12 volt outlets/sockets

[wyounger]

Can anyone tell me exactly where there are or aren't 12 volt outlets in the i3? During my test drive, I remember seeing one in the center console. Is there one on the dashboard, though? I have had a dash cam running nonstop during my driving for the last two years or so and am trying to figure out how/where I will install it in my i3 when it's delivered.

 

[agj]

Can anyone tell me exactly where there are or aren't 12 volt outlets in the i3? During my test drive, I remember seeing one in the center console. Is there one on the dashboard, though? I have had a dash cam running nonstop during my driving for the last two years or so and am trying to figure out how/where I will install it in my i3 when it's delivered.

There are 3 12 volt outlets :
One under the armrest

One under the dashboard

A third one in the trunk

The third one may be dependent on the trim, I'm not sure. But I guess it is to far from the dash cam anyway

 

[wyounger]

Phew! Thanks. I was afraid that with everything else BMW decided to be crazy about with this car, that there would be no socket on the dash. I can just see them saying "well, there is standard navigation, zee customer does not need socket on the dash".

Now I just have to figure out where to mount the cam and tuck the cord to make it semi-stealth... without making a huge project out of wiring in an accessory into a leased car.

 

[noakey]

Can anyone tell me exactly where there are or aren't 12 volt outlets in the i3? During my test drive, I remember seeing one in the center console. Is there one on the dashboard, though? I have had a dash cam running nonstop during my driving for the last two years or so and am trying to figure out how/where I will install it in my i3 when it's delivered.

Hi wyounger

I too run a dash cam 100% of driving time... I think it invaluable and I have filmed several close calls between other drivers. I don't understand why manufacturers don't install dash cams as it must have an insurance benefit. From the pics, it looks like I will be using the 12Vdc from under the dash, and somehow route my cable as tidy as possible. My i3 is due 7 May so rest assured I will be busy filling it with all my gadgets.

 

[Gonville]

I too run a dash cam 100% of driving time... I think it invaluable and I have filmed several close calls between other drivers.

Any recommendations for dash cams - front/rear? I have just had one too many incidents with people on the M1 lately.

 

[wyounger]

noakey, please update us on how your install goes. My delivery is scheduled for mid-July so you will have this all figured out by the time I start.

Gonville, I did my shopping long enough ago that my knowledge is probably mostly obsolete. But if you read up at http://dashcamtalk.com/category/dashcamreviews/ like I did you will probably be satisfied. I have one of the many, many variants of the GS1000- http://dashcamtalk.com/gs1000/ is a discussion of those specifically. Don't be afraid to order yours from a (reputable) Chinese eBay seller. I found retail prices in the US for the few dash cams available through retail channels here to be ridiculously high and ended up being totally satisfied by a direct-from-China transaction, which no doubt cut out loads of middlemen.

P.S. edited in: I've seen enough dash cam footage to be clear that you will not get acceptable rear-facing results from a cam mounted on the front windshield/windscreen. That setup gets you lots of footage of how you and your passengers look; the view to the outside of the car is nearly useless (too small). If rear-facing is important, either get a second unit and mount it in the rear, or get one of the rare units that has a connector for an auxiliary camera and wire that to the rear. Given the power outlet in the rear of the i3, I'd just get a second freestanding unit and mount it in the rear to operate independently.

Do the power sockets in the i3 turn on and off with driving or do they stay on all the time? Hopefully they turn on and off- makes for a much easier life to not worry about cameras running down your 12 volt battery. Good cameras have an internal battery that keeps them going for a few minutes after power loss, so you won't stop recording in an accident because of a loss of 12 volt power.

 

[DeJay58]

I hope it does keep on because I want my camera keep filming when I am parking! Therfore I have the Aiptek X3 that only films when there is a movement...

 

[Gonville]

If rear-facing is important, either get a second unit and mount it in the rear, or get one of the rare units that has a connector for an auxiliary camera and wire that to the rear. Given the power outlet in the rear of the i3, I'd just get a second freestanding unit and mount it in the rear to operate independently.

Thanks for the pointers - I guess something like this with 2 'heads' might solve that problem.

 

[agj]

Do the power sockets in the i3 turn on and off with driving or do they stay on all the time?

Ok. The answer is that when you turn the car off and lock the doors, the juice stays on for half a minute or so and then it turns off.

