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Running a 12v dashcam from battery

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Gary McKay

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I am trying to power up a dashcam via battery. I am a using a Next Base In-Car Cam which normally powers from the car cigarette lighter. I have tried a battery pack that arranges 8 x 1,5 v batteries - and do get a small spark when I cross the wires with this. I have wired this up to the camera charger but cannot power up the camera from this.

Is this the wrong approach or ...?

Gary McKay
Elgin Scotland
 
Where are you connecting your batteries?
To the terminals on the part which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket?
or
To the wires which go from the part which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket to the dashcam?

Does the dashcam still work when you connect it to the cigarette lighter socket using the cable supplied with the dashcam?

JimB
 
Yes camera does power up from lighter socket using cable supplied.
I connected the wires from the battery pack to the wires of the power up cable
 
the wires of the power up cable
Sorry, I am confused, do you mean:
"The cable which goes from the lighter socket to the dashcam"

If so, that could be a big problem.

I would expect that there is a voltage regulator in the part which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket.
That voltage regulator will convert the 12v from the car to 5v which the dashcam requires.

Do you have a voltmeter or multimeter that you can use to measure the voltage on the cable?
JimB
 
I have connected to the cable before the voltage regulator (ie the round bit on the cable) so that should still be operational.

No I dont have equipment to measure the voltage on the cable
 
Depending on the quality of your 1.5 volt batteries, likely D Cells you may not be meeting the current required for your dash camera. If you want a battery powered option, other than an automotive lighter or utility outlet you may want to think about investing in a good SLA 12 volt battery. A 12 volt 7.5 Amp Hour battery is not that expensive and rechargeable.

Ron
 
I have tried a battery pack that arranges 8 x 1,5 v batteries - and do get a small spark when I cross the wires with this.
Generally, sparks aren't a good sign and crossing wires is a recipe for disaster. Are you sure you had the polarity correct?
 
OK will check polarity. using 8 by 1.5 duracell AA.
Will also invesitigate the 12 v batteries you suggested.
Cheers and thanks for you help!
 
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