I have this connected to a USB adapter in the power port on my '14 Limited. The camera is mounted on a HogTag collar. The problem I have is you must start the bike, then turn on the camera. Otherwise the power port either shuts down or the voltage drop during starting is too low for the camera to stay on. I've missed some good video, thinking it was on. Is there any other way to connect this thing so that it will stay on?

 

I was looking at this setup today and I'm glad i read your post. I'm looking into it now.

There are many battery eliminators that I found. They all hook into cigarette lighter sockets, or usb, like yours, and some regulate the voltage so you can wire it straight into the battery or the electrical accessory pigtail on the bike. http://www.harley-davidson.com/store...essory-adapter which comes stright off the battery or the switched accessory pigtail http://www.harley-davidson.com/store...dapter-harness which is turned on and off with the ignition. This one regulates and would work with the pigtails with a little wiring work. Pricey as hell though.
http://cam-do.com/GoProBatteryEliminator.html

The important question is whether or not the usb is turning off or the battery voltage during start cannot keep the camera on. If the battery voltage is dropping so far that the camera shuts off, then it doesn't matter where you connect it into the system. Otherwise you really need to run it off the battery or an external battery, and that doesn't seem to be workable to me. I took a usb powered fan out to my 14 SGS and it appears that it stays on during start. It's hard to hear the fan running during and engine start, and led lights powered by usb may not stay on during an engine start due to stable voltage requirements.

I'm new to these cameras and all I know is what I found online this morning.
Here is a good read that i just found concerning the hero3 and vulnerability to voltage fluctuations.
http://www.gethypoxic.com/reviews-te...r-problem.html
This leads me to suspect that the camera is the problem and not the bike.

Good luck

 

Some of those battery eliminators are pricey, and the controllers sound nice. Much too expensive for my little hobby. The battery eliminator I have came from the folks at HogTag Collar and made by Switronics. I have no specs at all on it. I will try this with several other USB power sources and see what I get.

 

I'm using the GoPro Hero 3 Black edition.

After a little experimenting, it appears the load on the battery during a start drops the voltage enough that the usb adapter drops offline long enough to shut the camera down. I checked this with two different USB adapters at both the fairing and the power port in the tour pak. I used a pigtail with a cigarette lighter socket adapted to the battery tender port (which is a direct connection to the 12v battery) and had the same results. I need a better voltmeter to check the actual drop under the load of the starter. My digital meter just won't stabilize fast enough to read it.

Aside from having to remember to turn the camera on manually after starting up, you also have to remember to stop recording before you shut the ignition OFF or you lose the recording in progress. By using the remote control or smart phone app, you could solve that problem.

If anyone has found a simple (cheap) solution, I'd like to hear it.

 

I use the GoPro wireless remote. I'd think that would be the cheapest route. I like it because I can turn the cam on/off as I want too, as well as start/stop recording and switch between video and stills, all on the go. I just used velcro to mount the remote on the inner fairing.

I haven't gotten around to getting the GoPro (also GP 3 BE) installed on my new bike yet. I'm seriously considering the Hogtag with the battery adapter since my mount from my '11 UC won't work on the '15.

 

I also have the GoPro remote wifi remote, but I don't know if it will actually turn the camera power on/off. If it will that will solve my problem. It appears to me that even with the battery eliminator, you still have to turn the camera on AFTER the engine is running.

 

Why not use the piggy back battery for the GoPro and dispense with external power ?


You can leave the camera on and unless you are recording it uses very little battery power.


As for videos, anything more than about 4 minutes loses the viewers interest anyway.

 

I've been wanting a good analog meter for a long time, just haven't gotten around to finding one. I have the same problem with the digital meters.

 

On my bike, it does turn the cam on and off. I don't know if the battery eliminator would change that, but I would't think so. There is a power button on the remote and well as the record/photo button. I turn it on and off many times a day to save the batteries.