-A-Fuse Tap to avoid unexpected circuit failures. You can sleep the ground wire under any metal bolt or screw in your vehicle.

Note:

Losing the nut or Bolt slipped the wire and tightly secured it to avoid uneven current flow.
Always use unpainted metal bold for best results.
If your vehicle has a factory ground, you can use it.

Once you are done with the fuse slots, you can securely connect the red and yellow fuse taps with the wires of the hardware kit with the help of pliers.

Final Check

After the installation, you should check if everything works alright. Turn the vehicle’s engine on and check if the dash cam has started recording. If it is, you can zip-wire and reinstall all the interior panels you have removed.

Now, if everything is working fine- you can tightly tuck the power cable through the windshield edges. You should pluck the rubber trim along the A-pillar and place the power cable in the gap from the headliner to the fuse box.

Matrack Dashcam

Are you looking for a powerful dashcam to improve your fleet’s safety? Well, look no further. Here is a perfect solution for you – Matrack Dashcam. It is an AI-enabled dash cam that can help you to boost driver safety in real time.

Matrack Dashcam has both lane and driver-facing cameras so you can stay aware of the activity on the road and in the cab. It can also monitor the driver & detect any distracted driving and notify you. All alerts are sounded to the drivers so they can correct their behavior and protect themselves from impacting the other vehicles.

It also has a collision alert system that can detect any danger of a collision and notify the driver.

Final Words

We hope this article helps you get a clear idea of hardwiring your dash cam. You can follow these simple steps if you are comfortable opening your vehicle and dealing with wires.

But if you don’t want to go through this much trouble and are uncomfortable, you can call for professional help.