Top 3 Dashcam Battery Packs for Parking Recording

[@VortexRadar]

Correction: The iVolt Xtra only supports 12v. If you need a 24v battery, only the B-130x supports that.

[@AJCoRePlays]

B-124x also does 24v & also has expansion port, love that thing… 4 years already 🎉

[@DarthAwar]

For the Hardwire OBD and Fuse Kits ensure power settings are set to ideally 12.4v and no lower than 12v If you can get an OBD2 Power Supply Kit ensure its one with a power selection slider and set that as well! *yes you can use a 3rd party OBD 2 power kit on any brand of Dash Cam as long as the Plug is the same (USB C, Micro, Mini etc!) as Dash Cam so example both the Dashcam and Power Supply is USB Type-C! I use a Red Tiger OBD2 Power Supply on my 70mai A810 both the Dashcam and Power Supply is set to 12.4V for both!

[@shalamigri]

For myself, I started with a Blackvue B-124 with 2 additional expansion batteries. I could barely get 8 hours of parking mode time since my commute to work is only about 15 minutes. My solution that works perfect was to buy an Optima Yellow Top deep cycle battery along with a battery isolator. I can get anywhere from 2 to 3 days of parking mode time now. The deep cycle battery was actually a little cheaper than the B-124x too.

[@tapetwo7115]

Vortex Radar is a national treasure. Thank you for this research and presentation while I'm setting up a new camera system for a car.

[@xchrysantha]

Thank you so much, this was extremely informative!!! Not only did you provide information about specific battery packs, but more importantly you explained the different battery situations at the beginning, and that really helped me understand more about all this. Thank you!!

[@jjptech]

What I did was to add a big motorcycle Deep-cycle AGM battery connected in parallel to the main battery and with a Cutoff Relay that shuts down the connection to the main camera as soon as you turn off the car. Those batteries can charge very quickly and lasts about day and half to deep discharge

[@OneManOnFire]

This is the video we need more often. Hope you'll make this a yearly thing for reviews as we move into new battery technology.

[@AJCoRePlays]

Great video! My setup is BV 750X 2ch IR w/ B-124x, but I just setup my wife car with A139Pro 2ch IR w/ Fuse box Hardwire… I will eventually get her a dedicated battery, just need to save up for one.

[@lithgowlights859]

I have been using a Blackvue 900x in 2 cars for nearly 2 years now. My 2022 Mustang has a Cellink Neo battery and expansion battery, and gives me up to 48 hours of parking front and rear recording, and my Holden Calais just uses the car battery, which was replaced 2 years ago with a 750CCA, 75Ahr battery. After 2 years of dragging the car battery down to 12V before the dashcam powers down, I am seeing a reduction from 12-18 hours parking recording down to just a few minutes to maybe an hour, but the mustang is still at 2 days (Usually a little longer) recording thanks to batteries that are designed to handle this sort of cycling. In all future cars where I need recording during parking, I would not hesitate to grab a similar battery pack, but one thing I am seeing is that the 2 meters of thin wire between the battery pack and the dashcam introduces a voltage drop, so rather than the pack being drawn down to 12v, it's often at 12.4v when the dashcam sees 12v locally and powers down, so consider upgrading the wiring to something slightly thicker to get the most out of your parking time.

[@TS175]

Thanks!

[@VortexRadar]

and thank you! :)

[@Fee.1]

In some cases a upgraded alternator is a great choice as well, depending on how far you drive etc often the alternator just can’t charge the battery enough when commuting while it’s also being used. I also just personally use battery banks, no need for a custom version from a camera manufacturer that costs more unless the convenience factor is critical imo.

[@Chuukwudi]

A usual powerbank would mostly be Li-ion. If you're leaving your powerbank in use inside the car for hours, ensure that you account for overheating, possible fires, overcharging, etc. Depending on the battery material and technology. This is a problem these dedicated battery packs being advertised here solves.

[@Fee.1]

@@Chuukwudi no you misunderstand the point. You plan to have these standalone batteries charge from the car right? Not take the batteries inside regularly and charge them ?

