Anyone using the Power Magic EZ with a dashcam?

[ScottNH]

I want to add a BlackVue DR900S-2CH 4K dashcam to my 2016 Allroad. Instead of connecting through the lighter socket, I wanted a more professional-looking installation. BlackVue makes a power adapter called the Power Magic EZ that combines power and parking mode into a module that plugs directly into the OBDII port. Great solution (or so I thought). After carefully running the power lead under the headliner, down the A-pillar, through the left side of the dash, and plugging into the OBDII port, I get...nothing. No power to the system. The EZ is supposed to light up (green LED) when it's powered, and I get no LED, and no power measured (voltmeter) at the tip. Figuring I got a bad one, I ordered a SECOND one, and plugged it in...nothing. I took the second EZ over to my wife's MB GLC300, and it lights right up when I plug it into the OBDII port. Back to the Allroad...nothing.

I've run VCDS and Carista through the OBDII port, so I know it's not a dead port.

Has anyone used an PM EZ on a B8.5? (Not that it should be any different than a B8). Or, anybody got any ideas why it's failing on the Audi but working on the MB (and others)?

Contacted both the retailer and BlackVue for advice. Nothing back yet.

Thanks.

[audrobotic]

Terminal 16 on the OBD port should be supplying 4A. If it’s not the fuse, then maybe the Audi battery management system is somehow fighting against the parking mode / timer settings on the device. I suppose you could fiddle with the parking mode on/off and DIP switch configurations.

[ScottNH]

Terminal 16 on the OBD port should be supplying 4A. If it’s not the fuse, then maybe the Audi battery management system is somehow fighting against the parking mode / timer settings on the device. I suppose you could fiddle with the parking mode on/off and DIP switch configurations.

Wait...there's a fuze for the OBDII port? Fascinating. I need to look into this.

I've tried it Parking Mode off and on. Maybe I can try some other settings. Thanks.

[zcspec]

Hey Scott, I cannot answer your issue directly, but was wondering, have you considered using Blackvue's B124X battery instead of the EZ? I understand the EZ's use, but the problem is, our voltage will always drop down to a point that it's useless to have the EZ. If you want parking mode to capture time lapse or incidents, I'd rather use the B124x instead. It has worked flawless for me.

Sorry my response didn't address your question, thought I'd share my recent experience with the 900S & B124x together.

[ScottNH]

Hey Scott, I cannot answer your issue directly, but was wondering, have you considered using Blackvue's B124X battery instead of the EZ? I understand the EZ's use, but the problem is, our voltage will always drop down to a point that it's useless to have the EZ. If you want parking mode to capture time lapse or incidents, I'd rather use the B124x instead. It has worked flawless for me.

Sorry my response didn't address your question, thought I'd share my recent experience with the 900S & B124x together.

Mostly because I'm looking for the easiest install, and didn't want to have to wire in a battery (and find a place for it). The EZ seemed to give me the best of both worlds (easy install and parking mode). I'm not really hard-over on parking mode; if I can't lick this EZ problem, I'm kicking around going with a MirrorTap and just wiring into the mirror, and just ditching parking mode.

The EZ problem is maddening...

[Grouch]

Mostly because I'm looking for the easiest install, and didn't want to have to wire in a battery (and find a place for it). The EZ seemed to give me the best of both worlds (easy install and parking mode). I'm not really hard-over on parking mode; if I can't lick this EZ problem, I'm kicking around going with a MirrorTap and just wiring into the mirror, and just ditching parking mode.

The EZ problem is maddening...

You could always go with the Power Magic Pro. I have that with my Blackvue setup. It's straight forward to tap it into my driver's side fusebox.

[ps2cho]

You could always go with the Power Magic Pro. I have that with my Blackvue setup. It's straight forward to tap it into my driver's side fusebox.

I did this but went to passenger fuse box. I just have it set to cut power at 12v and 12-hrs parking mode. No issues so far and it’s been 4-months

[Deep6ed]

I did this but went to passenger fuse box. I just have it set to cut power at 12v and 12-hrs parking mode. No issues so far and it’s been 4-months

I'm also using this setup and have had no issues for about a year on my TTRS.

