Using the Constant Power Cable with a Garmin Dash Cam

The Constant Power Cable will plug into a vehicle's OBD-II port to provide constant power to up to two compatible Garmin Dash Cams. This will provide power to the Garmin Dash Cams for a time you specify even when the vehicle is parked and turned off. It can also be used with the Parking Guard feature on compatible dash cameras to provide more customization options for monitoring your vehicle.

See the image below for an example of what the OBD-II port looks like. This is only a sample picture. Consult your vehicle owner's manual for the location of your OBD-II port.

The Constant Power Cable is Compatible With Most Passenger Vehicles

• Not compatible with commercial vehicles with a J1939 connector
• Compatible with Voltage input from 12 to 16 V
  • Not compatible with 24 V systems

The Constant Power Cable has a Time Switch to Set the Length of Time the Cable Continues to Supply Power After you Exit the Vehicle

• The time on the Constant Power Cable is set by a physical switch located on the part that connects to the OBD-II port

• Select the 10 minute option if you want the Garmin Dash Cam to turn off after that time and remain off until the Constant Power Cable detects disturbance.
  
• Select the 24 hours or Always On option if you want the Garmin Dash Cam to operate continuously while the vehicle is parked.
• This timer restarts whenever impact or physical motion is detected.
  • Examples include: someone bumps the vehicle, opening/closing the vehicle door, vehicle is being driven, strong winds.
• The timer will also restart if it detects the engine is running.
  • Not all vehicles support this feature.

The Constant Power Cable Will Protect the Battery by Shutting Down After 10 Minutes if it Detects the Battery is Low (Less Than 12V)

• The Constant Power Cable will not turn back on until the power levels are restored.
• Starting the vehicle and allowing it to charge the battery for a few minutes should help restore power to the Constant Power Cable.

Understanding The LED Activity Status on the Constant Power Cable

• Red - The Constant Power Cable is supplying power to the connected dash cam or navigation devices.
• Flashing Red - The timer has expired, and the Constant Power Cable is no longer supplying power to the connected dash cam or navigation devices.
• Off - The Constant Power Cable is receiving less than 12 V of power. The low battery protection feature turns off the Constant Power cable to protect the vehicle battery.

See the Detailed Video Below for Instructions to Install the Constant Power Cable

Using the Constant Power Cable with the Parking Guard Feature on a Compatible Garmin Dash Cam

The Parking Guard feature is not available on all Garmin Dash Cam models. See Differences Between Models in the Dash Cam Series to check compatibility.

See the detailed video below for info on using the Parking Guard feature with the Constant Power Cable.

• The Constant Power Cable has a time switch to set the length of time the cable continues to supply power after you exit the vehicle.
  • Select the 10 minute option if you want the Garmin Dash Cam to turn off after that time and remain off until the Constant Power Cable detects disturbance.
  • Select the 24 hours or Always On option if you want the Garmin Dash Cam to operate continuously while the vehicle is parked.
• The Parking Guard feature has an Auto Start setting to set the amount of time the vehicle must remain still before Parking Guard activates.
  • The options are 3 minutes, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes (Default is 5 minutes).
• The Parking Guard feature has a Monitoring Time setting to set the amount of time the Parking Guard feature remains active.
  • The options are Always On, 24 hours, 12 hours, 8 hours, 4 hours, or 2 hours (Default is 8 hours).
• The Parking Guard feature has a Record Before Incident (Pre-Buffered Video) setting to set the device to save recorded video 15 seconds before incidents are detected.
  • You must connect your Garmin Dash Cam to a constant power source to use this option.

Example Setting Combinations You Can Use to Customize the Constant Power Cable and Parking Guard:

• Low amount of power usage
  • Set the Constant Power Cable switch to 10 minutes
  • Leave the Parking Guard Auto Start setting at 5 minutes
  • Camera would stay at full power for 5 minutes, then switch to Parking Guard. Vehicle would only be monitored for 5 minutes in Parking Guard.
• Balance energy use while monitoring
  • Set the Constant Power Cable switch to 24 hours
  • Adjust the Parking Guard Monitoring Time setting as needed
  • Do not enable Record Before Incident
• Maximize monitoring capabilities
  • Set the Constant Power Cable switch to Always On
  • Set the Parking Guard Monitoring Time setting to Always On
  • Turn on the Parking Guard Record Before Incident setting