As an active mobile tool distributor for 40 years, 1967 to 2007, and selling scores of OBD2 diagnostics and having a few thousand customers and about 100 associates in the business, have never personally heard of a foreign object debris or any other cause of any issue with from installing an OBD plug in device. Right now I'm in the process of installing a dash camera and that brought me to this channel's videos about alternative methods of installation and ways of connecting power. I'm inclined to use an OBD power adaptor for a clean neat installation that enables optional disconnect of the equipment with minimum disturbance of panels and insulation strips, on my vehicle this can be done from the top of the dashboard and under the carpet by the pedals. Thanks for the good information.
@@AlexAutoFun There always have been experts in the business disseminating bad, even false information. Its a reassuring pleasure to get input from someone who knows of what they are presenting and have the proof to back it up while teaching us something of value not previously known. Like your explanation about the pins on the OBD plug not all being active and selectively deployed by different manufacturers. And that the insurance companies would not get involved with something hazardous to them or their clients. Many thanks.
@@richardkluesek4301Scotty Kilmer made a RUclips short once saying to never leave devices plugged into your OBD2 port because it can cause a bunch of problems with your car, lol. That guy is so out of touch with modern cars now.
@@Superman-xr1oh I'm not a tch or a mechanic and research to find the best correct answer. I installed the car camera with a suction cup mount on the left side of the windshield where I can reach it to work controls and laid the cable flat and neat from the cigarette lighter up the dash and along the pillar. Excess is wrapped around the handle on the spotlight. This way it can be rotated, and when not on the road dismounted. Where i am the interior can reach temps upt to 110 degrees while parked.
Brilliant, I'm considering using a constant power cable for a dash cam. Now I know a bit about what the OBD port is used for. Very clearly explained, with schematics, that's the way to do it.
Brother, as always, you've gone above and beyond! You presented a potential problem, a hypothetical situation, and explained why there is such a small risk, if any, for these aftermarket gadgets to cause issues in our cars. Crazy to see how many people on IG, YT, etc are overnight google mechanics and electrical experts! As I've mentioned before, I am an installer out of Orange County, CA, I have been using some of the products that you recommend, including these OBD power cables and I have only encountered 1 manufacturer that didn't play nice, BMW. I have been following you from another profile for quite some time. I created this profile to relearn a few things and watch some of your informative videos. I'm sure glad people like you exist to explain the why's and how's to most common folk.I hope to catch you soon at a show out here in SoCal. Be safe and keep ROCKIN'!
Thanks JB! yeah I think there is a lot of misinformation out there and people just take it at face value. Even I make mistakes when it comes to dash cams LOL (and like you I deal with car electronics on a daily basis!) so I like to say trust but verify! lol
My husband & I drive Mini Coopers, so I am quite curious about BMW not playing nice. Too many 'crazy' drivers along commute & even around town. Need Dash Cams; considering having directly connected to power. We are not DIYers when it comes to technical/electrical projects. :) Hire experienced professionals.
I appreciate this info very much. I just bought myself a dash cam (the Vantrue N4) and the hardwiring option to the fuse box is not possible due to the fact that none of the 4 fuse holders they provided fit my Ford Edge’s fuse box slot. My only choice left if I want the park mode option is the OBD wiring. I started researching about this option and read many negative comments that stated that this connection would drain your battery or that it could damage it. So I feel more at ease now after watching this video because you really went into all the details meticulously and your comments seem to make sense. Well appreciated.
You're welcome Ray! glad to hear it helped. And here is another video ruclips.net/video/Qzw9yUYN7zo/видео.html where I show how to swap out the fuse taps to fit different fuse sizes (I believe the Edge uses Micro2 you can get here amzn.to/3yZiJkN and Micro3 amzn.to/3u8PHyI ) Hope this helps!
@@AlexAutoFun Hey Alex! I just subscribed to your channel because you simply have a way of explaining everything in such a simple, clear and concise manner. Furthermore you take your time to explain how to use the tools needed properly. No one does that bro! You rock! The situation I’m having is very particular. Although I already sent for the OBD I still prefer the hardwiring option to my car’s fuse box. Like I mentioned to you previously I received 4 fuse holders in the hardwire kit, These fuse holders or fuse taps (as you refer to them) come already with a fuse installed and an empty slot to place in your car’s fuse. The particular problem I’m having is that I can’t insert the fuse holder or tap into the empty slot of my fuse box, although I was able to insert my car fuse into the empty slot of the fuse holder. I compared my car fuse to the fuse tap, and the prongs of the fuse tap are slightly wider than my car fuse. I also removed the fuse that came installed in the fuse tap and compared it to mine and it was also slightly wider. The problem is the housing and the prongs being slightly wider that it simply cannot be inserted in the empty slot of my car’s fuse box empty slot. I had read some comments in the Amazon page for the Vantrue hardwiring kit that some people were successful in inserting the fuse tap into the empty slot of the fuse box by shaving the edges of the fuse tap (what I understood is the metal prongs) Another comment stated that you needed to file down the plastic housing as well. I file down both the prongs and the plastic housing to no avail. I wasn’t able to fit the fuse tap into the empty slot of the fuse box. This problem appears to happen only to the Fords brand because the people who commented on the Amazon page all owned Fords. So I clicked on the Amazon link you provided in your previous response but the fuse taps for sale there are basically the same ones already included in my Vantrue hardwiring kit. I don’t know how these other people who owned Fords were able to do it. So there, I’m giving you material for your next blog. Thanks bro!
@@raymuniz113 Hi Ray! awesome welcome aboard! ah yes I totally know what you are talking about and yep it happened to me too on a Ford lol Typically the blade distance is not a problem as the contacts on the car are on only on top and bottom of the blade not on the sides so wider blade spacing is not that critical however the plastic body of the fuse tap prevents you from being able to engage the contacts since it won't fit with modification. Some fuse taps do have slightly wider plastic bodies, the ones I linked are the slimmest ones I have found but still required me to shave each end of the plastic edges to get to fit, you can actually see it on my other video ruclips.net/video/zbxYA4VhuT8/видео.html how the fuse taps have been modified (ends shaved off, which I hid with some electrical tape lol)....
@@AlexAutoFun So Alex, I wanted to know how far do you shave the plastic off. Because if you go too far you’re basically gonna remove the wall from the sides of the fuse slot. And the second question is if once you shave off the plastic from the body does this shaved off part of the body goes deeper into the fuse slot, because remember there’s one side that can’t be shaved.
@@raymuniz113 Hi Ray! yep the amount that I shaved off varies depending on the fuse tap kit being used (as mentioned earlier some look almost identical but have slightly larger dimensions) and depending on the dimension of the fuse slot being inserted into (which can also vary depending on the vehicle). But yes the answer to your 2nd question is that at some point if the entire side wall is shaved off the contact will be exposed and the fuse tap becomes very delicate now since it has lost some structure. Normally installers will decide which is less work and more secure either to shave fuse taps or to tap into the wiring directly coming from the fuse box avoiding using fuse taps all together. Hope this makes sense, cheers!
There can be several solutions at different production and use levels: 1. for the manufacturer to remove all unused pins at all or replace them with non-conductive plastic dummy pins in the first place; 2. for the manufacturer to overlay exposed pin backs with a non-conductive layer of plastic between the chip and pins; 3. for the end user to do the above-mentioned removal, replacement, or overlaying procedures. (OR abstain from plugging anything potential dangerous into the "brain" of your car while there are several other solutions: cigarette socket, USB, fuse box, external battery, etc.)
Great ideas man, you are onto something (While I have not had issues with mine or all the OBD2 tools I review, since I plug so many devices into my OBD2 port with the same risk level, I specially like the idea on non-conductive pins) And here is my hardwire install video ruclips.net/video/uZp95NbNlmM/видео.html if looking to avoid using the OBD2 port. Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFunanything that comes from reputable manufacturers should be safe. One time i bought a cheap diagnostic dongle on ebay under or around $6. It almost fried my car. I no longer buy anything like that cheap and on ebay.
If anyone is worried about potential "damage" or "hacking" of their OBD port, you can always ask certified electrician to remove all the unused pins from the connector. For the power supply, you really only need two, max three pins mentioned in the video.
I read your review you use this obs2 Cable, is this only support certain cameras like type c or micro cameras? When you turn off your car. If you do not use it in a few days, will this kill your battery or do you have to turn it off? So it doesn't kill your battery.?
Great video! I just ordered one from Amazon today for my arifayz q3 dash cam that I also just ordered! I do have 2 lighter outlets in my 08 Caravan but now I can use them for other gadgets! I did see your first video about using the obd2 and that's when I ordered it, Thank you!
Super video, thank you. Nice presentation and very smooth camera work. I did use one of your other videos to get my Nextbase GW522 dashcam installed easily (I only mention it so others may know that yes it does work off the OBD switch with the mini-USB. I chnaged vehicles and I didn't want to use the cigarette lighter again and didn't want to route the cable in the headliner and A-pillar past the glove box and etc. It worked out great and so far I'm keeping the switch in the non-surveillance setting.
Another point is OBD2 often have a 4G GPS Tracker attached behind the panel using a splitter adapter often done by Dealerships especially if you Finance Through Them instead of a Bank Loan Always pay via a Bank Loan or Cash never Financing through the Dealership as you almost always end up paying more and are limited in how you can officially use your own vehicle and 8/10 dealerships will add a GPS Tracker without your knowledge it's often fine print on a page somewhere so is not technically illegal as you agree to it!
Hi Ferndogg! Yeah same here, going on almost five years now with no issues. Here is my original video showing the adapter ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Thank you so much for this video! My wife and I have recently purchased our first vehicle and I wanted to have a dash cam with parking mode installed from day 1. I had no qualms about using a fuse tap kit to make this happen but my wife was reluctant because she read that this can sometimes cause dealers to no longer acknowledge a warranty; and we did opt for an extended 10 year/200k km one, and have yet to pickup the car. 😬 Now I feel much better knowing that there is a middle road and both of us can get what we want! 😁 And you’re right, some car insurance companies do offer a discount if a customer plugs a telemetric device into their OBD port for 24h monitoring, which I think wouldn’t be much difference than having a dash cam plugged in using low-power mode when in parking mode. Again, thank you! I have definitely subscribed to your channel and I look forward to learning more. Great video!
This is why I'm restoring a pre-OBD car. My next goal is to restore a pre-Fuel injection vehicle to completely negate the need for an ECU altogether. Fully mechanical, baby! That's the way I want to be rolling.
I’ve had an ultraguage plugged into my odb port for about 10 years and never had any issues but after seeing videos of Scotty saying they are deadly to a car I have decided to unplug it.
Hi Keving! Ah yes scan gauges will actually interact with the lines that communicate directly to the ECM, so the potential for something going wrong is higher that on a basic OBD2 power dongle where only power is tapped from the OBD2. But yes I had the same experience that you had, I have never had an issue plugging devices into my OBD2 port (and I plug in quite a bit of them since I'm always reviewing different gadgets LOL) Hope this helps, Cheers!
I appreciated this video showing how not all pins are being connected to by this particular power supply and also the potential for a short due to manufacturing errors. Have you ever looked into the security issues with various OBDII connected devices? The insurance dongles definitely do connect to the computer and often add Bluetooth and Wifi (and occasionally cellular) which is another concern than just potential power problems. The customer service department of a car manufacturer advised me not to use an insurance dongle because of all the potential problems and I've found it interesting ever since what stories could be out there of how these OBDII devices went wrong.