[ScottNH]

I did this but went to passenger fuse box. I just have it set to cut power at 12v and 12-hrs parking mode. No issues so far and it’s been 4-months

If I stick with Parking Mode, I'll probably go this route, albeit hooked up on the driver's side fuse box. The damn EZ seemed so...easy, and it hid the parking mode controller. I didn't want that sticking out under the dash.

Side thought: If I use the passenger fuse box, I wonder if I can get into the glove box and mount the parking mode controller there...

I ran the rear camera lead this weekend (using tips from ps2cho's install; thanks), and am running the camera temporarily off the lighter socket until I get this sorted out. I have to say, the camera is AWESOME. I'll have to get the power situation figured out, but this camera is a keeper. I may have to get one for my daughter's A4.

[ps2cho]

Don’t make the mistake I did - get the 128GB card off the bat. I dropped car off at dealer and camera with 32GB card didn’t capture the morning. I found a day later a ding in the trunk I’m convinced the dealer did since it wasn’t there 2 days before when I took photos.

128GB at 1080p will get you about 12-14hrs front and rear.

[SIQ5]

Did you ever figure out what was going on with your OBDII port?

[Traptalk]

Why not just tap into the power mirror ?

Camera is already windshield mounted, could just mount it closer to the rear view mirror and shorten wire/cable length


Seems like running to the obd2 port creates a lot more work.

I wired my radar detector into my mirror and you see maybe about 2-3” off the cord

[TakiEZ]

Hi guys, I am having the same problem with my B9 RS5. It doesn't power up my blackvue dashcam and it used to work on my Benz W205.

Any solutions so far?

Thanks!

[ScottNH]

Sorry it took so long to get back to this.

I never solved the problem with the Power Magic EZ. I ended up hard-wiring into the fuze block, and foregoing the parking mode.

Tried everything I could think of, but couldn't get the PM EZ to work. Funny thing is it works perfectly on my A4 B7 Avant and on my wife's MB GLC300.

[Grouch]

Sorry it took so long to get back to this.

I never solved the problem with the Power Magic EZ. I ended up hard-wiring into the fuze block, and foregoing the parking mode.

Tried everything I could think of, but couldn't get the PM EZ to work. Funny thing is it works perfectly on my A4 B7 Avant and on my wife's MB GLC300.

BlackVue camera system is decent but their parking mode system blows.

[A4Law]

Sorry it took so long to get back to this.

I never solved the problem with the Power Magic EZ. I ended up hard-wiring into the fuze block, and foregoing the parking mode.

Tried everything I could think of, but couldn't get the PM EZ to work. Funny thing is it works perfectly on my A4 B7 Avant and on my wife's MB GLC300.

Your battery may have been on its way out and didn't hold enough charge when not switched on.

I recently installed a 750s with a power magic pro hardwired in on the passenger side and went to fire it up in accessory mode and it didn't turn on even though I had tested the camera prior to wiring up the power magic and knew it worked. I ended up turning the car on and the power magic and camera turned on. Checked battery voltage with OBDEleven and it turns out when not on my battery had 11.4v but it would crank fine and once on it had 14v roughly. Spent a good day just to figure out my battery is the issue. If the EZ is drawing power via the OBDII the same way it may just automatically cut off because there isn't enough charge in the battery when the car isn't on.

[ScottNH]

Your battery may have been on its way out and didn't hold enough charge when not switched on.

I recently installed a 750s with a power magic pro hardwired in on the passenger side and went to fire it up in accessory mode and it didn't turn on even though I had tested the camera prior to wiring up the power magic and knew it worked. I ended up turning the car on and the power magic and camera turned on. Checked battery voltage with OBDEleven and it turns out when not on my battery had 11.4v but it would crank fine and once on it had 14v roughly. Spent a good day just to figure out my battery is the issue. If the EZ is drawing power via the OBDII the same way it may just automatically cut off because there isn't enough charge in the battery when the car isn't on.

I don't think so. Car only had 10K miles on it when we went through this, and now 20K miles later, still on the same battery. Never a hint of a problem with it.

It was frustrating, to be sure. I'm very pleased with the DR-900S in its hard-wired mode.