How To Connect Your Innovv Camera Power Supply to a HEX ezCAN
Lights, Camera... ezCAN!
Estimated Installation Time: 2 hours
Estimated ezCAN Software Setup Time: 5min
Total Time: 2 hours (for complete installation)
Number of Espressos Required: 4
The HEX ezCAN is more than just an accessory manager, it is versatile and flexible too!
When it comes to motorcycle dash camera systems, you would be doing yourself no favours if you did not consider one of the Innovv systems. There’s a reason they are known as the best motorcycle dash cam.
I purchased a K2 a while ago from Innovv UK and decided that I should be able to power it from my HEX ezCAN. Although I am using a K2 in this blog, you can replicate this method on Innovv’s K3 and K5 models.
Getting to know your Innovv Power Supply
The Innovv power supply has 3 wires:
- Red
- Black
- and Yellow
The red and black wires power the device and should be connected to the battery. The yellow trigger wire should be connected to a switched power source, this essentially provides the Innovv power supply with the motorcycle’s ignition state.
The difficult part - making the connection
Here we can see what we are working with.
- The Power Supply
with its Red and Black power wires and the Yellow trigger wire
- The 3-pin ezCAN stub connector
which comes bundled with the HEX ezCAN.
TOP TIP 1: Solder Shrinking Tube.
I prefer using the solder shrink tubing- it makes good contact, and seals either end with a water tight seal. These are readily available and useful to have in your toolbox if you plan to do any wiring that is not intended as a temporary stopgap. The water tight seals and the strain relief are key!
I have linked my favourite Solder Shrinking Tube here.
TOP TIP 2: Correct sizing is crucial!
You will note that the trigger wire is thinner than the power wires. I used two BLUE solder shrink tubes for the power cables and a RED one for the thinner yellow trigger wire.
With a little experience and a dash more patience we end up with three solid connections that will last for years to come; no matter the harsh conditions my motorcycle adventures throw their way!
TOP TIP 3: A gas powered soldering iron makes life SO much easier.
Take this article as permission to treat yourself!
Once again, I have linked my favourite gas powered soldering iron for you here.
Going the extra mile with harness tape
Of course we could stop just here, but it always pays to go the extra mile and, honestly, I don’t like having so many loose wires hanging about. That’s where some harness tape makes all the difference. This is a cloth-like material tape, commonly used in the automotive sector. Not only does it tidy up the appearance, but it also holds all the wires firmly together and prevents wire chafing.
A little more patience and 2 espressos later we are ready to plug this into the business end of our HEX ezCAN and fit the rest of the Innovv system.
You can find my “go-to” harness tape here and favourite espresso here (don’t ever say that I’m not helpful).
TOP TIP 4: Choose your ezCAN output wisely.
When selecting an output on your HEX ezCAN to plug this into, choose wisely. Although any channel can be set as an “Accessory / Ignition supply” output, only the Red, Blue and Yellow channels will have the third data wire mimic the motorcycle’s ignition status!
(Some inside info: the White channel is special – watch this space!)
The easy part - setting up your HEX ezCAN
Maybe a little more on how this works and what is required to power the Innovv Camera system. Of course there are the Red and Black wires that provide the power to the system. Then there is the Yellow trigger wire. This Yellow trigger wire is really just that! It should be connected to a source that is powered when the motorcycle’s ignition is ON. Once the trigger wire goes low, it signals the camera system to start its shutdown sequence. I checked in with the friendly folks at Innovv HQ and they state that the camera could require a maximum of around 25s before it is fully shut down.
When the HEX ezCAN was launched, if you selected one of its outputs to be an “Accessory / Ignition supply”, the 3rd data wire had no purpose. Did I mention that the HEX ezCAN was flexible? This was soon put to good use through the power of software updates. As of ezCAN version v2009.1 this third data wire has been repurposed to mimic the ignition status of your motorcycle, and now makes a perfect supply to the trigger wire of the Innovv power supply!
TOP TIP 5: ezCAN Gen-II is the way to go.
This update works on all Gen-II HEX ezCAN devices (Gen-1 ezCANs do not have this functionality).
Setting the “Time-out” Delay on your ezCAN
Time to make another espresso as we approach the final step…
The last step in the setup is to ensure that you set the “Time-out” delay under the Accessory / Ignition channel to 60 seconds. Recall that I mentioned that the Innovv camera system could require around 25s to complete its shutdown sequence? In this case, when you switch off the motorcycle’s ignition, the data wire will go low, signaling the yellow trigger wire to start its shutdown sequence. And 60 seconds later the HEX ezCAN will remove power from its Accessory output, ensuring you have absolutely no battery drain from whatever is powered by the Accessory output.
TOP TIP 6: Ensure your HEX ezCAN is running a software version of v2009.1 or higher.
Preferably check for updates and ensure you have the latest firmware installed. Checking the version of software is really easy and can be found under the “About” menu.
Naturally the Accessory/ Ignition supply output does not have to be dedicated to your Innovv camera system only – it can be used to power several items simultaneously. I have a dual USB charger mounted to the right of my instrument cluster that is powered by this Accessory output too. If you want one of those you can find it here.
Wishing you many happy miles and most of all – keep your bike rubber side down!
If you would like to purchase an ezCAN but you are not sure which one will work on your bike, we have a nifty VIN Decoder to help you figure that out.