 

[user 3085]

You can use the OBD2 port which you can find just above your left toe when the foot is resting while driving. Between pin 4 and 16 you have continuous power. Buy a connector from Ebay, Aliexpress etc. To connect dashcam with electronics that are included in the 12V cigarette plug, you'll need a female cigarette plug also.

Connect the female cigarette with the OBD2. Easy peasy with a solding gun. Plug the cigarette connector of the camera into the female socket and tuck everything away. This way you don't need to occupy any 12V outlets. The OBD2 connector is there only because of outdated regulations. On an EV car they are never used as there ain't no diagnostics available through them, as would be the fact in an ICE car.

 

[alohart]

You can use the OBD2 port which you can find just above your left toe when the foot is resting while driving. Between pin 4 and 16 you have continuous power. Buy a connector from Ebay, Aliexpress etc. To connect dash cam with electronics that are included in the 12V cigarette plug, you'll need a female cigarette plug also.

Many have reported that plugging into the OBD2 port results in the burglar alarm sounding when the car is turned off. Does your method avoid this problem?

The OBD2 connector is there only because of outdated regulations. On an EV car they are never used as there ain't no diagnostics available through them, as would be the fact in an ICE car.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty certain that diagnostic trouble codes (DTC's) are read and cleared by connecting an OBD2 reader to the ODB2 port just as with ICE cars. It's true that all ICE-related DTC's don't exist on i3 BEV's but many of them do exist on i3 REx's. So I think the OBD2 port is still crucial in diagnosing i3 problems.

 

[CanisLupus]

[Do the power sockets in the i3 turn on and off with driving or do they stay on all the time? Hopefully they turn on and off- makes for a much easier life to not worry about cameras running down your 12 Volt battery. Good cameras have an internal battery that keeps them going for a few minutes after power loss, so you won't stop recording in an accident because of a loss of 12 Volt power.quote]

Although the Manual Documentation suggests that power to , at least , the "Lighter" socket should turn off without Drive Readiness or Operational Readiness , my experience is that it does not turn off .

If anyone knows that this can be changed by a setting in any way , please let me know . I'm using an old iPod as an option for my music sources . Thanks in advance .

 

[MikeS]

The 12v ‘cigarette” socket under the centre of the dash definitely turns off in the UK as I have my camera in that one.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Like many things in the car...they do not go to sleep immediately when you turn off the car...but, they do turn off after a delay of about 10-15 minutes (don't remember the exact timing). Locking the car from outside short-circuits that timer, and shuts things down when you lock it.

 

[scheumanrj]

Like many things in the car...they do not go to sleep immediately when you turn off the car...but, they do turn off after a delay of about 10-15 minutes (don't remember the exact timing). Locking the car from outside short-circuits that timer, and shuts things down when you lock it.

I'm new to the i3 (just bought a 2014 i3 Rex) and to this forum. I'd like it if the 12 v charging ports would shut off after the i3 is shut off but from my testing so far, neither the center counsel port, nor the port under the dash shut off when you shut off the car. Even after getting out of the car and locking it with the FOB, the ports stay on (active). I've left it for 5 mins or so and come back and it is still powered. I'm in the US so maybe this is different for US vs. UK models?

Is there a setting to get them to power on and off with the car (e.g. with the "Ready" state)?

 

[jadnashuanh]

I think you'll find that the timeout is closer to 10-minutes verses 5...try it for a bit longer.

 

[chrisbinsb]

New to the forum and don't have an i3 yet - we are likely to be getting on in the next week or two if all goes ,well.

This thread got me wondering about the front camera that comes installed in the car - is there anyway to access the video from that maybe via coding? Seems a shame to have it and not be able to access it.

 

[alohart]

is there anyway to access the video from that maybe via coding? Seems a shame to have it and not be able to access it.

Many i3 owners have asked about this, but I haven't read about anyone doing this. The camera is reported monochrome with VGA resolution, so the quality isn't very good.

 

[chrisbinsb]

is there anyway to access the video from that maybe via coding? Seems a shame to have it and not be able to access it.

Many i3 owners have asked about this, but I haven't read about anyone doing this. The camera is reported monochrome with VGA resolution, so the quality isn't very good.

interesting, thanks