Connection for reverse camera

[seriousmonkey]

I'm putting in a reverse camera which can switch to the camera when put in reverse. I've wired the actual camera up to the reverse lights at the back so the camera only has power while backing up. But i need to connect the screen to the reverse gear signal out of the gear box. (so it automatically swtiches to the camera signal)
Unfortunately i can't get any of the connectors apart to test out which is which.
Any ideas?

Cheers
Damian

 

[Dion]

What are you in, D40 or D22? D22, draw power for the screen from the reverse light circuit where it passes through the floor under the driver's seat?

 

[seriousmonkey]

Yeah pro-nav,

thanks for the reply, i'm in a d22. I'm not needing to draw power for the screen, but your idea seems pretty good. Don't happen to know the colour wire i'd search for?

 

[Dion]

Pull the plug under the seat and use a multimeter or test globe to work out which wire has current with the ignition on, engine off, car in reverse.

What are you doing, running the screen off a relay or what?

 

[seriousmonkey]

I've got one of those chinese unit dvd, GPS radio 7" screens. So the power is pulled from the radio circuit (usual, acc and power). It has a "reverse camera wire" which flicks to the reverse camera when earthed. At present i had run it to under the car and was going to go into whichever plug it was next to the transmission. Unfortunately the plugs have so much crapped in them i can't get them apart to test.
I'll check out your idea over the weekend.

 

[Dion]

Ohhhh, fair enough. Does it matter what current runs through it? Or maybe put a little relay off the back of the fuse panel for the reverse lamps that closes the circuit when reverse lamps illuminate. Good luck.

 

[KraftyPg]

Just found this thread while searching for something else on cameras.

Not sure if the D22 is the same as the D40 but to get a feed for camera screen which only comes on when reverse is selected trying to pick up the wire as it runs down he chassis is quite possible but picking the wire up at the base of the relay is even easier as it means hardwired connections then a wire feed through the firewall to the screen.

In the D40 the fuse box with the right relay is on the passenger side about 30 cms from the firewall and I think from memory the wire you want is light green. D22 fuse box may be in a different position but it will be the same process.

On a different note to this but in a similar area for anyone having problems with wireless cameras or thinking of going wireless do as much research as you can and find out the frequency they are operating on.

There are several different frequencies I know of that wireless cameras operate on and two of those are very close to both bluetooth and wireless modems. Legally they can't operate on exactly the same frequencies as those designated for bluetooth or wireless but some cheap imports operate within a close enough range that one or the other may be effected.

A client of mine installed a wireless camera and every time he backed into the garage his laptop inside the house would loose its wireless connection to the net (modem was installed about 5 meters from the garage wall). Having already sussed this out for myself and used it as the main reason I chose a wired camera it didn't take me long to figure out the problem and because you can't easily shift the frequency the easiest fix is to replace the camera.

I have only read of problems where the wireless cameras effect bluetooth communications and not experienced it first hand but given the many different frequencies some of these imports run on it is entirely possible they could be effected as well.

Any way thats just some food for thought on buying reversing cameras from someone who's having a boring Friday arvo.

 

[fzrr]

G'day serious monkey.

Did you ever end up finding a wire to run the screen off to trigger the reverse camera?

I'm about to attempt to install a reverse camera and I'll be the first to admit I'm a complete newbie when it comes to electrical stuff.

 

[Tryharder]

If you are running a feed from the reversing lights already, did you realise they only come on when the car is in reverse?........why did you need to search for another wire?

I used a power feed from the cig lighter and the reversing lights to close the circuit. Easy as.

 

[fzrr]

My stereo head unit has the input for the camera and it also has a wire to connect so that when you put the car in reverse it will automatically change the screen to the camera.

I was going to power the camera itself off the reverse lights or towbar wiring and run the RCA cable to the head unit. But I didn't really want to run a 2nd cable the length of the car if there is another cable I can tap into in the dash.

 

[Tryharder]

Fair call.

I figured I was already running the RCA's for the camera anyway, it was just as easy to tape one more wire to it and feed it all through - saved stuffing around up there looking for another.

 

[fzrr]

Fair call.

I figured I was already running the RCA's for the camera anyway, it was just as easy to tape one more wire to it and feed it all through - saved stuffing around up there looking for another.

Yeah thats looking like the easiest option so far cause I have no idea how to drive a multimeter!

What gauge cable to did you run? I want it to hold up to the sandblasting the underneath gets when driving on the beach.

 

[Tryharder]

It wasnt huge at all - about the same as the RCA leads. I wound duct tape around the entire length (it actually didn't take too long at all) to make it easier to thread and protect it all.

 

[KraftyPg]

I hope for your sake you never have to take the wires out, there is not much else in this world worse than playing with wires that someone has wrapped duct tape around.

 

[Joshp82]

Does anyone have a picture of the plug under the drivers seat? I could that all the wires. But if someone elsehas done the hard work already please let me know what wire to splice into for my reverse lights.

Thanks Josh

 

[KraftyPg]

I haven't got the D22 manual but have a look for a reverse relay under the bonnet it's easier than splicing into cables in the loom because you can bet that the reverse lights cable doesn't head down by itself it will head down in the loom. Although the manual should tell you where the cables run too.

 

[Joshp82]

I haven't got the D22 manual but have a look for a reverse relay under the bonnet it's easier than splicing into cables in the loom because you can bet that the reverse lights cable doesn't head down by itself it will head down in the loom. Although the manual should tell you where the cables run too.

Thanks krafty ill have a look this afternoon.

I've had a squiz and can't find the relay in the bonnet. Anyone keen to share where it is? Im keen to get these lights hooked up

 

[Joshp82]

anyone give me an idea of where this relay is? i could chase a wire from the tail light but i dont want to run another wire

 

[KraftyPg]

I'll download the manual and have a look later, I'm not sure about the electrics on the D22 so I am only guessing like many other cars they run a reversing (or as the manuals call them "back-up") relay.

 

[Joshp82]

I'll download the manual and have a look later, I'm not sure about the electrics on the D22 so I am only guessing like many other cars they run a reversing (or as the manuals call them "back-up") relay.

thanks krafty.
I've got a d22 service manual but its all gibberish to me