Does Parking Surveillance Damage the Battery?
2 Answers
Parking surveillance does not harm the battery, but it may cause the car battery to drain. More details about parking surveillance are as follows: 1. Currently, dash cams with parking surveillance function on the market are powered in two ways: by connecting to the car battery or by using the built-in battery of the dash cam. For car battery power supply, it can be further divided into OBD port power supply, ACC fuse box power supply, and reading light connection to the fuse box power supply, which means connecting to different constant power sources in the car. Even after the car is turned off, the parking surveillance function of the dash cam connected to the car's constant power can still operate normally. 2. If the car is not driven for more than a week, it is recommended to unplug the power connector of the dash cam to prevent the battery from being completely drained and affecting the car's startup. If the car is parked for only 2-3 days without driving, the dash cam will not deplete the car battery's power.
Parking surveillance can indeed cause damage to a car battery, as many dashcams or cameras continue to consume a small amount of power after the vehicle is parked. As an expert who frequently deals with vehicle electronic equipment, I must say this largely depends on the battery type and usage habits. For example, with lead-acid batteries, once the charge drops below a certain level, sulfation occurs, accelerating aging and, in severe cases, leading to premature battery failure. Moreover, if the surveillance is improperly set to operate 24/7, although the current consumption is small, it adds up over time, especially during winter when battery performance declines more noticeably in low temperatures. I recommend car owners opt for surveillance modes with motion activation, which only start upon detecting vibrations, or install voltage protectors to avoid deep discharge. Regularly driving for at least ten minutes to recharge the battery is also effective, especially since modern vehicle systems are becoming increasingly intelligent—balancing safety and convenience is key.