Thinkware F770 Dashcam Install

If I already have the unit hardwired to my truck, how would I go about adding the cell-link battery to my unit?

All was well until about 2 weeks in, I got in my truck after it being parked all night. I switched to the motion detection mode rather than the time lapse. I guess it takes a lot more footage (I work in a high traffic worksite. I'm an operator in a refinery, with buggies rolling by throughout the night). I like the motion detection mode as it shows much more of the footage rather than a speed-lapse. However in doing so about the fourth night I heard the system say "system shutting down due to low battery" or something to that effect. I tried lowering the sensitivity on motion detection so it didn't take so many videos of non-events. However I still think it's been shutting down throughout the night because I will usually see a bunch of videos being taken but up until a certain point and then no videos taken past a certain time in my 12 hour shift.

Is there a way to tell if the system shut down over night?

How can I go about hardwiring the cell link battery to my truck, and would it help?

I absolutely LOVE this unit. I believe I have it set to 12.2V, should I go lower? Or should I just go back to time lapse?

 

The Cellink Battery B, comes with an output harness that has three wires (Red, Yellow & Black) which
correspond to the F770's power harness (see #50 earlier in this thread). BBMC says "The Cellink Battery B
charges off of accessory power only, either through a 12V socket or hardwired to an accessory fuse, so it
doesn't add any strain on your car's battery when it's parked out in the cold! It can also offer more than 20
hours of parking mode recording on a 2-Channel dashcam. . . . For any other questions on hardwiring,
parking mode, and battery packs, feel free to contact us at info@blackboxmycar.com" See my post #50
on this thread. Please contact BBMC if you have any questions, they were a great help to me. Entry #57
in this thread also explains how I wired the Cellink battery to the console's cigarette
lighter (DC Power #2). I grounded the harness' black wire to the TACO's ground
lug found behind the kick panel on the driver's side.

 

Not to be a smart ass, but it shut down at the point when it quit recording video.

So when you hear the F770 announce it's shutting down due to low battery, that means it's hit the low-voltage shutoff threshhold you set under Record Settings>Device auto-Off Voltage

Watch the voltage overlay stamp in the video as it nears the last recorded parking mode clip.

IMHO the celllink battery is more for cameras that don't have a parking mode and/or don't have their own voltage-detection auto-shutdown.

Note that the F770 power consumption is 3.5 watts, or 0.3Amp at 12VDC. A typical 24F battery seems to be around 50AmpHour capacity based on a 120hr reserve capacity (length of time it can deliver 25A at 80 degrees F).

Running the numbers, 24 hours of F770 use amounts to 7.2AH, or about 15% of the truck's battery capacity.

Perhaps if I lived in a substantially colder climate I'd consider it, but at this time I have no concerns.

The default 12.2V threshhold is pretty conservative. I found mine wouldn't make it through the night at that level so I adjusted to 12.0 volts. It now goes through the night. Try lowering the threshhold to 12.0V and see if you're good. That still retains a lot of margin with you battery.

I tried the video motion detection but went back to time lapse. I'm often in a busy parking garage and simply don't need all the info. It'll already save and tag the section of time lapse when the G sensor is triggered.

 

Yeah I know part of that question was pretty freaking Obvious, lol all I was saying is that it is set to motion detection so it won't record unless something was being detected. But yeah I get what you are saying. I just heard it say "powering down due to low battery" one time and I happened to be in the truck at that time. I just wasn't sure if there was an audible cue that tells you "system shut off during parking Mode did to low battery" when you get inside the truck. That would be helpful.

However, I did go back and view the voltage identification during playback and it was able to help me figure out exactly when it was shutting down. I brought it down to 12.2 and it seems to be going all night. I love the parking mode, and knowing what happens when I'm gone.

If they ever come out with a camera for side view (side of the truck) I'm gonna be all over that. I think that's Theo out thing it's missing. I guess I'm getting spoiled fast. The wires in my truck from this device is less than 2 inches or so. Everything hidden pretty well.

 

Glad you took it in the spirit intended. It was too easy a straight-line to let go.

Yeah, side cams would be cool. Though the wide angle front/rear should get most of the ne'er-do-wells.

 

So a quick bit of info. With some research I'd ordered a Lexar 633x 128GB card for my Thinkware F770. I knew the cam could be finicky on cards but have had good success with a

$23 PNY Elite 32GB microSDHC Card -UHS-I, U1, up to 85MB/Sec (P-SDU32U185EL-GE)

PNY 32GB card so I tried the Lexar after a bit of research.

