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I finally installed my new dashcam! I've used this site to learn so much about my vehicle, I decided to share and hopefully someone will find it useful.
Vehicle – 2013 Merccedes-Benz GLK350
Camera – Blackvue DR650GW-2CH
Both camera’s are hard wired to the vehicle and provide 24hr loop recording. The camera has built in Wi-fi that connects to the internet hot-spot in the vehicle. This provides access to watch videos and change camera setting remotely. One feature I really like is the notifications you can receive. There are many to choose from, I selected only to receive a notification when the camera detects an event.
If the is parked and it detects motion or impact, it will send a message letting me know. Using the app, I can view the video, download it or choose “live View” to see and listen to whats happening around the car in real time. It’s basically a web connected nanny cam or baby monitor for you car.
The installation is actually quite easy. This took about 4 hours, but I went very slow and triple checked everything. Now it would take less than two.
Do u have any photo to show how to remove the rear hatch interior trim?
Seems it's the difficult part to passthru the cable in, any clue or suggestion.
I forgot to take pics of that part. But, I found the instructions on this forum from someone installing a backup cam. Ill see if I can find the thread or you.
Nice write up. I recently sold my C63 which had my Blackvue 650 and have been procrastinating on putting it in my wife's GLK. Now that I know a good way to install it I may actually get around to doing it.
Excelent thanks for sharing, how do you like the cam?
I really like it. I did end up putting a small piece of electrical tape over the end to cover the blue wi-fi light. It is brite. Also, half covered the red recording light it can be a little distracting at night.
There is an option to turn off all lights on the camera, but I still wanted to be able to make sure it was recording at a glance.
I have had zero problems with it.
The over the cloud feature and set up takes a little time, but once you have everything dialed in, it's great.
It has not been tested in the Texas summer heat, but I will find out soon enough.
AndrewOde, curious how your car battery is holding up, assuming you use your Blackvue650's parking mode extensively?
I had installed 650s (with PMPs) in our 2 cars about 3 years ago, and both started exhibiting (car) battery issues approximately 1.5-2 years after their respective installs. In one case the car battery was only 2.5 years old.
I've since had to completely replace both car batteries -- we're still using both 650s but I only use parking mode when it is absolutely necessary (e.g. shady neighborhood, cramped parking space, etc).
When I contacted Blackboxmycar (who had originally sold me the 650s), they did admit that heavy use of the 650s would drastically reduce the life cycle of the car battery. They also said that using an alternative like the Cellink Battery B over the PMP would preserve the car battery.
EDIT: Forgot to add my original reason for reading your thread -- I now need to do another 650 install, but this time on a 2011 GLK350, and was looking to get a refresher since it's been a few years since my last 2 installs.
AndrewOde, curious how your car battery is holding up, assuming you use your Blackvue650's parking mode extensively?
I had installed 650s (with PMPs) in our 2 cars about 3 years ago, and both started exhibiting (car) battery issues approximately 1.5-2 years after their respective installs. In one case the car battery was only 2.5 years old.
I've since had to completely replace both car batteries -- we're still using both 650s but I only use parking mode when it is absolutely necessary (e.g. shady neighborhood, cramped parking space, etc).
When I contacted Blackboxmycar (who had originally sold me the 650s), they did admit that heavy use of the 650s would drastically reduce the life cycle of the car battery. They also said that using an alternative like the Cellink Battery B over the PMP would preserve the car battery.
EDIT: Forgot to add my original reason for reading your thread -- I now need to do another 650 install, but this time on a 2011 GLK350, and was looking to get a refresher since it's been a few years since my last 2 installs.
I have not noticed any issues at all since the install in Oct '15. I do have the power magic pro installed as well. This will shut down the camera if it begins to draw the battery low. I also set the motion sensor extremely low so It stays in parking mode most of the time. Also, It is parked in a garage over night and while at work. Not sure if that helps?
I may be wrong, but I remember reading somewhere that the vehicle will shut down aux power systems when it detects low battery drain? I would assume it would have some effect on overall battery life. As, with any battery the more you use, the shorter the life span. No issues to date...
Last edited by AndrewOde; Jan 30, 2017 at 09:09 AM.
I have not noticed any issues at all since the install in Oct '15. I do have the power magic pro installed as well. This will shut down the camera if it begins to draw the battery low. I also set the motion sensor extremely low so It stays in parking mode most of the time. Also, It is parked in a garage over night and while at work. Not sure if that helps?
I may be wrong, but I remember reading somewhere that the vehicle will shut down aux power systems when it detects low battery drain? I would assume it would have some effect on overall battery life. As, with any battery the more you use, the shorter the life span. No issues to date...
