Disco 2 Power feed for dashcam

Whilst the headlining is out (I'm fixing leaks) I want to put in a dashcam. The plan is to hide one behind the rear view mirror and have it on an ignition live feed.

I've heard talk of a fusebox behind the glovebox, where I was idly thinking I'd piggy back a fuse. But a quick look and I can't see it.

I'm sure someone on here must have done similar before - what can you recommend for a power feed?

Cheers,

First off, the fuse board isn't behind the glovebox, it's behind the drop down panel below the steering wheel.

Yes, I have used one of those piggy-back fuses to pick up the power and feed it to an additional box which has two cigarette lighter sockets and a couple of USB power connectors as well. I can't remember now, but I'm pretty sure I used the existing cigarette lighter fuse, fuse F15, which at 20 Amps is plenty big enough to handle the extra add-ons without a problem. You will of course have to remove the cigarette lighter plug to expose the wires so that you can connect the piggy-back fuseholder.

I used some double sided sticky pads to fasten that little box to the inside of the drop down panel so it's out of sight.

My dashcam is built into the rear view mirror and the power lead is fed up behind the head lining above the windscreen, down the inside of the "A" pillar and into the space where the fuse board lives. By using a box with cigarette lighter type connectors on it there was no need for me to get into the realms of changing plugs, it was just plug in and away to go. The second socket has been used for my HUD speedometer on the windscreen. One of the USB sockets I've used to feed power to my mobile phone in a cradle on the dashboard, I use it for my music (over a thousand tracks).

Cigarette lighter socket:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC12V-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Splitter-Dual-2-USB-Power-Adapter-Charger/122781642749?hash=item1c965b2ffd:g:GjEAAOSwH6tZjAtA

Piggy-back fuses:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Add-A-Circuit-Fuse-Tap-Piggy-Back-Standard-Blade-Fuse-Holder-ATO-ATC-12v-24v/180735526749?hash=item2a14ad475d:m:mgwdjrqZXwu16DdAcU69z7A

No need for piggy back fuses, there is a spare ignition live for such applications from F30(20A fuse) pointed with red arrow, only a female spade connector is needed... there is also ignition live from the same circuit with the cigar lighter on the middle pin of that connector below the one i pointed

Did this with a Defender but it's the same principle. Behind the dash find the wires for the cigarette lighter and tap/splice or whatever a second lighter socket onto them. Then just run your camera plug to the back of the dash and plug in. I used a bit of Gorilla tape to make sure it would stay connected. No meddling with fuses or hardwire kits. This is the socket I used.....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Wate...529553?hash=item3ac6ed15d1:g:LwoAAOSwhOVXdieJ

David Leech said:

Did this with a Defender but it's the same principle. Behind the dash find the wires for the cigarette lighter and tap/splice or whatever a second lighter socket onto them. Then just run your camera plug to the back of the dash and plug in......

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you should try that on a D2 then say it's easyer than plugging in a spade terminal into the fusebox to an easy accessible place which stays there empty

Why bodge? There will be Spares in the fusebox as mentioned above - think of all the optional extras there could have been from the factory that you probably don't have - the fusebox would need space to accommodate them.

sierrafery said:

you should try that on a D2 then say it's easyer than plugging in a spade terminal into the fusebox to an easy accessible place which stays there empty

Click to expand...

No idea what's behind the dash of a Discovery, just thought it might be a viable option.....

Discokids said:

Why bodge? There will be Spares in the fusebox as mentioned above - think of all the optional extras there could have been from the factory that you probably don't have - the fusebox would need space to accommodate them.

Click to expand...

While I defer to @sierrafery in this matter, although I haven't researched the connector he's referred to, I can assure you that there aren't any "spare" fuse slots on either fuse board in the D2. In almost all cases, each fuse has a number of different circuits on it, so even if your vehicle isn't equipped with circuit "a", the fuse will still be required for circuit "b". The four fuses marked "s" are spare fuses, not spare slots on the board.

In all honesty, the main fuse board under the dashboard for the D2 can give rise to some bad dreams at first sight.

There are some fuses for only one circuit which can be piggy-backed if that' the owner's desire, e.g. if it's a Td5 there is unused F14(20A) which is only for the V8's ignition coils, if the sunroofs are manual there is unused F12(30A) for the sunroof ECU or F6(25A) rear blower motor if not fitted

I used a spare fuse slot for my dashcam, but only because I didn't know about the connector sierrafery refers to. I'll use that next time if I need another one.

brian47 said:

While I defer to @sierrafery in this matter, although I haven't researched the connector he's referred to, I can assure you that there aren't any "spare" fuse slots on either fuse board in the D2. In almost all cases, each fuse has a number of different circuits on it, so even if your vehicle isn't equipped with circuit "a", the fuse will still be required for circuit "b". The four fuses marked "s" are spare fuses, not spare slots on the board.

