DASHCAM INSTALL (VIOFO A139 AND POWERCELL 8) HARDWIRE in my 2023 Subaru WRX

This is the fourth car I have with hardwired dashcams but was the most difficult. This is how you install a battery so that the parking mode does not drain the car battery.

[@l0lwut123]

Thanks for this video. Thanks to it I was able to get my black view front and rear cameras installed and the wires fully hidden in my 22 limited!

[@Samlol23_drrich]

I’ve got a front and rear Blackview setup in my wife’s car. Never been any issues at and has worked out really well. Thanks for commenting!

[@areeshzindani6738]

Great video. I installed the same 2 channel cam on my 2022 back in July, and wish I had seen your video first. Ran into all the same pain points too.

[@segovian]

Dear God, you just saved me so much time! I got a 23 and was looking to do the install.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Thanks. Glad it helped- my dashcam is still going strong.

[@segovian]

@@Samlol23_drrich From the Powercell you ONLY connect to ACC right?

[@Samlol23_drrich]

@@segovianyes. You need a fuse that cuts the power when the car is turned off. I used the seat heater fuse.

[@jaypee024]

great video. big help thank you!

[@Sommyie]

Just what i needed, thanks!

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Finally helped someone! Thanks for commenting

[@CurtisDJunior]

I did the same set-up on Amazon Prime day gonna try installing today if I don't get rained out

[@Samlol23_drrich]

How did it go?

[@CurtisDJunior]

@@Samlol23_drrich I got rained out going to install tomorrow my day off.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

@curtisd4421 I like having the battery. It charges fast but only lasts for around 11 hours in parking mode which is fine if you're going out for the day then coming home somewhere safe. Guess that's why people piggy back 2 or more cells. That's overkill for me. That's why I have insurance

[@CurtisDJunior]

@@Samlol23_drrich car insurance or the cell extended warranty insurance

[@TheRoB305]

Hi thanks for the video. I’m assuming you’re using the 16 gauge wire provided in the box? If so I’m just wondering if you had any issues with it at all. I just bought the PowerCell 8 but haven’t installed it yet. But was told to use a 12 gauge wire instead of the one provided because the 16 gauge wire gets pretty hot. Has everything been running smoothly so far since you have installed it?

[@Samlol23_drrich]

No issues at all. I did a little research for you. A 16 gauge wire at 12v can run up to 10 amps but it’s recommended to stay around 8. The viofo hardwire kit from the manufacturer includes just a 5amp fuse. Far less than the wire can handle and I’m sure the dashcam probably runs below 5amps. I used the hardwire kit that I bought with the powercell 8. I’m not sure what gauge it is, but i have had no concerns at all. I never thought of a dashcam as something I needed to be concerned with as far as wires overheating. They are a very minor draw imo. Really great setup. Love the battery although it doesn’t last more than 12 hours regardless of how I set the dashcam. It’s more than enough for me.

[@eliteclawamusements]

​@@Samlol23_drrich how many hours do you assume it would run if I didn't use the Powercell 8 and hardwired straight to the battery instead?

[@Samlol23_drrich]

@@eliteclawamusements that’s a good question. I have two dash cams in other cars of mine and have the hardwire kit that uses the car battery. You can set it to cut out at certain voltage or time. To be honest, in both of those vehicles I turned that off and the dashcams cut off when I turn off the ignition. I had an instance where my car wouldn’t start cause the dashcam ran the battery down too far for the cold climate I’m in. I’d hate to guess but it’s a few hours for sure. Maybe 6 to 8. Hope that helps. The battery is expensive but car batteries are over .$200 these days so better not to kill it.

[@cansol7183]

I used that same fuse (seat heater) to plug in my dashcam's parking mode since it seems to always have power. Do you find your battery pack remains at full % and your car battery runs down any with that setup? I'm debating adding this battery pack to my 2023 wrx as I'm only getting a couple hours of recording at night before the low voltage cutoff trips and the camera turns off.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Well, one of us is wrong about the seat heater fuse, and I don’t think it’s me. Just went over to my car and you can’t even access the seat heaters with the car off, it’s part of the infotainment system. The seat heats go off and only work when the car is running so if your dashcam runs in park mode, it’s not hooked up to the seat heater fuse unless that’s the fuse you used for the running mode. The off mode fuses are things like the horn and brake lights and interior lights that work when the ignition is off. I have 2 Lukas black box dashcams and one 2 channel black view in my other 3 cars. They all use the car battery in park mode and like you I only get a couple of hours and once a car didn’t start because of the battery being over drained. The dedicated battery is great. I get at least 8 hours but not too much more. I really don’t need more, and if I chose a mode that recorded less I could probably get more. It’s worth the money considering car batteries are really expensive now.

[@cansol7183]

I’m no expert but I did use a multimeter to test all the fuses with the car off and for some strange reason the 20 amp seat heater fuse has power! I just ran out to the car and pulled the taps and retested, seat heater has power with the vehicle off and ACC (2nd down from the top right) does not. There’s a video floating around on KZbin of a guy installing a hardwire kit in a 2022 WRX and he also tests the fuses.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

@@cansol7183 okay, honestly I didn’t test them, if you did and it’s working I’d assume that it has power. However, I then can’t explain why when I turn my car off the dashcam says “switching to parking mode” that relies on there being no power to the unit. And if the fuse was powered all the time that wouldn’t happen in this particular dashcam. But the battery backup is worth the cost.

[@CurtisDJunior]

Question did you install the rear camera low or high on your rear mirror?

[@Samlol23_drrich]

I don’t have a camera for inside the car. I’ve got a front facing one that is above the rear view mirror (just below the antenna in the windshield- I actually can’t see the camera as I’m driving cause it’s on the passenger side) and the rear facing camera is on the back window on top center. Between 42:00 and 44:00 you can see where both cameras are located.

[@helloworld90597]

​@Samlol23_drrich have you run into any issues with the rear defroster messing up the camera mounting on the back? Or it looks like you mounted to the roof cover not the window? I can't really tell