[@Sol-e2t]

Hi, I watched your reviews. I think I want to go with the Thinkware 2 channel dash cam. Can you tell me if this is all the accessories I need? Thinkware U3000 2CH, Thinkware IVolt Xtra battery, Thinkware 256 GB MicroSD Card, Thinkware TWA-SH hardwiring kit. Do I need to get all these parts? Is it better to get the same brand or should I get other cheaper manufacturers? Finally, I called radio installation companies here in Miami, they charge $200 installation. Can you recommend a professional installation center here in Miami? I watched videos and the installation involves many different components such as insulating cables, and proper wiring and hiding the cables correctly especially in the rear camera.

[@vipercrazy-9]

A comparison of cameras and their parking mode parasitic draw would be very helpful, a budget camera may have half the draw of a more expensive option negating the need for a battery backup.

[@davidhlin3023]

Can’t wait to see newer cars with all this built in.

[@Javii96]

This is what i keep saying, why does my 80k car have 6 cameras for parking but cant save video to an SD card..

[@NocturnalFiend]

Sounds like my corvette to me lol. Agree though ​@@Javii96

[@sam-zn5nr]

It's not so bad to have a market with several different competitors offering unique features and capabilities.

[@yakuzahi]

When BlackVue released the B130X battery, they came with a video on KZbin that show a person driving to the beach, and when he walked away from the vehicle , and logged into his BlackVue app cloud account, he was able to see how much charge left on the B130X. In reality, until now it's not available to view the charge over cloud service.

[@smurfeco2.358]

I'm able to see the battery. But you need a lte version with an active tablet plan

[@yakuzahi]

The post was before a year ago and I know that you need LTE. Read my post again and see what I’m talking about.

[@PandaG007]

Very amazing video and channel in general! Quick question please. What battery would be better for a new BMW with A229 Pro 3CH dashcam? I appreciate any feedback

[@musaadedibu9316]

Thanks for this informative review My question is which of this batteries actually has/compatible with a power cord that can be gotten to charge the battery in-house (from the comfort of my home) and returning it back into the car after full charging, instead of waiting for my long time driving to get it charged up Thanks

[@PanzerPlatform]

Dash Cam Battery Packs are like my first first divorce. Exorbitantly expensive but worth every penny. As an added bonus LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery packs won’t set your car on fire when things get hot. lol

[@VortexRadar]

lol

[@jayarecallens]

This comment is fire 🔥!

[@nicholasmorrison1822]

I’ve been running BlackVue B-124 for about 4 years now in 4 different vehicles. More recently I also added 4 expansion packs to power my 4ch dashcam setup (DR970X + DR900S). This gives me over 50h of parking recording. I’ve also added separate B-112 pack to support wi-fi hotspot while parked, so it doesn’t compromise the recording time. Overall, I found them to be extremely reliable and much safer on the car’s 12V battery. Yes, they are quite pricey but for someone who’s car is often parked on the street it’s a great additional protection. It’s a shame that never bettery pack doesn’t come with expansions port…

[@shalamigri]

I personally opted to by an Optima Yellow Top deep cycle battery with an isolator. It's a little cheaper than the B-124x and there was no need for additional batteries. I can also power additional auxillary devices if I want. My daily commute is only 15 minutes and I was never able to get a good charge on my B-124x 2 expansion battery setup.

[@davidhlin3023]

I’d be worried all those batteries don’t get stolen.

[@JeffreyThomas-g9u]

Upgraded my Cellink to a Blackvue B-130X. The Blackvue worked ok for about 3 weeks. The battery pack seems to hold a charge but the bluetooth amp now only shows 1% charge. Now I dont know what the status of the battery pak is anymore. Went back to my Cellink. I have a VIOFO A139 Pro.

[@raymondchandler697]

Great vid. One of the best in the business!

[@NYCD-5]

Thanks for all the info Vortex. U learn new stuff everyday and I definitely learned something useful today.

[@kingibrahim5775]

What will be the best option for me if I’m just going to use the battery pack for motion sensing instead of continuous recording on my dash cam. I have the Vantrue E3 and N4 pro dash Kam that I’m going to be using it with

[@o0ChynaBoi0o]

How good would these battery packs be for cars in very hot environments (where outside temps in summer regularly exceed 40C)?

