I happened to pull my Mini0806 out of the car as I was curious just how far back the recording had gone and was shocked to find out it had actually quit recording back in 2022! I could NOT believe it. I opened it up and sure enough, the battery had again failed. For whatever reason it gave no audible tone that anything was wrong. So it looks like I got two years out of the replacement battery before it quit. Unbelievable!

What's really interesting is I had a second Min0806 which I kept as a spare, but had replaced the battery in that one at the exact same time. I just opened it up too and sure enough, although it literally sat on a shelf for the past four years, it had also enlarged exactly like this one.

So word of caution for anyone that's got a dash cam sitting up quietly out of site. You should make a point of checking it now and again to make sure it's working okay. Don't expect these batteries to last forever, especially if you are in a hot environment or experiencing rather hot days like we're currently seeing now (33°C) and the camera is getting full direct sunlight.

Something else to be aware of is the use of rubberized coatings. My dash cam is actually sticky to the touch, so the whole thing is going in the bin and I'll look for another one.

Current state of a 4-year old battery -

Here's the original factory battery on the left, and the replacement on the right which was replaced in November 2020.

Current state of both replacement batteries, four years later. The one on the left was in the dashcam I used, the one on the right sat has been sitting on the shelf.

 

Methylated spirit will usually take off that horrible sticky rubber - but it takes some persistence!

 

Okay, good to know! I tried isopropyl alcohol with no effect.

Given I purchased both of these cameras back in 2015 for €165 and did an open box review on them back then, I guess nearly 9-years is not an unreasonable service life. I could probably order a couple of new batteries and they would continue to work just fine. However considering the state of these batteries and the nasty coating failure, both of these are going in the bin and I will do some research on a replacement.

Actually a lot of the current dashcams have much better resolution, Bluetooth, etc., and are not too far from the price I paid for these. I quite like the Blackvue DR970X Box 2CH-Plus dashcam which has dual camera with a remote power and data storage feature which gets put away in the trunk or behind a panel. This has a couple of advantages

1.) The camera does not store the data, so should someone get in and grab the camera, the data is still safe.
2.)The cameras don't have a lithium or capacitor, so they should be less affected by long term exposure to sunlight and heat.

I would be interested to know if others have noticed any degradation of their dash cams over the lifetime of ownership.

 

Some basic information on the two different types of dashcam internal power sources I think my next one will have a capacitor given the batteries in mine did not last very long.
Reference links - here, here & here


Lithium-Ion Batteries

• Life Expectancy: Generally not recommended for long-term use.
• Maintenance: Lithium-ion batteries will require you to replace your battery at some point.
• Limited charge cycle. Battery degrades over time with repeated use.
• Does not do well in hot or cold weather.
• Easy to use and set up. Ideal for casual drivers.
• Lithium-ion batteries may pose a serious risk of explosion and fire under prolonged exposure to extreme heat.
• Cheaper to produce than capacitor batteries.

Capacitor Batteries

• Life Expectancy: Reliable for long-term use.
• In theory, capacitors can be charged infinitely.
• Durable. Does well in hot or cold weather.
• Capacitors do not hold a charge and will require a constant power source.
• Usually more expensive.
• Ideal for drivers who want to continue running the dash cam after parking.
• Safer to use.