It does not work. F770 sticks in a "format the card" loop even after formatting to ExFAT.

Discussing it with BlackBoxMyCar (who I bought my cam from) they said since early February people have been having issues with that card and they're no longer recommending them. They believe Lexar made a change.

Here is the Black Magic Disk Test result from the 128GB card:



and here is the same test using the Thinkware 32GB card that came with the F770:



I'll update further if I find a card that works and doesn't cost a fortune.

 

Hello Everyone.
Thinking in getting this cam.
When purchasing from blackboxmycar. There are 2 options for the hardwire kit.
The blackboxmycar and the thinkware option. Do yo guys know what the difference is if any? And witch one to go with?

Thanks.

 

Installed one of these for a customer. It's a very nice unit. I have been thinking about getting one myself

 

Well.. I took the jump and got it with the thinkware hardwire kit.
Now... can someone recomend an installer around the Los Angeles / SFV area ?
And just in case. Is there anything else that might be required for the installation?
Just in case the installer tries to sell me something.


Thanks.

 

Nope, just need the hardwire kit.

 

Great write up here with video backup. I have had my TW F770 front dashcam for the last several weeks with hardwiring it to my Tacoma last week. So far very happy with it and after watching this video I will purchase the rear camera as I have a Leer cap on my truck. Glad to see the great quality through the rear window of the cap.

 

FYI.... Thinkware offers a 9.5m cable to connect your rear camera to the back of your bed. Mine is a long box and I had a couple of feet to spare with this cable.

 

Thanks for that info also and glad to hear there's plenty of Cable length.

 

Mine was not long enough the way I wired it thru the firewall and along the frame then back up the tailgate. I was a few feet short.

 

Hello Everyone..
I know the tread is about the 770 but I think my question is somewhat general and somewhat related.
I am waiting for the F800 and got it with the cellink battery. I think I am going to have an issue charging the battery since my daily commute is about 20 minutes one way and I park overnight about 10 hours. With the battery needing at least an hour to fully charge, is probably going to be useless in a day or two.
So I was wondering. would installing a better battery in the truck. like an optima battery work out better? would the charge last longer before the auto shutdown of the camera happens and would the battery be able to maintain itself with those 20 minute rides in the morning and in the evening?
The optima I believe goes for about $200 to $300 depending if red or yellow. and with the cellink battery going for a little over $200. If the optima could handle this. I think it would be a better investment.


Thank you.

 

Yes and no. An optima is a dry cell better that is meant for deep cycling. So in theory it should last longer not getting fully charged than your factory battery. 20 min is kinda on the border of being long enough to charge your battery. So the factory battery may be sufficient. No if it's the low voltage shutoff that is your big concern, and you want it to run as long as possible or be able to in the event something activates the camera there really might not be a big difference between the factory battery and an optima. If the optima isn't being properly charged either it's going to be low, just like a factory battery.

You could run an optima blue top. Those usually are 13.4 volts at rest vs 12.6 volts normal car batteries. So as long as it's getting a good charge it will have more voltage and capicity and should allow the camera to be able to run longer need be

 

Thanks for the reply Lawfarin. How about other options? are there any better batteries. I'm reading about dual batteries and appreciate any possible feedback. I guess what I am asking is are there any batteries that are like 2 in 1. not looking into having 2 separate batteries.

 

Those cameras don't draw very much and parking mode they only turn on when it detects something. I think you'd be fine with the factory battery. Running two would be over kill. Do you only commute back and forth to work? Do you do any other driving? As long as the battery has some charge time and you drive daily you should be fine

 

On weekdays is pretty much go to work and back home. maybe a little here a little there. but that is it. Weekends vary a lot since some times we drive the wife's Jeep. I could go from driving 0 miles to over 200 miles on a weekend.
I'm leaning to just having it installed without the cellink and take it from there. the only thing is the possible hassle if I need to add the battery later. Would it be possible to install the camera with the battery hardwiring kit and not use the battery? in case I need to add it later.

 

The camera making noise (beeps, voice, whatever) when you start the truck is a deal killer for me. My wife almost hired a hit man to take me out because of the noises my radar detector used to make in a previous car. Drives her nuts. I mean REALLY nuts. I'm going to reach out to the manufacturer to see if they are planning on providing an update that enables disabling noises. Otherwise I'll go another route.