Continue to Site

Welcome to our site!

Electro Tech is an online community (with over 170,000 members) who enjoy talking about and building electronic circuits, projects and gadgets. To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

  • Welcome to our site! Electro Tech is an online community (with over 170,000 members) who enjoy talking about and building electronic circuits, projects and gadgets. To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Question Connecting security camera to car

Status
Not open for further replies.

jbsamson

New Member
Hello all,

I have a few questions regarding a project i have started. I intend to connect a IR security camera to my car. The cameras input is 12V DC at 500mA. I am wondering if I should use a fuse or not when connecting the 12V line. If so, what fuse would be best. Second, I want to make sure that is all I need to do to make this work. I am by no means an expert with electronics, I only understand basic principals. If I connect this camera to the 12V and ground, will it work properly, or is there more I would need to do.

The security camera is not that expensive or nice....40$.

Any help would be great,

Thanks!!
 
Yes - put a fuse inline - somewhere in the region of 1-2 amps should be fine. Connect it as near to where you're tapping off the 12v as possible.

Has the camera actually been designed for in car use ? If it hasn't then you may well kill it fairly quickly because of spikes and noise on the vehicle electrical system. You may need some kind of automotive LDO regulator (normal cars run at 13-13.8v) if so.
 
I found most 12V cams will happily run down to 9V so I would go for an automotive LDO reg set about 10V. Note: As already said, it needs to be an automotive reg to protect against all that a car alternator can throw at it.

Micrel do a good range.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest threads

New Articles From Microcontroller Tips

Back
Top