The short answer is no. A couple factors is, how you install it, and how you set the dash camera up. If you have a dash camera without low battery protection, and you do not drive your vehicle regularly. As a result, there is a good chance you will kill your battery. We do not want your car battery to die from a dashcam. So, Dash cameras sold at Safe Drive Solutions all have low battery protection. We recommend setting this for 12 volts or higher to protect your battery. For this common question about dash cams, we provide an example below.
Once I had a client say the dash camera killed their battery. After investigating we found out they had been leaving their interior light on for quite a few weeks. There is lots of factors that can kill your vehicles battery, for example leaving an accessory plugged into your cigarette lighter all night. However, getting a bad cell in your battery or leaving the interior light on all night is more common. These types of things happen but getting a dash cam with low battery protection you should be fine. If you are still worried get a backup battery for your dash cam.
The main goal is we do not want your car battery to die from the dashcam. We do everything we can during installation to educate our clients and give recommendations to avoid these challenges.
Being an employee of Safe Drive Solutions requires a lot of travel. One day you are in Chilliwack and next day you are in North Vancouver. Picking the correct dash cam upgrade for my Kia Soul was crucial. Because when you’re traveling frequently there is always a chance of catching an incident on camera. Protecting myself while driving is important, that is why I selected the IROAD X11 dash cam.
IROAD X11 Dash Camera
I chose the IROAD X11 dash cam upgrade for my kia soul specifically for its 310 degrees of total coverage. The front camera is 2K, night vision, detects motion, impacts, and has a wide-angle view of 155 degrees. Comparing recording time of the IROAD X11 to Thinkware U1000, when using a 128GB SD card. The U1000 gets 4.5 hours of continuous record time while the X11 gets 11 hours. This is due to IROAD proprietary software. Food for thought if you put the X11 dash camera into Time Lapse mode 100% of the time at 1 frame per second you would get up to 64 hours of record time.
Android & Apple Wifi App
The IROAD dash camera supports apple and android Wi-Fi app. I can merely use either device, login into the unit and download videos directly to my phone. This makes it easy to share videos with friends, family, social media or even YOUTUBE. You can also change any of the many settings this dash camera has.
High Temperature Protection
In BC over the summer record high temperatures were set over 46 degrees Celsius. Have you ever touched the windshield of your vehicle during these heat waves? Trust me it is a lot hotter than 46 degrees. Your dash camera is mounted on the windshield, so it is important to have proper protection. To keep the device running stable, IROAD protects its data against intense heat by turning it off to prevent overheating. They also use an all-glass lens to prevent warping.
Car Insurance
The #1 question ICBC asks when there is an incident. Do you have the dash cam footage? It is becoming more and more popular. Some of my clients have told me that even when witnesses have shown up to testify, they push it aside and ask for dash camera footage. Therefore, we do what we do. We provide dash cameras with installation so our clients can better protect themselves.
Conclusion
Getting any dash camera, no matter what brand, is still a step in the right direction. Buying a dash camera like the IROAD X11 betters your chances with, improved detail, night vision, parking recording, and Wi-Fi app support. That is why I chose the IROAD X11 for my dash cam upgrade on my Kia.
When the weather outside is frightful…make sure you’re well-equipped to stay safe. Rain, snow, and sleet make the roads slick and slippery each winter, and too many drivers lose control when their vehicle loses traction. Fortunately, installing a dash cam is one of the best ways to prepare for driving in inclement weather. It helps encourage safe driving, reduce insurance premiums, and provide supporting evidence in situations when you’re at a higher risk of getting into an accident or collision.
This winter, make sure you have your dash cam installed (and gift one to your friends and family for the holidays). Here are all the benefits you need to know.
Winter weather creates dangerous situations
The winter months don’t offer stress-free driving. You’ll likely encounter all of the following:
Black ice: A type of ice that is totally transparent and undetectable because it camouflages with the road. If you encounter black ice, you’re in danger of sliding off the road or into other cars that have already collided. To avoid damage, don’t brake hard and steer as smoothly as possible. Most of all, stay calm and be careful near areas where black ice is common (often bridges and below overpasses).
Lack of visibility: Winter weather conditions can impair your vision behind the wheel. Do your best to keep your windshield defrosted and clear from winter road residue. Antifreeze window washer fluid is particularly helpful in clearing off any obstructed views. Your lights should also be kept clear as well, so everyone can see your headlights, brake lights, and turn signal lights. Also, keep in mind that not everyone will do this for their own vehicle.
Braking and accelerating: In winter conditions, braking and accelerating can create hazards are the road. Instead of braking hard on slippery surfaces, pump your brakes. This will help prevent your tires from locking, keep you in full control, and help prevent you from sliding off the road. Driving more slowly will also give you more time to react.
The elements are not always kind during the wintertime. Be prepared to modify your driving style with the confidence that your dash cam can catch any incidents that do occur for insurance purposes.
Not everyone has winter tires
While you may practice precaution, not everyone has winter tires when winter weather strikes. Winter tires have superior tread patterns that are designed to have better tractions on ice and snow. They employ soft rubber compounds to enhance grip and outperform all-season tires.
Unfortunately, you can’t control everyone else on the road. You can’t make sure they drive carefully or put winter tires on their car. However, you can make sure their actions are captured on camera if they do harm you or your vehicle. This is where your dash cam comes into play. Your dash cam is set at the perfect angles to record should anything happen.
