Installed a Rear View Safety rear view camera today.

[NY_Dutch]

My rear view monitor has a ground, a hot line, and a reverse trigger line. I wired the hot line to a circuit that's on when the ignition switch is in either the "Acc" or "On" positions, and the reverse trigger to the backup light circuit. My monitor has an On/Off switch, and even when it's switched off, the reverse line will turn it on when activated. I also installed two rear cameras, one right below the other. The lower camera is aimed almost straight down, giving me a good view from the rear bumper back to the middle of the toad hood, including the tow bar and cables. The upper camera gives me a long view from the toad hood on back to the horizon. The lower camera is very handy when backing into tight spots after unhooking the toad. I can stop within an inch or two of an obstruction when necessary. It also makes it easy to check that no one is standing close behind the coach before backing.

 

[TWSchroeder]

Sorry may have over simplified since the original post was pertaining to a Rear View Safety product that utilizes a Multiplexer.  That is the system that I have installed.  Checked out the web site for your product and you are right, rather confusing but believe you are correct in the camera for your product actually gets it feed from the reverse lights.  Did not immediately appear that way when looking at the wiring harness you posted.  In this situation, you will unfortunately need to add a switch.  If you want the dual option, more importantly you will also need to add diodes to prevent the backup lights from coming on when you flip the switch during normal travel viewing.  Could be rather startling to the drivers behind you.  The diodes will isolate the reverse lights and prevent that from happening.  Here is a link to a YouTube video to better understand what happens and what is needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUpD5WzySTI

Hope that helps.  I will check tomorrow to see if I still have the diodes that I purchased and did not end up needing.  If so, I can send them to you.  Fellow Ohioans need to help each other out.

I did not start my install this weekend.  Hopefully next.  I will not have to have diodes.  The diode solution is another good example of a video that gets straight into the details without spending a lot of time explaining what the overall situation is.  Diodes are needed when one wants wire the back-up camera to the reverse lights and constant 12v at the same time.  Under that set-up when one introduces 12v to the camera from the switch the reverse lights will light unless one uses diodes to isolate the reverse lights from that 12v.  In my planned installation I will not connect the camera to the reverse lights.  Also, if I install a switch it will be to turn off the 12v that would otherwise be on all of the time.  It does have me thinking about that installation however because of these differences (I added info for folks that find this thread down the road).  Here are 3 typical installations when using a camera that is wired without an additional trigger wire (typical) and a monitor that does have an additional trigger wire (typical).


A. Camera is wired to only the reverse lights.  Diodes are not required.  The monitor is wired to both the 12v constant and the reverse for trigger.
1) Camera comes on when in reverse and is off otherwise.
2) Monitor comes on when in reverse and goes off otherwise.  Monitor can also be turned on at the monitor.

B. Camera is wired to only 12v constant.  Diodes are not required.  The monitor is wired to both the 12v constant and the reverse for trigger.
1) Camera is on all of the time.
2) An optional switch can be installed to turn off the camera but then it is off, it will not come on when selecting reverse.
3) Monitor comes on when in reverse and goes off otherwise.  Monitor can also be turned on at the monitor.

C. Camera is wired to reverse lights and 12v constant.  Diodes are required to allow the 12v constant to flow only to the camera.
1) Camera comes on when in reverse and is off otherwise.
2) A switch is used to also turn on the camera using the 12v constant for on demand viewing of the camera.
3) Monitor comes on when in reverse and goes off otherwise.  Monitor can also be turned on at the monitor.                       

For installation "C" it is interesting to note that monitor will not automatically trigger when the camera is turned on via the 12v switch unless one also wires the camera trigger to both the reverse lights AND the 12v switch in which case 2 sets of 2 diodes are needed.  Without this additional step one will need to turn on the camera and turn on the monitor to view the camera.

I am still leaning towards set-up "B" with the downside that if have left the switch in the off position my camera will not come on when I select reverse. My monitor still will and I'll just have to flip a switch to turn on the camera.  I can also turn on or off both the camera and monitor at any other time in order to view the camera.

Thomas

 

[Gregg]

I'd really like to set my system up like you did;  to come one when one chooses reverse but to also power up on demand. 

To accomplish your original statement above with the type of system that sounds like what you have, you will need the diodes as described in the video.  It would definitely require additional wiring but you need to weigh the functionality you are trying to achieve to what it will take to make that happen.  Nice to have all of the flexibility, but sometimes just not feasible or worth the amount of effort.

If I can throw out one more option:  You could wire the camera using the running lights instead of the backup lights.  That way when you want to view what is going on behind you just turn on the running lights.  When the lights are on and not interested in using the camera, just turn off the monitor.  Of course you could also wire it up using both the running lights and the backup lights for camera power feed but that would again require the diodes but either would eliminate the need to run a separate switch and power from the front of the vehicle.  Always seems to be multiple ways to getting something done which is part of the fun in doing it yourself.  Do not believe it was ever established what kind of vehicle you are using this on, but if it has a trailer package, sometimes the harness has a constant power line whenever the vehicle is on.  Just make sure the line is not hot all of the time in which case the camera would drain your battery.

PS: I looked for the diodes that I had purchased and must have thrown them away once I discovered I did not need them.  I just got them at my local Radio Shack.   

 

[TWSchroeder]

Thanks, Gregg.  I agree that diodes are needed in order to to have a system where the backup camera comes on automatically while in reverse and can be switched on at other times as well.  When I made my original statement I did not really understand you system and was just trying to emphasize that I wanted use of the camera more often than just being in reverse.