[@davidhlin3023]

My BlackVue camera fried in Vancouver Canada sun.😂

[@DiaperSNiFFER]

@@davidhlin3023that is crazy

[@user-vv6cb9vo7d]

This is helpful, but it is confusing how to set it up

[@avghosh]

Hi, I needed some information here. I am planning to buy a cellink neo 8 for my car. I am planning to buy a thinkware F50 dashcam. So if I charge the battery using the 12v cigarette adaptor in the car, instead of hard wiring it. and then connect the dashcam to the battery. Will it take care of the parking mode? Or is hardwiring of the dashcam and/or the battery is mandatory for that? I am not a very handson person when it comes to cars, so I am trying to avoid it. Your help would be very much appreciated.

[@derunsichtbare2801]

Which battery do you recommend for the VIOFO a229 pro? I am looking for an extra battery for the park surveillance.

[@PandaG007]

Did you end up getting any battery yet?

[@derunsichtbare2801]

@ yes i bought cellink neo 8.

[@PandaG007]

⁠@@derunsichtbare2801 I’m thinking about this option too. All is great with your setup?

[@havok4103]

I have the PC8 paired with a u1000. I had to limit the charge current to 8A, it was blowing 10A fuses during car starts. Still works just fine at that amprage though

[@VortexRadar]

What about a larger fuse? I’ve heard reports of it hitting 14A at times. Maybe a 20A fuse would do the trick?

[@havok4103]

@@VortexRadar could be, i just errored on the side of caution to avoid burning the Battery mgmt system

[@VortexRadar]

I've read others have been having issues with 10A fuses popping. Once they switched to a 15A fuse, it worked fine.

[@frdrc392]

Great video and awesome explanations as usual. As any battery has a limited number of charges, how long this kind of power banks would last if it is hook to your car battery to maintain its power during driving ? I'm wondering if instead one of these power banks, a booster/powerbank (hulkman85s for example) would do the job too ? Thanx

[@VortexRadar]

I’m not sure of their lifespan and degradation rates off the top of my head, but FWIW I’ve had multiple batteries running daily for years now and they’re still working great.

[@frdrc392]

@@VortexRadar Thanx

[@DanielSchramm]

Those 3 apps for Thinkware is crazy! You'd think they would have them all integrated together as a reason *not* to buy a competitors offering.

[@presentelaw]

Question about battery pack for parking mode. Do you hook it into the always on fuse box? That way, the battery will recharge even if the car is not driving.

[@VortexRadar]

It only charges while driving, using your alternator. When it sees that your car is off, it provides power to the dashcam. You don’t want it pulling power from your car battery while parked.

[@presentelaw]

@@VortexRadar Thank you!!

[@Tupeutla]

hi! , I can see all of them are charging very close than 10 AMPS , the cigarette lighter circuit is rated 10 A . no slow blowing noted ? I confirm BMWs are very sensitive : they monitor batteries and leaking current. then they start to cut domains ( less to high priority , to finish by the starter motor ) . time is about 5 mins when you left the vehicle , for the dashcam I can turn on my lights from my phone , by internet , and the 12v is back alive for 5 minutes , enough to turn on the dash cam , and take a picture for 5 mins of the surrounding. in the night .. good to take license plates. the car is so sensible, if you put something on ODB , alarm triggers , because alien detection on the CAN . ( you can decode this "feature" )

[@edwincastaneyra2220]

Nice video👍👍👍 Question, the power cell 8 battery is compatible with ring car camera...?

[@MrChili1496]

Question, when using a dedicated external battery hard wired to your car what size fuse did you piggyback off of to charge the battery when driving ie 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20? cheers

[@TheEclectic]

I have the old Cellink Neo 6. Not sure if I should buy a backup battery or just get the new Blackbox PowerCell8. I'm running the A139 pro so the battery doesn't last long. Also because its an older battery, pretty sure I'm nowhere close to the 6000 mAH it originally started with. Would you recommend getting the backup or getting the PowerCell 8?

[@Hellefleur]

My Ford Escape has that pathetically small car battery. Thankfully I do have a battery Jumpstarter so, this is very useful information!

[@Carloscda40]

Hello thank you for this video! Question I have the Thinkware U1000 that I use in conjunction with the OBD power cable. I want to use a wifi hotspot to monitor the car, what can I use to power the wifi hotspot?

[@Mamatali]

My dashcam uses 12 V, and do why not just use the jump starter kit, as a power supply? And the starter kit gets charging thru cigarette point.

[@Uniquepyro420]

Your charging while draining, not good for most batteries. Your asking for a flaming car.

