Hi folks,
Does anyone know where I can pick up a permanent 12V inside the car - ideally a fuse in the footwell. I’ve done a fair bit of searching, found plenty of info on switched 12V but nothing on permanent 12V.
I’m happy enough to investigate with a multimeter, I am hoping for some pointers for a neat job and to save time.
Anyone got any experience?
Thanks 
What about the interior light? Pretty sure that has power to it all the time.
Yes.
That comes from the Room fuse and is very convenient for 12V up behind the mirror, but you’ll need to find a ground point. There might almost be room behind the headlining for the 12V-5V converter box.
I used one of these as my camera had a long usb lead in the box
You can also get them on Amazon with two USB outlets which is useful for an extra charge socket for phone etc.
Between £5 and £8
Cheap as chips, as they say.
My Garmin 12v permanent supply is sourced from the interior light.
The switched 12v supply from the bottom left fuse panel.
If you spend a few minutes taking the sun visor and other trim off you can hide all the wires nicely. 
There is a 12v permanent in the passenger footwell fuse panel. Check with multimeter and piggyback the same as switched live.
Thanks, that’s what I was hoping to hear. Picking it up from the interior light is fine, but I would rather wire the power connections at the fuse box if possible, and just run the 5V USB cable to the camera.
Thanks everyone 
Mine was a garmin mini. There is room for the 12-5v usb supply on the right hand side. Ground terminal to body close by.
Even better, that’s exactly what I’m installing! Good to know that box will fit and earth is nearby
Do you know which one? As I thought I had gone through them all.
Mine is the mini too.
Switched I piggybacked fuse 1 acc 7.5a
Permanent was fuse 11 which is 20a power door locks
Thanks will look at that.
Hi,
Can you confirm that Parking Mode works for you with the permanent 12V taken from the fuse box?
I used a piggy back fuse in location 10 in the diagram below - as I had measured 12V here with no keys in ignition. However, I have just discovered that the 12V at this fuse disappears when the vehicle is locked!
I have re-read you post and noted you referred to ‘fuse 9’ Did you pickup the the permanent 12V from fuse ‘9’ in the diagram below? Or, the 9th fuse from the top which would be fuse ‘11’ in the diagram below.
It’s cold and dark now, but I’m just hoping for some confidence that it is possible to pick up 12V for parking mode from fuse box. Thanks
Sorry for the confusion it’s the 9th one down which is fuse 11
I’ve edited my reply in the previous post to avoid confusion.
Cheers,
Brilliant! And the parking mode works? If so that’s perfect!
Swapping the fuse is no problem. I was afraid I was going to dismantle the car again.
Hi all,
I’ve tried a piggy back fuse in fuse 11. But still no joy. The camera seems to work as intended, and parking mode activates when I turn off ignition. But - when I lock the car the the parking mode turns off!
I’m guessing there is enough of a voltage drop to reset camera when doors are locked?
Any thoughts? Has anyone got the Parking Mode working on a Garmin Mini in their Five?
Help 
I guess you have double checked that nothing gets recorded whilst in parking mode?
i.e walking about or whatever in front of it?
That the app has nothing recorded saved?
You have the Blue Garmin DRIVE App installed? (Comes up as DC Mini).
(As in my other car I have a garmin dash cam that uses a different garmin app, i.e the red one garmin VIRB).
As I have already said.
I researched all those fuses (in mine) MK 3.75 2013 Sport Tech and couldn’t find a permanent live 12v feed with the ignition off and locked.
Hence, why I went and connected it to the live 12v feed from the interior light.
Cut the wire and soldered the garmin wire back in and insulated it all, job done forever.
Garmin mini and mine works a treat.
(I am not saying fuse 11 does not work in other cars as I don’t know).
Hope this helps.
Can’t be much help.mine works fine with flashing red led for standby and solid red when recording in parking mode with doors locked. I used the garmin parking mode accessory cable purchased seperately and powered from fuse 11.
Hi,
Yep, I’ve checked it works, I have the app and parking mode cable. I was testing every step of the way before putting everything back in place. I all works fine until I lock the car with the remote. When sitting in the car and locking door manually it all works as I should. I suspect that the 12V not supplied when the alarm is armed - I’ll have to test this.
I’m coming round to the conclusion that I’ll have to pick up the 12V from the interior light, but that’s a job for another day. I’ll live without the parking mode for now. Gutted, because when I was testing it, it was pretty cool.
Thanks for your help.
It doesn’t take long just to unscrew the bits and pull the trim bits off.
It was easier than I initially thought for once in my life.