Hi Targip! glad to hear it helped! regarding the insurance dongles if we look at them from strictly a potential for problems then I would assume the probably is low, remember the folks behind insurance companies have experts behind the scenes calculating risk. If the dongle damages your car or causes an issue that affects the car or you then there is liability for your insurance company. The risk is there but it must be so low they consider it acceptable to issue the dongle out. That being said running an insurance dongle brings up questions of privacy and can be a double edge sword for drivers that like to drive aggressively or beyond legal limits. So the dongle may have the opposite effect and not save you money but cost you money! lol
@@AlexAutoFun Thanks for the reply. I consider myself a fairly safe and responsible driver and the privacy aspect still bothered me. I read an analysis of how the insurance companies process risk based on the dongles and one criterion was time of day, night time driving indicating higher risk. As I worked nights at the time it seemed unfair. There's also the hacking aspect since the devices are wireless gateways to the computer. As for the risk equation the insurance assumes if a dongle damages a car's electronics, I see what you mean but based on general experience, insurance companies can also be good at denying responsibility for claims. I can't imagine the frustrating run around one could possibly get trying to have them accept their device fried a car's computer. I'd be fascinated to learn if there were any real life stories that informed the car manufacturer I talked to to advise against them. Interesting all around to me since it's cars and security. I just found your channel last week and have enjoyed it.
@Targip Gadponson Yep, very good points! especially with new cars all being equipped with Bluetooth and WIFI (on the same canbus systems as the rest of the car systems) it can be scary with hackers out there. But yeah, I would definitely listen to the car manufacturer's recommendation, especially if there is a warranty issue down the road!
wow! Great video. Good Job! I suspected the plug wasn't using all the pins to connect the dashcam, even though thousands of people think the dashcam is reporting speed, location, etc. to big brother. Kudos!
Thanks Alex that was so useful information. I have purchased same obd adapter which you inspired me from your previous video . Thanks for the information
Alex, I've watched your very helpful video and I've read through the comments. I'm buying a dash cam for my son's first car for Christmas. He worked incredibly hard to buy the car...since he was 12 years old he saved money to buy that car. (He's been a car enthusiast since the age of 2!) I don't want to do anything to cause harm to it, despite the fact that it's a 10 year old car with 120,000 miles on the clock. It's still his most prized possession. That said, I remain confused by some of the comments and your other video on hard-wiring. I want to know whether it is best to hard-wire or just as good and safe to use this OBDII connector, please. I can order one with the dash cam for $50. Should I do that or should we attempt the hardwiring job as a DIY project? Thanks so much for your input.
Thank you Julia! Hardwire is an very involved process, requiring experience and knowledge, I strongly recommend profession installation due to the dangers involved with air bags as explained in my follow up video here ruclips.net/video/uZp95NbNlmM/видео.html and also potential dangerous issues caused if erroneously tapping a critical system of the vehicle explained in my dedicated hardwire here ruclips.net/video/K2iKXj82354/видео.html Cheers!
Thank you for the peice of mind. I'm pretty sure I watched you old video and it helped me to make the decision to buy in first place. But recently scotty Kilmer decided it was dangerous lol. This is why I like multiple opinions. You did research. He just assumed and said what he felt at the time. I still like scotty. But no one person knows it all.
You're welcome! and yep very true it's always best to get several opinions plus own research. I do love Scotty, super helpful videos. I think he definitely ran into the scenario described on this video where a factory "escapee" made it to him. When I was in the automotive industry we used to say even you have 99.99% quality out the door, to the customer that got that .01% (the defect) to their eyes is 100% bad quality since they purchased one and got a bad one which is true from a consumer point of view LOL
While I don't see the need to draw power from the OBD port (I don't know how much power it can give, but maybe that is discussed later in the video😁), I do think any cheap OBD stuff is very safe to use. If they sell you a plug for 10 dollars that reads and/or resets codes, they probably haven't thought too long about safety. I do agree with the video when he says that the power plug he uses doesn't crash the car's computer, maybe blows a fuse but not more than that.
Hi Benny! yeah and you be surprised of the quality (more like poor quality) on devices that are more expensive. I'm seeing the industry be more about the brand name than pricing which is crazy, some lower cost products sometimes exceed the quality of big brand names. Crazy uh, Cheers!
You seem to understand these "gadgets" quite well. You have the knowledge and background to invent. Have you ever had a idea that materialized into an electrical or mechanical gadget?
Hi Bent Nickel! thanks man, I try to learn as much as I can (I'm still learning everyday!) but to answer you question. I had ideas but nothing that I realized on my own. However, I have contributed to products that were being developed, both from a design standpoint and from a manufacturability standpoint. Some engineers come up with great designs but they are not always possible to make in high volume, so the designs needs to be changed. But maybe one I have to come with a product of my own, that be kind of neat!
Thanks for your video. I've ordered an aftermarket (HUD) head up display on yesterday which need to connect to the obd2 port. Today, I've watched your video and I'm not sure should I use that Head up display or not. You make me worry about, is it safe to use it or not...
You're welcome Jason! And yes this video will help you decide if it's safe to use your OBD port. And here are my other videos showing you how to use a HUD ruclips.net/video/z-m_ez2a8o4/видео.html (full review) ruclips.net/video/b2JXMQyU-24/видео.html (side cameras and backup radar) ruclips.net/video/QyMqe7gDfFk/видео.html (OBD2 add on) ruclips.net/video/YToLU4Z0aWU/видео.html (fitment) and low cost HUD ruclips.net/video/QEgP4ma8VUg/видео.html Cheers!
Thanks - great explanation. Do you know if the Fitcamx OBD power adapter is safe? It doesn't seem to have low voltage protection, although it has a mode by which the dashcam turns on for a short time only when the car is bumped.
You're welcome! Ah I have not tested the Fitcamx OBD2 adapter, so I'm not familiar with it, may be a good idea to get a hold of one to do another teardown video, stay tuned. Cheer!
Very useful video. I have ordered Thinkware U3000 that has obd cable inside the box. However, the obd cable has 8 pins. Can this obd cable be harmful to the car?
You're welcome Gladiator! Ah yes as explained on the video, most OBD2 power adapters may be fully populated as far as pins however most of the time only the power pins are connected like the adapter as shown on the video. Cheers!
You're welcome! yeah there are so many OBD2 adapters out now, it's almost overwhelming considering they use to be some what rare back in the days. I may make a couple more teardown videos on them if can get my hands on some samples, stay tuned. Cheers! @@Gladiator12350
The OSB II port on most new vehicles should never go over 3 amps of power ether power in or power out because the wires attached to the OSB II ports are not rated for heavy power loads. But I actually use my OSBII port as a solar battery trickle charger that’s under 3 amps.
Hi D! Ah yes so far the OBD adapters I tested are limited in power draw (usually less than 3A @5V, so about half that amount at 12V where the power is being pull from) Cheers!
Although using the OBD2 port for power is safe, so long as you remaim within its load rating, plugging in OBD2 devices do come with many risks. Of note: some vehicle makes and models will prevent vehicle operation should they detect continued power draw over OBD. A warning: Every module on a car can be accessed and manipulated via the OBD2 port. In other words, devices can brick your car, bypass your vehicles security, delete key access,... And even control steering, acceleration, and braking (yes, your car can be remotely driven if you have park assist). Be sure you trust the manufacturer of the tools/devices you're using as the risk can be quite high otherwise.
Hi djnmw1! Yeah the OBD2 power adapter is a pretty basic device only tapping into power (the one I showed on the video, there are other models out there) without the ability to access other modules on the car. However you are correct, other OBD2 devices that interface to the car's communication network can definitely access sensitive modules and while I have not encountered any issue with the different OBD2 devices I have plugged into my car (quite a bit of them since I'm always reviewing all kinds of silly gadgets lol) the potential is there for sure. As pointed on the video my recommendation if wanting to avoid all risk with using the OBD2 port is to never plug in a OBD2 device into it. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Thank you for providing this video. I have a new mirror dash cam. The company sent to me a new hardwire kit. It has OBD2 adapter, but only has two separate pins, top and bottom, and plastic fins in the middle. And it also has one mini connector to the fuse panel. For parking mode and recording functions. Probably has to re-watch your video to learn is it safe to install? And contacting the seller have not receive installation instructions. Any advise?
You're welcome V! This would depend on the OBD2 adapter that is being used. The one I use, has a low voltage protection (to reduce the possibility of draining the car's battery) Here is my video showing how it works ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun I am concerned about hard-wiring a dash cam and if they would void the warranty if I do so. Car makers should provide a safe/dedicated option to connect to a power source for dash cams, like the OBD port with fuse.
Hi Alex! Thanks for this informative video. My question is, if you have " 2" separate dashcams. Is it OK to connect one cam with this connector and the other cam connected with a hardwire kit? Thanks for any answers!
Hey guy, thanks so much to show us. I'm your video how to use. D. Dob d. To hook up a security video cam on your card. Will you suggest a name brand did I call the dozen costs too much? Did I could use in a fortune video cam on my car? Thank you. I will appreciate it. I am always watching your show. Eliza new show to me. But I've been watching this since. I think the first day annu but I have like right now thank you
You're welcome! Ah yes here is a very affordable dash cam ruclips.net/video/oIla7x_rte4/видео.html And I have more dash cam reviews on my channel in the playlist "Dash Cams Reviews" if you like to compare them. Cheers!
you have great video's, i have a Hyundai ioniq hybrid 2021 does the obd2 is o.k for the car....and can i leave it on surveillance mode all the time? bought
Thank you Nir! I would refer to your car's electrical schematic if you want to check the pin out of the OBD2 port. Regarding leaving the adapter on, it actually has two settings which I cover in more detail on the original video here ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
Thank you Pete! Ah yes the OBD adapter will not enable true park mode. However in some cases it can be used to monitor the car will parked, here is video where I cover this ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
Awesome video! Do you happen to know why the OBD-II port has 2 ground pins, #4 = Chassis GND, #5 = Signal GND? My guess is Chassis GND is for +12V power return, while #5 is for signal return path. In your switched OBD-II plug, I see they are shorted together. But how are these 2 grounds connected on the car side?
Thank you! Ah yes the reason it's technical in nature, I'm not an EE but will try my best to explain, if you look at the SAE-J1962 standard, pin 4 is for ground as provided by the chassis of the car (for current draw as in SAE J1978). Pin 5 is a signal ground as in a ground reference for transceivers and test equipment but with consideration to noise contributions and node-to-node voltage offsets (basically a clean ground that is more free of noise than chassis ground). Now here is the kicker, some cars combine both 4 and 5 on the connector side and some keep the connections independent (which in my opinion is the correct way so the plugged in device can decide if it's needs separate grounds or to join them) If you check your car's service manual and wiring schematics it should show how your vehicle is using pin 4 and 5. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Hi, thanks for info!! Do you think can I use N3 dashcam with Dash Cam OBD Hardwire Kit, Dash Camera USB Type C Hardwire Kit with OBD Power Cable for Dashcam 12-24V to 5V/3A with Low Voltage Protection 24h Parking Surveillance/Acc Mode for Dashcam, GPS or Radar on Toyota Highlander hybrid 2020? I’m just worried about before affects it!!! Thank you…… hope you answer
You're welcome Ismail! Ah unfortunately I'm not familiar with the N3 or it's power requirements. However here is another video where I show you how to identify the power requirements of a dash cam ruclips.net/video/-hGu8KZLaZ4/видео.html Cheers!