[@AEMBowers]

Hi There, Here is the question I have for you: If I use an iVolt Xtra and connect its battery input lead to a voltage sensitive relay that is series with the starter battery, and then connect the iVolt Xtra's accessory lead to an accessory fuse port, would this allow for the following situation: 1) when the vehicle is put into Accessory mode prior to starting the vehicle's engine, the iVolt Xtra will power on the dashcam (or take it out of Park mode), which itself will then pull current from the iVolt Xtra, but the iVolt Xtra will not charge yet because its battery lead will only see 0 Volts due to the relay being closed (engine off) (In the above situation, "Accessory mode" could be substituted with "Run mode," depending upon which fuse port is tapped) 2) when the vehicle's engine is started, and the voltage sensitive relay cuts in, the iVolt Xtra's battery lead will see >12 Volts and the iVolt Xtra will be prompted to begin charging via the starter battery/alternator I realize that different voltage sensitive relays have different cut in/out voltages, some allow for adjustments, some have 15-second delays or 30-second delays before cutting in and out, many vehicles have variable alternators (mine does, but its charging voltage has never gone below 13.5 volts, regardless of starter battery health--MBZ officially states that it will never go below 13.4 V), etc. In theory, do you think that the iVolt Xtra's wiring is such that the above setup would work? It seems to me that if it does, a car that utilizes auto start-stop would have the advantage that when the engine shuts off at a stoplight, the relay will cut out and prevent the iVolt Xtra from charging while the engine isn't running, but the dashcam will remain recording--without going into Parking mode--because the iVolt Xtra will still be getting a voltage signal through its accessory wire. When the light turns green and the car auto starts, the iVolt Xtra will then begin charging again. Later, when the vehicle is fully shut down, the accessory port will have its power cut a well, and the iVolt Xtra will signal for the dashcam to either turn off completely or enter Parking mode. It seems to me that the above setup would be a good way to ensure that an external dashcam battery pack never charges off the starter battery unless the engine is running. Thank you in advance for any help you might provide! Andy

[@user-tz4yj2bz8w]

What are your thoughts on the iroad powerpack pro 12 battery pack?

[@KyleKick909]

I wish they weren't so expensive. You buy a new vehicle and get the windows tinted and you buy a fancy new radar detector and dash cam, and then on top of all that you need a 400 dollar battery. Car batteries don't even cost that much.

[@formetoknow540]

😂 just hardwire it and see how it goes

[@larzblast]

​@@formetoknow540 You have to admit that the prices for these battery packs are insane.

[@formetoknow540]

@BoneToner I know what I ment to say hardwire the dash cam to the fuse board of the car

[@larzblast]

@@formetoknow540 Ah, sorry. I thought the "lol" was more of an attack to say, "Wire it to your car battery then and see what happens, sucker!" Apologies.

[@formetoknow540]

@BoneToner my bad I could worded it better.

[@Fee.1]

What’s a expansion pack? Ignore this if you answer it in the video

[@motortekca5824]

Actually iVolt has two option to connect input wire cable ... Just hook up to acc power source or B+ source.. When you connect to B+ just one more thing to do is connect green wire to the acc source... so that the iVolt knowe its ignition off.. The other option that when you hook up Acc sour😮ce, you hook up the green wire with the input wire cable or leave it alone... This is good at when it installed in specific vehicle hard to find enough ( 15 amp above) acc powersource...or some other situation..

[@musaadedibu9316]

You are simply very intelligent. I love your reviews a lot 👍💯

[@ajmock6984]

Are the battery packs designed for only one dash cam? Or Can you use more than one dash cam per battery pack? If so, how?

[@VortexRadar]

You can hardwire multiple dashcams onto a single battery no problem. You just connect each of the dashcam's input wires to the battery's output wires and the battery will send power out to all of the cameras it's connected to.

[@DiaperSNiFFER]

The power cell is awesome you can hardwire 2 in one

[@DiaperSNiFFER]

Or if you want you can get 2 power cells as well

[@ironmanballer4868]

Question I currently have a BlackVue 124x I love it but I was curious so I have a 12volt car hook up just it’s on a battery box like you would use for camping it’s rated to 12volts is that able to be used to charge my battery or power my dash cam? As it would allow me to have power for extended periods of time without running the car.

