cornflakes 9 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 In my car cam configuration, it has an option to automatically shut off the camera when the car battery voltage drops to a certain point to prevent it from being drained. But what is a safe level? The options it gives me are: 12.2v down to 11.6v. Right now I have the setting at 12.0v. But i think i need more power because the camera shuts down only after 10 to 12 hours or so. I'm assuming since they give me an option of 11.6v as the lowest, it means it is the safest allowable lowest limit? Can I adjust my setting down to 11.6v so that I can get that extra 3-4 hours of recording without worrying about being close to draining my battery dead? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Greg_E 211 Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I would try 11.8 volts. Link to post Share on other sites
cornflakes 9 Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 I would try 11.8 volts. Well after having the dash cam run all night and then all day until it automatically shut off at 11.8 volts (setting), I tried to start the car and it wouldn't start. It sounded like there was not enough battery power. The auto windows, nav, and cd music worked fine, but when trying to start the engine, it would churn once or twice then quiet out before completing a full igntion. It seems like 11.8V was too low to start the car. I'm surprised by this. So I switched back to auto shutdown at 12V. I've never had problems at 12V so it seems that the minimum a Spark requires to start the engine. Link to post Share on other sites
Greg_E 211 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 That is a little surprising since most vehicles are around 9 volts minimum. Also note that running the battery down frequently will shorten its life. Link to post Share on other sites
cornflakes 9 Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 Yeah, so what do I do???? I don't understand what is the point of them inventing car cams if all they are going to do is constantly drain our batteries near dead? I'm thinking these options: A) buy a bigger car battery that can hold a bigger charge. Right now my spark battery is 45 AH. Is that small? Am I able to get a 50 or 60 AH battery? How about an 80? Can it fit in the engine compartment or can the alternator charge it? drive my car around for 1 hour daily just to fully charge it ---- seems stupid and expensive to drive around pointlessly just to charge the car battery. Link to post Share on other sites
Gossamer 50 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Buy a battery "maintainer". They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes - even solar powered. Or the easiest thing to do is shut the camera off when you're not in the car! Link to post Share on other sites
cornflakes 9 Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 What exactly is a battery maintainer? Well, I would turn it off when I'm not in the car, but actually, that to me is just as important is driving the car. I need to record when I park or leave it parked overnight as I've already had my car vandalized twice in the first 2 weeks I got it. I leave it off when I'm at work since our parking lot is in it's enclosed safe parking lot, but when I get home, I need to leave it on from there on until overnight and the the next morning. Problem is, the camera has already shut off by the morning (it auto shuts off when it detects a low voltage i set to 12V now), which means the battery has been drained but not to the extent I can't start my car. 11.8V prevented me from starting my car, but 12V seems to be fine as I can always start my car. Do you think I should invest in a T Powerplus (it's a 14,000 mah battery that runs the camera first before it drains the car battery)...it's about $180. Or a should I get a 2nd car battery installed? Or should I just replace my 45 AH car battery and try to put in a 60 AH or 80 AH battery if that's even possible with the Spark's? Link to post Share on other sites
Greg_E 211 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 If you can find a 60ah or higher that fits in the battery spot, that would help. Link to post Share on other sites
cornflakes 9 Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Ah, yes I know now what those solar powered battery maintainers are. It looks like a great option! Someone recommended the Schumacher sp-200 solar powered unit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/390868381924?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 It can plug in via cigg. lighter socket, but my question is, does the Spark cigg. lighter socket work when the car is off too or only when the car is powered on? They said I have to make sure it can work when the car is off so that I can trickle charge the car battery using the Schumacher sp200 solar powered unit, otherwise I'll just be plugging it in but not charging the car battery at all until I start the engine. Link to post Share on other sites
Gossamer 50 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Since you are leaving it on at night, I don't think a solar powered maintainer would help. If you are parking on the street, not in a driveway or garage, you won't be able to plug in a regular maintainer either. So, I would think your choices would be either a larger battery for the car, or maybe (depending on how much the camera pulls) a small battery from a lawn tractor or motorcycle which you would attach a cigarette lighter socket to (to plug the camera into) so you can run the camera all night and then recharge the battery during the day. Link to post Share on other sites
cornflakes 9 Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 But the Schumacher SP-200 solar charger would be used during the daytime while my car is parked outside for 8 hours in bright sunshine. Then when I go home for my 6 minute drive, I'll have a better charged battery don't you think versus if I don't use it? The main reason why I think my car battery runs out so quick while leaving the cam on overnight is because it's probably only at 40 or 50% charged by the time i get home and let it record all evening throughout the night til next morning. I think if I use the solar charger during the daytime while parked at work, it will at least help recharge my battery and then add the 6 minute drive home probably could leave my batter at 70 or 80% fully charged and should last me longer? The only thing I need to know is if the Spark cigg. lighter socket works when the car is OFF so that I can recharge the battery via the solar charger using the cigg. socket. If not, then the only way I can charge the battery is by driving around at the same time which is pointless for me since I only drive 12 minutes a day. Link to post Share on other sites
Gossamer 50 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Maybe someone else knows if the socket stays powered on for sure, but I know the US version Spark is supposed to have battery protection that shuts down any draw on the battery if the battery reaches a certain voltage. But since your car wouldn't start after letting the battery get to 11.8 volts, I don't know if you have this feature. The biggest draw on a car battery is starting the car, and it is possible that your 6 minute drive is not long enough for the alternator to fully recharge the battery - especially at night when you have the lights and other accessories on. I would check the voltage on the battery after parking the car at night and see how much of a charge it has after your drive home, and go from there. Link to post Share on other sites
cornflakes 9 Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
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