Using A Leisure Battery To Power A Dash Cam In Parking Mode

[osman]

Am I missing something? so much talk out there about using dash cams for recording whilst parked and worries about it draining the engines battery.. companies like blackvue charging £350 for a spare battery to keep the dashcams running without disastrously draining the engines starting abilities.. and yet I've seen no mention of anyone using their leisure battery to simply power what cannot be a high amount of current to run a couple of security cameras whilst your vehicle is parked..
I guess I'm stupid or something but it seems the obvious solution for anyone with a VW/ camper day van kind of vehicle where you have the room for an extra battery.. and im pretty sure ist cheaper than shelling out £350 for a sleek looking box that STILL only apparently gives you 16 hours of constant recording time

 

[Dellmassive]

A dashcam will flatten the leisure battery just as quick as the starter...

If it's a decent one running at 1080p or higher it may be run flat (50% soc) within a few days...

Dont forget there not just a camera the encoding and recording use more power.

Some people have reported a flat battery after a day, some after a weekend.

There are a few options, the slave battery mentioned above.

Solar to keep the leisure topped up...

Or daily driving with a dc-dc to keep it topped up.

 

[Base1388]

I've got an autovox x2 dash cam
I've connected it to leisure battery and it runs and records 24/7
Using about 0.3amp an hour
I do have a solar set up that keeps the leisure topped up and recently van has been sitting all week only weekend usage, Leisure battery never gone below 95%

 

[osman]

Ok thanks for that info yes I intend on powering the 2 channel 4k version from blackvue so would you recommend the battery they sell? on top of a having leisure battery for all the other bits and pieces, I may want to run.. whilst my vehicle is parked up.
realistically i would not need to power the dashcams for any more than perhaps 12 hours.. im just looking at the best all-round solution so I don't ever have that sinking feeling when trying to start the engine on a freezing cold morning...
do you have any experience of the power magic pro ? that, in theory, could be a good solution.... but again i just dont like the idea of the dash cams needing to use my engine's battery at all except when the engine is running...
maybe im being confusing .. but it seems to me that avoiding them using the engines battery is a damn good idea

 

[Base1388]

Have you got a solar set up ?

 

[osman]

I've got an autovox x2 dash cam
I've connected it to leisure battery and it runs and records 24/7
Using about 0.3amp an hour
I do have a solar set up that keeps the leisure topped up and recently van has been sitting all week only weekend usage, Leisure battery never gone below 95%

OK now this is what I'm thinking it makes total sense to me to use the leisure battery.. but maybe not with the blackvue 4k system ??

 

[osman]

Have you got a solar set up ?

NOT yet... sounds like a plan though.. any links to threads about this ?

 

[Base1388]

just re read your post

If your van not standing for longer than 12 hrs
IMO don't buy what they wanna sell you ! Connect to leisure battery !
I've kept EVERYTHING off the start battery even my head unit and amp
I don't want any monsters in my head about the start battery, leave it alone and use the leisure battery for everything !
Just my opinion

 

[Base1388]

There is massive solar info and leisure battery stuff on here !

Read @Dellmassive (and others )stuff, he spends a fortune on kit and spends hours testing it to death for us (and himself)
Great for informed decisions

 

[Dellmassive]

@ROMANY TAMPIN has a lithium lifepo4 leisure battery =)

 

[osman]

ok

There is massive solar info and leisure battery stuff on here !

Read @Dellmassive (and others )stuff, he spends a fortune on kit and spends hours testing it to death for us (and himself)
Great for informed decisions

just re read your post

If your van not standing for longer than 12 hrs
IMO don't buy what they wanna sell you ! Connect to leisure battery !
I've kept EVERYTHING off the start battery even my head unit and amp
I don't want any monsters in my head about the start battery, leave it alone and use the leisure battery for everything !
Just my opinion

sound perfect to me

 

[osman]

@ROMANY TAMPIN has a lithium lifepo4 leisure battery =)

OKey Dokey sounds like that's what I wanna get too.. ... oh shit just seen the price eeeeek

 

[Dellmassive]

FWIW I run the black vue 960 single cam, but on ignition supply only with no parking over run.

Eventually I'll connect it for 24_7 recording and most likely to the leisure battery via the low volt disconect kit.

 

[osman]

well at least im getting closer to knowing what i need to get

 

[osman]

FWIW I run the black vue 960 single cam, but on ignition supply only with no parking over run.

Eventually I'll connect it for 24_7 recording and most likely to the leisure battery via the low volt disconect kit.

ok so you thinking power magic pro connected to leisure battery?

 

[osman]

I've ordered one and I'm just scratching my head about it all as I will also be installing a leisure battery as well in the next few days so want to get it clear before my wiring starts getting messy! I've already done a fair amount of wiring that I want to change as it is.. thankfully panels are not all replaced at this stage and the van is at a good point to get everything sorted

 

[Base1388]

ok so you thinking power magic pro connected to leisure battery?

Not for me !
Keep it simple
You said it not going to be stood for long, so a decent DC to DC battery charger with a decent leisure battery and you don't need a magic pro ! IMO !
But a Battery monitor 2 be cool so you can keep eye on it !

 

[Dellmassive]

Have a look over here at the.....

Lithium,

Dc-dc charger,

Solar stuff . . . .

Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread

.

 

[Dellmassive]

ok so you thinking power magic pro connected to leisure battery?

Yes maybe if it was a small size SLA or AGM battery....

And no if it was a Lithium..

I've now got lithium but the standard small leisure battery with no solar or dc-dc may need one.

 

[Big.mac]

Just piggy backing on this thread. I have just ordered a ThinkWare Q800 Pro dashcam. I was thinking that I'd wire it up to the leisure battery for the parking mode so just thought I'd test my thinking with you guys who seem to know more about it than I do.
The Dashcam has two live feeds, one ign switched and one constant, I was planning on using the leisure battery as the constant feed and the ign switched will obviously be from the main battery. Leisure battery will be DC-DC charged and I'm not looking for days of park mode usage, typically overnight would be good enough. Does this sound like a reasonable set up?