[@BzzyBanks]

I recently purchase a brand new Durango and was just about to hardwire the vehicle to run parking mode when i realized that I would be leaving for a month but was unsure if that would kill my battery if not turned on. The dash cam I got is the RedTiger. My questions is if i hardwire it to the battery will i have any problem if gone for a month or should i just install a battery pack and connect to that? Thank for any help!

[@hanskurtmann6781]

Had this problem with our cars running dash cams and even with the cutoff etc. They still would drain the battery even Optima batteries. The real problem is with these dash cams the are cheaply made and could care less how much power they draw. Same here only a 2nd battery or similar would actually work for parking mode.

[@marcmiller2218]

What do you recommend if you want to see your camera remotely like from your phone etc?

[@VortexRadar]

A Blackvue dashcam

[@marcmiller2218]

@@VortexRadar thanks for the advice!

[@life4ers]

349!!! That’s crazy. Even my cars main battery don’t cost that much.

[@Teeon2wheelz]

For only 7500mah portable battery banks can be $30 and 50,000 mah

[@terencerodrigues6018]

Hello. I have a Powercell8 battery pack connected to my U3000 front and rear camera. I now wish to add on another dashcam which is a 360 degree camera but this requires a hardwire connection. I do not want to get into the fuse box area and thats the reason i chose to go with the Powercell 8 for my U3000 setup. So can you please advise if i can use an additional battery pack like the ivolt Xtra or the Ivolt mini or another Powercell8 itself with the existing one? Is that possible as i can see a slot in the battery pack that has a provision for an addon. Kindly advise if this is safe and how feasible would this be considering that both external batteries would be charged while driving and then both would need to work while the car is switched off. Kindly advise, thanks!

[@VortexRadar]

Oh yeah you can wire another camera to the same PC8 output wires that your U3000 utilizes. Obviously you’ll get less parking recording time though with more dashcams pulling power from the battery.

[@tejindergill9514]

Thanks for the valuable information. Do you know of a good installer who can hardwire dashcam and radar detector? I am in Bothell WA 😊

[@Fee.1]

I’m so sorry to ask you this again but do you have a feel for what a solid/best motorcycle setup cam wise is currently ?

[@TheUnknownlogin]

New car charging systems dont fully recharge the car battery, it will only recharge power used to start the car (helps with fuel emmissions). If you have something draining the battery with the car turned off, This can mean the car battery will drain over a few weeks, even if the car is driven 30min everyday. Dashcam batteries should help solve this problem, but a 30min drive everyday wont be long enough to recharge the battery pack 100%, so you have half capacity and depending on battery type, the batteries life will be redudced

[@mohsenalharhara8729]

Thank you for the information. Have you tested /evaluated the iRoad Powerpack 12 Pro (LiFePO4(Lithium iron phosphate), 12.8V 12,000mAh 153Wh?

[@VortexRadar]

I don’t think that one is available here in the US, only abroad.

[@mohsenalharhara8729]

@@VortexRadar I bought one from Singapore a week ago and I installed and powered my Thinkware U3000, it is working good, I will update you with the progress result in 2 weeks (Total hours of continuous recording, etc..)

[@LUIMAR227]

I currently have BlackVue B-124X as I bought DR900X. I recently bought ThinkwareU3000 and I was wondering if there’s a already made Splice kit for Thinkware battery pack, or does it just plug into the 12V cigarette lighter adapter? I’m guessing there’s no OBD slot on Thinkware battery? You’d think thinkware would’ve had a OBD slot for their battery pack. Am I just better off using BlackVue battery pack?

[@VortexRadar]

Your best solution is to use the traditional hardwire cable for both the battery and the dashcam. OBD is designed to communicate with a car, not a battery. The main advantage of using a Blackvue battery is the app integration and now the Blackvue app can tell you the battery capacity too which is nice, but otherwise capacity and all should be comparable.

[@LUIMAR227]

@@VortexRadar I got the DR900X professionally installed, yet it doesn’t stay on. I’m guessing they installed it improperly. However my cigarette lighter stays on. I’m trying to use the U3000 as well as my BlackVue. Maybe using the installed power to the BlackVue & OBD for Thinkware or using 12V cigarette slot for BlackVue & OBD for Thinkware. I’m trying to keep BlackVue from overheating.

