Technical Interior light power supply

[bimmer]

I will be hard wiring a VIOFO dash cam in my car asap. I've had difficulties in the past with the interior light power supply on other vehicles being CanBus controlled. The current drain of the camera is too much for the circuitry and causes errors.
Looking at the wiring is no help as most cables are miniaturised these days.
Is the supply up there a genuine 12v from the fuse box or is it via the ECU?
Thanks.

 

[jamesd84]

Not 100% but I think the interior light dims before turning off so don't think you'd have much luck. I take it the accessory socket isn't switched with the ignition.
Cabling in modern cars tends to be sized just big enough to save weight.
On the C max I had the 12v socket was on all the time so I got a piggy back fuse holder and linked across a switched supply to the 12v socket supply via a flylead and a spade crimp.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I suspect it is via the ECU. If you open the door, the light goes off after three minutes (with the door left open), and if you turn the light on using the switch it turns itself off after about 15 minutes (with the switch still in the 'on' position). In fact, everything on the car seems to go off, expect the sidelights if you try really hard to leave them on as parking lights.

 

[Goudrons]

Hard wire your cam into the fuse box behind the glove box.

You can buy hard wire kits, but I just made up an additional power/cig lighter socket in the glove box, the cable that comes with the cam is better shielded than the hard wire kits.

The wire will just push under the front of the headlining across the top of the A pillar trim and then down under the seal in the door opening, you can just flick the seal up and guide the wire down it, right down to below the dash.

Fuse 51 in the fuse box is switched, so is only live with the ignition is on.
you can tap into this fuse with a fuse piggyback/fuse tap, these usually come in the hard wire kits.

Fit you do use a hardwire kit, make sure it has the connector, cam end.
Different cams come with different USB connectors, often it's either USB mini or USB micro.

 

[bimmer]

Thanks Goudrons, I have a hard wire kit that came with a previous VIOFO, so will use that method. Cheers all.

 

[Fillipe]

I suspect it is via the ECU. If you open the door, the light goes off after three minutes (with the door left open), and if you turn the light on using the switch it turns itself off after about 15 minutes (with the switch still in the 'on' position). In fact, everything on the car seems to go off, expect the sidelights if you try really hard to leave them on as parking lights.

Errr....what side lights? I've only got DRL or dipped/main. No rear lights with DRL on?

 

[R1NGA]

Errr....what side lights? I've only got DRL or dipped/main. No rear lights with DRL on?

Correct, but if you want to park with 'sidelights' on, both front and rear will illuminate when the ignition is OFF and the headlight switch is turned on.

 

[Fillipe]

Correct, but if you want to park with 'sidelights' on, both front and rear will illuminate when the ignition is OFF and the headlight switch is turned on.

Thanks R1nga, I didn't know that.:slayer: Obviously that means turning the headlight switch after removing the key from the ignition, because I frequently leave them on when I turn off the engine, relying on the Fiat Killall function

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

The make the parking lights come on, turn the key off and take it right out.
Then, turn the lightswitch to 'off' (if not already there), then on... sometimes you seem to need to do this twice. The front sidelights. rear tail lights and number plate lights will all come on (but not the instruments and switch lighting).

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Errr....what side lights? I've only got DRL or dipped/main. No rear lights with DRL on?

When the headlights are on, the DRLs dim to become sidelights.

 

[Fillipe]

When the headlights are on, the DRLs dim to become sidelights.

Thanks - I did realise that. I was unaware that I could activate only sidelights when parked, seeing as that function (sidelights only) isn't available when moving.