Stay safe whether you’re driving or parked
A professional-installed dash cam never stops working for you. Your dash cam technician will make sure your dash cam is installed so you’re covered whether your car is in motion or parked. This way, even if a car veers off the road and hits your car when you’re not there, you have a record of what happened.
Final thoughts
Are you looking for the perfect dash cam to prepare for the winter? Dash cam specialists at Safe Drive Solutions are here to help you prepare for the worst-case scenario. Visit here to learn more!
We want to address a lot of the common questions about dash cams. There can be lots of confusion when playing with new technology. How does it work? Do I have to do anything to it? Where does the power come from? Will it record while parked? So many questions and we are going to take some time to answer some of them.
Do Wi-Fi Enable Dash Cams Work With My Home Wi-Fi?
Often people get confused with home wi-fi cameras. Your home wi-fi cameras hook up to your home wireless network and hence do not move. Automobiles have wheels and an engine and move from point A to point B and leave any range of your home wi-fi. It may sound silly, but it can be confusing when you see wi-fi enable on a dash camera. No, it will not work on your home wi-fi.
The wi-fi enable dash cams create a wi-fi hotspot for you to pair your phone directly to it. These dash cameras will have an app you can download for Android or Apple. There will be a pairing process between your phone and the camera. In turn you can use your phone via the app to download videos, and change settings. Click Here for examples on the pairing process with Android or Iphone.
Where do you install the dash camera?
I am asked this quite often, and the best answer is, it depends on the vehicle. Every vehicle is different, and some vehicles have very big housings in the centre of your windshield. The goal is to have it as high as possible, and as close to the centre. You always want to make sure the windshield wipers cover the area where you mount it as well. If it snows and it’s not in that prime area, your dash cam will record the white snow and defeat the purpose. Below are some examples of different mounting locations.
Will My Car Battery Die from Installing a Dash Cam?
The short answer is no. A couple factors is, how you install it, and how you set the dash camera up. If you have a dash camera without low battery protection, and you do not drive your vehicle regularly. As a result, there is a good chance you will kill your battery. Dash cameras sold at Safe Drive Solutions all have low battery protection. We recommend setting this for 12 volts or higher to protect your battery. For this common question about dash cams, we provide an example below.
Once I had a client say the dash camera killed their battery. After investigating we found out they had been leaving their interior light on for quite a few weeks. There is lots of factors that can kill your vehicles battery, for example leaving an accessory plugged into your cigarette lighter all night. However, getting a bad cell in your battery or leaving the interior light on all night is more common. These types of things happen but getting a dash cam with low battery protection you should be fine. If you are still worried get a backup battery for your dash cam.
How long will my dash camera record?
This is the most common question about dash cams. In short it depends on your dash camera, video quality, and the size of memory card. Firstly, make sure you get a dash camera with a memory card. Most commonly dash cams come with 16gb or 32gb memory cards included in the box. This will give you anywhere from 1 to 4 hours of continuous recording. Secondly make sure the dash camera will support 128gb SD card or bigger.
Lets use a 1080P camera, from Thinkware for our example. If only using 1 camera and a 16gb SD card you get approximately 2 hours of continuous record time. As a result, with a 2 camera system you get 1 hour. For instance if you use a 128gb SD card you would get 16.5 hours in 1 channel and 8.25 hours in 2 channel. Below are some examples of potential record time.
What Does the GPS Antenna do?
Above all, I always recommend a GPS antenna to be added to your dash cam. So, what does this GPS antenna do. Does it secretly send signals to the astronauts in space? No, it does not, at least not that I know of. Basically, it considers the rate of speed your vehicle is travelling and shares that information with your video recordings. That way if you’re going 50km/hr it will show on your recording how fast you were going. I also get asked if you can turn this feature off? Yes, you can, not to worry. Also it will provide your location. If you were on highway 1 going 50km/hr it will show that information on the desktop software.
Some people get this confused with GPS tracking. No this is not a GPS tracking device. GPS tracking does live updates, has a sim card, and data plan subscription. The GPS antenna is used to provide information. If you get into an accident, you can prove your speed and location you were driving. This can either work for you or against you. If you’re driving 100km/hr in a 50km/hr zone, chances are you don’t want to hand that footage over. On a positive note, Thinkware Dash cameras will tell you where red light and speed cameras are located.
Will Getting a Dash Cam Installed Void My Vehicle Warranty?
No car dealer can void your warranty on your vehicle. In fact, most car dealers sublet their aftermarket accessory work to specialty retailers. So why would it be okay for them to do it? But not okay for you. Firstly, car dealers want to use their preferred vendors. Most of the time it is someone they trust. Secondly, it gives them a chance to add some profit to the sale of their car. Who doesn’t want to make more money?
There are some instances where a car dealer can void your warranty. But let’s be clear, they cannot void the warranty on your entire car. For example, you go to a specialty shop and get aftermarket fog lights installed. Two weeks after installing you find your headlight switch no longer works. Book in an appointment at your car dealer and they find the specialty shop wired in something wrong. Leaving you with a bill when you thought you had warranty. The car dealer replaces the headlight switch, and you have full warranty again.
If you get any aftermarket work done, I always recommend reaching out to that specialty shop before bringing it in to a mechanic, or car dealer. Mistakes can happen, fuses sometimes blow, after all we are human. Most professional specialty shops have technical information on your vehicle and will have limited challenges. Think twice before trusting the random guy on Kijiji, or Facebook marketplace that will do it for cash.
Conclusion
In conclusion there are many more questions to answer. We will continuously add to this blog monthly. Send us your questions about dash cams so we can answer them.
