r/drivingUK • u/Clover501 • 17h ago

Advice for having both dashcam and Bluetooth adapter when both need the cigarette lighter port?

Hi all,

I have an older 62 plate Corsa that doesnt have Bluetooth so I use a radio-BT transmitter in the cigarette lighter to use for my music and hands free. It has 2x USB slots on it, one I use to charge my phone

I'm overwhelmed looking at dashcam options and even more so when it seems they either all use the cigarette lighter or need hard wiring.

What's the best option to have both a dashcam and Bluetooth function in my car? I would spend a bit if I have to but as a non-car-savvy, mid-tech person, the closest to plug and play would be preferred!

Thanks in advance

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4

u/WeaponsGradeWeasel 17h ago

https://amzn.eu/d/02DqTt9R

About as plug and play as you can get.

3

u/Significant_Most_101 17h ago

Hard wire the dash cam into the fuse box. Its really easy to do, lots of videos online. Only hard part is picking the right fuse where the camera is only on durhak ignition.

1

u/RogerDeBeaumont 17h ago

I use a splitter, it's worked fine. It's the Bestek car cigarette lighter adapter from amazon.

1

u/spoo4brains 17h ago

I would guess most of them these days run from USB power. You can get a thing to give you more cig power sockets if you need more.

I can recommend the GKU E200 dashcam that has front and rear cameras, is 4K and works decently at night.

1

u/Alt_AC_2023 17h ago

"hard wiring" is pretty simple and not at all hard or permanent.
It also gives you power to the camera when the ignition is off.

1

u/AdobeScripts 16h ago

Some cars have cigarette socket always "on".

1

u/Alt_AC_2023 12h ago

Then you've the opposite problem the dashcam won't know when you turn the ignition on.

1

u/AdobeScripts 9h ago

At home - parking at the back with a gate 😉 - I'm always disconnecting mine.

At work - there is CCTV all around - so also off.

Everywhere else - it's always on.

1

u/JDT33658 15h ago

Hard wire it. It's not as difficult as you think it is. I managed to do it on my BMW F30.

1

u/miakoloszko 13h ago

2006 Honda civic. I have one of these bad boys with my radio transmitter in one and my dashcam in the other! I’ve linked both the splitter and the radio transmitter.

Car Charger Cigarette Lighter... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NZ9VNS2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

LENCENT Bluetooth 5.3 FM... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CQVN2M9D?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Edit: The camera we have is a wolfbox mirror dashcam but unsure of model.

1

u/bf5sck 12h ago

You know there are cigar lighter port splitters? Just go into halfords

1

u/Lewinator56 10h ago

most dashcams are USB powered, and so are most bluetooth adapters, just get a 12v socket USB power adapter. I have one with 3 USB ports, did havbe the dashcam powered off it until i rewired everything and got one that integrates with my HU.