On 30/05/18 23:40, F wrote:
I'm about to install a Next Base 312GW dashcam in Management's car and
am not sure on whether I should connect it to a permanently-on source or
one which is live only when the ignition is turned on.

The car is parked on the drive overnight, so it would be useful to have
a recording of anyone messing with it, and the local supermarket seems
to collect drivers who think they're auditioning for some kind of
demolition derby.

If I was to wire it permanently-on, what would the downsides, other than
an eventually flat battery, be?

If doing that, you should wire a battery protector inline which will cut
the cam when the battery gets too low.

The other (better IME) option is a LiFePo4 inline battery pack. These
are safer in hot cabin environments than ordinary lithium. They plug
inline between the fag lighter and cam (or can be hard wired) and charge
when the car is running. A decent pack should kepe a cam in parking mode
running for a day or two with no fear about flattening the main battery
or catching fire.

Not cheap mind (couple of hundred).

I should add that it does have a 'parking mode' that responds to
movement, but that needs to be set manually each time the car is parked,
something I'm not sure might happen...

BlackVue cams have Parking Mode - I have 2.

One is hard wired via a protector cutout - that tends to not make it
through the night, especially in winter (I set it to conservatively cut
off).

The other has a LiFePO4 pack which lives in the cubby behind the
handbrake. That works very well.