Safely run power for dashcam?

Morning all, hope everyone had a great Christmas.

I'm trying to run a USB cable from my dashcam to the cigarette lighter power in the centre console. My idea is to tuck the cable under the roof lining, go left to the passenger-side A-pillar, down, then under the dashboard.

From the research I've done, as far as I can tell, the inflator for the curtain airbag is about half way along the length of the airbag, and mounted somewhere in the roof rail - but the airbag is the 'extended' type which goes all the way down the A-pillar.

I can fully conceal the cable if I run it down the door side of the A-pillar, but that would entail running it between the roof lining and the top of the A-pillar cover, which would, as far as I can tell, put it in the path of the airbag if it were to deploy.

My guess is that the safer option is to try and tuck the cable in as best I can between the windscreen and the A-pillar, but it looks like the gap between the A-pillar cover and the windscreen is too tight to fully conceal the cable, and I haven't yet figured out how to conceal the cable where it runs between the bottom of the A-pillar and the side of the dashboard.

My question is - what is the safest way to run the cable down the A-pillar in such a way that it won't interfere with the curtain airbag deployment?

Does anyone have any tips on how I can better conceal the cable, or if there's a smarter way to do it? My car is still under extended warranty, so I'm not keen on tapping into the power that's available at the mirror just yet.

TIA.

you do not have to tuck it in too far. Just about half cm is enough. I run mine tucked to the headlining at the windscreen end then cross over to the A pilar where the plastic trim is along the top (just push it in enough to conceal) then tucked under the rubber door seals to rough knee height where you find another plastic trim joint. then behind the glove box and along the centre console to the power socket.

5 minute job

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Originally Posted by mr gee

I run mine tucked to the headlining at the windscreen end then cross over to the A pilar where the plastic trim is along the top (just push it in enough to conceal)

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Thanks for your reply, but I fear that the way you have done (where you cross over the top of the A-pillar) it will interfere with airbag deployment, since there is a section of the curtain airbag that is attached to the A-pillar when it deploys.

Remove the A-pillar cover and you'll see where the airbag sits, then you can run the cable forward of the airbag so that the two don't interfere with each other.

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Originally Posted by brad

Remove the A-pillar cover and you'll see where the airbag sits, then you can run the cable forward of the airbag so that the two don't interfere with each other.

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Thanks, I did a bit more reading, and it seems that the B6 may have a single-use metal retaining clip under the A-pillar cover. Some people have said that they've managed to re-use that clip, so I'll do a bit more reading on how to do it as safely as possible when I get a chance and report back.

It seems there is likely to be an existing wiring harness that runs up the A pillar anyway, so I could probably just cable-tie the dashcam's power cable to that and be fairly confident that it won't interfere with the airbag. I already ordered a trim removal toolkit a few days ago so it'll probably be a bit easier once I have that on hand.

I've only done it on an Octavia (all these VW group cars are engineered in a similar manner) but there were no single use clips that I could see. Yes, there's a wiring loom and I attached to it with a couple of fine cable ties.

If you want to do a full stealth install then put an accessory 12v outlet in the cubby hole near your right knee and wire it into a switched fuse in the fuse box. Works really well.

I have done this in both my Passat and the Polo I ran the power cable from the Fuse panel in the end of the dash and up the joint in the end of the top of the dash to the front of the A pillar Then using a body panel tool pushed in between the A pillar trim and the windscreen to the top then under the edge of the roof lining and across to above the mirror It then tucks in the side of the roof console and you can only see a few inches of cable. However the cable is a lot thinner than a USB which is a cheap cumbersome way of doing it.

Using one of these and a ciggy socket you can power it off a spare fuse socket thats not used You can see the cable in the second pic going up the door trim The ciggy socket is in the bubble wrap to stop it rattling One of those fuses is permanent power and one is ignition only power Cant remember which is which after 2 years since I installed it. Reason for doing it this way is that some cameras run off less than 12V and have the stepdown in the ciggy plug which also usually has a fuse in it.


Camera looks like third pic.

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Originally Posted by kleung

Morning all, hope everyone had a great Christmas.

I'm trying to run a USB cable from my dashcam to the cigarette lighter power in the centre console. My idea is to tuck the cable under the roof lining, go left to the passenger-side A-pillar, down, then under the dashboard.

From the research I've done, as far as I can tell, the inflator for the curtain airbag is about half way along the length of the airbag, and mounted somewhere in the roof rail - but the airbag is the 'extended' type which goes all the way down the A-pillar.