Incredible video! I can't thank you enough for this video you have created and the help and answers you have provided! I would like to ask you a question if I may? I am buying a Thinkware U1000 and the Blackboxmycar Powercell 8 Battery mainly for the use of the parking mode features. Does this ODB2 Power Adapter work in conjunction with the Thinkware U1000 and the Powercell 8 Battery? I am trying to keep the hookup clean and avoid using the hardwiring kit. Thank you in advance!
Hi Richey! ah good question, Thinkware does have their own OBD2 adapter (their dash cams work on 12V vs the 5V that dash cams normally use) here is the adapter amzn.to/3n83x0g and this one amzn.to/3lpOa2c (this one is a smart version of the OBD2 adapter, video on this adapters coming!) however if you still want to run if off a battery, this is the Thinkware battery pack amzn.to/3bnExj6 it's actually cheaper too than Powercell. Hope this helps!
Grazie per il video e la spiegazione ottima. Sto per ricevere una Vantrue E2 e ho acqusitato un cavo Vantrue USB C-type OBD Hardwire e verificherò quali PIN sono collegati. Hai esperienza con questo marchio o con questo cavo? Buon 2023 a tutti
Thank you for your great video and giving me the idea how to get power to my dashcam. Did you ever had issues with such adapters in combination of wireless key systems? It seems that in special cases or specific car models such adapters produce so much "noise" that the communication between the wireless key and the car electronics gets interrupted etc.
You're welcome Alexander! Regarding issues with wireless systems, nope I have not experienced any. Remember the OBD2 power adapter is just a standard step down voltage adapter similar to the ones that the dash cams come with (cigaretter lighter plug style) it's just packaged to interface to the OBD2 connector as opposed to cigaretter port of the car. So the EMI or RF noise generated by this adapters will be about the same (likely negligible based on the number of power adapters I have tested while reviewing many different car accessories such as dash cams) Hope this helps, Cheers!
Regarding the non-used pins getting shorted, it would be great if the connector only had the pins it actually needs. Then the risk of solder or other conductive material shorting anything out.
Hi Benny! Yeah that would make sense, the issue is that OBD2 does not fully use the connector body or a collar like most connectors to keep the connector in place, instead it more of the combination of the female and male connector bodies surfaces interacting when mating and the contacts themselves being mated for retention force. Which means unfortunately that leaving on the active pins on a OBD2 port would significantly reduce it's holding force and may lead to the connector to wiggle off or come off easily. Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun yeah, I figured that would be the problem. It is a bit weird that an automotive connector can't sit secure enough without all the pins tho. Puts unnecessary strain where strain shouldn't be IMO.
@@bennylloyd-willner9667 Yep exactly! The J1962 standard actually does have a provision (Clause 5.5) for a connector latching feature to ensure connectors remain mated however since that same clause also requires that "it shall not require the activation of any levers on either connector to mate and un-mate" this has led to OBD connectors that can be partially retained by a passive method (friction of a mating surface, normally the top stub area). And in a few tools there is actually a button that you press to disconnect the OBD2 connector however strangely enough this feature requiring action on part of the use to un-mate the connector makes it non J1962 compliant. Maybe we will see this change on the next revision of the standard. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Wonderful explanation!! Do you believe the power draw (specifically a dash cam) will affect the battery/car the same as a regular power port? I love the idea of using this method for power as I recently broke my normal cord and need to replace. One thing I would mention in a video is that the power is always on, if you don't want a dead battery switch it off everytime you turn off the engine! That being said I love the idea of being able to record for a few minutes with the engine off. Thank you!
Thank you Mindy! Ah yes here is my original video showing how the adapter works ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html it has built in low battery protection (to avoid draining your battery) and has two modes of operation which I cover on that video in detail. Hope this helps, Cheers!
On some vehicles simply having a device plugged into the port will keep certain modules 'awake/alert' as they assume the device thats plugged in is a scan tool. This can result in a dead battery when the device itself didnt comsume any power - rather some of the car systems never hybernated.
@@djbmw1 Hi djbmw1! Yep! while I have used my OBD2 adapter for over 4yrs now in a newer vehicle, what you are describing is very true and I seen it on some newer cars (specially on hybrids) where either the OBD2 will keep a module on or the car will turn off power to the OBD2 port or the car will detect the draw on the OBD2 port and throw a MIL for battery. Hope this helps, Cheers!
If you want the camera to work in in the parking mode . You need power to it all the time . Turning off the adapter defeats the purpose of hardwiring it in the first place
What a great video! Very informative and clearly explained. I've just purchased two Garmin dash cams (66W to the front and Mini 2 to the rear window) and have been researching for hours the best way to power those two. I'd want to avoid hardwiring. After this video, I now have the confidence to use Garmin's constant power ODB cable. Do you know if I can use the Parking Guard mode with that, perhaps with the 24-hour or always-on option? When not driving, I only want to have recordings of incidents, such as someone walking by or bumping into the car. Any experience using it with the Toyota Corolla TS Hybrid?
Thank you Sami! Ah regarding parking guard on the Garmin Dash cam with their OBD power cable, I have not tested either, however it is likely that their adaptor functions similar to the generic OBD power adapters. Here is my video where I explain how those work and their potential uses for park monitoring ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun Thank you Alex for a quick reply! After spending more time researching, I think I will try to find a suitable 3rd party battery pack to power the dash cams instead of taking the power directly from the car's 12V battery.
Can I ask for advice? For my mirror dash cam, the seller provide a hardwire kit for parking mode but without instructions. It is one cable type C with a voltage box. Coming out from the voltage box, one OBD2 cable (with 2 pins) and one ACC cable adapter to fuse. Which fuse is the ACC cable suppose to connect to? After watching your video, I am worry about connecting the hardwire kit. I won't do it until I get further search learning.
With only those wires, how does it know if the car is in accessory or not? It looks like the power source is always on. If it doesn't see the computer, how does the switch know whether car is on or off? You said elsewhere they are not "true" parking mode. What's that mean? My cars are parked in the garage most the time so I don't want to tap full time power all the time from a fuse tap. But I do want to be able to turn on parking mode at times. The switched OBD port seems like the best route, but from the video, the switch looks move like on or off.
Hi Steven! Ah remember the OBD2 adapter does not know if the car is on or off which is one of the reasons it will not enable true parking mode on most dash cams. However it can potentially be used to monitor your car while parked since it has two different power modes, (each one with different time out settings) I cover them in more detail and how they work on my original video here ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html (links to the different OBD adapter are on that video description also since they are different types) Cheers!
Hi Velocity0428! the one I showed on the video does have low voltage cut off (Not all OBD2 adapters have this) I put a link in the video description if needed. Hope this helps!
This OBD2 Power Adapters particularly the one from Vantrue messed up my car's electrical connections. I experienced random honking, headlight problems and door locking problems. I still can't figure out the fix after trying to remove the negative cable from my battery overnight.
Hi Coolchange! As shown on the video, the OBD2 adapter I use only connects to the car's battery and has no other interaction or connections leading to the rest of the car's systems. If I do get a hold of a Vantrue adapter, I can certainly do a teardown video to see how that one works but it may be the same as what I'm using (with the same potential for factory escapees as explained on the video). And here is another alternative if looking to avoid hardwire or the OBD2 port ruclips.net/video/-hGu8KZLaZ4/видео.html Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun The reason why I bought this kind of power adapter is because of this YT video and this video gave me the confidence to get one because I have doubts about it. This actually is happening right now on my car less than a week after I used this on my Vantrue Dash Cam.
Hi Coolchange! Oh wow that is so weird, assuming the Vantrue Adapter is built like the adapter I showed on this video, there is no connection to the rest of the car systems for it to affect them. However I have not done a tear down video on the Vantrue Adapter, also important would be to check the car's wiring schematic as I did on this video to confirm that the power pins are not shared with any other electrical bus, but again this would assume that the Vantrue is built like the adapter that I showed on this video. I would also recommend contacting Vantrue for tech support (specially if you suspect you received a factory escapee) And if I get a hold of a Vantrue adapter I will update this comment with the link to the tear down video. Cheers! @@coolchange3291
I hope Vantrue can help, I have not reviewed any of their products but I have heard good things about them and please keep us posted on your findings, Cheers friend!@@coolchange3291
After watching one of your video, I bought one of those ODBII adapter for dashcam. The one I received only have 3 pins on the adapters. (I guess that will be Constant power, ACC, and ground)
Hi wlit! It's likely two of those pins are ground and one is power (which is the norm for OBD2 connector pins) remember the OBD2 adapter will not have an ACC connection like a hard wire kit does (so it will not enable true parking mode on a dash cam) here is another video where I explain this in more detail ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html Hope this helps and thanks for watching!
@@AlexAutoFun You're right; the ODB2 adapter did not enable the parking mode function. (which is a disappointment) However, I read bad reviews about the hardwire kit draining too much battery, and the low voltage protection is set too low except for Rove (which is adjustable). I don't want to take the chance of a dead battery in the middle of nowhere. Instead, I like the control when I want the dashcam to stay on or not.
@@wlit Yeah very true, one of the reasons I used my OBD2 adapter, super convenient and I also have more control over it. There is one hardwire kit that just came out that does have some pretty cool controls (both voltage cutoff and manual control) this one ruclips.net/video/_MlRJ2_cd2o/видео.html in case you want to take a look at it, cheers my friend!
@@thetattooedvaper4081 Hi The Tattooed Vaper! I have not reviewed the Thinkware OBD adapter (but it's only my list to test!) but I have reviewed the power cable for the U1000 (to enable parking mode) here is that video ruclips.net/video/GCKXdGTGbqw/видео.html Hope this helps bud!
I had installed an Apeman dashcam in my sistets car using their OBD2 power connector. Unfortunately, one day, the camera fried and blew the main fuse to the car. Now, I hardwire them.
@ptinker106 Hi P! Thanks for sharing your experience. I been running mine for over 5 years now without an issue and since making this video, we also seen more dash cams like Ring, Garmin, Thinkware, Vantrue, Nexar, Wolfbox, use OBD2 power adapters. However, yes in some cases this is not a viable solution, or if you just want avoid using the OBD2 port for power (and also looking to enable park mode) here is my follow up video showing the alternative Hardwire method ruclips.net/video/zbxYA4VhuT8/видео.html Cheers!
Hi Veerama! Unfortunately Viofo does not carry an official OBD2 adapter yet (but I will update this comment for you if they ever do) Regarding using the OBD2 adapter I showed on the vide. This will depend on the power requirements of the dash cam (some dash cams have higher Amp requirements than others). Here is my original OBD2 adapter video if you want to learn how the adapter works (and I placed links in the video description to the different OBD2 adapters available) Here is my other video ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html where I explain dash cam connector types and and power requirements (amperage) for (while the video cover this from a hardwire standpoint, the same principles apply to OBD2 power adapters). Cheers!
