Will a dash camera drain my vehicle battery?Updated 6 days ago

The short answer is maybe, but it depends on your vehicle usage habits and how your dash cam is set up.

Ignition power only = NO

If the camera is installed and connected to an ignition circuit for main power, the dash camera will never drain your battery.

Pros: You will never have a dead battery

Cons: You will not have parking mode recording capability

Constant power only = YES

If the dash camera is installed and connected to a constant power (always on) circuit for main power, the dash camera will drain your battery, BUT there are things you can do to prevent this from happening.

Pros: Parking mode video recording will be available to you, because the camera is always on

Cons: You risk draining your vehicle battery (or accelerating wear and tear) if you don't use a battery protection device.

Hardwired with Battery Protection = MAYBE

If the dash camera is installed and connected to a constant power (always on) circuit for main power AND an ignition circuit to tell it when the vehicle is running, you will have a lower chance of draining your vehicle battery, BUT it could still happen.

Pros: You generally won't have to worry about a dead battery if your vehicle is driven regularly, as the camera will automatically shut off if the battery voltage is low or after a certain amount of time.

Cons: You still risk draining your vehicle battery (or accelerating wear and tear) if you let it sit for a prolonged period, as the battery is still inherently consumed by native vehicle systems like the clock and security system which typically lack battery protection, and having the dash cam will give those systems less battery capacity to work with.

With a battery pack = NO

If the dash camera is installed and connected to a battery pack, the dash camera will never drain your battery.

Pros: You will never have a dead vehicle battery and will be able to take advantage of all features of any dash camera, including parking mode.

Cons: You will need to make the investment in a battery pack, as well as installation for that, which adds to the overall cost of adding a dash camera to your vehicle.

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