I can fully conceal the cable if I run it down the door side of the A-pillar, but that would entail running it between the roof lining and the top of the A-pillar cover, which would, as far as I can tell, put it in the path of the airbag if it were to deploy.

My guess is that the safer option is to try and tuck the cable in as best I can between the windscreen and the A-pillar, but it looks like the gap between the A-pillar cover and the windscreen is too tight to fully conceal the cable, and I haven't yet figured out how to conceal the cable where it runs between the bottom of the A-pillar and the side of the dashboard.

My question is - what is the safest way to run the cable down the A-pillar in such a way that it won't interfere with the curtain airbag deployment?

Does anyone have any tips on how I can better conceal the cable, or if there's a smarter way to do it? My car is still under extended warranty, so I'm not keen on tapping into the power that's available at the mirror just yet.

TIA.

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Have you considered getting 12v power from the auto dim rear view mirror?

The Blue/Black is + and the Brown next to it is -.

If it has a USB power cable its probably 5 volts so will need correct connectors with a stepdown converter from 12 v which is frequently in the plug on the end of the cable.

Have seen a few fried who did not appreciate the difference. The way I did it has worked perfectly for over 2 years and will work regardless of the required voltage as it uses the original parts that came with the camera.

Is also not a good idea to splice into circuits in a VW

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Originally Posted by Passat R36

Have you considered getting 12v power from the auto dim rear view mirror?

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Yeah I have - as I mentioned in my OP, my car is still under warranty so I want to avoid doing anything potentially invasive for now. Thanks all the same.

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Originally Posted by Hillbilly

Then using a body panel tool pushed in between the A pillar trim and the windscreen to the top

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Good to know this is possible. My trim removal kit has turned up so I might try again and see if I can't just push the cable between the A pillar trim and the windscreen.

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Originally Posted by kleung

Yeah I have - as I mentioned in my OP, my car is still under warranty so I want to avoid doing anything potentially invasive for now. Thanks all the same.
Good to know this is possible. My trim removal kit has turned up so I might try again and see if I can't just push the cable between the A pillar trim and the windscreen.

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If you use the fuses as I did you can remove it all in 10 mins and not know it has been there.
Meter out the two locations shown in my pic and just stick the little fuse in with the wire to the bottom and it will work perfectly.
The fuses are $6.95 at Jaycar

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Originally Posted by Hillbilly

If you use the fuses as I did you can remove it all in 10 mins and not know it has been there.
Meter out the two locations shown in my pic and just stick the little fuse in with the wire to the bottom and it will work perfectly.
The fuses are $6.95 at Jaycar

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Ok, I've finally made some progress. I did make some effort to try and remove the A-pillar trim but it just ended up being too hard. For anyone who's interested, there is a PDF with a bunch of trim removal instructions for the B6 her:

http://vwts.ru/body/b6/b6_70.pdf

I'm basically using Hillbilly's idea with some slight variations.

Required tools and parts:

• SF5125 Double mini blade fuse socket wire tap $4.95
• PS2003 Cigarette lighter inline socket $3.95
• Suitable additional mini fuse - probably no more than 5A since that's also the current limit of the above cigarette lighter socket.
• A short length of wire for the negative/earth connection
• Solder and soldering iron for soldering wires to the inline cigarette lighter socket
• Wire cutter to take the crimp connector off the end of the wire tap.

I've run the power for the dashcam down the driver's side A-pillar, on the windscreen side. It's very tight, but if you have some trim removal tools you can just them to jam the cable in so it will stay in place. At the bottom, I've tucked a bit of cable in under the bottom of the windscreen for a bit more stability, and then run the able along the gap between the white A-pillar trim and the dark dashboard trim. The cable just sits on the surface, but it's barely noticeable.

From there I tuck it in under the bottom of the A-pillar trim and down into the fusebox. It's easier to do if you remove the dark plastic centre A-pillar trim - with the fuse box open, use your fingers to gently pry the top of the inner edge towards you, and it should pop out easily. then gently free the trim piece from the rubber door seal, and lift upwards to remove.

Note that you will want to pull some cable through from the fuse box before doing the tucking around the windscreen, as the USB cable needs to run through a small gap behind a piece of plastic - you won't be able to fit the charger through if you go the other way.

In terms of power, in my MY10.5 R36, I found an ignition-powered fuse on the third row, third from the left - a 7.5A fuse that appears to power the parking sensors (I got a message on the radio to say "OPS inoperative" when I turned the ignition on with the fuse unplugged).