Hi D! This would depend on the OBD2 adapter that is being used. The one I use, has a low voltage protection (to reduce the possibility of draining the car's battery) Here is my video showing how it works ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Puedo usar una extensión de obd II ? Quiero conectar una dash camera y también un Dispositivo de cierre de ventana para coche, sistema de módulo de apertura OBD para TOUYOTA RAV4 se puede coma extensión OBD de Amazon ???
Hola Juan! Anque se que existen extensiones de OBD, personalmente no las eh usado yo, so no se que tan bien or mal sirvan. A lo mejor seria mejor utilizar uno de estos ruclips.net/video/P0VapL70m7c/видео.html y dedicar el use del OBD para solo. Saludos!
You're welcome Arshia! Glad to hear it was helpful. Ah regarding OBD2 extension cables, if I recall correctly there is no provision on the SAE-J1962 standard against or for extension cables. That being said extension cables (and Y splitters) seem to be common in the automotive repair industry, some equipment seems to be unaffected by the use of them and some are more sensitive where the won't work well with an extension or a Y splitter. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Now days cars come with USB charging port. Can those be used to power a dashcam instead of ODB, hardwire or cigarettes port? Any gadgets that does that now?
Hi m8s m8s! yep! if you got a newer vehicle then it is likely to be equipped with at least one USB port. However different dash cams require different amounts of power which will determine if the car USB will have enough power to make it work. Here is another video ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html where I cover how to tell the power requirements of a dash cam and also the advantages of hard wire kit over the cigarette lighter plug or built in USB port. Hope this helps and thanks for watching!
Hi Public Entertainment! Ah yes unfortunately I have not reviewed the new Ring dash cam so I can't comment on it functionality but if I do get a hold of one I will update this comment with my findings. Cheers!
Hi Arthas! Normally the OBD2 socket voltage is same as the socket (remember there are 24V vehicle systems out there along with 12V systems, so the voltage will depend on which vehicle system you have) Cheers!
Just always check the fuse amperage rating for the OBD circuit, compared to the device you want to power. A Dodge Charger from another video had 10A fuse which means you can run under 120 watts of power. Your schematic showed 20A for under 240W of power. Plenty power for a video camera. 👍
Hi Michael! Ah unfortunately I have not tested the Thinkware OBD2 adapter so I can't comment on how it works. I may have to add it to the list of adapters to review (the list is getting longer by the day!) Stay tuned, Cheers!
Hi Chad! You will want to take a look at your owners manual or check with your installer to confirm it's working correctly or not. Normally a dash cam (when correctly installed) will turn off with the vehicle and turn on with the vehicle. Cheers!
Might be a bit of a silly question but here goes. The OBD power adapter and the direct hardwire setup supplies 12V to the dashcam. However it appears that the original cigarette lighter connection shows an output from the plugin as 5V. Does the camera convert 12V to 5V?
Hi Steven! ah there are a couple different OBD2 adapters out there, for example for Thinkware dashcams their adapter outputs 12v since that's what their dash cams require. The adapter I showed on this video outputs standard USB 5V which is what the majority of dash cams are using currently. So basically you would want to make sure the obd2 adapter or hardwire kit is the correct one for the dash cam being used on. Here is another video where I cover this on more detail ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
Hi Manvet 67! nope unfortunately out of the box the Blackvue lithium battery pack only supports charging via cigarette lighter socket or via hardwire but maybe one day they will add a OBD2 option. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Hi, I found your video researching trickle chargers that connect to the OBD port, in my case as an aux power supply while I change my main battery. This taught me that there is probably little risk if wired correctly (and how to check for that) but what are your thoughts on this kind of use? If only 3 pins are needed (2, in fact) one does wonder why these aftermarket systems don't suppress then pins they don't need?
Hi RJVB! Ah interesting, yeah I can see a trickle charger tapping into the port via the power wires, same principle as the power adapter but the flow being reversed to charge the battery as opposed to pulling power from it. Regarding why extra pins are present is that OBD2 does not fully use the connector body or a collar like most connectors to keep the connector in place (it's a non-locking collar), instead it's more of the combination of the female and male connector bodies surfaces interacting when mating and the contacts (pins and sockets) themselves being mated for retention force. Which means unfortunately that leaving out the active pins on a OBD2 connector may significantly reduce it's holding force and may lead to the connector to wiggle off or come off easily. That being said some OBD2 connectors (depending on the device) do omit un-used pins and either supplement the OBD2 connector with a spring clip to increase mating and un-mating forces and sometimes no clip at all. Cheers!
Hi V! Ah, good question. Most dash cams power the rear camera as well from the main dash cam, so there is no need for an extra power connection. Here is my dash cam install video where you can see how the rear camera connects to the front dashcam ruclips.net/video/IYRavaIBmSY/видео.html Cheers!
Hi Mate, Could you help with this issue. When I switch on the car, the obd voltage box shows 12.3 v, and when I select the parking option on the camera, it shows Acc power not found. Thanks in advance
Hi P! Ah while the OBD adapter can potentially be used for park monitoring, it will not enable park mode. Here is my video where I cover this in more detail ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
I used the mini obd2 and the very first time It was used with the dash cam, the car battery icon came ON…others have complained about it draining the battery!
Hi Macster! Yes there are OBD2 adapters that do not have low voltage battery cut off (to prevent draining the car's battery) The one I use does have this protection, I put the link to it in the video description. However if your OBD2 adapter gave you a battery light as soon as it was plugged in, the adapter may be defective (as the battery didn't have time to discharge, the adapter immediately set the fault). Also some newer cars are more sensitive to detecting any power draw and will not tolerate adding an aftermarket device without throwing a code or light. For those cases I prefer the hardwire method (which also enables true parking mode) here is my video for that ruclips.net/video/uZp95NbNlmM/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
@@macster1457 Hi Macster! Ah yes then definitely you got a defective one or as I mentioned earlier the car happens to be extra sensitive to the OBD2 adapter, I would recommend the hardwire method instead (just be aware that some cars also can't tolerate a hardwire kit, the C8 Corvette case that was in the news recently is the perfect example of how hardwiring can also trigger error codes in newer vehicles an even damage the car systems) Hope this helps, Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun It works, but after the first time of leaving it ON in the parking lot, then the battery icon came on... this is on a 2006 Nissan Murano.
@@macster1457 Hi Macster! Yeah it definitely shouldn't do that. I would strongly recommend checking what the code is for the light that is turned on to understand what is at the root cause of the MIL light. Hope this helps, Cheers!
I have a probably a silly question.. can one of those plugins be used to track your car and your speed by other party's say car insurance or the police traffic cops and even stop your car automatically
Hi Enfield! yeo there is, here is one that can be used to track your car amzn.to/3mQMTQq the ones for insurance are only available thru your car insurance (normally they will sent it you for free) and yep if you go all out for the onstar level system they can even shut down your car remotely (which I'm not a fan of as you can imagine). Cheers bud!
Hi T! Those devices do interface to the car's computer (normally, I see some that all the have inside is a simple light to give the appearance that it's doing something), and while I have not tested any of them, I personally would not use them as from what I seen, they have little to no effect on the fuel economy. So the risk of having a unknown device plugged in all the time into my port without any measurable benefits makes it a no go for me. That being said I'm sure there are people out there using them (some have attributed the sales of those devices as somewhat of a placebo effect, where there is the perception of better fuel economy but again I have not tested them personally) Cheers!
As an active mobile tool distributor for 40 years, 1967 to 2007, and selling scores of OBD2 diagnostics and having a few thousand customers and about 100 associates in the business, have never personally heard of a foreign object debris or any other cause of any issue with from installing an OBD plug in device. Right now I'm in the process of installing a dash camera and that brought me to this channel's videos about alternative methods of installation and ways of connecting power. I'm inclined to use an OBD power adaptor for a clean neat installation that enables optional disconnect of the equipment with minimum disturbance of panels and insulation strips, on my vehicle this can be done from the top of the dashboard and under the carpet by the pedals. Thanks for the good information.
You're welcome richard! and thank you for sharing your experience with us to, it is definitely helpful, Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun There always have been experts in the business disseminating bad, even false information. Its a reassuring pleasure to get input from someone who knows of what they are presenting and have the proof to back it up while teaching us something of value not previously known. Like your explanation about the pins on the OBD plug not all being active and selectively deployed by different manufacturers. And that the insurance companies would not get involved with something hazardous to them or their clients. Many thanks.
@@richardkluesek4301Scotty Kilmer made a RUclips short once saying to never leave devices plugged into your OBD2 port because it can cause a bunch of problems with your car, lol. That guy is so out of touch with modern cars now.
@@Superman-xr1oh I'm not a tch or a mechanic and research to find the best correct answer. I installed the car camera with a suction cup mount on the left side of the windshield where I can reach it to work controls and laid the cable flat and neat from the cigarette lighter up the dash and along the pillar. Excess is wrapped around the handle on the spotlight. This way it can be rotated, and when not on the road dismounted. Where i am the interior can reach temps upt to 110 degrees while parked.
@@richardkluesek4301here in California, it was 114 outside today
I agree, totally safe because i've been using this for 3 years now. i learn it from your video. thank you.
You're welcome Mark and thank you!
Brilliant, I'm considering using a constant power cable for a dash cam. Now I know a bit about what the OBD port is used for. Very clearly explained, with schematics, that's the way to do it.
Thanks oscarrox, glad to hear it helped, Cheers!
I thought you were just an car guy but you are either an electrical engineer or researcher. Busted. Great job on the video.
LOL! Very close my friend and thank you!
Brother, as always, you've gone above and beyond! You presented a potential problem, a hypothetical situation, and explained why there is such a small risk, if any, for these aftermarket gadgets to cause issues in our cars. Crazy to see how many people on IG, YT, etc are overnight google mechanics and electrical experts! As I've mentioned before, I am an installer out of Orange County, CA, I have been using some of the products that you recommend, including these OBD power cables and I have only encountered 1 manufacturer that didn't play nice, BMW. I have been following you from another profile for quite some time. I created this profile to relearn a few things and watch some of your informative videos. I'm sure glad people like you exist to explain the why's and how's to most common folk.I hope to catch you soon at a show out here in SoCal. Be safe and keep ROCKIN'!
Thanks JB! yeah I think there is a lot of misinformation out there and people just take it at face value. Even I make mistakes when it comes to dash cams LOL (and like you I deal with car electronics on a daily basis!) so I like to say trust but verify! lol
I just recently installed my dashcam and I use obd power cable for it.
Can you please elaborate on the part BMW didn't play nice? I was planning on using this connector for my car.
BMWs are crap. Most unreliable car ever @@ANSNify
My husband & I drive Mini Coopers, so I am quite curious about BMW not playing nice. Too many 'crazy' drivers along commute & even around town. Need Dash Cams; considering having directly connected to power. We are not DIYers when it comes to technical/electrical projects. :) Hire experienced professionals.
I appreciate this info very much. I just bought myself a dash cam (the Vantrue N4) and the hardwiring option to the fuse box is not possible due to the fact that none of the 4 fuse holders they provided fit my Ford Edge’s fuse box slot. My only choice left if I want the park mode option is the OBD wiring. I started researching about this option and read many negative comments that stated that this connection would drain your battery or that it could damage it. So I feel more at ease now after watching this video because you really went into all the details meticulously and your comments seem to make sense. Well appreciated.
