Can I take a 12v supply from the Interior Light for a Camera ?

[Woody]

Hi guys. I've had an in-car DV camcorder hooked up inside the car for a few weeks now, and making use of it is growing on me.

Now it's time to tidy the wiring up and so instead of usng the 12v cigar lighter plug supplied, I would like to take a feed either from the interior light panel or the interior dimming mirror ?

Not being too sure of how these are designed, I just wanted to ask if anyone has used a 12v + and earth connection from inside those items, and if so, where the most convenient places to take them from are ?

The camcorder uses a voltage dropper built into the cigarette lighter plug because it is also capable of running from a USB point, so I will have to cannibalise the plug and re-use the electronics inside to make the connection to the 12 volt point chosen and the camcorder.

Any thoughts or suggestions guys ?

Thanks

Woody

(The light unit is the full version with map reading lights and 3 buttons.)

[Leemarksmith]

Use the cig lighter adaptor, but fit a hidden lighter socket under the dash tapped into the existing ones wiring, I did with my tv and ps2 in last car...

[Woody]

Cheers Lee, but the trouble is that the camera is up by the drivers interior mirror and I want the wire both short, and out of sight, at the top of the windscreen

[cont1204]

You'll have to run it behind the dash from the cig lighter up the inside of the A pillar (just pops off) and behind the headlining to where you like it. Wouldn't fancy running something as beefy as a camera (which I pressure also has a built in battery that it'll try to charge from time to time) from the interior light circuit. Might take you an extra half hour or so to fit it but would rather run it from the cig lighter which'll be designed for a beefier current than the lighting circuit.

[Woody]

Thanks for your help guys. This is no professional all singing all dancing device, it s a low power consumption 4.5v device, getting all the power it needs to operate happily from a USB2 socket, I have no concerns that it will overload the vehicle's lighting circuit in taking it to the interior light unit, just lack of knowledge of the design features of the lights and whether they are grounded to activate, or powered to activate. I just wondered where the main supply to them comes in from in terms of the loom and where they get their grounding.

[Leemarksmith]

It's a switched earth for the interior light iirc

[Woody]

Thanks Lee, let's hope ther's some ignition controlled live there then

[Mike1.9CDTI]

For ignition live search for the retrofit auto dim mirror.

That uses the circuit board connection as the roof is wired via a ribbon cable and isn't the easiest thing to tap into .



Or you could try n tap into the black wire to the mirror shown above

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forum Runner

[Woody]

For ignition live search for the retrofit auto dim mirror.

That uses the circuit board connection as the roof is wired via a ribbon cable and isn't the easiest thing to tap into .



Or you could try n tap into the black wire to the mirror shown above

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forum Runner

Hi Mike, am I correct in thinking that you mean search for the how2 (" search for the retrofit auto dim mirror.") The car already has auto dim but am assuming you are referring to the how2 for directions ?

Cheers