Choosing the Right Output Cable for Your Battery Pack
Choosing the Right Output Cable
Choosing the right output cable
When you purchase a dash cam battery pack to power your dash cam for parking mode, you have one fundamental question to answer, and that’s how are you going to connect the battery pack to your dash cam.
What are the options? Does it matter which one you get? Let’s find out.
Battery pack power output cable
A dash cam battery pack power output cable is a cable that connects a dash cam to a battery pack and provides the power needed to operate the dash cam. The output cable is responsible for delivering the correct voltage and current to the dash cam, ensuring that it functions properly and does not experience any power-related issues.
It is important to know which power output cable you need for your dash cam and battery pack setup because the camera may not work properly if the incorrect cable is used.
Input vs. output cable
Battery pack input cables are used to charge the battery pack, while output cables provide power to the dash cam to which the battery pack is connected.
Different types of battery pack output cables
Unspliced power output cable
With the Unspliced Power Output Cable, you will be sent the bare wires you can use to connect to the dash cam’s hardwiring kit. You are responsible for connecting the power output cable to the appropriate wires on the dash cam’s hardwiring kit.
Select this output power cable if:
If there’s a specific way you need to splice the cable or prefer a more hands-on do-it-yourself approach, this option will work best for you. The unspliced power output cable will work with your dash cam’s hardwiring kit as long as you’ve connected the wires properly.
If you’re not comfortable with stripping wires or crimping on terminal pins, you might want to consider purchasing the output cable for your particular dash cam.
Note:
Some dash cam hardwiring cables will use the yellow wire for constant power, and the red wire for accessory (ignition) power. Other hardwiring kits are the exact opposite. Make sure you’re not just matching colors when connecting the wires. Check the labels to ensure you match Constant to Constant and ACC to ACC.
BlackVue
The Power Output Cable with Socket is the most standard output cable as it works with all dash cams as long as you have a 12V power cable for your dash cam. Simply connect your dash cam’s 12V power cable to the socket end of the output cable.
Select this output power cable if:
This output cable option is typically used for BlackVue dash cams or other brands of dash cams that switch into parking mode after the vehicle has been stationary for a while (ie. G-sensor-based parking mode).
But if your dash cam uses a 3-wire hardwiring kit for constant power or if you do not have a 12V power cable for your dash cam, you will need a power output cable that comes with a hardwiring kit.
Thinkware/FineVu
With the Spliced Thinkware/FineVu Hardwiring Kit, the battery pack’s output power cable is already pre-spliced with a Thinkware or FineVu hardwiring kit, so all you need to do is plug the connector end of the cable into your battery pack and the power adaptor end into the power port on your Thinkware or FineVu dash cam.
Select this output power cable if:
The power output cable with spliced Thinkware/FineVu hardwiring kit is compatible with Thinkware and FineVu dash cams, including Thinkware U1000, Q1000, F200 PRO, FineVu GX33, GX1000, etc.
VIOFO (3-Wire Hardwiring Kit)
With the Spliced VIOFO Hardwiring Kit option, the battery pack’s output power cable is already pre-spliced with a 3-wire VIOFO hardwiring kit, so all you need to do is plug the connector end of the cable into your battery pack and the power adaptor end into the power port on your VIOFO dash cam.
Select this output power cable if:
The power output cable with spliced VIOFO hardwiring kit is compatible with the VIOFO A119 and A129 series dash cams, including the VIOFO A119 V3, A129 Pro, A129 Plus, and A129.
VIOFO (HK4-C Hardwiring Kit)
With the Spliced VIOFO HK4-C Hardwiring Kit, the battery pack’s output power cable is already pre-spliced with the VIOFO HK-4 hardwiring kit, so all you need to do is plug the connector end of the cable into your battery pack and the power adaptor end into the power port on your VIOFO dash cam. This cable has a straight-angle USB-C port for your camera.
Select this output power cable if:
The power output cable with spliced VIOFO hardwiring kit is compatible with the VIOFO A119 Mini 2, T130, A139 A229. A229 Plus and A229 Pro.
Which output cable do I need?
Dash Cam Brand and Model
Power output cable
U1000, Q1000, X1000, F200 PRO, X700, X800, F790, F70
Power output cable with spliced Thinkware/FineVu hardwiring kit
DR970X, DR970X Plus, DR900X, DR900X Plus, DR770X, DR750X, DR750X Plus, DR590X
Power output cable with socket or Unspliced output cable*
*Requires BlackVue hardwiring kit
BlackVue S and W series, DR750 LTE series
Power output cable with socket
A119 V3, A129, A129 Plus, A129 Pro
Power output cable with spliced VIOFO hardwiring kit
VIOFO T130, A229 Models, A139 Models, A119 Mini 2
Power output cable with spliced VIOFO HK-4 hardwiring kit
GX300, GX33, GX1000
Power output cable with spliced Thinkware/FineVu hardwiring kit
Garmin
Unspliced output cable*
*Requires Garmin parking mode cable
Unspliced output cable*
Requires Vantrue hardwiring kit
622GW, 522GW, 422GW, 322GW
Power output cable with socket
Nexar One
Unspliced output cable*
Requires 3-wire Nexar One hardwiring kit
Does the battery pack power output cable work with OBD power cables?
The battery pack’s power output cable is not compatible with OBD-II power cables. If you are using an OBD power cable for your dash cam, you will need to get a 12V power cable for your dash cam and select the Power output cable with socket option with your battery pack.
If your dash cam uses a 2-wire hardwiring kit, you will connect the output to the constant and ground wires of your hardwiring kit and tape the end of the ACC wire.
Do you have a spliced output cable for BlackVue for your battery pack?
For the BlackVue X and X-Plus series, which uses a 3-wire hardwiring cable, it is possible to use a spliced output cable instead of the 12V socket cable, especially if you prefer to have your BlackVue dash cam immediately goes into parking mode when the car’s powered down, rather than after a 5-minute delay of the vehicle being idle.
Unfortunately, we currently do not offer any Power Output Cables with the Spliced BlackVue hardwire kit. But, if you are comfortable with tackling the task yourself, you can splice the Unspliced 3-wire output cable to a BlackVue hardwire kit. This should only be done for the BlackVue X or X-Plus dash cams.
Can I use the output cable with socket option for my Thinkware/FineVu/VIOFO dash cam?
You can, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Remember that parking mode in Thinkware, VIOFO, and FineVu dash cams is ignition-triggered, which means these dash cam can sense the drop in voltage upon the car powering down, and thus switches to parking mode recording.
For ignition-triggered parking mode dash cams, the 12V socket output cable will power the dash cam and allow it to record continuously, but it will not be able to send the signal to the dash cam to switch to parking mode. It’s better to hardwire it instead.
Do I need a dash cam battery pack?
Many dash cam users chose to use a hardwire option, pulling power from the car's battery through the fuse box. Recording time, in this case, depends on the dash cam and the size and condition of the vehicle's battery. This setup is budget-friendly and appeals to those looking for a basic parking mode function. However, not everyone is familiar with hardwiring a dash cam to the fuse box. It can be a daunting task for many users.
To maximize your parking mode time, we recommend the dash cam battery pack option as this will give you the maximum recording time and will not impact your vehicle battery. The dash cam battery pack will only charge when your vehicle is running.
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