You're welcome Ray! glad to hear it helped. And here is another video ruclips.net/video/Qzw9yUYN7zo/видео.html where I show how to swap out the fuse taps to fit different fuse sizes (I believe the Edge uses Micro2 you can get here amzn.to/3yZiJkN and Micro3 amzn.to/3u8PHyI ) Hope this helps!
@@AlexAutoFun Hey Alex! I just subscribed to your channel because you simply have a way of explaining everything in such a simple, clear and concise manner. Furthermore you take your time to explain how to use the tools needed properly. No one does that bro! You rock! The situation I’m having is very particular. Although I already sent for the OBD I still prefer the hardwiring option to my car’s fuse box. Like I mentioned to you previously I received 4 fuse holders in the hardwire kit, These fuse holders or fuse taps (as you refer to them) come already with a fuse installed and an empty slot to place in your car’s fuse. The particular problem I’m having is that I can’t insert the fuse holder or tap into the empty slot of my fuse box, although I was able to insert my car fuse into the empty slot of the fuse holder. I compared my car fuse to the fuse tap, and the prongs of the fuse tap are slightly wider than my car fuse. I also removed the fuse that came installed in the fuse tap and compared it to mine and it was also slightly wider. The problem is the housing and the prongs being slightly wider that it simply cannot be inserted in the empty slot of my car’s fuse box empty slot. I had read some comments in the Amazon page for the Vantrue hardwiring kit that some people were successful in inserting the fuse tap into the empty slot of the fuse box by shaving the edges of the fuse tap (what I understood is the metal prongs) Another comment stated that you needed to file down the plastic housing as well. I file down both the prongs and the plastic housing to no avail. I wasn’t able to fit the fuse tap into the empty slot of the fuse box. This problem appears to happen only to the Fords brand because the people who commented on the Amazon page all owned Fords. So I clicked on the Amazon link you provided in your previous response but the fuse taps for sale there are basically the same ones already included in my Vantrue hardwiring kit. I don’t know how these other people who owned Fords were able to do it. So there, I’m giving you material for your next blog. Thanks bro!
@@raymuniz113 Hi Ray! awesome welcome aboard! ah yes I totally know what you are talking about and yep it happened to me too on a Ford lol Typically the blade distance is not a problem as the contacts on the car are on only on top and bottom of the blade not on the sides so wider blade spacing is not that critical however the plastic body of the fuse tap prevents you from being able to engage the contacts since it won't fit with modification. Some fuse taps do have slightly wider plastic bodies, the ones I linked are the slimmest ones I have found but still required me to shave each end of the plastic edges to get to fit, you can actually see it on my other video ruclips.net/video/zbxYA4VhuT8/видео.html how the fuse taps have been modified (ends shaved off, which I hid with some electrical tape lol)....
@@AlexAutoFun So Alex, I wanted to know how far do you shave the plastic off. Because if you go too far you’re basically gonna remove the wall from the sides of the fuse slot. And the second question is if once you shave off the plastic from the body does this shaved off part of the body goes deeper into the fuse slot, because remember there’s one side that can’t be shaved.
@@raymuniz113 Hi Ray! yep the amount that I shaved off varies depending on the fuse tap kit being used (as mentioned earlier some look almost identical but have slightly larger dimensions) and depending on the dimension of the fuse slot being inserted into (which can also vary depending on the vehicle). But yes the answer to your 2nd question is that at some point if the entire side wall is shaved off the contact will be exposed and the fuse tap becomes very delicate now since it has lost some structure. Normally installers will decide which is less work and more secure either to shave fuse taps or to tap into the wiring directly coming from the fuse box avoiding using fuse taps all together. Hope this makes sense, cheers!
This is EXCELLENT. You missed your calling, professor!
Thank you Larry!
There can be several solutions at different production and use levels: 1. for the manufacturer to remove all unused pins at all or replace them with non-conductive plastic dummy pins in the first place; 2. for the manufacturer to overlay exposed pin backs with a non-conductive layer of plastic between the chip and pins; 3. for the end user to do the above-mentioned removal, replacement, or overlaying procedures. (OR abstain from plugging anything potential dangerous into the "brain" of your car while there are several other solutions: cigarette socket, USB, fuse box, external battery, etc.)
Great ideas man, you are onto something (While I have not had issues with mine or all the OBD2 tools I review, since I plug so many devices into my OBD2 port with the same risk level, I specially like the idea on non-conductive pins) And here is my hardwire install video ruclips.net/video/uZp95NbNlmM/видео.html if looking to avoid using the OBD2 port. Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFunanything that comes from reputable manufacturers should be safe. One time i bought a cheap diagnostic dongle on ebay under or around $6. It almost fried my car. I no longer buy anything like that cheap and on ebay.
If anyone is worried about potential "damage" or "hacking" of their OBD port, you can always ask certified electrician to remove all the unused pins from the connector. For the power supply, you really only need two, max three pins mentioned in the video.
Can you tell me which pin is being use for dashcam I would like to know
Hi! I show the pins being used in the video, Cheers!
you can move the data bus pin and make you own adapter , but the hackers now detect the CAN bus on any pins ... best it to cut the bus somewhere
The seller probably watched this channel and decided to modify the plug. It now has only 3 pins connected.
What you said makes a 100% sense and put my mind at ease because I'm buying a hardware - kit thank you.
You're welcome 404!
OBD II cable for power is a good choice. Blackvue has sold tons of these dash cams with the OBD II powe cable without any issues.
I read your review you use this obs2 Cable, is this only support certain cameras like type c or micro cameras? When you turn off your car. If you do not use it in a few days, will this kill your battery or do you have to turn it off? So it doesn't kill your battery.?
Great explanation! I was checking whether using obd2 is safe for a dashcam. Now I understand the whole working of it. Thanks
Thank you and you're welcome Preetam!
Great video! I just ordered one from Amazon today for my arifayz q3 dash cam that I also just ordered! I do have 2 lighter outlets in my 08 Caravan but now I can use them for other gadgets! I did see your first video about using the obd2 and that's when I ordered it, Thank you!
You're welcome, glad to hear it helped Highland 64!
Super video, thank you. Nice presentation and very smooth camera work. I did use one of your other videos to get my Nextbase GW522 dashcam installed easily (I only mention it so others may know that yes it does work off the OBD switch with the mini-USB. I chnaged vehicles and I didn't want to use the cigarette lighter again and didn't want to route the cable in the headliner and A-pillar past the glove box and etc. It worked out great and so far I'm keeping the switch in the non-surveillance setting.
Thank you Ralph!
Another point is OBD2 often have a 4G GPS Tracker attached behind the panel using a splitter adapter often done by Dealerships especially if you Finance Through Them instead of a Bank Loan
Always pay via a Bank Loan or Cash never Financing through the Dealership as you almost always end up paying more and are limited in how you can officially use your own vehicle and 8/10 dealerships will add a GPS Tracker without your knowledge it's often fine print on a page somewhere so is not technically illegal as you agree to it!
I use these for 3 vehicles dashcam,and have not had any issues 1 year and still going
Hi Ferndogg! Yeah same here, going on almost five years now with no issues. Here is my original video showing the adapter ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Thank you so much for this video!
My wife and I have recently purchased our first vehicle and I wanted to have a dash cam with parking mode installed from day 1.
I had no qualms about using a fuse tap kit to make this happen but my wife was reluctant because she read that this can sometimes cause dealers to no longer acknowledge a warranty; and we did opt for an extended 10 year/200k km one, and have yet to pickup the car. 😬
Now I feel much better knowing that there is a middle road and both of us can get what we want! 😁
And you’re right, some car insurance companies do offer a discount if a customer plugs a telemetric device into their OBD port for 24h monitoring, which I think wouldn’t be much difference than having a dash cam plugged in using low-power mode when in parking mode.
Again, thank you! I have definitely subscribed to your channel and I look forward to learning more. Great video!
You're welcome Matthew and welcome to the channel!
This is why I'm restoring a pre-OBD car. My next goal is to restore a pre-Fuel injection vehicle to completely negate the need for an ECU altogether. Fully mechanical, baby! That's the way I want to be rolling.
I’ve had an ultraguage plugged into my odb port for about 10 years and never had any issues but after seeing videos of Scotty saying they are deadly to a car I have decided to unplug it.
Hi Keving! Ah yes scan gauges will actually interact with the lines that communicate directly to the ECM, so the potential for something going wrong is higher that on a basic OBD2 power dongle where only power is tapped from the OBD2. But yes I had the same experience that you had, I have never had an issue plugging devices into my OBD2 port (and I plug in quite a bit of them since I'm always reviewing different gadgets LOL) Hope this helps, Cheers!
I appreciated this video showing how not all pins are being connected to by this particular power supply and also the potential for a short due to manufacturing errors. Have you ever looked into the security issues with various OBDII connected devices? The insurance dongles definitely do connect to the computer and often add Bluetooth and Wifi (and occasionally cellular) which is another concern than just potential power problems. The customer service department of a car manufacturer advised me not to use an insurance dongle because of all the potential problems and I've found it interesting ever since what stories could be out there of how these OBDII devices went wrong.
Hi Targip! glad to hear it helped! regarding the insurance dongles if we look at them from strictly a potential for problems then I would assume the probably is low, remember the folks behind insurance companies have experts behind the scenes calculating risk. If the dongle damages your car or causes an issue that affects the car or you then there is liability for your insurance company. The risk is there but it must be so low they consider it acceptable to issue the dongle out. That being said running an insurance dongle brings up questions of privacy and can be a double edge sword for drivers that like to drive aggressively or beyond legal limits. So the dongle may have the opposite effect and not save you money but cost you money! lol
@@AlexAutoFun Thanks for the reply. I consider myself a fairly safe and responsible driver and the privacy aspect still bothered me. I read an analysis of how the insurance companies process risk based on the dongles and one criterion was time of day, night time driving indicating higher risk. As I worked nights at the time it seemed unfair. There's also the hacking aspect since the devices are wireless gateways to the computer.
As for the risk equation the insurance assumes if a dongle damages a car's electronics, I see what you mean but based on general experience, insurance companies can also be good at denying responsibility for claims. I can't imagine the frustrating run around one could possibly get trying to have them accept their device fried a car's computer. I'd be fascinated to learn if there were any real life stories that informed the car manufacturer I talked to to advise against them.
Interesting all around to me since it's cars and security. I just found your channel last week and have enjoyed it.
@Targip Gadponson Yep, very good points! especially with new cars all being equipped with Bluetooth and WIFI (on the same canbus systems as the rest of the car systems) it can be scary with hackers out there. But yeah, I would definitely listen to the car manufacturer's recommendation, especially if there is a warranty issue down the road!
wow! Great video. Good Job! I suspected the plug wasn't using all the pins to connect the dashcam, even though thousands of people think the dashcam is reporting speed, location, etc. to big brother. Kudos!
Thank you John, Cheers!
Thanks Alex that was so useful information. I have purchased same obd adapter which you inspired me from your previous video . Thanks for the information
You're welcome SHAAFI MEDIA! glad to hear it helped my friend!
Thank you, you've answered all my questions about the OBD 11 usage.
You're welcome Earl! glad to hear this helped!
