Power problems

[tallymebanana]

Hi everyone,

I've recently bought a Tesla Model 3 Highland and was surprised to learn that despite its cameras, I’d need additional dashcams for full journey footage. I'm in Europe and only get 10 minutes of recent footage saved at a time. While I know how to save clips intentionally, I’d like everything recorded automatically. I imagine GDPR plays a role here, but still, it’s a bit frustrating!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to TeslaUSB, it looks like exactly what I need. My Raspberry Pi Zero 2W works well, recording clips, and uploading to OneDrive. However, I’m having trouble keeping the Pi powered long enough to finish uploading clips from my last drive when home.

I've included a Pushover screenshot for timing context and a photo of my setup: the Pi, a Belkin 10,000mAh portable power bank, and a StarTech USB splitter. The Belkin doesn’t provide power while charging but does when not charging. I hoped it would keep the Pi powered when Tesla cuts USB power, but it only works occasionally (sometimes with cable adjustments or battery button presses).

I’m hoping someone can suggest a reliable power solution. I’ve read the power guide but can’t find any of the listed chargers locally. I’d prefer to avoid a UPS HAT (no soldering iron!) or pulling cables from my Tesla.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[marcone]

The problem with most portable chargers is that they do not provide output power while being charged, and don't switch seamlessly when input power is applied/removed.
So with the setup shown in your picture, what will likely happen is that when the car turns off, the Pi loses power and shuts off before the battery starts providing power. And if the battery doesn't detect a load, it may not even turn on its output so the Pi will remain off.

Additionally, if you haven't blocked the power line in that blue cable, you may be backfeeding power into the hub, the car's USB port, or the battery's output.

If your only reason for avoiding a UPS HAT is that you have no soldering iron, note that soldering irons can be had very cheaply, and that there are UPS HATs that do not require soldering, such as the Waveshare UPS HAT.

A 10000mAh battery should be able to power the Pi for several days, so another possible solution could be to power the Pi from the battery only, and recharge the battery every few days.