Adding dashcam to Lux windshield

[broncorik]

I spent waaaay too much time searching for just the right camera setup for the (cluttered) Lux windshield (with several senors/space limitations). I didn't want a camera with a screen, because not only do they take up more space than some of the non-screen units but they also can (to ADD me) be a distraction (and yes I realize the screen on many of those units can be turned off).

I finally settled on this:

https://a.co/d/bd6mQLl

With this harness to be able to use the parking feature:

https://a.co/d/eajZ99g

The camera includes mounts and power unit and a front and rear camera. The front camera fits behind the mirror, and it was straightforward to tuck the wire from the camera all the way down to the fuse panel. The wiring kit comes with fuse taps that easily mounted in acc./constant slots. The rear camera has a pigtail that is just long enough to reach the roll bar, and by running the wire along the driver side the plug can be routed to he center of the trom panel. The window opens without disconnecting the plug, and it would be easy to disconnect it to remove the top.

I realize there are a lot of opinions about which unit is best, but this particular one does what I need it to do, with an easy to use app...and it has a capacitor instead of a battery, so it is very heat-tolerant. The parking feature can be turned off, but there's really no need to do so because the wiring harness comes with dip switches so you can set the cutoff to whatever voltage appeals to you so the unit won't drain your battery down too far. I currently have mine said to 12.2 but you can go all the way up to 12.4.

The entire setup was about 125 (sale on Amazon for both items).

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[dudleyln]

I spent waaaay too much time searching for just the right camera setup for the (cluttered) Lux windshield (with several senors/space limitations). I didn't want a camera with a screen, because not only do they take up more space than some of the non-screen units but they also can (to ADD me) be a distraction (and yes I realize the screen on many of those units can be turned off).

I finally settled on this:

https://a.co/d/bd6mQLl

With this harness to be able to use the parking feature:

https://a.co/d/eajZ99g

The camera includes mounts and power unit and a front and rear camera. The front camera fits behind the mirror, and it was straightforward to tuck the wire from the camera all the way down to the fuse panel. The wiring kit comes with fuse taps that easily mounted in acc./constant slots. The rear camera has a pigtail that is just long enough to reach the roll bar, and by running the wire along the driver side the plug can be routed to he center of the trom panel. The window opens without disconnecting the plug, and it would be easy to disconnect it to remove the top.

I realize there are a lot of opinions about which unit is best, but this particular one does what I need it to do, with an easy to use app...and it has a capacitor instead of a battery, so it is very heat-tolerant. The parking feature can be turned off, but there's really no need to do so because the wiring harness comes with dip switches so you can set the cutoff to whatever voltage appeals to you so the unit won't drain your battery down too far. I currently have mine said to 12.2 but you can go all the way up to 12.4.

The entire setup was about 125 (sale on Amazon for both items).

Hello, I have an appointment for an installer to install my front and rear dash com. Can I see more of how/what you did with the wiring for the rear please.

 

[broncorik]

Hello, I have an appointment for an installer to install my front and rear dash com. Can I see more of how/what you did with the wiring for the rear please.

For rear wiring I ran the single aux wire from the front camera towards the driver side top corner...then I used a plastic pry tool to gently lift the lip of the roll bar trim and tucked the wire all the way to the rear. Video:

 

[dadjoke]

Hey great job OP.


Was the circular cutout on the crossbar not an option for you? That's where I put my rear-facing camera so that I wouldn't have to window mount it and I can still take off the back cap.

 

[broncorik]

Hey great job OP.


Was the circular cutout on the crossbar not an option for you? That's where I put my rear-facing camera so that I wouldn't have to window mount it and I can still take off the back cap.

Crossbar is an option but field of view from the camera is affected...with the camera directly on the glass I can still quickly remove the top/open the glass, but the bonus on glass versus roll bar is full 140 degrees of field view. On the bar would result in losing the immediate view blocked by the corners of the top.

 

[Blue Oval]

I have an Escort MAXcam 360c combo dash cam and radar detector. I used the windshield mount that came with the unit. I found a usb cable that converts the 5 volt usb port to the 12 volts that the 360c needs.

 

[broncorik]

Crossbar is an option but field of view from the camera is affected...with the camera directly on the glass I can still quickly remove the top/open the glass, but the bonus on glass versus roll bar is full 140 degrees of field view. On the bar would result in losing the immediate view blocked by the corners of the top.

