If you’ve installed a dash cam, you know all too well the frustration of having to run long, cumbersome cables in your car. Yes, they can be stored behind the inner panels. But it’s a pain to clean, and you still end up wasting time running a cable from the top of the windshield to a USB outlet, 12-volt power source, or OBD port, which is almost always just a few feet away.
When I test dashcams, I usually run the wires over the passenger side sun visor, then through the door handle and to the 12 volt socket at foot level. It’s (just) clean enough, but not compatible for use on the passenger door. The alternative is to leave the instrument cable hanging inelegantly, as we’ve all seen in Ubers, where the driver has three smartphones on the dashboard.
The simplicity of it is a beautiful thing. Did you know that cars often have an anti-glare center mirror? Fog them so you’re not blinded by the lights of the vehicles following you at night? Well, this adapter shares the power from the mirror with your dashcam. That’s all. You get a short, clean cable and enough power to power a dash cam exactly where it needs to be.
how it works
You’ve probably never noticed, and I certainly haven’t, but there’s probably a wire connected to the back of your car’s rearview mirror. I know this is a general statement and does not apply to all cars.
But if you have an auto-dimming mirror, chances are you’ll see a wire there, and Donger discovered that more current flows through that wire than the mirror needs. Enough power to even use a dash cam.
Not all dash cams are compatible. I’ll talk about that later in the compatibility section. But Dongar currently sells versions of its adapter that work with a wide range of five- and 10-pin low beam mirror connectors for vehicles from BMW, Ford, Mazda, Subaru, Porsche and Toyota, among others.
The adapter essentially acts as a splitter, ensuring that enough current always flows from your car’s wiring harness to the rearview mirror, while draining enough electrons to power a dashboard. One of the three ends of the dongle plugs into the back of the mirror, one accepts the cable previously routed to the mirror and the other is a USB-A port. Donger comes with three short USB cables that provide compatibility with mini-USB, micro-USB and USB-C powered dash cams.
Since dashboard cameras are usually mounted very close to the center rearview mirror, the Dongar adapter provides a USB port right where you need it. No more cables connected to the cigarette lighter socket or USB port on the center console. And you don’t even need to pay for professional wiring if you don’t need constant power for your dashcam’s parking mode. In this case, wiring or using an OBDII cable is still the solution.
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ease
I went into this test not knowing if Dongar would work or how it was actually connected to my machine. I had never looked behind the mirror before and didn’t expect the power port to be so easily accessible. This won’t be the case on all cars, but on my 2016 Mazda Miata (or MX-5 here in the UK) the cable was there.
Since this was a small car, it was difficult to reach the back of the mirror, plug in an ethernet connector and remove the cables from the back of the mirror. It definitely took some effort, but everything turned out well. The donger adapter is then plugged into the same outlet and the cable that once ran through the mirror is now plugged into the adapter.
Then a USB-A port extends behind the mirror, so you can power your dashcam. Connect it with one of the short USB cables supplied by Dongar and mount the dashcam to the windscreen as usual.
When all is said and done, my auto-dimming mirror will still work as before and the dash cam will work as usual, but there won’t be any tangled wires or wires stuck behind the interior panels. Installation took about five minutes and works perfectly.
compatibility
Of course, Dongar is not as universal as a USB port, 12-volt outlet or a vehicle’s OBDII port. For owners of certain vehicles and certain dashboard cameras, this simply does not work. The company explains on its website which of its various adapters work with which cars. In most cases, all adapters look the same and are installed in roughly the same way. However, it is important to carefully choose the right model for your vehicle.
I tested the Dongar with two dash cams: a Nextbase Piqo and a Garmin Mini 3. Both worked perfectly, turned on and worked just as if they were connected with their own cables. I also tried some Thinkware dash cams but they didn’t work at all and then I realized the Dongar site explained this. Older Garmin dash cams (20, 45, 55 and 65 series) are also not supported, but all newer models work fine.
Of course, the adapter will not work with dash cams that use power cables with barrel connectors. The company also admits that a car’s automatic start/stop function, which shuts off the engine in traffic, can cause the dashcam to temporarily shut down. So if you don’t want to disable the stop-start function but want your car’s dash camera to always work, it might not be for you.
Of course, these are some caveats to give you an overview. But I imagine the Dongar adapter will be of great help to many drivers. The interior of my car was immediately cleaned and the dashcam setup seemed perfect. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but for many drivers it’s a great example of a company thinking outside the box.