Wiring from inside through to fuse box? (for dash cam)

[mccalli]

How do I send a wire from the interior of the car through to the fuse box in the engine compartment?

Context:
Am going to be fitting a dash cam - not totally sure which yet, got several candidates - and will want to hardwire it. Am a bit shocked at how much people want to charge for this, in most cases it's more than the dash cam itself. Looking at doing it myself, and have discovered the wonderful world of the fuse tap instead of splicing anything. Am therefore looking to get the dash cam and a hard-wire kit, route the wire across the top and the A pillar, then to the fuse box and plug it into a tap.

You can tell from the post I'm no expert here, but instructions online and on youtube seem reasonably clear to follow. The one thing I don't know is how to reach a fuse on a Z3, since on pretty much all the examples the fuse box is located in the car's interior, not in the engine compartment like the Z3.

 

[Cooper]

I mounted the cam, ran the wire inside the top rubber then down the A pillar rubber into the glove box area and just soldered it to the cigarette lighter. Done. Cost me nothing except time and worked well.

 

[colb]

Look under the drivers side dash up into the footwell, you will find part of the wiring loom passing through the bulkhead and emerging into the engine bay. Check passenger side for a similar loom passing through a rubber gromit into the engine bay. Thread your wire(s) through the gromit, you may have to push the wire using a screwdriver to get it through the gromit.

 

[mccalli]

I mounted the cam, ran the wire inside the top rubber then down the A pillar rubber into the glove box area and just soldered it to the cigarette lighter. Done. Cost me nothing except time and worked well.

Thanks - hassle I've got though is I've found anything using power via the lighter socket is killing my DAB reception. Tried a couple of USB adapters, same result. Since my FM reception is already dodgy-to-non-existant, that means I need to avoid using the lighter socket.

 

[Brian H]

You can tap into the interior light circuit, this has both a perm live and switched live. I have done this for both by Z3 and Z4, if you really need to get to the fuse box then drop out the glovebox and you will see the rubber grommets through to the fusebox.

 

[mccalli]

You can tap into the interior light circuit, this has both a perm live and switched live. I have done this for both by Z3 and Z4, if you really need to get to the fuse box then drop out the glovebox and you will see the rubber grommets through to the fusebox.

Back and reading the replies - hadn't really thought of this one. How easy is this to do? I'll cheerfully play with wiring and electronic components all day long in the context of appliances and computers, but deliberately cutting an otherwise working wire inside my car is oddly concerning to me. Strange because as a teenager I used to solder odd wires together to cobble my own dual recording system together, and have also soldered stuff inside an arcade cabinet I had recently. But for some reason, I'm baulking at the car one.

Is there a nearby earth as well? I imagine there has to be. And has anyone ever used one of these Scotchlock connecters, which seems to make the idea less painful? Opinions on the youtube videos of them range from "these are great, they made it simple" to "I would fire you if you used any of these in my auto shop".

 

[littlefeller]

last time I needed a live and ground inside my z3 I used the heated rear window circuit as I don't have a hard top but the plug is already there in the loom (under centre console towards the back) and is if memory serves me correctly 30a and fused, don't quote me on this though as im getting older and more fuzzy memory (could also be the years of drug abuse as a youngster though)

 

[t-tony]

I used the ignition switched live to the radio on my Z3, it's so easy to splice into a wire using wire strippers to create a break in the insulation where you wrap the wire to join around the original radio feed. Solder and wrap with insulation tape. 10 minute job.

Tony.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

I had terrible interference on the radio when I first put my dashcam in, luckily it came with a magic suppressor thingy that fits on the cam feed wire and gets rid of all the crackling.

 

[g8jka]

I used the ignition switched live to the radio on my Z3, it's so easy to splice into a wire using wire strippers to create a break in the insulation where you wrap the wire to join around the original radio feed. Solder and wrap with insulation tape. 10 minute job.

Tony.

I've used the same for both my dash cams, front and rear parking cams and 5" monitor and it all runs great off them.

 

[buze]

I've used the same for both my dash cams, front and rear parking cams and 5" monitor and it all runs great off them.

Do you have pics on how you installed a rear cam and 5" screen?

 

[g8jka]

I'll try and dig some out. The rear parking cam is installed in the rear bumper and front in the front bumper, both connected to the screen on the dash which flips up and down. The rear dash cam is mounted on the perspex wind deflector.

 

[mccalli]

I'll try and dig some out. The rear parking cam is installed in the rear bumper and front in the front bumper, both connected to the screen on the dash which flips up and down. The rear dash cam is mounted on the perspex wind deflector.

Really interested in this one - particularly the screen, since I could get an Apple CarPlay unit if there's a workable place for me to fit a screen.

My car doesn't have hoops, so no perspex deflector (and you can -really- feel the difference too - god is it windy without one).

 

[t-tony]

Really interested in this one - particularly the screen, since I could get an Apple CarPlay unit if there's a workable place for me to fit a screen.

My car doesn't have hoops, so no perspex deflector (and you can -really- feel the difference too - god is it windy without one).

If the car is a keeper, I would prioritise buying some hoops before the price goes ballistic.

Tony.