In all honesty, the main fuse board under the dashboard for the D2 can give rise to some bad dreams at first sight.

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I'll rely on your superior knowledge on this occasion then, every car I've ever had has had a few empty fuse slots including my d1 so thought a d2 would be no different. Every days a school day though I suppose

I used a piggyback fuse and put it into F15 (cigarette lighter etc). I purchased a Dashcam Hard Wire kit (came with a piggyback fuse) from eBay. Cost about £8. Result, ignition live feed and no visible wires. Even for the rear camera.

Taff814 said:

I used a piggyback fuse and put it into F15 (cigarette lighter etc). I purchased a Dashcam Hard Wire kit (came with a piggyback fuse) from eBay. Cost about £8. Result, ignition live feed and no visible wires. Even for the rear camera.

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classic case of ugly bodge IMO, better dont be so proud of such sh*t just cos an ebay seller dont care about your fusebox or systems.... you simply dont know what you are doing with that "piggyback" thing, it's the worst thing you can do as long as there are available and easy reachable ignition lives on the face of the fusebox.

The fuse tap "piggyback style" is an acceptable way of connecting a dash cam, mobile phone kit and any other similar item to a vehicles fuse box.
So carry on and don't worry.

discool said:

The fuse tap "piggyback style" is an acceptable way of connecting a dash cam, mobile phone kit and any other similar item to a vehicles fuse box.
So carry on and don't worry.

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Even if there are special places left there from factory for such applications?.... It's Discovery Series 2 not Land Rover Series 2 m8 .....i know you know

You will notice that my statement above was not vehicle specific.

But as your so insistent with the D2 spare terminal in fuse board...

So to add to your knowledge base, the 300 series D1 from 1995 has a similar live terminal in its fuseboard therefore it's nothing new, and I don't see why the 200 series or even the RRc shouldn't have a similar provision somewhere as they could also be fitted with a phone.

If when purchasing your new D1 you had asked for the 'cubby box' mobile phone to be fitted you would have found that the terminal is isn't spare any more, the same no doubt applies to your D2.

So okay, all you have done basically is found a spare terminal in the fuse box and you believe that it was provided by design by L R for applications such as dash cams fitted to the D2

discool said:

So okay, all you have done basically is found a spare terminal in the fuse box and you believe that it was provided by design by L R for applications such as dash cams fitted to the D2

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Better anyway than piggy-backing an already loaded circuit.... each for his own, metaphorically speaking, IMO it's like when you have a water source in your garden but you take the water from the kitchen with a long hose.... piggy-back the sh*t out that fusebix if that's what you think is good cos it's an "acceptable way"

As Fery has said, you can pickup the ignition-switched live from the interior fuse box accessory socket S13, using a female spade terminal.

However, there is a proper connector for this, which I can supply -

Connector to fit the single terminal socket S13



Socket S13 is fed from the Ignition Switch on a 3.0mm² cable, through C0028-4, via F30 (20Amp)

.

I supply this connector, with two terminals, one to suit up to 0.5 - 2.0mm² cable, and one to suit 3.0mm² cable, for £3.95 + Postage


Connector to fit the 5-terminal socket S12



The terminals in S12 are numbered from the bottom upwards -


viewed from the rear (cable entry side) of the connector

The circuits are as follows -

Terminal-5 - Live - ignition switched (position 1 on ignition switch), via F27 (10 Amps)

Terminal-4 - Live - permanent, via F20 (15 Amps)

Terminal-3 - Live - switched, from auxiliary circuits relay, via F15 (20 Amps)

Terminal-2 - Live - from main lighting switch (sidelights position), via F33 (10 Amps)

Terminal-1 - Earth - via C0583 to C0017-1 (Earth Header) on 3.0mm² cable


.

I supply this connector (now Light Grey), with 6 x terminals (5 + a spare) to suit 0.5 - 1.5mm² cable for £5.95 + Postage

Another option for an ignition-switched live, adjacent to the rearview mirror, is the connector for the dipping/compass mirror.

As well as the NAS 'Homelink' garage door opener - which, unusually, is fitted to a lot of UK spec. vehicles.

I can provide connectors to fit both of these, if you have them.

As you have your headlining down, can you post-up some pictures of the connectors behind the mirror mount.

Well I didn't get around to putting in the dashcam in the end. I bought one on a recommendation from a bloke at work and it turned out to be pants. I'll return it and get myself a decent one sometime soon.

But I need to wire in an inverter. I've got a 300W one. So by my maths I need a 25W feed. But the most it's ever going to be asked to supply is a lapto, so a max of 120W I guess, and therefore I need about 10A. If I wire that onto the S13 connector is it likely to cause me any dramas?

F30 (20A) supplies the cruise control switch, and the door mirror adjustment control.

So, I would think that S13 would be able to handle a 10A load.

Where do you plan to install the inverter?

As there may be more suitable feeds.