[@just4therecord]

Please review the new 70mai battery pack - thanks

[@VortexRadar]

Definitely! I have two and am comparing it to other affordable options :)

[@Fee.1]

Have you seen these ads for the new “360°” 4 channel camera setups ? I forget the company. Nexvue maybe

[@outsdr925]

I have the BlackVue dr900x 2ch and I e been having trouble logging in. When I log in it logs me out in 2 sec. I have a 2022 ford f150 xlt fully loaded with new technology.

[@psgambat]

Do you know of an external dash cam battery that has a USB or USBC charging connection vs. the cigarette lighter type? My Mustang MachE only has a cigarette lighter female in the very back of the trunk.

[@VortexRadar]

Your best bet might be to hardwire then

[@pawel-620]

Can I just use the cheapest car battery (which will be several times cheaper than a power bank) and simply charge that car battery at home from time to time?

[@VortexRadar]

You could in a pinch, but it's not a great idea to use regularly IMO. I've done several videos on the topic. Here's one that, incidentally, is a followup to this video and goes over cheaper alternatives. :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/poXQkoxvZbytrNk

[@pawel-620]

@ thank you

[@David-xy8tm]

Is the Thinkware iVolt battery difficult to install? I have no experience installing something like that so I am wondering if I will be able to install it myself.

[@VortexRadar]

You’ll want to hardwire to your car battery, typically via your fuse box. I’ve got videos showing how hardwiring works in general, but you can have a local installer place do it quickly and affordably.

[@bnc723]

Hi, I am considering buying A229 pro replacing my dr900s. wondering if the old blackvew B124x compatible with viofo dashcam? should i purchase the hardwire kit to connect the battery pack?

[@VortexRadar]

The battery is, but they use different power cables to the dashcam.

[@HellzHonour]

The Thinkware battery price is $399 CDN where as on the other site it was on sale for $369 USD

[@kerrylittle3900]

Quick question since you know a lot about these batteries. I have the BlackVue B-112 installed but want to upgrade to the B-130. Is the wiring hookup to charge the battery the same for both or do I have to change the wiring from the 112 to the 130? Would save me the trouble changing the wiring if they are both the same. Thank you.

[@VortexRadar]

It uses new wiring

[@hughjazz3847]

do blackvue batteries need blackvue dashcams or can they work with viofo and other dashcams as well?

[@VortexRadar]

They work with others as well.

[@toddv-bj7cq]

How many years should a Powercell8 last? I purchased 2 for me vehicle & both died, very suddenly - won’t charge, after roughly 2 years of use. Each powered a Blackvue 750xPlus.

[@VortexRadar]

That doesn’t sound normal. Maybe contact BBMC for support?

[@kdlange6052]

Usb A connectors time to catch up with technology!

[@jaimemachuca9895]

Hi Vortex, I currently have a PowerCell 8 installed in my vehicle hardwired to power my ThinkWare U1000. Do you think I can use the same cables that power the PowerCell8 to power the Thinkware iVolt Xtra? I understand that I may need to purchase cables to power the U3000 when I buy it. Please let me know!

[@VortexRadar]

Same input hardwire cables, but different output cable. The Thinkware comes with the cables you’ll need of course. You’ll just change the cable from the battery to the dashcam hardwire cable. You sure that’s worth spending the money on though?

[@jaimemachuca9895]

Thank you for this information and probably not 😅

[@nodrogkam]

Thanks for the informative video as always. I rarely, if ever, hear about these or other rechargeable battery packs run into problems from being stored in a car during a hot summer or cold winter. While I understand the extra benefits that these battery packs offer, are they and other commonly used portable battery packs safe to keep in the car long-term? I'm less concerned about battery degradation but am concerned about fire risks.

[@VortexRadar]

Yeah there are some differences between these and other cheaper batteries like your portable Lithium Ion batteries used for phone chargers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/apirYZxmbNKGgJY

[@davidhlin3023]

The B-124 is made of lithium too. The extra stuff it has is phosphate which allows it to operate at a higher temperature. Still I don’t think an airline will let you check it in. I got myself a cheaper lithium-phosphate battery after my B-124 died.

[@jayarecallens]

I purchased a BlackVue 130 battery and had nothing but issues. I had no issues for the first month when all of a sudden the battery won’t charge. Returned it under warranty and received another one. A month later the battery replacement has the exact same issue and the on/off switch shorts out and won’t turn off. Is this anyone else’s experience? Are BlackVue’s batteries not that well made?

