Camper gets a back up camera.
Recently installed a new radio in truck. It has monitor that also displays video/backup camera. Which was among other things, main thrust, adding backup camera to camper.
One of the main obstacles is running cable from camper to truck. That and just running wire thru camper. Our camper thouhg, over rear door, inside is a box. It ties to shower wall on right. Once thru that wall is a space between shower and outside wall. Removing left tail light I can access that space and also reach back wall of lower wing cabinet. So it appears I might have an easy hidden route to run cables.
Mount camera over rear door, drill thru, run cables into box inside over door. Using a video/power extension cable route over to shower wall, drop cable down, then thru taillight hole route to lower wing cabinet. In the wing cabinet is where power and video connections will be made.
Second main issue is getting signal between camper and truck without yet another plug. Decided to get video to truck by using a wireless transmitter/receiver. On truck, receiver is mounted behind trucks tail light. With transmitter in camper wing cabinet, wireless distance with camper on will be about a foot. 'Should' negate problems some have with interference, signal loss.
On the truck side is a switch from backup that sends power to either trucks camera or to receiver from camper. Signal to turn on monitor is by truck reverse circuit. Campers camera and transmitter powered by its backup lights. So loading/unloading is a matter of simply toggling power switch.
the Plan
I did make allowance for by-pass of wireless if any problems on the road. Extra DC power plug to power camper camera and spare video
cable to plug into trucks camera connection. All the components I ordered came with needed cables (duplicates) so ended up with extras to do by pass.
Parts is parts..
camera, wireless transmitter/receiver and DC power/video extension cable
Go...
Before drilling camper for camera or any wiring is to run wire between camera location and outside cabinet. Not entirely confident this will be as easy as seems it should be. Tackling this from ability to put it all back if i run into snag.
First is opening box. Found that it was pre-assembled, screws come thru into box from ceiling side, so it was attached before roof laid. Face will not come off.
Removing end I was able to slide off corner plastic trim from track. This exposed 3 screws that go thru face and bottom of box into wall. Bottom can be removed, after removing 30+ staples holding on track. One thing on this Fleetwood camper-if half dozen a staples will suffice- 2 dozen is better.
Not to bad once figured it out. Does mean though that wire hole from outside will need to be drilled from outside. As camera will be lower than inside box will need good upward angle to ensure I end up inside box. Next is getting thru wall into space behind shower. Note the 2 screws on wall?
They go into a plywood top block. The shower doesn't go all the way to ceiling, meaning the space that I thought I would be entering is also below the over door box level. Just hadn't noticed before.
Looking though there's an existing hole that I can drop cable down into space once thru wall. Except actual DC/ video cable is larger than than hole. No way to get back in corner to open hole, so another hole thru is needed. Silly vent pipe and the top of shower/plywood cap bumpout also keeps drill from getting thru wall into box at needed angle.
The FIX:
Used an old auger bit, let me get needed upward & back angle to get inside over door box. Then it is adding the other hole to get down.
No picture but as I only have 6" between the block and ceiling grabbed an old 11/16" butterfly bit. Cut off 2" from shank to insert in right angle die grinder. Bored new hole.
Hole. What a mess, air and sawdust. Never used air tool with wood before..note to self. Some caulking required but a path...Shown is cable run. About half way down the wall is my solar controller.
Behind it is an 1 1/2" hole into space behind wall. From there to lower cabinet is a fishing string from last wiring project. Assumed since I already have fishing wire to pull, be a simple matter of dropping the cable down, tying to fish string and pull into outside cabinet.
But it took a good hour to get from top of shower to finally hit that hole-Once I got tied off it was just pulling new cable down, with tail light removed drill a new hole into cabinet and push cable thru.
So I have a DC power and video extension cable run between over door box and outside cabinet. Only took most of the day...
Next is to drill thru outside wall and mount camera.
Pooh...Where I assumed camera would mount, above door under awning, didn't fit, hit the awning. Ended up making a wedge from some plastic to angle it down. Though actually worked better for sealing, flat non metal surface against camper wall, extra step. Rolled out awning to get hole bored. Painted camera white and mounted.
Plug in to extension. The RCA/DC connections are at end of box so if camera needs to be changed I can access from end of box without disassembling. Waiting to test before I button it up.
While the taillight was off I added 2 lengths of wire from backup light and ground. Soldered the transmitter leads (and spare DC bypass) to them. Plugged in the DC/video extension from camera into transmitter.
Stapled zip ties to cabinet wall and secured transmitter. Again directly on the other side, when camper loaded, is the trucks taillight, where receiver is located. So transmit distance will only be a foot.
Back up truck to plug in camper cord into bumper. Too lazy to raise camper but also a better test of the wireless. Unloaded, transmit
distance will be more like 12'.
Turn truck on, put into reverse monitor comes on showing camper. Flick the toggle switch to camper...
Nada-. Checking transmitter, its pilot light isn't on. checked no power. Noted left back up light isn't on, Removed the tail light. back traced wiring.