You will need the addtiional mini fuse if you are using the fuse power tap from Jaycar, because it piggybacks on an existing circuit - the existing fuse is reused for the existing circuit, and you need an additional fuse for the power tap circuit.

For the negative wire, I plan to loosen the screw that secures the top bracket of the fuse box and just jam the negative wire behind it.

My project still isn't quite complete - I need some fuses and some additonal wire to complete the job, but at least now the end is in sight.

Similar information here:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/foru...on-112038.html

I didnt remove the connector on the wire as I have a full set of connectors and a good crimper. I just crimped a bullet onto the wire from the ciggy socket.

You dont need to remove the A pillar cover just insert this body tool Use the middle one as its the thickest and slide it down and twist it and the cavity will widen and slide it up the screen ahead of the cable and it will slide in When you get to the bottom do the same with the gap between the bottom of the A pillar trim and the end of the dash It should fit in there and just push it further in with the tool. As I said start at the bottom and pull the cable right up to the camera and then work back down putting it in. The fuse you put in as secondary in the addafuse doesnt matter as your ciggy plug should have one in it which will be less than whatever you put in.

Make sure where you connect the earth to is actually earth as a couple of screws in there are into plastic. I metered each one out to one of the door hinges to check and get the right one. For the earth wire If you dont have a ring to crimp on it make a circle out of the wire and run some solder around it to make a ring. Neater and wont fall out

The fuses I show in my pics are live extras and you could have used the other ones which are less trouble and dont interfere with other things if they blow.

All up took 40 mins to do the job.

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Originally Posted by Hillbilly

I didnt remove the connector on the wire as I have a full set of connectors and a good crimper. I just crimped a bullet onto the wire from the ciggy socket.

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My cigarette lighter socket has solder terminals, so I figured it'd be easier to just solder the wire directly. More than one way to skin a cat I suppose.

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You dont need to remove the A pillar cover just insert this body tool Use the middle one as its the thickest and slide it down and twist it and the cavity will widen

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That's a great idea, I'll try it when I get a chance. Thanks for the tip. My kit has more bits, half of which I don't understand how to use, but I do have a wedge tool like that middle one. That fat one on the left looks slightly ominous. :)

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The fuse you put in as secondary in the addafuse doesnt matter as your ciggy plug should have one in it which will be less than whatever you put in.

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Not much choice, as the addafuse won't pass current without a fuse installed. Not 100% sure I'd trust cheap Chinese ciggy chargers, TBH.

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Make sure where you connect the earth to is actually earth as a couple of screws in there are into plastic. I metered each one out to one of the door hinges to check and get the right one.

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The screw I mentioned attaches to what looks like a part of the frame. It's definitely metal, and I got 12V on my multimeter when I used it as an earth point from the fuse take-off.

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For the earth wire If you dont have a ring to crimp on it make a circle out of the wire and run some solder around it to make a ring. Neater and wont fall out

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Another good tip, thanks.

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The fuses I show in my pics are live extras and you could have used the other ones which are less trouble and dont interfere with other things if they blow.

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I randomly tested a few of the other spare fuse slots, and none of them gave me any voltage. The addafuse essentially gives me two separate circuits anyway, so if the cig socket circuit fuse blows, my OPS should still work, as it's on a separate fuse.

Thanks for all your advice and tips, they're very much appreciated.

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Originally Posted by kleung

My cigarette lighter socket has solder terminals, so I figured it'd be easier to just solder the wire directly. More than one way to skin a cat I suppose.

They all do, solder 2 wires on. Power goes to the centre one and crimp the correct joiner to it



Not much choice, as the addafuse won't pass current without a fuse installed. Not 100% sure I'd trust cheap Chinese ciggy chargers, TBH. I meant the amps wont matter a 5 or a10 Of course it wont work without one Sheeez


The screw I mentioned attaches to what looks like a part of the frame. It's definitely metal, and I got 12V on my multimeter when I used it as an earth point from the fuse take-off. You should not use voltage readings to find earth. Use resistance and when you have a circuit it should read 0.00 Thats why I used the door hinge as its definitely part of the body and then use the other end to find a circuit.

Never look for an earth off a power point or you could short it

I randomly tested a few of the other spare fuse slots, and none of them gave me any voltage. The addafuse essentially gives me two separate circuits anyway, so if the cig socket circuit fuse blows, my OPS should still work, as it's on a separate fuse.
Only the top contact of the spares have power either all the time or only when the key is on

Make sure you put the addafuse in the correct way with the wire facing down as per the pic in previous posts

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All that make sense