[@VortexRadar]

Sounds very odd. I haven’t hear of anyone else reporting that before and you’ve seen it with two. I wonder if it’s a wiring issue in your car. How did you install it and hook it up?

[@jordan2104]

What happens when the battery pack drains out completely? Does the camera shut off or the pack starts drawing power from the car battery in order to keep the camera running?

[@VortexRadar]

The dashcam shuts off. The battery only charges from your alternator while driving. It doesn’t use your car battery at all.

[@jordan2104]

​@@VortexRadar Thank you for your answer. My truck does have the bracket for a second battery, so I was thinking about adding it just to run the cameras off of it. I didn't drive my truck for about 3 days one time and when I tried to use it, the battery was dead. So, I don't know how long one battery can power my setup, but I'm guessing around two days or so. I have the dual camera Viofo 139 Pro.

[@VortexRadar]

Yeah I’ve heard of people doing that with success. :)

[@rxt08]

Hi Vortex! eagerly awaiting your review & comparison of the new A119 Mini 2

[@VortexRadar]

I've been running it the past few weeks collecting footage. I'll hopefully have the video ready in the next couple weeks. :)

[@sgtking]

Usb can do to.

[@timophay]

Battery costs more than high end dash cam. Do you have another cheaper options?

[@VortexRadar]

There are smaller and cheaper options like this: amzn.to/3xJenTj

[@motortekca5824]

Same maker Cellink and coulnt be different quality... just each brand has different interface of battery front face for regular user..

[@rizano7066]

Why would BlackVue stop making batteries with an expansion option? Seems like a foolish decision. Now when it’s time to replace my BlackVue battery packs I will need to go with another brand. Very strange.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Is there an option/cable to charge the battery via USB-C port in the vehicle?

[@VortexRadar]

Not that I’ve seen.

[@kricketman12]

ecoflow river will not save space but way longer battey life and more features and has 110v

[@TumanWK]

Thanks for Timestamps!

[@a62dave]

I just leave my Aukey DR02 plugged into the always-on cigarette lighter, set it to “time lapse” mode, and let it run all night. Draws less than an amp, and does not drain my battery. (2017 Ford Escape)

[@HellzHonour]

I’m waiting for you to test the U3000 vs A139 Pro since they both have the new Starvis 2 sensors.

[@VortexRadar]

Eventually…

[@TheMISTERAMD]

I bought myself a Vantrue Nexus 4 Pro and I'm looking for a battery pack to prevent my car battery from draining too much. So I'm looking for a 9V sigaret from my car to the battery pack that than goes to the Vantrue Nexus 4 Pro. I'm from Belgium so I dont know if these listed in this video, are going to work?

[@VortexRadar]

9v? You mean 12v? You can use the BBMC or Blackvue options since they have a cig. lighter input cable. Then you output the battery to a Vantrue hardwire power cable and it should work fine.

[@TheMISTERAMD]

@@VortexRadar Yeah 12V my bad..

[@TheMISTERAMD]

@@VortexRadar Which OutPut Cable do I choose than? The one with the Socket I think?

[@TheMISTERAMD]

Well I folllowed the guide on that BBMC website, scrolled down, saw Vantrue, saw "Unspliced output cable* Requires Vantrue hardwiring kit" but there is NO hardwire kit in the box. It's all USB. Sigaret Plug goes to USB Type C which goes in the Vantrue Power In. The backcamera (the cable is pretty long, both ends of this cable are USB Type C) goes into the REAR port of the Vantrue. I tested it on my laptop, as there is an USB (normal) to USB Type C cable in the box.

[@VortexRadar]

You need to use VanTrue’s hardwire cable. It looks like this. amzn.to/3qWu1Yf You output the unspliced 3 wire cable to that dashcam hardwire cable.

[@snarflatful]

You kinda glossed over converting the unit to run via lighter plug (unless these units come with the adapter).

[@VortexRadar]

Yeah I don’t like that solution personally so I didn’t bother testing it, but other people have and found recharge times around 1 hr 50 min which is longer than the advertised 80-90 min.

[@HofnerChris]

Would this work the Ring Car camera?

[@VortexRadar]

According to Amazon, unfortunately they don’t support external batteries for the Ring car cam.

[@HofnerChris]

Thank for the quick reply 👍

[@cinges]

Any link to purchase in Europe Amazon? Cant find it there.

[@VortexRadar]

I'm not sure which battery you're referring to, but in Europe you'll likely have better luck purchasing directly from the manufacturer.