Good grief!
I had wired the B/U hot lead to transmitter ground, burnt lead. Opened up wiring, swapped wires re solder and heat shrink.
Turn truck back on, got backup lights, transmitter led is on but still no picture. Flip the switch- truck camera comes on, flip to camper-nothing.
Pulled trucks taillight, the receivers LED isn't on? I could see mis wiring camper shorting stuff but the truck is separate. Receiver was powering up when I installed and tested? Tracing wires-checking fuses I was ready to give up. Flip switch to truck, picture comes up, flip to camper -nothing. After a dozen times, at a loss, must be switch. Getting ready to pull switch so I can check, then it hit me.
Its an SPDT switch, ON-OFF-ON.
I reached back up, turned the switch to camper ON. Monitor lights up! One too many days on this project, I was turning the switch on and off.
Adjusted camera so I just see the mounts for glowsteps on bumper. Limits how far back but what I want to see is in relation to back of camper. I'm about 6" from step ladder. Resized camera photo doesn't do justice to actual backup camera picture on the monitor. Its amazingly clear-only difference in specs between this and one on truck which is grainy is the TVL count. Truck is 420TVL, campers is 600TVL.
Backup camera...Utilizing the box inside over door allowed me to install with the only visible cable is short loop above shower-cant say that was worth the effort though.
Bottom line no more using large boulders scraping my bumper to know that's far enough:)
Recently installed a new radio in truck. It has monitor that also displays video/backup camera. Which was among other things, main thrust, adding backup camera to camper.
One of the main obstacles is running cable from camper to truck. That and just running wire thru camper. Our camper thouhg, over rear door, inside is a box. It ties to shower wall on right. Once thru that wall is a space between shower and outside wall. Removing left tail light I can access that space and also reach back wall of lower wing cabinet. So it appears I might have an easy hidden route to run cables.
Mount camera over rear door, drill thru, run cables into box inside over door. Using a video/power extension cable route over to shower wall, drop cable down, then thru taillight hole route to lower wing cabinet. In the wing cabinet is where power and video connections will be made.
Second main issue is getting signal between camper and truck without yet another plug. Decided to get video to truck by using a wireless transmitter/receiver. On truck, receiver is mounted behind trucks tail light. With transmitter in camper wing cabinet, wireless distance with camper on will be about a foot. 'Should' negate problems some have with interference, signal loss.
On the truck side is a switch from backup that sends power to either trucks camera or to receiver from camper. Signal to turn on monitor is by truck reverse circuit. Campers camera and transmitter powered by its backup lights. So loading/unloading is a matter of simply toggling power switch.
the Plan
I did make allowance for by-pass of wireless if any problems on the road. Extra DC power plug to power camper camera and spare video
cable to plug into trucks camera connection. All the components I ordered came with needed cables (duplicates) so ended up with extras to do by pass.
Parts is parts..
camera, wireless transmitter/receiver and DC power/video extension cable
Go...
Before drilling camper for camera or any wiring is to run wire between camera location and outside cabinet. Not entirely confident this will be as easy as seems it should be. Tackling this from ability to put it all back if i run into snag.
First is opening box. Found that it was pre-assembled, screws come thru into box from ceiling side, so it was attached before roof laid. Face will not come off.
Removing end I was able to slide off corner plastic trim from track. This exposed 3 screws that go thru face and bottom of box into wall. Bottom can be removed, after removing 30+ staples holding on track. One thing on this Fleetwood camper-if half dozen a staples will suffice- 2 dozen is better.
Not to bad once figured it out. Does mean though that wire hole from outside will need to be drilled from outside. As camera will be lower than inside box will need good upward angle to ensure I end up inside box. Next is getting thru wall into space behind shower. Note the 2 screws on wall?
They go into a plywood top block. The shower doesn't go all the way to ceiling, meaning the space that I thought I would be entering is also below the over door box level. Just hadn't noticed before.
Looking though there's an existing hole that I can drop cable down into space once thru wall. Except actual DC/ video cable is larger than than hole. No way to get back in corner to open hole, so another hole thru is needed. Silly vent pipe and the top of shower/plywood cap bumpout also keeps drill from getting thru wall into box at needed angle.
The FIX:
Used an old auger bit, let me get needed upward & back angle to get inside over door box. Then it is adding the other hole to get down.
No picture but as I only have 6" between the block and ceiling grabbed an old 11/16" butterfly bit. Cut off 2" from shank to insert in right angle die grinder. Bored new hole.
Hole. What a mess, air and sawdust. Never used air tool with wood before..note to self. Some caulking required but a path...Shown is cable run. About half way down the wall is my solar controller.
Behind it is an 1 1/2" hole into space behind wall. From there to lower cabinet is a fishing string from last wiring project. Assumed since I already have fishing wire to pull, be a simple matter of dropping the cable down, tying to fish string and pull into outside cabinet.
