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Fuse Taps and Install Tools: the Bits That Turn a Bodge Into a Proper Job

Hardwiring a dash cam is not difficult, but it goes badly without three things: a fuse tap that actually fits your fuse box, a way to tell which fuse is switched, and a trim tool that lifts your panels without marking them. Everything here exists to solve one of those problems.

Add-a-Circuit Fuse Taps

An add-a-circuit fuse tap piggy-backs a new circuit onto an existing fuse without cutting a single wire. The original fuse goes in one slot, your dash cam's fuse goes in the other, and the whole thing is reversible in seconds. It is the correct way to do this, and it is why we do not sell splice connectors for power.

The catch is that fuse boxes are not standardised. Australian-delivered vehicles use at least four blade sizes, sometimes more than one in the same car, and the type is rarely printed anywhere useful. Our 8-piece kit covers ATO/ATC standard, Mini, Micro2 and Low-Profile Mini, which between them handle the overwhelming majority of cars, utes and 4WDs on the road here. Buying the multi-size kit costs less than buying the wrong single tap twice.

Circuit Testers: Find the Right Fuse, Not Just a Live One

You need a fuse that is dead when the ignition is off and live when it is on. Guessing gets you either a camera that never powers up or one that quietly drains your battery overnight. A fine-tip test light reads the fuse from the top without pulling it, so you can check a whole row in a couple of minutes with the key in and then out.

Fine tip matters more than it sounds. Modern fuse boxes are packed tight and a fat probe simply will not reach the test points on a Micro2 fuse.

Trim Tools: Do Not Use a Screwdriver

Getting the cable behind the A-pillar and headliner means lifting trim, and a metal screwdriver will scratch the plastics, dent the edges and can pop a clip straight through a panel. A plastic pry tool spreads the load and pops the clips cleanly. Our Essential Install Kit includes one alongside the fuse taps and tester, which is the simplest way to have everything you need in one box.

What to Buy for a First Install

• Doing your first install, want the lot in one box: the Essential Install Kit. Fuse taps, circuit tester, trim removal tool, fuse pullers, spare 3A fuses and cable ties.
• Already own a tester and a trim tool: the 8-piece fuse tap kit on its own.
• Not sure which fuse to use: add the circuit tester. It is the cheapest insurance against a flat battery here.
• Do not want to touch the fuse box at all: an OBD hardwire kit plugs into the diagnostic port and needs none of this.

Working Safely in the Fuse Box

• Use a low-amperage fuse on the dash cam side. 3A to 5A is plenty and it is what protects your new wiring.
• Never tap an airbag, ABS or ECU fuse. Pick something harmless like the accessory socket, radio or a spare slot.
• Get a proper earth. A bare bolt to the body, not a painted bracket.
• Modern cars have two fuse boxes, one in the cabin and one in the engine bay. You want the cabin one.
• Micro3 blades are not covered by our 8-piece kit. Some late-model vehicles use them, so check before you start.

Everything here suits hardwiring VIOFO, Vantrue and WOLFBOX cameras, and works just as well for any other 12V accessory you want switched with the ignition. Fast dispatch from Melbourne^*, and if you get halfway through and the camera will not power up, call us rather than guessing.

Last updated: August 2026