[@Kokopellli]

With all these long charging times the battery just will not be able to charge as often I drive less than an hour per day 😢

[@VortexRadar]

#physics

[@jessegetz8264]

2019 nissan sentra q800 battery drain obd2 or hardwire 2022 Audi q5 same.

[@VortexRadar]

No understand meaning missing words

[@jessegetz8264]

I was making a statement, but basically Best Buy installed it hardwired switched vehicles and same thing would drain battery. OBD2 integrated no parking mode. I guess you gotta drive 30 minutes a day.

[@Utubeisazzho]

I use an Ecoflow, jackery, bluetti. Dc charges it… battery bank runs camera all night

[@stevejordan2575]

This kind of PRICE of these Batteries! I will buy a Oddessy Battery AGM ... I'lluse it strickly for the *Viofo A299 Dash Cam* I'll use a Trinkle Charger and charge it while at home.

[@croomcas]

Expensive, I’ve been contemplating room for a regular battery.

[@VortexRadar]

Great, you can do that too. We’re lucky to have multiple great options. :)

[@Kitteh.B]

Thoughts on CellLink? I've had the Cellink Battery B in my car for years and haven't had an issue with it. I think their current gen one is called the Neo. Also, if you keep a list of viewer suggestions for dashcam reviews, I'd love to see one on the StreetGuardian SG9663DR. It's a two-camera remote setup, screen goes in the glovebox and then the only visible bits are the tiny cameras themselves! It's on the expensive side, hence why I haven't gotten it yet, but I've had excellent experiences with SG's other cameras in the past.

[@VortexRadar]

The Cellink Neo is the successor to the B. It’s larger and has Bluetooth. These ones are larger still.

[@Kitteh.B]

@@VortexRadar even larger? I'll have to reconsider sticking with my current one then! Thanks :]

[@Hellefleur]

I must be missing something but, wouldn't it be better to just replace your car battery with a LiFePO4 battery? $350 for a 7500mah battery seems steep when you can get a LiFePO4 car battery with what looks like a much higher capacity for the same price.

[@VortexRadar]

I'm working on a followup video that goes over stuff like that. Do you know how to wire that up and do all the power management? Those batteries just have a positive and negative terminal, not input/output ports like a dashcam battery. They standalone batteries definitely are cheaper though.

[@gaberamirez4933]

@@VortexRadar these two videos show how to wire a secondary battery and make it ignition controlled kzbin.info/www/bejne/p56rkIFqodujprc kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWSTm4iLjLqfbZY

[@VortexRadar]

Thank you Gabe! This is super helpful. Perfect timing too. :) I'll include this in the followup video I'm working on. :)

[@ahmedazazy763]

Im asking if i can use power bank with higher capacity as a power source for all time for any dash cam , did any one try it ????

[@VortexRadar]

You can but it doesn’t work as well. Here’s a video going over alternate power options: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poXQkoxvZbytrNksi=_XJcfECc_u-Q5gKP

[@apteryx13]

Why not just get a dedicated battery pack that is not advertised as being for a dashcam? There are several other, larger battery packs available with much more capacity. No app normally, but with significantly more power and more recording time.

[@VortexRadar]

There are other options you can DIY, different battery technologies, etc.

[@JUDGEME5150]

Cool man

[@JUDGEME5150]

5 batteries!!

[@formetoknow540]

😂 sorted that picture at 1:03 out

[@VortexRadar]

lol yeah, not sure why that didn't render properly the first time! Thanks for the quick heads up!

[@formetoknow540]

@Vortex Radar it was someone else that pick up on it before me. Anyways thanks for the upload much appreciated

[@VortexRadar]

Ahhh okay. Yeah I saw the comment from someone and was like uh oh! and quickly took down the video and fixed it. Thanks to whoever it was then, lol

[@alkimistchin9419]

If you have existing thinkware ivolt xtra can you add the powercell 8 with it for longer parking recording?

[@OmarEwert]

Woah those are so expensive. Why not just use a second car/marine battery

[@VortexRadar]

That’s one of many options discussed here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poXQkoxvZbytrNk

[@VasilencoDan]

at this point you buy a car battery 12V 100Ah and a charger and you put in in the back (if you have the place) and every week or so you take and charge it ... cost less and holds more. that what I am doing.