12v power for rearview camera + monitor

[azeeroth]

I bought a kit off ebay that has a rearview mirror with an LCD monitor in it, and a reversing camera. I'm trying to connect the monitor and the camera's power up to the reversing circuit so they switch on when I put the car in reverse. They both use 12v so it should be easy enough right?

Using the diagram CTscott had in another thread, I'm connecting to the red wire #22 on 4B. Which wire do I use for negative? I measured one of the black wires (#24/25ish?) with the multimeter but it only gave me .6volts with the car on and in reverse?

So assuming there's a wire there that I can use to have 12v when the car's in reverse, I'll put the monitor on that one? But the camera itself can be on 12v all the time? Or do I do it the other way around?



Thanks, I'm an electronics newbie but I'm getting there.

[willygoodness]

i've had my cheapo ebay camera hooked up to turn on with the stereo amplifiers. Had it running nearly 2yrs and still works just fine.

hope that helps... or.. something?

negative you could just run to the chassis next to the fuse box??

hopefully CTscott or someone else replies to help out more (Y)

[CTScott]

Ground wires are white with a black stripe, or you can use one of the bolts to the frame under the dash.

[azeeroth]

So the negative wire is also earth/ground? So I could either wire the negative directly to the chassis as an earth point, or use the black/white striped wire which is an earth. I didn't know that about the DC system - I've got some more reading and practicals to do!

Thanks for the pointers, I'm going back to the car with a multimeter and some more research under my belt about how DC works

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by azeeroth

So the negative wire is also earth/ground? So I could either wire the negative directly to the chassis as an earth point, or use the black/white striped wire which is an earth. I didn't know that about the DC system - I've got some more reading and practicals to do!

Thanks for the pointers, I'm going back to the car with a multimeter and some more research under my belt about how DC works

Correct. You will connect the positive (+) wire of the camera to the red wire on the fuse panel (which gets switched to +12 V when then car is put in reverse) and will connect the negative (-) or ground wire to a white wire with a black stripe or to a chassis ground point.

[azeeroth]

I did it this morning and it's all working thanks for the help you guys!

When I put the car into reverse the monitor switches on and shows me what's happening out the back it's pretty sweet! It takes up about a third of the rear view mirror so I can still see everything the standard way. I mainly got the camera for my driveway, I back out down a reasonably steep incline so it's hard to see what's at the bottom of the driveway as you're backing out because of the angle of the car and I don't want to back over any pedestrians!

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by azeeroth

I did it this morning and it's all working thanks for the help you guys!

When I put the car into reverse the monitor switches on and shows me what's happening out the back it's pretty sweet! It takes up about a third of the rear view mirror so I can still see everything the standard way. I mainly got the camera for my driveway, I back out down a reasonably steep incline so it's hard to see what's at the bottom of the driveway as you're backing out because of the angle of the car and I don't want to back over any pedestrians!

Nice! Some say that rear-view cameras are unnecessary on a little car, but after having one on my Tacoma and seeing how much more rear visibility I have with it, I wouldn't mind having one of my Yaris.

Where did you decide to mount the camera?

[azeeroth]

It's mounted on the top of the license plate on the bumper. I have the factory spoiler up top and it has a hole I could use but I am already liking the ground level view of what's behind me. I was considering using the spoiler so I could have that high up view of what was behind but I put it on the license plate to test that height and I think it'll stay there.

I know some people say they're not needed on small cars and I certainly don't need it (I have the reversing sensors already) but I've only been to the shops and the dog park and back today with it and it's amazing how useful it is. I find in the shopping centres when I'm backing out from between two big 4wds they can set off my reverse sensors if they're close. So it's going to be nice to know there's actually not a kid back there or something (or a dog park inhabitant!) below the height of the window.

I've got some photos of my install so I could post them up, I'll throw them up here tomorrow.

[azeeroth]

I bought this rear view mirror reversing camera
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-3-TFT-C...item4603c1eb2c
and put it on my car.

I have some photos - this won't make a good DIY guide at all but it does show some of the cabling etc. Please excuse my messy shed and my dodgy iphone photo skills Click the pictures for bigger versions.

