Dash cam connection

[Aviodont]

I wanted to install a dash cam in my son’s 83 K5. It currently plugs into the cigarette lighter. However, that circuit is always ON. If he forgets to unplug the dash cam and doesn’t drive for a week or two, we worry about the battery getting a little low. Or worse, he forgets to plug it back in and it is not recording (and of course, THAT will be when he gets into an accident!)

For my wife’s 2017 Toyota Sienna, the cigarette lighter circuit only turns on when you turn the key. I wanted to do something like that for the Blazer.

Where on the ignition switch diagram below can I splice into accomplish this?

 

[SnackPack]

Instead of rewiring the cig lighter, I would just clip the plug off of the cam and wire that to the ACC circuit. I would also add an inline fuse to it.

 

[dyeager535]

No splicing. Learn yourself that rule. Don't do it. It's the lazy and ultimately frustrating way out. You'd learn when you start to have random electrical problems. Not to be a jerk, but there is no reason to cut corners when the proper way isn't much more difficult. It's certainly less difficult than eventually finding yourself stranded somewhere at night.

I know that vintage fuse panel is a bit challenged in expansion slots, but you will find a few scattered about. They are single connector terminals that take locking connectors that GM used across their divisions throughout the 80's (at least) so they are easy to find, and do correctly. Edit: I'd hit the wrecking yard, you'll find one. You'll need a selection as they are "keyed", so you'll need the right terminal to fit into the respective slot on the panel.

Wiring diagram links are in my signature below. Find the right year, check out the panel diagram, use one of those slots that is ignition switched. You should also fuse that circuit as they are powered off a 30A circuit breaker (IIRC) so the camera would fry long before it tripped.

If you have future electrical expansion plans, then the smart thing to do now is get a proper fuse panel that takes a relay (or relays) and switch the panel circuits on and off through the relay, triggered by that slot on the panel. That way you don't overload the panel circuitry and you keep all the additional circuits separate of the stuff needed to operate the vehicle.

Electrical stuff sounds hard until you start digging into it a little bit. Relays and additional circuit panels are not difficult to grasp.

 

[SnackPack]

Good advice... there should be an available ACC socket in the fuse panel. One of the plugs in this kit would fit: https://www.jegs.com/i/American+Aut...MIivOcl7X7ggMV-lJ_AB0hCgM2EAQYBCABEgK1j_D_BwE