Dash Cam Install - Will it work

I have been wanting a dash cam for quite a while but never have liked the idea of running wires down either the headliner or directly to the cigarette lighter. I have been looking around on the forums and Amazon and think I have found something that will work but would like some kind of reassurance.

https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Dashboard-Supercapacitor-Nighttime-Recording
This is the dash cam that I'm thinking about since it has a mini-usb connection.

$12 SimpleUSB 12V to MicroUSB Two-Prong Universal Dashcam Adapter

https://www.amazon.com/Two-prong-Un...8&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=mirror+tap+dash+cam
I am hoping that this will work in tandem with the dash cam so that I can just plug it up directly to the mirror. I believe that the mirror has a 12v source but would like some kind of confirmation.

Edit: not looking to have the camera on when not running. main use will be video evidence of a wreck.

 

I've tapped my radar using the mirror tap before, but on my taco I hardwired it directly to the fuse. I dont see why it wouldn't work. Only downside is your dashcam is gonna be off when your truck is off. Defeating the purpose...

 

Is there a thread showing how to tap into the mirror?

 

Best dashcam setup is to wire your dashcam to an external battery like a cellink. The cellink charges when the car is running, and is not when the car is off. That way your battery isnt drained but the dashcam can run off the external battery while the car is parked. Those external batteries can provide up to 20+ hours of dashcam run time without the car running. Have that setup in all 3 of my cars

 

There must be an always on 12v source up there. I added a HomeLink mirror and can open the garage even when the truck is off.

 

Like the other user mentioned, I have only tapped the mirror power for a radar detector. If you want to use the dash cam with ignition off there should be a power outlet 15 amp fuse in the instrument panel(going off a 2010 2nd gen) that is always live. If you do this make sure you are using a setup with a charge monitor so it doesn't completely drain your battery.

The camera I use (thinkware f200) has two taps one for ignition on and one for parking mode with car off.. so for the ignition one - I tapped into the wiper power fuse so it knows when to go from constant mode to parking mode.

 

So as long as I don't need the camera to be powered when the engine is not running, this setup should be fine. I would plug the positive wire to the brown one in the mirror and the negative to the black/white plug correct?

 

I would reccomend getting Garmin Dash cam. They sell a hard wire harness that goes with it that also allows it to record while the truck is parked and off using a motion sensor. I just back in everywhere I go and I'll catch someone if they back into me

 

$20 seems kind of steep for a usb to 12v adapter. I got one for $8 that I connected to my fuse box. I am sure I could of also tapped into the mirror if I thought about it.

 

I have a Garmin, I just cut the 12v plug (which reduces the supply to 5v anyway) and spliced it into a USB cable long enough to reach one of the USB ports in the center console.

 

I just ordered this off Amazon... it’s essentially a voltage converter from 12v to 5v. I am going to hard wire this into one of the wires in the overhead console (need to check out when they have power first) and then just run the short pigtail to the camera. I’m not worried about having it on when the truck is off, but I think the camera I got (DDPai mini 2) has a cap that powers it after it is shit off.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J3LPVXC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I got an Aukey DR-01 for Christmas. They offer a hardwire kit that plugs into the OBD2 port and is motion sensor activated. Since I have the ScanGuage already running off the OBD2 port I purchased a splitter as well. It will be interesting to see if it works out for what I want.

OP, why do you not want to run it via the headliner? I just did that for my Scanguage and it was quite easy. As soon as my splitter comes in I plan on doing a second run for the camera.

 

It's really not too difficult to run the wires down the a pillar and hide them well enough that no one would know unless you removed panels and pointed them out. The fuse taps sticking out of the fuse box would be the only giveaway. You gotta get the power from somewhere though.

 

Add a fuse to ignition source in fusebox under dash. Auto turns on when truck starts. All you need is a wiring harmess off Amazon

 

Now this sounds promising. I've been mulling over what to do since I want constant power, but don't want to tap the fuse box and have the lid off. Meso has a lid but it's out of stock for the forseeable future.

But this sounds just like what I need! Any threads or write-ups?

 

You will still need to tap into power unless you just want to run on the battery 24/7 then you’ll need to figure out how to recharge it.

 

I looked into it. Unfortunately, I assumed that Cellink was wired directly to the battery, then the dashcam wired to Cellink. I'll just tap into an empty fuse. I think there is an empty fuse that is constant anyways.

 

No write ups but it is pretty straightforward. I just tapped used add-a-fuses to tap into two fuses in the fuse box underneath the steering wheel

 

Check my post here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/dash-camera-choices.415173/page-9#post-14133717