Video guide - Installing BlackVue DR550GW-2CH and T-Power C UPS

[The Sentinel]

Hi all,

I've just finished installing my BlackVue DR550GW-2CH and T-Power C UPS.

Here's a video of the process, as well as my tips and tricks on how to do it properly, without effecting airbag operation.

I hope you find this useful.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts3nMAeNWl8"]Project BRZ - Video 9 - How to install a BlackVue DR550GW-2CH Dashcam and T-Power C - YouTube[/ame]

[kthxbai]

Thank you for this awesome DIY. I got the DR500GW as an anniversary gift from my fiance...who knew he would enlist my Amazon wishlist as a research source! I followed the first part of your DIY and had my blackvue hooked up in less than 5 minutes. This is one of my favorite mods to date and I couldn't be happier!

[The Sentinel]

Originally Posted by kthxbai

Thank you for this awesome DIY. I got the DR500GW as an anniversary gift from my fiance...who knew he would enlist my Amazon wishlist as a research source! I followed the first part of your DIY and had my blackvue hooked up in less than 5 minutes. This is one of my favorite mods to date and I couldn't be happier!

Glad I could help mate. Pretty easy huh!

[FiRStsc10n]

I've recently installed my Blackvue. I opted to not get the Power Magic because it is rare that I don't leave the car for over a day and I read on here somewhere that people have installed it without for days and no issues with dead-battery.

However I thought it would be as simple as keeping it plugged in when car off and that dc outlet would still work so parking mode could actively carry on. I guess that is not the case, power is dropped. Is this mobile unit what I need to keep it running? Or am I missing something. Does it just run the camera while car is off until the mobile unit is discharged, meaning I still won't need to worry about dead battery?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[M12Power]

Originally Posted by FiRStsc10n

I've recently installed my Blackvue. I opted to not get the Power Magic because it is rare that I don't leave the car for over a day and I read on here somewhere that people have installed it without for days and no issues with dead-battery.

However I thought it would be as simple as keeping it plugged in when car off and that dc outlet would still work so parking mode could actively carry on. I guess that is not the case, power is dropped. Is this mobile unit what I need to keep it running? Or am I missing something. Does it just run the camera while car is off until the mobile unit is discharged, meaning I still won't need to worry about dead battery?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Power Magic is generally hardwired through the fuse box and therefore provides constant power to the dash cam even when the ignition is switched off. It does monitor the voltage and will shut off the power to the dash cam if the voltage drops below certain threshold to prevent complete draining of the battery.

[M12Power]

I recently installed the BlackVue DR650GW-2CH in my FR-S. The way I routed the cable is a bit different than what The Sentinel did.


Instead of routing the front camera wire through the top of the A pillar, I routed it on the front side of the A pillar by the front windscreen on the passenger side. For the rear camera wire, I did the same but routed it through the driver side, and instead of going along the roof headliner all the way to the back of the car, I had it going down to the floor of the car from the A pillar. From there, it goes along the door sill, comes back up through the B pillar structure to the roof headliner, and then finally through the top of the C pillar to reach the top of rear windscreen. It is definitely the long way around, more cumbersome to do, and probably not as clean, but I wanted to minimize the risks to the airbags as well as the amount of remaining excess wire I had to deal with in the end.

The vendor from whom I bought the dash cam threw in the Power Magic for free, but I didn’t want to deal with the hardwiring, so I bought a Lukas portable UPS for use with parking mode. I think I will need to get a 64GB microSD card though. The 16GB microSD that the camera comes with is definitely way too small.

[tinma]

any issues with the blackvue draining your battery using the t-power?

[zc06_kisstherain]

nice DIY.
i installed my DR500 back in time with power magic pro. i used add-in fuse and ran the wire driver side A pillar. i also use old blackvue DR350 on back.

[The Sentinel]

Originally Posted by tinma

any issues with the blackvue draining your battery using the t-power?

No. The T-Power only charged when the ignition is on.