I can have the essence of what I want with my option B which will allow me to view back-up camera whenever I want.

I added my vehicle at some point, it is a Ford E350.  Soon I'll have to tackle the routing of the wires which I think I can do well without a lot of dash removal.

 

[Lucyyyr]

When the lights are on and not interested in using the camera, just turn off the monitor.  Of course you could also wire it up using both the running lights and the backup lights for camera power feed but that would again require the diodes but either would eliminate the need to run a separate switch and power from the front of the vehicle.

 

[TWSchroeder]

I finally installed my back-up camera (after some discussion last year) and it works very well.  In the event my comments can help anyone else, this is what I did:

1) I connected the camera power to a 12 volt switch installed on the dash (from 12 volts available at the dash when the key is turned on).
2) I connected the monitor trigger to the same 12 volt switch that turns on the camera.
3) I also connected the monitor (it connects to 2 power sources; one to trigger it to automatically come on, and one to 12 volts sot that it can be turned on independently) to the same 12 volts available at the dash when the key is turned on.

This set-up allows me to just flip the switch and the camera and monitor come on nearly instantly.  When I toggle the switch off, they both turn off.  Of course, the requires me to actively toggle my switch when backing up, but it also allows me to toggle it on while just driving and was very simple to wire.  Also, my camera is only on when I toggle the switch on rather than being always on as is the case with some installation methods that provide on-demand camera viewing.

Finally, I looked (briefly) at a new radio that included a monitor screen but the downside there (in addition to the cost) was that they seem to have a delay of 1 to 5 seconds before the back-up camera video is displayed (that is certainly true of our factory KIA).  Maybe radio monitors can be found that switch to back-up camera video nearly instantly like my stand-alone monitor, but I did not search harder to find out.  A delay is not a problem when backing up but is when one needs immediate video for switching lanes.  Using it to monitor traffic when changing lanes is very helpful and is sometimes needed immediately.

Thomas

 

[Gregg]

When I installed mine, I was originally told that I would need a similar set-up or would need the diodes as previously described.  Even found it on the Internet so must have been true! When I was actually installing my unit, to my surprise, I did not need either option.  There was a wire within my factory wiring harness located under the dash that was marked "Reverse Switch".  I used that along with the other appropriate connections that came with my camera and monitor.  If I just press the power button located on the monitor, the rear camera came on!  Even if the unit was not turned on at the time and I put the shift lever in reverse, the rear camera was activated.  No additional diodes nor extra power switches necessary.  Oddly enough, I have sense replaced the MH with another unit and it works the same way.

 

[99dart]

I wish I had the system I installed on our old Chateau C class. Great, clear color picture 7" monitor w/night vision & a mic. The screen in the new WS31 is smaller, too low for me in the dash and just not very clear. I wonder how hard it would be to use the video wire to connect to a new monitor? Dangit...now it's got me thinking.

 

[Gregg]

Just replacing the monitor may not resolve your complaint.  You would need to also know the pixel rating of your camera.  It might be your monitor, camera, switching box, or all of the above that is not providing the image quality you are after.  I will say the Rear View system I have is a little grainy too and the night vision is horrible.  Definitely not HD.  It does have a mic which is nice.  At night, I can not see the trailer I am pulling except maybe the side lights or when I hit the brakes. They may have gotten better or maybe there are different quality levels offered but never got anything close to what is shown on their web site.  Functional though.

 

[TonyDtorch]

I was looking at this rear view camera for my sons pickup truck.    It's not only wireless ,  it's solar powered,  so no wiring at all.

the downside,  it's a bit pricey.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_994PEARLCM/Pearl-RearVision-Wireless-Rear-view-Camera-and-Alert-System.html?tp=83&awkw=452552270312&awat=pla&awnw=g&awcr=145661832935&awdv=c&awug=9057153

 

[NY_Dutch]

$500 and you supply the monitor really is pretty pricey! I noticed in the one review shown that the phone app doesn't work with all smartphones either, so you would want to check on that before ordering. I think the small screen size would also be a drawback for me.

 

[TonyDtorch]

it has this module part that plugs into to OBD2 port

so I'm wondering if it transmits a signal to you Iphone when it goes into reverse ?.... or do you have to open an app every time you want to back-up ?  ???

it cost $500 so I will never know.

 

[rajid]

I have a question about this RVS system. I have the RVS-770613N system with one camera, mounted on the back of my trailer. It works really well, especially since I bungie the montor to my rear view mirror when towing, so the view behind me is exactly where I expect it to be!

My only problem with the system is that I always have to either press the volume button 100 times or hold it down (which takes longer) in order to turn off sound when on the road, then do that again to turn sound back on when parking at the campground (so I can hear my wife behind the trailer yelling at me when I'm going the wrong way or about to hit something!). I would love to have a simple "sound off/on" switch.

From my reading it looks as though possibly using the camera 3 connector and putting a switch on the blue wire may do what I want, but it's not clear because this wire is supposed to be connected to the backup lights, which makes it sound as though it may turn off sound and the camera as well!

I'm currently thinking maybe my easiest, fastest, solution would be to simply unplug the camera from "camera 3" and plug it into "camera 1" (which I think doesn't do sound).

Are there better solutions?

 

[Larry N.]

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you, but thought I'd suggest that you may do better with a fresh post, rather than resurrecting a post from 7½ years ago. Especially since the OP hasn't been here since the summer of 2016.