12v switched power for a dash cam? interior light may be?

[AMc]

I'm doing a road trip (East Anglia to Spain) so I thought I'd pick up a dashcam to record the journey
A: to protect against problems if there is an accident
B: to capture some video of the more entertaining roads
I'll probably keep the camera in the car most of the time, but as it's an action cam I may take it out for other things.

The camera I've got coming (SJCAM SJ4000) uses a micro USB connector for power in car cam mode.
My first thought was to run a long cable around the windscreen, under the glove box into the centre console and use a 12v USB plug in the ciggie lighter where I charge my phone.
Then it occurred to me I should be able to fit a fixed supply.  There are a few micro USB to bare wire with overload protection units on eBay but they're quite short wires, nothing like long enough to go from the ciggie lighter wiring to the rear view mirror.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a switched live in the interior light cluster or if anyone else has fitted a dashcam supply.
I'm also considering mounting the camera on the dash and running wiring up through the top heater vent.

Any ideas welcome and thanks in advance! 

[robmcclel]

Add a second 12v socket to the cig lighter wiring that you can conceal under the dash , pull out the gear sick surround and there will be 2 screws under there T20 iirc, undo them and then you'll be able to get at and connect into the live feed and neutral for the 12v socket, this is a switched feed and will only work when the ignition is on. Once you have connected you secondary 12v socket you can then plug in the stardard wire that came with the camera, then run the wires under the dash, up the A pillar and in the headlining at the top of the window to your camera.

[AMc]

Cheers for that - that was basically what I was intending to do if there isn't a switched live in the interior light cluster.
Having just read through the service manual there isn't a suitable supply up there so I'll have to send the wire around the screen and down the A pillar.  I've done this with my handsfree mic so no big deal.
http://vwts.ru/electro/g5/g5_96_eng.pdf

The camera doesn't have a dedicated car supply - it's an action cam with a car mode rather than a dedicated car cam.
So it would be simpler to buy a 12v to USB convertor something like this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-DC-Converter-Module-12V-To-5V-3A-With-USB-Output-Power-Adapter-15W-Regulator-/361087136998?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item54127874e6.

I already have a dual USB power supply in the ciggie socket so I could just be lazy and bring the wire up into the tray in front of the gear lever and plug it in - might be safer than burying eBay power convertors in the dash :)

[robmcclel]

I think you may be right, the only ones I can think you'll find up there are switched wires for the red led's that come on with the headlights and a switched wire for when the doors open, no ignition switched.

[Golf_GT_TDI]

If you have the USB supply then that's an easy temporary install to get the job done, if you're looking to keep the camera in the car more long term I would definately look at hard wiring it, the 12v USB converter you linked to are fine, sounds obvious but just make sure any connections are insulated and you install an inline fuse as close as possible to the 12v supply you're connecting it too 

Windscreen mounting gets my vote I'd try avoid mounting on the dash if you can 

[AMc]

The camera arrived today - extending that 30 day Amazon Prime is tempting when you get things in less than 24 hours :)

Checking out the various mounts and positions the dash is out.  If you were to stick the camera on the vent you get a lot of dash, the tint at the bottom of the screen and a whole lot of sky:(.
So it's got to go up by the mirror.  I've just been reading about the French and Spanish rules about screens and devices so it's important it's out of my line of sight too.

I've ordered a long micro USB lead.  I'll route that around the screen and down to the existing USB adapter plugged into the socket.  Once I've had a couple of test runs I'll look at a permanent wired solution underneath the coin tray.

[Golf_GT_TDI]

Sounds good, yeah I didn't have much luck with dash mounting a GoPro (I think headrest mounts would be better for that route) Anyway for dashcams the left side of rear view mirror is where most including myself have gone for, you'll have to play around getting it point to the right percentage of dash/sky for the camera and then try some driving in light and dark conditions.
All the best for the road trip 

[mb]

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,87776.15.html

[AMc]

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,87776.15.html

Wasn't aware of the piggyback fuse holders - looks like a neat way to get the power to the device without messing with any other wiring.
Getting down to the fuse box on the MK5 is easier than all the way to the centre console too.

[robmcclel]

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,87776.15.html

Wasn't aware of the piggyback fuse holders - looks like a neat way to get the power to the device without messing with any other wiring.
Getting down to the fuse box on the MK5 is easier than all the way to the centre console too.