Another thing I've gathered is that many of the reviews indicate that whatever brand of dash can they bought that it eventually fell off while driving...but many of them failed to mention that they may have been using the electrostatic sticker that comes with many kits. The idea behind the electrostatic sticker is that you apply it to the windshield or the rear window, and by doing so it allows you to easily reposition the assembly if you want to change the location later. The electrostatic sticker goes on, in the general location, and then you stick the 3M-taped dash cam to the electrostatic sticker. The electrostatic sticker however, comes off much easier than the 3M sticker...and when people do the things like four-wheeling, or hit a pothole, then of course the electrostatic sticker is going to want to separate at some point. I skipped the electrostatic stickers and applied both of my cameras directly to the windows using the 3M tape. If you make sure you position them where you want, then that method is going to be more secure then often for the electrostatic stickers. The kit I used also came with an extra piece of 3M tape for the rear camera, and an extra mount with tape for the front camera.

 

[broncorik]

I have an Escort MAXcam 360c combo dash cam and radar detector. I used the windshield mount that came with the unit. I found a usb cable that converts the 5 volt usb port to the 12 volts that the 360c needs.

Does that unit have a recording while parked feature? I was tempted to simply use the available converter harness from the powered rear view mirror that easily provides a micro USB pigtail to power the dash cam in my location...but if one has the parking feature he or she has to have a constant 12 volt source even when the car is shut off to use it. For your unit, if you have the USB outlet on your dash that would be ideal (as long as you don't need constant power...that USB port is accessory only).

 

[dadjoke]

Crossbar is an option but field of view from the camera is affected...with the camera directly on the glass I can still quickly remove the top/open the glass, but the bonus on glass versus roll bar is full 140 degrees of field view. On the bar would result in losing the immediate view blocked by the corners of the top.

Oh I forgot the back cam cable is jut a Micro USB and you can just pull it



I don't mind the changed field of view, It's low enough that I still have solid visibility ....just makes its own video frame haha

Coincidentally this gentleman slid under my rear bumper ~5 sec after this screencap

 

[broncorik]

Oh I forgot the back cam cable is jut a Micro USB and you can just pull it



I don't mind the changed field of view, It's low enough that I still have solid visibility ....just makes its own video frame haha

Coincidentally this gentleman slid under my rear bumper ~5 sec after this screencap

Did he wreck anything on your Bronco? Hopefully not! My rear camera is powered by a 3.5 aux cable...no micro USB.

 

[dadjoke]

Luckily he just slid under the bumper cover. His hood took a neat little wrinkle right in the middle at the front, and then when I pulled forward I slid back off. I let him walk for multiple reasons, including that there was no visible damage to the Bronco and the likelihood that he was actually a new hire at my workplace (he was, rough first day ha ha)

 

[broncorik]

Luckily he just slid under the bumper cover. His hood took a neat little wrinkle right in the middle at the front, and then when I pulled forward I slid back off. I let him walk for multiple reasons, including that there was no visible damage to the Bronco and the likelihood that he was actually a new hire at my workplace (he was, rough first day ha ha)

Yikes are you his boss?

 

[dadjoke]

Yikes are you his boss?

No we're in separate divisions, but it's a fairly large employer's corp HQ so there's no telling who's important unless you're already familiar with their picture. I also cast a bit of an imposing shadow at 6'10"

 

[Blue Oval]

Does that unit have a recording while parked feature? I was tempted to simply use the available converter harness from the powered rear view mirror that easily provides a micro USB pigtail to power the dash cam in my location...but if one has the parking feature he or she has to have a constant 12 volt source even when the car is shut off to use it. For your unit, if you have the USB outlet on your dash that would be ideal (as long as you don't need constant power...that USB port is accessory only).

Yes, it has a record while parked. You can set the amount of time it will record while parked. The USB port on the dash is constant on. However the unit doesn’t have a rear facing cam.

 

[broncorik]

Yes, it has a record while parked. You can set the amount of time it will record while parked. The USB port on the dash is constant on. However the unit doesn’t have a rear facing cam.

It must be timed on? I checked my dash USB for voltage with key off/least 30 minutes after shutdown and no power for mine.

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