Alex, I've watched your very helpful video and I've read through the comments. I'm buying a dash cam for my son's first car for Christmas. He worked incredibly hard to buy the car...since he was 12 years old he saved money to buy that car. (He's been a car enthusiast since the age of 2!) I don't want to do anything to cause harm to it, despite the fact that it's a 10 year old car with 120,000 miles on the clock. It's still his most prized possession. That said, I remain confused by some of the comments and your other video on hard-wiring. I want to know whether it is best to hard-wire or just as good and safe to use this OBDII connector, please. I can order one with the dash cam for $50. Should I do that or should we attempt the hardwiring job as a DIY project? Thanks so much for your input.
Thank you Julia! Hardwire is an very involved process, requiring experience and knowledge, I strongly recommend profession installation due to the dangers involved with air bags as explained in my follow up video here ruclips.net/video/uZp95NbNlmM/видео.html and also potential dangerous issues caused if erroneously tapping a critical system of the vehicle explained in my dedicated hardwire here ruclips.net/video/K2iKXj82354/видео.html Cheers!
Awesome, thanks so much for explaining, i was afraid to use obd ,but after your video, it's clear😊
You're welcome Waseem!
I used the OBD port in my car to upload my consciousness to the car, in case anything ever happens me, so my memories are preserved
LOL!
:))))))), what happen if your car go to the scrap yard
Damn good explanation sir- I was looking for a way to power my dashcam in my new F150- thanks
You're welcome and thanks Vic!
When I grow up, I want to have your brain. Great explanation, as usual.
LOL Thank you fishnbaja1!
Thank you for the peice of mind. I'm pretty sure I watched you old video and it helped me to make the decision to buy in first place. But recently scotty Kilmer decided it was dangerous lol. This is why I like multiple opinions. You did research. He just assumed and said what he felt at the time. I still like scotty. But no one person knows it all.
You're welcome! and yep very true it's always best to get several opinions plus own research. I do love Scotty, super helpful videos. I think he definitely ran into the scenario described on this video where a factory "escapee" made it to him. When I was in the automotive industry we used to say even you have 99.99% quality out the door, to the customer that got that .01% (the defect) to their eyes is 100% bad quality since they purchased one and got a bad one which is true from a consumer point of view LOL
This was totally awesome. You explained that perfectly. Thank you.
You're welcome! and thank you Mark, I appreciate it, Cheers!
While I don't see the need to draw power from the OBD port (I don't know how much power it can give, but maybe that is discussed later in the video😁), I do think any cheap OBD stuff is very safe to use. If they sell you a plug for 10 dollars that reads and/or resets codes, they probably haven't thought too long about safety.
I do agree with the video when he says that the power plug he uses doesn't crash the car's computer, maybe blows a fuse but not more than that.
Hi Benny! yeah and you be surprised of the quality (more like poor quality) on devices that are more expensive. I'm seeing the industry be more about the brand name than pricing which is crazy, some lower cost products sometimes exceed the quality of big brand names. Crazy uh, Cheers!
You seem to understand these "gadgets" quite well. You have the knowledge and background to invent. Have you ever had a idea that materialized into an electrical or mechanical gadget?
Hi Bent Nickel! thanks man, I try to learn as much as I can (I'm still learning everyday!) but to answer you question. I had ideas but nothing that I realized on my own. However, I have contributed to products that were being developed, both from a design standpoint and from a manufacturability standpoint. Some engineers come up with great designs but they are not always possible to make in high volume, so the designs needs to be changed. But maybe one I have to come with a product of my own, that be kind of neat!
Man I had one question and my man plug my brain into the matrix and gave me everything 😆 Nice video
LOL! Thanks Bud!
Very good education from you... Thank you for your professional information
Thank you and you're welcome K!
These are the contents for which we should be grateful to creators and you tube ❤❤
Thank you Soumya!
Thanks for your video. I've ordered an aftermarket (HUD) head up display on yesterday which need to connect to the obd2 port. Today, I've watched your video and I'm not sure should I use that Head up display or not. You make me worry about, is it safe to use it or not...
You're welcome Jason! And yes this video will help you decide if it's safe to use your OBD port. And here are my other videos showing you how to use a HUD ruclips.net/video/z-m_ez2a8o4/видео.html (full review) ruclips.net/video/b2JXMQyU-24/видео.html (side cameras and backup radar) ruclips.net/video/QyMqe7gDfFk/видео.html (OBD2 add on) ruclips.net/video/YToLU4Z0aWU/видео.html (fitment) and low cost HUD ruclips.net/video/QEgP4ma8VUg/видео.html Cheers!
Thanks - great explanation. Do you know if the Fitcamx OBD power adapter is safe? It doesn't seem to have low voltage protection, although it has a mode by which the dashcam turns on for a short time only when the car is bumped.
You're welcome! Ah I have not tested the Fitcamx OBD2 adapter, so I'm not familiar with it, may be a good idea to get a hold of one to do another teardown video, stay tuned. Cheer!
If one is concerned about an OBD device's power and ground pins having conductivity with adjacent pins that could easily be tested with a multimeter.
Hi Cary! That is actually a great idea, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your super clear and informative explanation of this adapter. Very helpful!
You're welcome Mrm!
thank u alex now i use my dash cam parking mode on busy parking lot
You're welcome ada san jose! Cheers bud!
Very useful video. I have ordered Thinkware U3000 that has obd cable inside the box. However, the obd cable has 8 pins. Can this obd cable be harmful to the car?
You're welcome Gladiator! Ah yes as explained on the video, most OBD2 power adapters may be fully populated as far as pins however most of the time only the power pins are connected like the adapter as shown on the video. Cheers!
Thanks, but actually thinkware obd cable actually uses other pins. For example, when I open car's door, the dashcam triggered to be in driving mode.
You're welcome! yeah there are so many OBD2 adapters out now, it's almost overwhelming considering they use to be some what rare back in the days. I may make a couple more teardown videos on them if can get my hands on some samples, stay tuned. Cheers! @@Gladiator12350
The OSB II port on most new vehicles should never go over 3 amps of power ether power in or power out because the wires attached to the OSB II ports are not rated for heavy power loads. But I actually use my OSBII port as a solar battery trickle charger that’s under 3 amps.
Hi D! Ah yes so far the OBD adapters I tested are limited in power draw (usually less than 3A @5V, so about half that amount at 12V where the power is being pull from) Cheers!
Although using the OBD2 port for power is safe, so long as you remaim within its load rating, plugging in OBD2 devices do come with many risks. Of note: some vehicle makes and models will prevent vehicle operation should they detect continued power draw over OBD. A warning: Every module on a car can be accessed and manipulated via the OBD2 port. In other words, devices can brick your car, bypass your vehicles security, delete key access,... And even control steering, acceleration, and braking (yes, your car can be remotely driven if you have park assist). Be sure you trust the manufacturer of the tools/devices you're using as the risk can be quite high otherwise.
Hi djnmw1! Yeah the OBD2 power adapter is a pretty basic device only tapping into power (the one I showed on the video, there are other models out there) without the ability to access other modules on the car. However you are correct, other OBD2 devices that interface to the car's communication network can definitely access sensitive modules and while I have not encountered any issue with the different OBD2 devices I have plugged into my car (quite a bit of them since I'm always reviewing all kinds of silly gadgets lol) the potential is there for sure. As pointed on the video my recommendation if wanting to avoid all risk with using the OBD2 port is to never plug in a OBD2 device into it. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Dear. I didn't understand what the obd cable switch is for. You can explain to me. Thank you.
Hi M! Ah yes here you go ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Thank you for providing this video. I have a new mirror dash cam. The company sent to me a new hardwire kit. It has OBD2 adapter, but only has two separate pins, top and bottom, and plastic fins in the middle. And it also has one mini connector to the fuse panel. For parking mode and recording functions. Probably has to re-watch your video to learn is it safe to install? And contacting the seller have not receive installation instructions. Any advise?
Thank you for this video. Loved it. Question- would connecting a dashcam to the obd port cause the battery to completely drian out?
You're welcome V! This would depend on the OBD2 adapter that is being used. The one I use, has a low voltage protection (to reduce the possibility of draining the car's battery) Here is my video showing how it works ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Great explanation, good job, much appreciated. I’m looking to buy the Ring car cam
Thank you W L!
Very clear explanation. Thank you. Now I know the risks involved.
You're welcome and thank you thinkingmonkey!
@@AlexAutoFun I am concerned about hard-wiring a dash cam and if they would void the warranty if I do so. Car makers should provide a safe/dedicated option to connect to a power source for dash cams, like the OBD port with fuse.
Definitely agree, that would be nice!
Hi Alex! Thanks for this informative video.
My question is, if you have " 2" separate dashcams. Is it OK to connect one cam with this connector and the other cam connected with a hardwire kit?
Thanks for any answers!
You're welcome Bud! Ah yes the OBD power adapter is independent of a hardwire kit being being installed, so yes both could be run. Cheers!
Hey guy, thanks so much to show us. I'm your video how to use. D.
Dob d.
To hook up a security video cam on your card.
Will you suggest a name brand did I call the dozen costs too much? Did I could use in a fortune video cam on my car?
Thank you. I will appreciate it. I am always watching your show. Eliza new show to me. But I've been watching this since. I think the first day annu but I have like right now thank you
You're welcome! Ah yes here is a very affordable dash cam ruclips.net/video/oIla7x_rte4/видео.html And I have more dash cam reviews on my channel in the playlist "Dash Cams Reviews" if you like to compare them. Cheers!
you have great video's, i have a Hyundai ioniq hybrid 2021 does the obd2 is o.k for the car....and can i leave it on surveillance mode all the time?
bought
Thank you Nir! I would refer to your car's electrical schematic if you want to check the pin out of the OBD2 port. Regarding leaving the adapter on, it actually has two settings which I cover in more detail on the original video here ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
Outstanding explanation. Thank you so much for the great work.
Thanks Delmar829!
Will this activate parking mode on a dash cam since it is not hardwired in? I’m trying to decide between this or the hardwired kit. Awesome video.
Thank you Pete! Ah yes the OBD adapter will not enable true park mode. However in some cases it can be used to monitor the car will parked, here is video where I cover this ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
Awesome video! Do you happen to know why the OBD-II port has 2 ground pins, #4 = Chassis GND, #5 = Signal GND? My guess is Chassis GND is for +12V power return, while #5 is for signal return path. In your switched OBD-II plug, I see they are shorted together. But how are these 2 grounds connected on the car side?
Thank you! Ah yes the reason it's technical in nature, I'm not an EE but will try my best to explain, if you look at the SAE-J1962 standard, pin 4 is for ground as provided by the chassis of the car (for current draw as in SAE J1978). Pin 5 is a signal ground as in a ground reference for transceivers and test equipment but with consideration to noise contributions and node-to-node voltage offsets (basically a clean ground that is more free of noise than chassis ground). Now here is the kicker, some cars combine both 4 and 5 on the connector side and some keep the connections independent (which in my opinion is the correct way so the plugged in device can decide if it's needs separate grounds or to join them) If you check your car's service manual and wiring schematics it should show how your vehicle is using pin 4 and 5. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Hi, thanks for info!!
