So, this is an electrical question. I have a dash-cam that I want to hard wire. It came with a cigarette lighter adapter that goes to a mini USB plug that plugs into the camera. I don't want to use the cigarette lighter for power. I just want to hard wire it to a fuse or something like that. I can't just cut the adapter off and wire it to power can I? Doesn't the adapter reduce voltage and amps for the USB plug? Thoughts on how to do this please? I'm starting to learn just enough stuff on this forum to really screw things up!

 

EDIT TO ADD: You may be able to dismantle the adapter before cutting any wires. If there are no micro circuit boards inside, you're OK to proceed as I described in the next paragraph. However, if the adapter is a molded, solid piece with no visible means of disassembly, there's a chance it contains voltage reduction inside. I doubt it does, but it is possible.

I'll be doing the same thing tomorrow. Before you cut off the male cigarette lighter adapter from your dash-cam cable, strip back the insulation about an inch or two from that adapter. That should expose two wires inside. Hopefully those two wires are not identical and are two different colors, or one has a stripe on its insulation. Now strip some insulation off those two wires. Using a meter or some means to check continuity, determine which wire is connected to the central spring-loaded nub protruding from the cigarette lighter adapter ... that's your positive (+) 12VDC feed for your dashcam. The other wire will be the ground (-) wire.

 

For the Dash Cam that I'll be installing, I have to order the hardwire kit. It comes in two lengths, 3m and 7m.

 

You don't say what model dash cam you have but my Rexing has a hardwire kit available. The wire has a small module on it. It was a simple matter to wire it to a fuse on the passenger side using one of these. Just make sure it's for the new smaller fuses that Ford uses. Can't remember for sure but I think it was a 'micro fuse'.

 

Spend the $10 and get a hardwire for it. If it doesn't have an internal battery you'll probably blow it, if not right away, then eventually.

Dash Cam Hardwire Right Angled Micro USB Fuse Kit,11.5 Foot Hardwire Dash Camera Power Supply Car Charger GPS Car DVR Power BoRight Angel Micro USB) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D46QZ8T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UKOhCbRVTGCF0

 

Disassembled the cigarette lighter plug for my Blackvue DR590-2CH dash-cam today and found it to be a simple 2-wire deal. No need for a hardwire kit ... just cut, splice/solder, & heat-shrink. Now I'm debating on whether to get the optional add-on battery or the OBDII park-mode adapter.

 

Might want to look at your fuses closer, in my 2017 I have 3 blade fuses and use a 3 blade tap. Havent checked if some are 2 and some 3 blade?

 

I found the easiest was just to come down the a pillar and tap the USB for the Sync system. Turns on and off with the truck.

 

Great help everyone. Thanks!

 

I think mine was a three bladed fuse also...dont remember for sure. I just grabbed generic tap-a-fuse pic.