Reverse/Rear view camera

[theluke19]

So I'm wiring up a rearview camera, that mounts on the license plate, and can't decide the best place to tie into power.

I can't decide if I wanted to wire it to Reverse lights, so it only powers when reversing- or if I wanted to wire it to a switch for power, so I can view the camera when I want.

If I decide on the reverse lights, I'll have to find the best place to tie into reverse lights. Maybe someone here knows-

If I decide on the switch- It just means I'll have to put an ugly switch in the cab, and it won't be automatic- and I'll have to run a pair of wires up to the cab, instead of just video feed. what would be the best route to run these wires?



I'll go mount the camera, and then decide where I want to wire to.. any suggestions, or ideas?



PS - While I was out there, I found a pair of loose ended wires (capped off of course) behind the bumper, near the license plate . While hoping they'd be reverse lights tie-ins, Tests showed they were hot when the brakes lit up.. what would that be for?

 

[theluke19]

Found some helpful information in a previous thread that I'm going to go off of for power. Thanks, Interscope!

[FONT=How To Install a Tailgate Light Bar"Arial Black"][/FONT]
​

Tools:

8mm Socket Wrench
Wire Strippers
4x Scotch Locks
Electrical Tape
Needle Nose Pliers/ Wire Cutters
Rubbing Alcohol
A Pig Tail with the 4 attached wires

7.) Take out the 3 bolts that hold the taillight into the body, they are 8mm heads, slide the cover out and unhook the break and reverse lights

8.) Run your reverse light wire from the bar up through the body and into the housing (from under the light housing there is a hollow section in the vehicle body with a hole in the rear of the housing for wires to be put in)
9.) While holding the reverse light connector, as it would be when hooked into the light, the left pin is the +. Strip about a 1/2 inch of the wire insulation and shove the filament into the pin reciever.

10.) Hook the light back up, and bolt it back in.

I still need to run the video cable from the rear to the cab, if anyone has suggestions on the path I take. Otherwise, I'll get to searchin when I get there

 

[landolakes]

I just saw those wires to when I was installing my hitch. Any idea what they are for?

 

[theluke19]

I just saw those wires to when I was installing my hitch. Any idea what they are for?

Don't know what they're for, but they get power when the brakes are applied. Maybe a hitchmount brake light?



Got the power wired up, and camera mounted (don't mind the overprotective silicone sealant...), and couldn't decide on a place to run the video cable into the cab, but wanted to make sure it all worked so I just pulled the video cable through the door to test it. .

 

[01STrunner]

I know some people have run cb antenna wires from their bumper along the parking break cable and then into the cab through drain holes in the floor on the drivers side. If you take out the floor mats and pull up that plastic piece along the bottom door sill the vinyl floor will come up and you can see the holes are plugged. Pop a hole in one of those and then caulk it up when you're done.

 

[theluke19]

I know some people have run cb antenna wires from their bumper along the parking break cable and then into the cab through drain holes in the floor on the drivers side. If you take out the floor mats and pull up that plastic piece along the bottom door sill the vinyl floor will come up and you can see the holes are plugged. Pop a hole in one of those and then caulk it up when you're done.

Very cool, I went that route- Thanks for the suggestion! The video cable was skinny enough to fit in the hole along with the rubber grommet, no cutting/caulking needed.

The vinyl floor made it easy to hide the wire from the get-go, too It also showed me where I need to detail the next time I give it a bath lol.

Here's some pictures of where I went under the flooring, and then through the drain hole just in front of the driver seat, and where it comes out on bottom:

 

[ncranchero]

To tap into your reverse wiring you can use the diagrams I sent you. The loose wires you found are for that say AUX CHMSL are for the CHMSL on a camper top.

CHMSL = Center High Mounted Stop Lamp

 

[fonicsmonkey]

I was flip flopping between wiring my camera to turn on only when the car was put into reverse, or to wire in a switch so that I could control when the camera came on. This was because my head unit (Pioneer AVH-P440BH) allowed me to view the reverse camera without the car being in reverse.

What I ended up doing was to wire the reverse signal wire from my head unit to the reverse wire in the car. I powered the camera with the 12 volt acc wire that powers the head unit. This allows the camera to have power the entire time the vehicle is on...and in any gear or park. No switch needed, because I can access the rear view by the press of a button on the head unit, and it will automatically change when I put the vehicle in reverse, because the reverse signal wire from the Pioneer is getting the signal to switch to the rear view when I put the vehicle in reverse.

 

[theluke19]

I was flip flopping between wiring my camera to turn on only when the car was put into reverse, or to wire in a switch so that I could control when the camera came on. This was because my head unit (Pioneer AVH-P440BH) allowed me to view the reverse camera without the car being in reverse.

What I ended up doing was to wire the reverse signal wire from my head unit to the reverse wire in the car. I powered the camera with the 12 volt acc wire that powers the head unit. This allows the camera to have power the entire time the vehicle is on...and in any gear or park. No switch needed, because I can access the rear view by the press of a button on the head unit, and it will automatically change when I put the vehicle in reverse, because the reverse signal wire from the Pioneer is getting the signal to switch to the rear view when I put the vehicle in reverse.

Almost did this, or even wire it to my parking lights so as long as the parking lights were on, so was the camera- which would give me SOME kind of switching ability to use the camera even when not in reverse.

My concern was the 'always-on' wearing out camera. Although it was only $15 on amazon so I don't know why I'm concerned. lol.

 

[RNGRDVE]

Very cool, I went that route- Thanks for the suggestion! The video cable was skinny enough to fit in the hole along with the rubber grommet, no cutting/caulking needed.

You're going to want to rerun that wire. The way it is routed it is against the metal edge and will rub through and cut the wire over time. Pull the wire back out put a small hole in the center of the grommet just big enough for the wire to come through. If the hole is too big you can use a small anount of sealer on the wire to prevent water intrusion.

 

[01STrunner]

Glad I could contribute to the idea pool! And rngrdve makes a good point about the metal wearing away at the wire.

 

[JohnnyO]

I've installed three of those cameras in the last four years on my truck and two in the wife's station wagon. So basically the cameras are good for about a year, at least in this part of the country where it gets wet.

 

[theluke19]

I've installed three of those cameras in the last four years on my truck and two in the wife's station wagon. So basically the cameras are good for about a year, at least in this part of the country where it gets wet.

Went a little overboard with the silicone sealant, and uglified it, after reading the reviews on the camera. Seems to be everyone's biggest issue, is moisture under the lens.

Even a year for the cost of this (~$17) isn't bad.. Probably why you keep replacing them!

 

[interscope8]

Found some helpful information in a previous thread that I'm going to go off of for power. Thanks, Interscope!






I still need to run the video cable from the rear to the cab, if anyone has suggestions on the path I take. Otherwise, I'll get to searchin when I get there

theehee Im flattered

Edit: To this day every single light on that light bar still works, and my ghetto back up wiring system works too! It survived the winter and is a year old!