Do you think can I use N3 dashcam with Dash Cam OBD Hardwire Kit, Dash Camera USB Type C Hardwire Kit with OBD Power Cable for Dashcam 12-24V to 5V/3A with Low Voltage Protection 24h Parking Surveillance/Acc Mode for Dashcam, GPS or Radar on Toyota Highlander hybrid 2020? I’m just worried about before affects it!!!
Thank you…… hope you answer
You're welcome Ismail! Ah unfortunately I'm not familiar with the N3 or it's power requirements. However here is another video where I show you how to identify the power requirements of a dash cam ruclips.net/video/-hGu8KZLaZ4/видео.html Cheers!
Incredible video! I can't thank you enough for this video you have created and the help and answers you have provided! I would like to ask you a question if I may? I am buying a Thinkware U1000 and the Blackboxmycar Powercell 8 Battery mainly for the use of the parking mode features. Does this ODB2 Power Adapter work in conjunction with the Thinkware U1000 and the Powercell 8 Battery? I am trying to keep the hookup clean and avoid using the hardwiring kit. Thank you in advance!
Hi Richey! ah good question, Thinkware does have their own OBD2 adapter (their dash cams work on 12V vs the 5V that dash cams normally use) here is the adapter amzn.to/3n83x0g and this one amzn.to/3lpOa2c (this one is a smart version of the OBD2 adapter, video on this adapters coming!) however if you still want to run if off a battery, this is the Thinkware battery pack amzn.to/3bnExj6 it's actually cheaper too than Powercell. Hope this helps!
Grazie per il video e la spiegazione ottima. Sto per ricevere una Vantrue E2 e ho acqusitato un cavo Vantrue USB C-type OBD Hardwire e verificherò quali PIN sono collegati. Hai esperienza con questo marchio o con questo cavo? Buon 2023 a tutti
Hi Salvatore! Ah nope, I have not reviewed the Vantrue OBD cable, please let us know if you do like and if it's work ok. Cheers from California!
Thank you for your great video and giving me the idea how to get power to my dashcam.
Did you ever had issues with such adapters in combination of wireless key systems?
It seems that in special cases or specific car models such adapters produce so much "noise" that the communication between the wireless key and the car electronics gets interrupted etc.
You're welcome Alexander! Regarding issues with wireless systems, nope I have not experienced any. Remember the OBD2 power adapter is just a standard step down voltage adapter similar to the ones that the dash cams come with (cigaretter lighter plug style) it's just packaged to interface to the OBD2 connector as opposed to cigaretter port of the car. So the EMI or RF noise generated by this adapters will be about the same (likely negligible based on the number of power adapters I have tested while reviewing many different car accessories such as dash cams) Hope this helps, Cheers!
Another great video, thank you!
You're welcome Sxpress and Cheers from rainy California! 🌧☔😀
Regarding the non-used pins getting shorted, it would be great if the connector only had the pins it actually needs. Then the risk of solder or other conductive material shorting anything out.
Hi Benny! Yeah that would make sense, the issue is that OBD2 does not fully use the connector body or a collar like most connectors to keep the connector in place, instead it more of the combination of the female and male connector bodies surfaces interacting when mating and the contacts themselves being mated for retention force. Which means unfortunately that leaving on the active pins on a OBD2 port would significantly reduce it's holding force and may lead to the connector to wiggle off or come off easily. Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun yeah, I figured that would be the problem. It is a bit weird that an automotive connector can't sit secure enough without all the pins tho. Puts unnecessary strain where strain shouldn't be IMO.
@@bennylloyd-willner9667 Yep exactly! The J1962 standard actually does have a provision (Clause 5.5) for a connector latching feature to ensure connectors remain mated however since that same clause also requires that "it shall not require the activation of any levers on either connector to mate and un-mate" this has led to OBD connectors that can be partially retained by a passive method (friction of a mating surface, normally the top stub area). And in a few tools there is actually a button that you press to disconnect the OBD2 connector however strangely enough this feature requiring action on part of the use to un-mate the connector makes it non J1962 compliant. Maybe we will see this change on the next revision of the standard. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Wonderful explanation!!
Do you believe the power draw (specifically a dash cam) will affect the battery/car the same as a regular power port?
I love the idea of using this method for power as I recently broke my normal cord and need to replace.
One thing I would mention in a video is that the power is always on, if you don't want a dead battery switch it off everytime you turn off the engine!
That being said I love the idea of being able to record for a few minutes with the engine off.
Thank you!
Thank you Mindy! Ah yes here is my original video showing how the adapter works ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html it has built in low battery protection (to avoid draining your battery) and has two modes of operation which I cover on that video in detail. Hope this helps, Cheers!
On some vehicles simply having a device plugged into the port will keep certain modules 'awake/alert' as they assume the device thats plugged in is a scan tool. This can result in a dead battery when the device itself didnt comsume any power - rather some of the car systems never hybernated.
@@djbmw1 I have a 2010 accord, I went ahead and got this exact model and I haven't had problems.
@@djbmw1 Hi djbmw1! Yep! while I have used my OBD2 adapter for over 4yrs now in a newer vehicle, what you are describing is very true and I seen it on some newer cars (specially on hybrids) where either the OBD2 will keep a module on or the car will turn off power to the OBD2 port or the car will detect the draw on the OBD2 port and throw a MIL for battery. Hope this helps, Cheers!
If you want the camera to work in in the parking mode . You need power to it all the time . Turning off the adapter defeats the purpose of hardwiring it in the first place
What a great video! Very informative and clearly explained. I've just purchased two Garmin dash cams (66W to the front and Mini 2 to the rear window) and have been researching for hours the best way to power those two. I'd want to avoid hardwiring. After this video, I now have the confidence to use Garmin's constant power ODB cable. Do you know if I can use the Parking Guard mode with that, perhaps with the 24-hour or always-on option? When not driving, I only want to have recordings of incidents, such as someone walking by or bumping into the car. Any experience using it with the Toyota Corolla TS Hybrid?
Thank you Sami! Ah regarding parking guard on the Garmin Dash cam with their OBD power cable, I have not tested either, however it is likely that their adaptor functions similar to the generic OBD power adapters. Here is my video where I explain how those work and their potential uses for park monitoring ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun Thank you Alex for a quick reply! After spending more time researching, I think I will try to find a suitable 3rd party battery pack to power the dash cams instead of taking the power directly from the car's 12V battery.
You're welcome!@@samidesousa
Will it work with redtiger f7n?
Hi! This adapters are universal, here is my original video explaining how they work ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Can I ask for advice? For my mirror dash cam, the seller provide a hardwire kit for parking mode but without instructions. It is one cable type C with a voltage box. Coming out from the voltage box, one OBD2 cable (with 2 pins) and one ACC cable adapter to fuse. Which fuse is the ACC cable suppose to connect to?
After watching your video, I am worry about connecting the hardwire kit. I won't do it until I get further search learning.
Hi M! I would recommend contacting the seller to obtain a copy of instructions as some dash cams interface differently than others. Cheers!
Very informational, thank you.
You're welcome MadManDan!
Amazing review - thank you very much!
You're welcome V K! and thank you! 😊
With only those wires, how does it know if the car is in accessory or not? It looks like the power source is always on. If it doesn't see the computer, how does the switch know whether car is on or off? You said elsewhere they are not "true" parking mode. What's that mean? My cars are parked in the garage most the time so I don't want to tap full time power all the time from a fuse tap. But I do want to be able to turn on parking mode at times. The switched OBD port seems like the best route, but from the video, the switch looks move like on or off.
Hi Steven! Ah remember the OBD2 adapter does not know if the car is on or off which is one of the reasons it will not enable true parking mode on most dash cams. However it can potentially be used to monitor your car while parked since it has two different power modes, (each one with different time out settings) I cover them in more detail and how they work on my original video here ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html (links to the different OBD adapter are on that video description also since they are different types) Cheers!
Does that have a voltage cut off to prevent the car battery from dying?
Hi Velocity0428! the one I showed on the video does have low voltage cut off (Not all OBD2 adapters have this) I put a link in the video description if needed. Hope this helps!
This OBD2 Power Adapters particularly the one from Vantrue messed up my car's electrical connections. I experienced random honking, headlight problems and door locking problems. I still can't figure out the fix after trying to remove the negative cable from my battery overnight.
Hi Coolchange! As shown on the video, the OBD2 adapter I use only connects to the car's battery and has no other interaction or connections leading to the rest of the car's systems. If I do get a hold of a Vantrue adapter, I can certainly do a teardown video to see how that one works but it may be the same as what I'm using (with the same potential for factory escapees as explained on the video). And here is another alternative if looking to avoid hardwire or the OBD2 port ruclips.net/video/-hGu8KZLaZ4/видео.html Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun The reason why I bought this kind of power adapter is because of this YT video and this video gave me the confidence to get one because I have doubts about it. This actually is happening right now on my car less than a week after I used this on my Vantrue Dash Cam.
Hi Coolchange! Oh wow that is so weird, assuming the Vantrue Adapter is built like the adapter I showed on this video, there is no connection to the rest of the car systems for it to affect them. However I have not done a tear down video on the Vantrue Adapter, also important would be to check the car's wiring schematic as I did on this video to confirm that the power pins are not shared with any other electrical bus, but again this would assume that the Vantrue is built like the adapter that I showed on this video. I would also recommend contacting Vantrue for tech support (specially if you suspect you received a factory escapee) And if I get a hold of a Vantrue adapter I will update this comment with the link to the tear down video. Cheers! @@coolchange3291
@@AlexAutoFun Thanks for the concern.
I hope Vantrue can help, I have not reviewed any of their products but I have heard good things about them and please keep us posted on your findings, Cheers friend!@@coolchange3291
I’ve pre ordered the ring car cam against better judgment. 🤞
Hi ADvPI! Congrats on your new Ring Car Cam! Let us know how you like it, Cheers!
Great video. Thanks for explaining.
You're welcome GLEN ! glad to hear it helped, Cheers from California!
After watching one of your video, I bought one of those ODBII adapter for dashcam. The one I received only have 3 pins on the adapters. (I guess that will be Constant power, ACC, and ground)
Hi wlit! It's likely two of those pins are ground and one is power (which is the norm for OBD2 connector pins) remember the OBD2 adapter will not have an ACC connection like a hard wire kit does (so it will not enable true parking mode on a dash cam) here is another video where I explain this in more detail ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html Hope this helps and thanks for watching!
@@AlexAutoFun You're right; the ODB2 adapter did not enable the parking mode function. (which is a disappointment) However, I read bad reviews about the hardwire kit draining too much battery, and the low voltage protection is set too low except for Rove (which is adjustable). I don't want to take the chance of a dead battery in the middle of nowhere. Instead, I like the control when I want the dashcam to stay on or not.
@@wlit Yeah very true, one of the reasons I used my OBD2 adapter, super convenient and I also have more control over it. There is one hardwire kit that just came out that does have some pretty cool controls (both voltage cutoff and manual control) this one ruclips.net/video/_MlRJ2_cd2o/видео.html in case you want to take a look at it, cheers my friend!
I just ordered a Thinkware U1000 and the obd2 cable. As far as I know , they are the only ones right now that you can use parking mode with their obd.
@@thetattooedvaper4081 Hi The Tattooed Vaper! I have not reviewed the Thinkware OBD adapter (but it's only my list to test!) but I have reviewed the power cable for the U1000 (to enable parking mode) here is that video ruclips.net/video/GCKXdGTGbqw/видео.html Hope this helps bud!
