First of all, why is there no tech, audio/video, electronics, modifications or any type of sub forum for the Model S? This forum has all the information you need but it's scattered all over the place! We could really use a bit more organization. Anyway, I want to share my experience.
I could not find a write up or instructions on how to do a dash cam wired with switched 12v anywhere for my car. Most prefer to wire to the connector above the rear view mirror that gives constant 12v all the time and leave their camera recording 24/7. This just did not make any kind of sense to me. Why would I want 12 hrs of footage of my garage? I wanted the parking mode that puts the camera in a sleep mode that only wakes up to record if there is movement around the car or if the car is moved by something. I did learn that a Blackvue has a parking mode on some of their cameras that does not required switched 12v, but I've been using Thinkware for a few years now and I like their products. I purchased a F790 1080p 2 channel package. I didn't need cloud storage or 4k. Very nice camera. Here are the issues I had installing:
Running the wire to the rear camera
I used the guide here at Teslatap. I skimmed through the video running the line for the rear camera thinking it would be pretty easy. It was a bear! You have to pull off every panel to run the wire behind the airbags, then down and up to get through the frame and wire grommet housing. Then run through the rear hatch. Then you have to fish up, through the back of the hatch where the handle is back up to where the grommet is. then fish back up through the plastic panels to the top of the window. Snapped pop connectors replaced, stuff would not fit back properly unless the wires were routed perfectly, avoid pinching wires... All that and I still mounted the camera upside down. You can watch the video in the link. You absolutely have to do it the way they outlined. There are NO shortcuts to this.
Finding Switched 12v Source.
First, I realized that Thinkware's wiring is reverse of most others, using yellow for battery and red for ACC or switched 12v. I originally wired red to constant and then swapped the connections and changed the wire colors at the end. I ended up using the open 12v connector above the mirror for my constant 12v and ground since it was easy to get to. I left the yellow wire long to connect to a switched 12v source (not realizing it should have been red) down at the bottom of the passenger side footwell.
Initially, I thought there was a fuse box in the location pictured below (passenger, right hand side of the footwell for a left hand drive car). But my 2015 85D did not have one here. But, I found a connector that was unused with a gray and green wire, I believe. But it turned out to power off while driving; so this put the unit into parking mode while driving. Had to find another wire.
So then I pulled the carpet up and found more connectors near the center console. There was this one connector below that had 12v that was not connected to anything on the other side of the connector and it appeared to turn off when the car was unoccupied. I tapped into this red wire with a white stripe and the camera appeared to work correctly now. I actually didn't find a true switched source but it's good enough. As soon as you open the car door, it gets power. When you close the door it turns off. It stays on as long as you're driving or in the car.
I just used a wire tap to get a quick disconnect to connect to it just in case I needed to change to another wire. I ran the fuse and wire under the metal plate under the footwell carpet and just tapped it to hold the wires in place until I could zip tie them.
I'll drive it for a while to make sure this switched 12v source is going to stay on when driving under different conditions. I've buttoned everything back up and seems to be working good so far. I'll try to post finished pics when the car is cleaned up.
I could not find a write up or instructions on how to do a dash cam wired with switched 12v anywhere for my car. Most prefer to wire to the connector above the rear view mirror that gives constant 12v all the time and leave their camera recording 24/7. This just did not make any kind of sense to me. Why would I want 12 hrs of footage of my garage? I wanted the parking mode that puts the camera in a sleep mode that only wakes up to record if there is movement around the car or if the car is moved by something. I did learn that a Blackvue has a parking mode on some of their cameras that does not required switched 12v, but I've been using Thinkware for a few years now and I like their products. I purchased a F790 1080p 2 channel package. I didn't need cloud storage or 4k. Very nice camera. Here are the issues I had installing:
Running the wire to the rear camera
I used the guide here at Teslatap. I skimmed through the video running the line for the rear camera thinking it would be pretty easy. It was a bear! You have to pull off every panel to run the wire behind the airbags, then down and up to get through the frame and wire grommet housing. Then run through the rear hatch. Then you have to fish up, through the back of the hatch where the handle is back up to where the grommet is. then fish back up through the plastic panels to the top of the window. Snapped pop connectors replaced, stuff would not fit back properly unless the wires were routed perfectly, avoid pinching wires... All that and I still mounted the camera upside down. You can watch the video in the link. You absolutely have to do it the way they outlined. There are NO shortcuts to this.
Finding Switched 12v Source.
First, I realized that Thinkware's wiring is reverse of most others, using yellow for battery and red for ACC or switched 12v. I originally wired red to constant and then swapped the connections and changed the wire colors at the end. I ended up using the open 12v connector above the mirror for my constant 12v and ground since it was easy to get to. I left the yellow wire long to connect to a switched 12v source (not realizing it should have been red) down at the bottom of the passenger side footwell.
Initially, I thought there was a fuse box in the location pictured below (passenger, right hand side of the footwell for a left hand drive car). But my 2015 85D did not have one here. But, I found a connector that was unused with a gray and green wire, I believe. But it turned out to power off while driving; so this put the unit into parking mode while driving. Had to find another wire.
So then I pulled the carpet up and found more connectors near the center console. There was this one connector below that had 12v that was not connected to anything on the other side of the connector and it appeared to turn off when the car was unoccupied. I tapped into this red wire with a white stripe and the camera appeared to work correctly now. I actually didn't find a true switched source but it's good enough. As soon as you open the car door, it gets power. When you close the door it turns off. It stays on as long as you're driving or in the car.
I just used a wire tap to get a quick disconnect to connect to it just in case I needed to change to another wire. I ran the fuse and wire under the metal plate under the footwell carpet and just tapped it to hold the wires in place until I could zip tie them.
I'll drive it for a while to make sure this switched 12v source is going to stay on when driving under different conditions. I've buttoned everything back up and seems to be working good so far. I'll try to post finished pics when the car is cleaned up.
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