Which fuse is always on on Camry 2000?

Question

I want to install parking mode dashcam. Per instruction, the ACC wire will tap to ignition fuse. So I'm going to tap to the IGN 5A, correct? Another wire will tap to always on fuse. Are you able to tell from the 2 pictures which fuse is always on? I suspect the empty slot above the Power Outlet 15A, but have no tool to detect voltage. Can I just go ahead and tap to this fuse, will this damage anything? Side question, my car has 2 cigarette sockets, no power outlet. Why is there a power outlet fuse?

Answer 1

I can't tell you for sure which fuses will provide you "always on" power, but I can help you figure it out.

It may well be that the "Power Outlet" fuse is always on, so it is probably the best place to start. You don't need a multimeter to figure it out (thought that would be your best best). All you need is something which will react to the power. If you can attach a 12v device to the fuse and it turns on (shows signs of life) when the vehicle is turned off, that'd be an indicator. Whatever you chose may need to be modified (ie: stripped wires so you can probe on the fuses), so you don't want to use anything you can't live without. I personally could find 1/2 a dozen things which I could use besides a multimeter to figure out which ones are live. Ground the grounded wire, then probe with the other.

The 2nd thing you need to figure out is which side of the fuse is actually live. The fuse is just a conduit. The circuit which the fuse sits in provides power on one side, then goes out to the accessory which it is powering on the other. You want to tap the power side, then have a separate fuse for what you're powering. This way you should be overpowering the fuse which is there and you are still protecting the dashcam at the same time.

If you can't find a fuse in the fuse block which is always on (not likely, but possible), you may need to run a wire directly from the battery or tap off of one of the fuses in the underhood fuse location.