Great Explanation!
Thanks JB!
Great info.
Thank you Howie!
Hi my friend can you check if my 2024Mazda cx50 OBD pins okay to use with a garmin obd cable
I had installed an Apeman dashcam in my sistets car using their OBD2 power connector. Unfortunately, one day, the camera fried and blew the main fuse to the car. Now, I hardwire them.
Also, a lot of OBD2 ports cut power after 5 minutes, thereby preventing charging when in Parking Mode.
@ptinker106 Hi P! Thanks for sharing your experience. I been running mine for over 5 years now without an issue and since making this video, we also seen more dash cams like Ring, Garmin, Thinkware, Vantrue, Nexar, Wolfbox, use OBD2 power adapters. However, yes in some cases this is not a viable solution, or if you just want avoid using the OBD2 port for power (and also looking to enable park mode) here is my follow up video showing the alternative Hardwire method ruclips.net/video/zbxYA4VhuT8/видео.html Cheers!
will the OBD adaptors work for VIOFO dashcams and if so which one is the best?
Hi Veerama! Unfortunately Viofo does not carry an official OBD2 adapter yet (but I will update this comment for you if they ever do) Regarding using the OBD2 adapter I showed on the vide. This will depend on the power requirements of the dash cam (some dash cams have higher Amp requirements than others). Here is my original OBD2 adapter video if you want to learn how the adapter works (and I placed links in the video description to the different OBD2 adapters available) Here is my other video ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html where I explain dash cam connector types and and power requirements (amperage) for (while the video cover this from a hardwire standpoint, the same principles apply to OBD2 power adapters). Cheers!
This will run off the car battery ? Will this work with any or dose it have to be Type c or micro cable?
Hi D! This would depend on the OBD2 adapter that is being used. The one I use, has a low voltage protection (to reduce the possibility of draining the car's battery) Here is my video showing how it works ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
Great explanation, great video,
Thank you Sergio!
Puedo usar una extensión de obd II ? Quiero conectar una dash camera y también un Dispositivo de cierre de ventana para coche, sistema de módulo de apertura OBD para TOUYOTA RAV4 se puede coma extensión OBD de Amazon ???
Hola Juan! Anque se que existen extensiones de OBD, personalmente no las eh usado yo, so no se que tan bien or mal sirvan. A lo mejor seria mejor utilizar uno de estos ruclips.net/video/P0VapL70m7c/видео.html y dedicar el use del OBD para solo. Saludos!
Wow, such an amazing video! Learned so much from it. Are OBD2 EXTENSION CABLES also "okay" to be used on a vehicle? Thanks!
You're welcome Arshia! Glad to hear it was helpful. Ah regarding OBD2 extension cables, if I recall correctly there is no provision on the SAE-J1962 standard against or for extension cables. That being said extension cables (and Y splitters) seem to be common in the automotive repair industry, some equipment seems to be unaffected by the use of them and some are more sensitive where the won't work well with an extension or a Y splitter. Hope this helps, Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun Thank you so much for your reply 🙏🏻
Have a nice day ✌🏻
@@arshiaabbasi4920 You're welcome!
Now days cars come with USB charging port. Can those be used to power a dashcam instead of ODB, hardwire or cigarettes port? Any gadgets that does that now?
Hi m8s m8s! yep! if you got a newer vehicle then it is likely to be equipped with at least one USB port. However different dash cams require different amounts of power which will determine if the car USB will have enough power to make it work. Here is another video ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html where I cover how to tell the power requirements of a dash cam and also the advantages of hard wire kit over the cigarette lighter plug or built in USB port. Hope this helps and thanks for watching!
I guess we cannot use the ring Car camera that come with a OBD-|| port to charge it
Hi Public Entertainment! Ah yes unfortunately I have not reviewed the new Ring dash cam so I can't comment on it functionality but if I do get a hold of one I will update this comment with my findings. Cheers!
Hi Alex- Autofun, is OBD port has the same voltage of 12V Sockets ? or Can i say 12V Socket is more powerful ? Looking forward to hear from you.
Hi Arthas! Normally the OBD2 socket voltage is same as the socket (remember there are 24V vehicle systems out there along with 12V systems, so the voltage will depend on which vehicle system you have) Cheers!
Hi 👋 very helpful information ℹ️
Thanks 🙏
Hi M Virdi! and you're welcome!
Just always check the fuse amperage rating for the OBD circuit, compared to the device you want to power.
A Dodge Charger from another video had 10A fuse which means you can run under 120 watts of power.
Your schematic showed 20A for under 240W of power.
Plenty power for a video camera. 👍
Hi Lydell! Great tip man, Thanks for sharing! 🍻
@@AlexAutoFun I totally appreciate you making this video. I'm going to buy the same device. 🤜🤛
You're welcome Lydell, Cheers! 🍻
Excellent explanation. Thank you.
Your welcome Kamaladevi Roldan and thank you for watching!
Thinkware U3000 comes with a obd port. Thinking of getting it for my car. Please let me know if it'll be a problem. Thanks in advance.
Hi Michael! Ah unfortunately I have not tested the Thinkware OBD2 adapter so I can't comment on how it works. I may have to add it to the list of adapters to review (the list is getting longer by the day!) Stay tuned, Cheers!
How do I stop my camera from always recording? Will it drain my battery? My camera doesn't have park mode
Hi Chad! You will want to take a look at your owners manual or check with your installer to confirm it's working correctly or not. Normally a dash cam (when correctly installed) will turn off with the vehicle and turn on with the vehicle. Cheers!
Might be a bit of a silly question but here goes. The OBD power adapter and the direct hardwire setup supplies 12V to the dashcam. However it appears that the original cigarette lighter connection shows an output from the plugin as 5V. Does the camera convert 12V to 5V?
Hi Steven! ah there are a couple different OBD2 adapters out there, for example for Thinkware dashcams their adapter outputs 12v since that's what their dash cams require. The adapter I showed on this video outputs standard USB 5V which is what the majority of dash cams are using currently. So basically you would want to make sure the obd2 adapter or hardwire kit is the correct one for the dash cam being used on. Here is another video where I cover this on more detail ruclips.net/video/Yky9_tTvwMc/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun Thanks very much Wasn't too sure of output voltage to camera. Cheers
@@Faresplease You're welcome!
Could you add this n conjunction with a Blackvue lithium battery so as to charge the independent battery for your dashcam. Thx
Hi Manvet 67! nope unfortunately out of the box the Blackvue lithium battery pack only supports charging via cigarette lighter socket or via hardwire but maybe one day they will add a OBD2 option. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Hi, I found your video researching trickle chargers that connect to the OBD port, in my case as an aux power supply while I change my main battery. This taught me that there is probably little risk if wired correctly (and how to check for that) but what are your thoughts on this kind of use?
If only 3 pins are needed (2, in fact) one does wonder why these aftermarket systems don't suppress then pins they don't need?
Hi RJVB! Ah interesting, yeah I can see a trickle charger tapping into the port via the power wires, same principle as the power adapter but the flow being reversed to charge the battery as opposed to pulling power from it. Regarding why extra pins are present is that OBD2 does not fully use the connector body or a collar like most connectors to keep the connector in place (it's a non-locking collar), instead it's more of the combination of the female and male connector bodies surfaces interacting when mating and the contacts (pins and sockets) themselves being mated for retention force. Which means unfortunately that leaving out the active pins on a OBD2 connector may significantly reduce it's holding force and may lead to the connector to wiggle off or come off easily. That being said some OBD2 connectors (depending on the device) do omit un-used pins and either supplement the OBD2 connector with a spring clip to increase mating and un-mating forces and sometimes no clip at all. Cheers!
my question is most of car i know has 2 car fuse box(Daihatsu/toyota), in case of obd2 fuse has blown. which fuse panel should i check..
Hi Clovax! I would recommend checking your car's owners manual or service manual to determine the location of the fuse you are looking for. Cheers!
Hey professor, does this OBD feed the main front camera + the rear one (this one goes connected to the main one?
Hi V! Ah, good question. Most dash cams power the rear camera as well from the main dash cam, so there is no need for an extra power connection. Here is my dash cam install video where you can see how the rear camera connects to the front dashcam ruclips.net/video/IYRavaIBmSY/видео.html Cheers!
Hi Mate,
Could you help with this issue.
When I switch on the car, the obd voltage box shows 12.3 v, and when I select the parking option on the camera, it shows Acc power not found. Thanks in advance
Hi P! Ah while the OBD adapter can potentially be used for park monitoring, it will not enable park mode. Here is my video where I cover this in more detail ruclips.net/video/YEklm9V6xYE/видео.html Cheers!
I used the mini obd2 and the very first time It was used with the dash cam, the car battery icon came ON…others have complained about it draining the battery!
Hi Macster! Yes there are OBD2 adapters that do not have low voltage battery cut off (to prevent draining the car's battery) The one I use does have this protection, I put the link to it in the video description. However if your OBD2 adapter gave you a battery light as soon as it was plugged in, the adapter may be defective (as the battery didn't have time to discharge, the adapter immediately set the fault). Also some newer cars are more sensitive to detecting any power draw and will not tolerate adding an aftermarket device without throwing a code or light. For those cases I prefer the hardwire method (which also enables true parking mode) here is my video for that ruclips.net/video/uZp95NbNlmM/видео.html Hope this helps, Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun I used the one from your link.. the USB mini.
@@macster1457 Hi Macster! Ah yes then definitely you got a defective one or as I mentioned earlier the car happens to be extra sensitive to the OBD2 adapter, I would recommend the hardwire method instead (just be aware that some cars also can't tolerate a hardwire kit, the C8 Corvette case that was in the news recently is the perfect example of how hardwiring can also trigger error codes in newer vehicles an even damage the car systems) Hope this helps, Cheers!
@@AlexAutoFun It works, but after the first time of leaving it ON in the parking lot, then the battery icon came on... this is on a 2006 Nissan Murano.
@@macster1457 Hi Macster! Yeah it definitely shouldn't do that. I would strongly recommend checking what the code is for the light that is turned on to understand what is at the root cause of the MIL light. Hope this helps, Cheers!
Where is the link so I can buy?
@@Wk32eze Hi W! In the video description. Cheers!
Thank you very much for this video!
You're welcome Jack!
I have a probably a silly question.. can one of those plugins be used to track your car and your speed by other party's say car insurance or the police traffic cops and even stop your car automatically
Hi Enfield! yeo there is, here is one that can be used to track your car amzn.to/3mQMTQq the ones for insurance are only available thru your car insurance (normally they will sent it you for free) and yep if you go all out for the onstar level system they can even shut down your car remotely (which I'm not a fan of as you can imagine). Cheers bud!
I just received a "Fuel Save Pro" that plugs into my OBD socket. Do you have any info on the safety of this device?
Hi T! Those devices do interface to the car's computer (normally, I see some that all the have inside is a simple light to give the appearance that it's doing something), and while I have not tested any of them, I personally would not use them as from what I seen, they have little to no effect on the fuel economy. So the risk of having a unknown device plugged in all the time into my port without any measurable benefits makes it a no go for me. That being said I'm sure there are people out there using them (some have attributed the sales of those devices as somewhat of a placebo effect, where there is the perception of better fuel economy but again I have not tested them personally) Cheers!