Only problem with that is it will be a permanent live iirc, you'll have to remember to switch your camera off to stop it draining the battery.

[AMc]

In that link they refer to "I connected the piggy back fuse holder to a spare switched fuse way and fitted a 2A fuse".

So I assume there is a spare switched live fuse (in that car at least)?  I haven't investigated my own fuses to see what's in there and what's blank but my car wasn't over blessed with extras so it should be pretty simple to check.
The camera has a car mode where it begins recording as soon as it sees power at the micro USB port and shuts down when the power goes off so a switched live is very useful.

I can't work out how to share pictures here but I posted some up in another forum.  It shows how the camera is mounted in the car - just waiting for a long USB lead to sort out the wiring, then perhaps look at a permanent switched feed.
https://www.avforums.com/threads/dash-cams.1673771/page-17#post-22347872

[robmcclel]

Ahh there may be then, have to have a dig around and see if you can find it, would be handy if there is.

To add pictures on here you have to use an image hosting site like photobucket for example and copy the IMG link into your post and it will add the picture.

[AMc]

To add pictures on here you have to use an image hosting site like photobucket for example and copy the IMG link into your post and it will add the picture.

Thought so - I don't have one of those and I'm trying to cut down on the number of random accounts I have spread across the internet ;)

[mb]

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,87776.15.html

Wasn't aware of the piggyback fuse holders - looks like a neat way to get the power to the device without messing with any other wiring.
Getting down to the fuse box on the MK5 is easier than all the way to the centre console too.

Only problem with that is it will be a permanent live iirc, you'll have to remember to switch your camera off to stop it draining the battery.

It was a spare switched fuse way that I used

[AMc]

My 3 metre USB> right angle Micro USB lead arrived today so I've run it around the screen.  Annoyingly the lead is right angled the wrong way so points down not up but it's still OK.  Worth knowing that 3m is generous for the centre console, if you were only going to the fuse box 2m should be OK.

I cable tied it to the rear view mirror support then tucked it under the edge of the headlining across the top of the windscreen.  Thanks @mb for pointing out how to detach the A pillar trim properly in your "how to".  I have already run a microphone cable down the driver's side but just by tucking it in as I couldn't work out how to release the trim.  The "Airbag" screw cover is a bit tricky to detach but came in the end by pushing with a trim tool on the right edge then getting another under the bottom.

I ran the cable down the A pillar and tidied up the mic wire so neither obstruct the airbag.  Judging by the strength of the clips holding the trim if the bag goes off then I doubt a puny wire will get in the way.  Still no sense in being slap dash so I cable tied the wires to the mounting points for the trim as there are handy holes there which hold a loom on the passenger side. 
As I don't have a piggy back fuse or a 12v to 5V step down transformer to hand now I ran the lead into the tray in front of the gear stick - down through the side where the fuse box, pass it under the steering wheel where you can get your hand underneath.
I popped out the head unit to get the wire across to the centre console then finally down under the tray - popping the gator off the gear stick to get access and then undoing the two torx holding the tray in place.  I didn't bother disconnecting the switches or cigar lighter as you can just reach under them.

I already have a 3.5mm jack connected to the headunit coming out on one side and an iPod lead coming through on the other side so the USB lead went up on the right without any drama in the existing notches I'd cut in the tray.
At the moment it's just plugged into the 2 way USB supply I have in the cigar socket for phone charging.  If this gets boring it will be a pretty simple job to run the wire back to the fuse box and set up a permanent supply but at the moment I can't see a problem.

Interesting comparing @mb fuse box and mine - I don't have any fuses in the second row which you used - in general I have fewer fuses. is that a MK6 or MK5?

@on the SJCAM SJ4000 is basically a GoPro clone so if you were looking to screen mount then the same set up would presumably work for your cam too if you have the same mounts available.  Failing that they should be pretty cheap on FleaBay given my camera only cost £60 with all the mounts included?

Oh and a final note - the SJ4000 came "fulfilled by Amazon" from a seller called Mini Kitty.  There are lots of clones of this camera around which aren't as good - as best I can tell this is a legit SJCAM one so worth checking that when purchasing.