Tapping Into Fuse Panel Question

There are some instructions for adding a Dash Camera to the i3 online. They show tapping into a 'power distribution box Z13', then adding fuses for those 'taps' in the fuse panel.

First, any idea where the power box is, and how to access it?

Second, couldn't you just use fuse-taps to connect directly to the fuse panel where indicated, and not even mess with tapping into the power box ?

View attachment Plug & Play.png

Looks to me like the "power box' they're referring to is just the back side of the fuse block. They're reverse images of each other.

I'm supposing BMW went this route to keep a cleaner "OE" look to a dash cam installation, without a wire hanging off of a fuse tap.

But for the garage installation, you're right, a quick fuse tap with the wiring hanging off the front side will accomplish exactly the same thing.

Hello the documentation is

https://g30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1600623

at the bottom there is a install for I3 and I8
look for :
i vehicle Installation Instructions: Attachment 2024296

this is the original kit with fuse and terminals
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264298215467?ul_noapp=true

good luck please share your findings, I will be getting the bmw camera and kit as well.

this is the original kit with fuse and terminals

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You will likely need to add an ATO fuse to the kit, as it appears to be for an ICE BMW install, with only two mini fuses. The i3 install uses one mini and one ATO fuse.

Haven't made a final decision on installing the Advanced Eye 2. It has the advantage of being designed to not pull down the BMW's small battery significantly when monitoring in 'Park' mode, using lower power-drawing radar (and timed off) for motion detection in park, but video resolution-wise, and App-control wise, reviews peg it somewhat low compared to other systems, and it is not exactly 'stealthy' looking installed

The only other system with low-power radar in park mode a quick search turns up is the Thinkware U1000 - which runs $600+, quite a bit more than the BMW system, and the Thinkware radar is an add-on piece, which means something else to glue on and clutter up the windshield with.

This is how my dashcam is connected https://www.dropbox.com/s/x0dbns05osml4l9/2018-11-09%2019.42.18.jpg?dl=0

This is how my dashcam is connected

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Which camera are you using? How do you like it?

I have Aukey https://amzn.to/2McKcYN Chose it mainly for the form factor- it seats almost flat against the glass and doesn't interfere with the sunshade. It is small and unobtrusive, but if it will die, I'll replace it with Apeman https://amzn.to/2MhifPt It is hard to tell from the Amazon pictures, but Apeman is larger. It has convenient buttons, a screen you can actually see and WiFi.

gt1 said:

This is how my dashcam is connected https://www.dropbox.com/s/x0dbns05osml4l9/2018-11-09%2019.42.18.jpg?dl=0

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That is the same way I did it, with a "piggyback" , I just soldered the wires togheter and taped them with cloathtape from
3M. It just looks like oem and is clean enough for something you do not see. For easy acces I removed the glovebox and took
that opportunity to install al my wires for the Coyote charging station.

For easy access I removed the glove-box

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Good idea! Does the glove-box just come out in one piece - I assume the screws holding it in are behind the 5 black plastic disks?

Not answering your direction question but I did consider tapping into the fuse box for my dash cam too but ultimately went with the OBDII reader connection and it's worked out well. I do recommend it for those that aren't as handy with electronics like myself. Just plugs in like it would a cigarette lighter. The OBDII reader cable I have is supposed to have a button that allows you to operate it on parking mode so that the camera stays on and also to toggle it off so that it's completely off and saves battery. However, it doesn't work and I've tried 2 of them from different companies. So i manually have to pull the cable off when I park in a place where I'm not too worried about an incident.

FYI, if you drain your battery, it's not as easy as calling AAA. They won't do it. They don't know how, they don't have the right size and also the BMW i3 battery requires registration which can only be done by BMW or an authorized place which would still charge you about $250 from what I hear to register it.