But it took a good hour to get from top of shower to finally hit that hole-Once I got tied off it was just pulling new cable down, with tail light removed drill a new hole into cabinet and push cable thru.
So I have a DC power and video extension cable run between over door box and outside cabinet. Only took most of the day...
Next is to drill thru outside wall and mount camera.
Pooh...Where I assumed camera would mount, above door under awning, didn't fit, hit the awning. Ended up making a wedge from some plastic to angle it down. Though actually worked better for sealing, flat non metal surface against camper wall, extra step. Rolled out awning to get hole bored. Painted camera white and mounted.
Plug in to extension. The RCA/DC connections are at end of box so if camera needs to be changed I can access from end of box without disassembling. Waiting to test before I button it up.
While the taillight was off I added 2 lengths of wire from backup light and ground. Soldered the transmitter leads (and spare DC bypass) to them. Plugged in the DC/video extension from camera into transmitter.
Stapled zip ties to cabinet wall and secured transmitter. Again directly on the other side, when camper loaded, is the trucks taillight, where receiver is located. So transmit distance will only be a foot.
Back up truck to plug in camper cord into bumper. Too lazy to raise camper but also a better test of the wireless. Unloaded, transmit
distance will be more like 12'.
Turn truck on, put into reverse monitor comes on showing camper. Flick the toggle switch to camper...
Nada-. Checking transmitter, its pilot light isn't on. checked no power. Noted left back up light isn't on, Removed the tail light. back traced wiring.
Good grief!
I had wired the B/U hot lead to transmitter ground, burnt lead. Opened up wiring, swapped wires re solder and heat shrink.
Turn truck back on, got backup lights, transmitter led is on but still no picture. Flip the switch- truck camera comes on, flip to camper-nothing.
Pulled trucks taillight, the receivers LED isn't on? I could see mis wiring camper shorting stuff but the truck is separate. Receiver was powering up when I installed and tested? Tracing wires-checking fuses I was ready to give up. Flip switch to truck, picture comes up, flip to camper -nothing. After a dozen times, at a loss, must be switch. Getting ready to pull switch so I can check, then it hit me.
Its an SPDT switch, ON-OFF-ON.
I reached back up, turned the switch to camper ON. Monitor lights up! One too many days on this project, I was turning the switch on and off.
Adjusted camera so I just see the mounts for glowsteps on bumper. Limits how far back but what I want to see is in relation to back of camper. I'm about 6" from step ladder. Resized camera photo doesn't do justice to actual backup camera picture on the monitor. Its amazingly clear-only difference in specs between this and one on truck which is grainy is the TVL count. Truck is 420TVL, campers is 600TVL.
Backup camera...Utilizing the box inside over door allowed me to install with the only visible cable is short loop above shower-cant say that was worth the effort though.
Bottom line no more using large boulders scraping my bumper to know that's far enough:)
Nice install. I am working on my camera and wonder if anybody made it with new Ford?
Ford sells trailer cameras for $350, but I have tailgate camera that sits in the garage.
Did anybody tried to remove tailgate camera and put it on the camper?
Ford sells trailer cameras for $350, but I have tailgate camera that sits in the garage.
Did anybody tried to remove tailgate camera and put it on the camper?
Everything I read always led me to conclusion hard wired is better option. Generally seems problems arise using wireless- broadcasting over advertised range. Didn't think about the cabling itself, I assumed the over the air broadcast distance...likely combination. But any glitching noted Ill start replacing cables, thanks.
With the TC just bridging the 'gap' between truck and camper with out a hard connection, so minimized that gap. As its only a foot over the air I assumed should help. But I also assumed I had a 50% chance of this not working from the get-go. One is transmitter is in a box between to two LED tail lights, battery proximity and other wiring. Second the receiver is mounted behind LED taillight inside basically a sheet metal box. And lastly tying 2 camera feeds together, even though only one energized still thought there might be issue.
I thought about full time camera option, no real need but... Was going to use 5 pin relay.
However it was running another switch wire that I nixed. I had read many using the running light option- just not sure I want full time at night but using running light to trigger would be easy- hadn't thought of that. Could run switched ground wire to control-have free pin in aux 7pin plug. May revisit- though first is adding an extendable camera to front.
With the TC just bridging the 'gap' between truck and camper with out a hard connection, so minimized that gap. As its only a foot over the air I assumed should help. But I also assumed I had a 50% chance of this not working from the get-go. One is transmitter is in a box between to two LED tail lights, battery proximity and other wiring. Second the receiver is mounted behind LED taillight inside basically a sheet metal box. And lastly tying 2 camera feeds together, even though only one energized still thought there might be issue.
I thought about full time camera option, no real need but... Was going to use 5 pin relay.
However it was running another switch wire that I nixed. I had read many using the running light option- just not sure I want full time at night but using running light to trigger would be easy- hadn't thought of that. Could run switched ground wire to control-have free pin in aux 7pin plug. May revisit- though first is adding an extendable camera to front.
