2020 C2S MT. Had a BlackVue dual camera system installed 2+ yrs ago. Recently started getting generic CELs stating "Reduced engine power. Driving permitted. Visit workshop." Dealer did overnight drawdown test and says camera is pulling too much power and battery replacement necessary (for $640). Since the BlackVue does record when vehicle is off, is this avoidable? Maybe better to stop recording when parked.

Side note, the dealer kept disconnecting the camera when in for service. Is that SOP or an attempt to not let an owner see how the car is being treated?

 

I had a 2-ch Blackvue system installed 3.5 years ago, and no problems until a couple of months ago. I determined recording in parking mode (I had mine set for 12 hours) was drawing down too much power and in one instance put my lithium battery to sleep. I no longer use the parking mode when in my garage or my shop, but leave it on when I'm street parking (unplugging the front-facing camera power deactivates both cameras and takes two seconds). My dealer disconnects the cameras when in the shop for service. I asked them why and they gave me a song-and-dance about privacy.

 

Try using a dedicated battery for the camera. I plan on doing something like this if I ever install the Blackvue or similar dash cam.

Blackvue Dashcam Battery

 

Some dashcams have "parking mode kits" where you can configure it to cut power when the battery voltage gets down to a certain amount (configurable). Maybe you can install one of those.

 

Yeah you dont just put the camera on a constant power fuse to record in park mode without some voltage regulator addition so that it cuts power when battery hits a certain voltage level. Blackvue used to come with Power Magic Pro or something like that.

 

Used the BlackVue battery pack instead, way less stress on the battery

 

Yep...I have the BlackVue Power Magic Pro. It's clearly stopped working as it did when installed. When I had the installation done, the highly qualified/experienced installer said two batteries would be required for my parking situation and advised against going that route. In reality, the hardware is cheaply made and relatively low cost ($1500 CA. installed for the two cameras, the Power Magic Pro and an extra 256 GB card) and it's not entirely surprising one of the components has failed after 3+ years of daily use. Frankly, these days adding ANYTHING that hacks into or piggybacks on a vehicle's complex electrical/electronic systems is a risky proposition, in my view. Live and learn.

 

I’ve been using my Cellink B battery pack for 6 years in one car and connected via 12V cigarette port. Parking mode on 24/7 with extreme sensitivity aka birds trigger and car vibrations, never had an issue. My BlackVue battery is setup same way and has been going for 4 years on another car.

Im not a big fan of tapping into the power for the camera or the battery, prefer the cig lighter and run the cables through the car material.