Yeah I suppose it's still too early to tell in your case. I had set my PMP to 12V (infinity), but once I started detecting that my car battery was low, I changed it to 12V (6 hours). I had also typically disconnected the 650 completely when garaged at home.
In a last-ditch attempt to salvage my car battery I ended up purchasing a battery reconditioner and even stopped using parking mode completely but it only seemed to extend the car battery life by about 3 months or so.
Yeah I suppose it's still too early to tell in your case. I had set my PMP to 12V (infinity), but once I started detecting that my car battery was low, I changed it to 12V (6 hours). I had also typically disconnected the 650 completely when garaged at home.
In a last-ditch attempt to salvage my car battery I ended up purchasing a battery reconditioner and even stopped using parking mode completely but it only seemed to extend the car battery life by about 3 months or so.
Interesting... I'll defiantly keep an eye on it. Thanks for the heads-up. Ill do a little digging and see if I can find anything about battery life.
Interesting... I'll defiantly keep an eye on it. Thanks for the heads-up. Ill do a little digging and see if I can find anything about battery life.
If you allow your battery to go all the way to 12 volts for 12 hours, you will definitely shorten it's life. 12.2 volt would be a better cutoff. A fully charged battery is 12.7 volts and 12 volts is only 25% of charge. On an 80 AH battery, once you reach 12 volts you could draw 2 amps for 10 hours before it was flat. More current would last less time.
Batteries don't like being drawn down too far because it shortens their life, so all other things being equal, the higher you can cut off the camera, the longer your battery will last. I think some of the camera power devices have a built-in lithium battery to keep from drawing the main battery down.
I actually work for a company that makes Event Recorders for fleet vehicles. Before I worked for them, I was at an install company where I put in literally thousands of them. All were in fleet vehicles-mostly tractor trailers, buses, and certainly some trucks and small cars.
Gotta say, you did good work. I use add-a-fuses quite frequently, and my favorite was the line "I wanted to use two fuses that did not have direct ties to the operation or safety of the vehicle." That is what I've tried to preach to every installer I train.
@AndrewOde, I'm actually thinking about the same setup for my w213 E class.
But I can't find any info about the time-out of the car's wifi/internet.
Can you confirm that it stays on all the time even with engine switched off?
@AndrewOde, I'm actually thinking about the same setup for my w213 E class.
But I can't find any info about the time-out of the car's wifi/internet.
Can you confirm that it stays on all the time even with engine switched off?
Sorry for the late response. You must use an external wifi hotspot to use the camera while the vehicle is off. The vehicle's computer will shut down after about 10min.
* 4 way installation to get a 360º cover of the exterior
* Probably using 2 BlackVue DR650GW-2CH
- 1 pair gets the main cam in front window, the secondary cam in the top right side of B pillar
- 1 pair gets the main cam in rear window, the secondary cam in the top left side of B pillar
* Cams connected to a portable Jump Starter with 12V output like Tacklife T6 (
), maybe needing a splitter for powering the 2 groups
* Jump Starter gets connected from time to time to a 12V or 110/230V power outlet on the car, when the car is on the move
* 4G/LTE module for cloud communication with payed data plan, and making a WiFi hotspot in the car where cams will connect
Still missing on how to tell cams that the car is on parking mode so they switch to park mode, since there is always power been giving to the cams...
* 4 way installation to get a 360º cover of the exterior
* Probably using 2 BlackVue DR650GW-2CH
- 1 pair gets the main cam in front window, the secondary cam in the top right side of B pillar
- 1 pair gets the main cam in rear window, the secondary cam in the top left side of B pillar
* Cams connected to a Jump Starter with 12V output like Tacklife T6 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tacklife-60...s=jump+starter), maybe needing a splitter for powering the 2 groups
* Jump Starter gets connected from time to time to a 12V or 110/230V power outlet on the car, when the car is on the move
* 4G/LTE module for cloud communication with payed data plan, and making a WiFi hotspot in the car where cams will connect
Still missing on how to tell cams that the car is on parking mode so they switch to park mode, since there is always power been giving to the cams...
The camera will automatically go into parking mode after 5min of the vehicle not moving.
I have the same camera but only the front.Two years thru hot and cold and still working great.I piggy back the power off the fuse box to give it a clean look.Shock sensor does work,I had a car back into my front and left a small scratch,I knew the person car from the video and he admitted hitting my car and paid for damages.Camera paid for itself already 3x over.
Anybody wired the harness for the back dashcam? I'm trying to set up the back but scratching my back how to put harness in a hidden way. @AndrewOde your photos are really nice but insufficient for me, could you please post the full way how you aligned your back dashcam harness across the salon?
While my application is a little different (NTG4.0, 2011 GLK, rearview camera only) I think this will show you all you need to know to route wiring in the rear of the vehicle...
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