I decided to get a dash cam and wanted to do a clean installation in my '98 coupe. I mounted the dash cam to the window with a suction cup base behind the right side of the rearview mirror. I thought about pulling power from the overhead courtesy light/Homelink housing but the camera is powered by a 5 volt USB connector and I didn't think there'd be room for a power adapter in there. Instead, I ran the USB cable from the passenger side fuse box up the A pillar and under the headliner. Doing this was incredibly easy! The A pillar cover snaps off easily without tools and there are already clips in the pillar for holding the cable. I pushed a piece of stiff wire through an opening at the front of the pillar into the fuse box and taped the USB (right angle mini) to the wire to pull it up into the pillar. I plugged the connector into the camera and then pushed the cable under the front edge of the headliner working it with a plastic tool - a credit card would work just as well. I secured the cable in the existing clips in the pillar and snapped the cover back on. The whole process to that point took less than 15 minutes. The end of the cable now in the fuse box has a typical car charger type lighter plug. I had a car lighter socket on hand and found that there was enough room in the fuse box area to accommodate it with the adapter plugged in. Using an ATM fuse tap (see photos) I pulled power from the top left "Radio Telephone" fuse which is otherwise unused. There's a bare metal bracket in the fuse box that I used for the ground connection. There was even room to coil and secure the extra length of cable.

Passenger side fuse box

 

Yep I agree https://www.jaguarforum.com/showthre...l=1#post858012

 

Great instructions @brobrin @frankc.

I'm about to do the same in my own XK8 Coupe (2000). Will definitely look to run a hard power line to the passenger side fuse box as you have done.

@brobin Is your method always switched on or does it only come on with ignition on?

 

The fuse I used is switched so as not to drain the battery or continuously record while parked. The camera I used had an impact sensor and would record from its internal battery of the car was hit.

 

Excellent. Thanks again.

I will use your guide to install my own dash cam.

Oh also, i take it that the yellow coloured sheathed wire is your ground from the power socket right?

Best regards,
John

 

If you dismantle the cigar lighter power adaptors that these things come with, you will find a small circuit board inside. Make the 12v connection direct to the circuit board, wrap it in insulation tape and you will have a power supply small enough to fit inside the overhead console, or any other small space. You can use the garage door opener 12v connections in the overhead console, but I don't think they are ignition switched.

 

The ground connection isn't shown in the pic. IIRC, it's behind the socket. I no longer have the car so I can't check. To clarify my earlier answer, the fuse I used is only on when the key is turned.