Pull the plastic off the A pillar (it feels like it's on there pretty well but a little finger grip and some light swearing and it comes right off). I routed the cables down here into the footwell of the passenger side. Aussie so the left seat has no steering wheel. Weeeeeird So easy to get to the fusebox thing though!


Mess of cables behind the clip on rear view mirror - can't see them from the driving position at all. It has a really solid feel to it - both the mirror and the cabling. Not cheap flimsy.


Double sided tape and some cable ties to neaten up the cables. Wife says she doesn't even notice them so that's a win in my books. Will see how well the tape holds up in Brisbane's 30-40 degree summers. Really need to clean my windscreen again!


The camera mounted on the license plate. Literally screws on, dead simple to install onto the car. The wiring running into the car lining not so easy! Camera feels solid too, and it tilts up and down so you can get the perfect angle. Doesn't wobble/sink during driving.


I took the license plate light out, ran the cables into the void behind it. If you open this section, run the cable in and left there's a rubber grommet you can use - follow the tail light cabling. It's easier to pull the grommet into the hatch area and cut it/cable it from in there. Push your hand up under the bumper and there's a decent space there to use for routing cables to the grommet and hatch space.


Messy car/shed shot. As you can see the camera is visible but it fits into the lines of the car. It's also further in than the edge of the bumper, so presumably if I bump into something with the back of the car the camera won't take the brunt. Of course if I reverse into something while I have a reversing camera maybe I should rethink my driving style

The sticker is from an Aussie hip hop label called Obese Records and reads "Fatter than ya mama" it gets a lot of laughs from middle aged ladies in shopping centre carparks

The rear view camera in action I don't have a photo of! I'm too excited using it to stop somewhere and take a picture LOL. And it's too dark now to take one.

The things I've noticed in the first 24 hours of having it.
- The mirror is a bit dark at night, slightly darker than the Yaris standard mirror but not terrible.
- There's no dimming, so if a 4wd comes right up behind you with its lights in your rear window you can still flip the switch on the Yaris mirror but it just points your mirror at the roof. That stops you being blinded though, so it works....
- In daylight you can see the black square of the LCD screen in the mirror, and it still reflects but I'm still getting used to it. It just makes it feel like two mirrors cut in half. Still one image, but one's blacker. I think I'll stop seeing it in a couple days as my brain adjusts.

Would I buy it again and go through the hassle (fun!) of installing it? Yes. Definitely. And not just because I love technology in my car :D

[CTScott]

You can neaten up the windshield install by tucking the cabling under the front edge of the headliner.

[azeeroth]

Is there a clip somewhere under it (above it...? LOL) or am I just tucking it into the join where it meets the windscreen? I thought that stuff was stuck onto the roof so I didn't try to get behind it.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by azeeroth

Is there a clip somewhere under it (above it...? LOL) or am I just tucking it into the join where it meets the windscreen? I thought that stuff was stuck onto the roof so I didn't try to get behind it.

There are clips that hold it up there, but they are a couple inches back from the windshield. On the front edge, you can get a couple fingers in there to pull it down just enough to tuck the cable and connectors.

[azeeroth]

Got some photos today. This is what it looks like in action. You can see from the actual mirror that the car behind me is filling the mirror but you can see lots more in the screen. The black/yellow line is a pedestrian walkway between the cars.



Aaaaand off. You can see the screen outline, but I'm getting used to it as I drive.

[screenprintr]

This is an older post, but thought it was interesting.

I use reverse cameras for some other work I do. I adapt them to something else.

The paper work that comes with the cameras show you to connect to the Reverse Back-up lights. Has anyone tried that or were you talking about connecting the Rearview Mirror/Monitor?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by screenprintr

This is an older post, but thought it was interesting.

I use reverse cameras for some other work I do. I adapt them to something else.

The paper work that comes with the cameras show you to connect to the Reverse Back-up lights. Has anyone tried that or were you talking about connecting the Rearview Mirror/Monitor?

The red wire mentioned in the first post is the feed to the back-up lights. Some of the mirrors with the built in monitor take the reverse switched feed directly to the mirror and then they have a dedicated wire from the mirror to the camera. So, that is why you power the camera under the dash, rather than at the tail end.