Does the dash cam keep recording all the time?
4 Answers
Dash cams do not record continuously. They operate using the vehicle's power supply and will stop working when the car is turned off. Generally, dash cams come in two types: those with parking monitoring and those without. Dash cams without parking monitoring typically draw power from the cigarette lighter or USB port. When the vehicle is parked and the ignition is turned off, removing the key cuts off the power supply inside the car, causing the dash cam to shut down automatically. A dash cam is an instrument that records images, sounds, and other related information during vehicle operation.
It depends on the situation. When I bought my car, I specifically researched dash cam settings. Most dash cams automatically start recording when the car is started and stop when the engine is turned off. However, it's different if the parking monitoring mode is activated – the camera will automatically wake up and record for 1 minute when the car is bumped, then go back to sleep. This feature is quite practical, but you need to be mindful of battery drain. From my experience, it's best to unplug the monitoring cable if the car won't be used for an extended period, otherwise the battery may drain. Some high-end models with time-lapse recording capability can work 24/7 – they capture 1 frame per second to create continuous footage, which saves power and doesn't take up much storage space.
My car is equipped with a dual dash cam (front and rear). It has three modes: continuous recording while driving is the most basic; impact sensing mode only captures collision moments when parked; the most power-consuming is 24/7 surveillance mode. Last week, the key footage of my car being scratched in the neighborhood was captured by the impact sensing mode. It's worth noting that even with a high-capacity memory card, 24/7 recording isn't sustainable—a 128GB card can store at most 8 hours of HD video. That's why loop recording is particularly important, as new footage automatically overwrites the oldest. If parking exceeds three days, it's advisable to unplug the power to avoid draining the battery.
When purchasing a dash cam, the salesperson reminded me: The default setting only records while driving; parking recording requires additional setup. A constant power connection must use a voltage reducer to protect the battery, while a regular USB port cuts power when the engine is off. Key point: Time-lapse recording (called Parking Guard by the manufacturer) works like interval photography—24-hour monitoring actually only occupies 1 hour of storage. But remember to format the memory card monthly, or malfunctions may occur. Once I forgot to format it, and the emergency video failed to save.
