Alternate power for radio - simple project led to this,
ability to manually turn on campers backup camera
Installed an after market radio awhile back. When starting engine if radio on, causes radio to reboot. Previous project, Radio ignition wire bypass led to this,
Supplying radio with ability to have constant power also allows turning on rear cameras (manually switched) without reverse. Which when laying out didn't see it would. Realizing I could easily add switch to also power rear truck B/U or camper camera led to this project.
Note this page was made to help ME 'see' what I was thinking...even messier than last...
Our truck is convoluted mess plus adding option for camper camera, so below is what I did and not in order. But basically if you have an after market camera you have a wire (trigger) that comes from back up light to turn on monitor and camera. Usually comes out of video cable. Its just a simple matter of applying power to that wire at dash no wires to run other than new switch. At the taillight where existing trigger is connected to backup light add a blocking diode. Allows backup light to send power down wire to camera and monitor as before but new power source cant turn on backup light, only camera and monitor.
Studying existing wiring to add switched power for rear camera...Not that I can see reason for front camera but its there. Just wasn't foreseen but have the option now. Just thinking out loud but it occurred to me powering the rear camera could be (more) useful.
Truck would be super easy- Power from a switch could be added anywhere to the reverse trigger wire, like right behind radio. Then put a diode between the trucks back up light and wire that powers camera at trucks taillight. It would also power campers back up receiver if switched to camper feed (existing). Again no real purpose but I may pursue because it would be easy, IF I could also include campers camera & transmitter, that would be useful and motivation...
Trying to see all the 'gotchas'...
1st issue is ability to have manual power applied to both cameras, wouldn't be good...but because I have relay that turns off front camera when rear energized cant happen so non issue. So that's where I would tie manual power, at the terminal of current relay from rear cameras, so both switches could be on yet only rear would be powered. Otherwise a on/off/on switch would solve powering only one camera at a time.
Camper will not be easy. Power wire would need to run from truck to campers taillight where camera/transmitter is connected to campers backup light. Again simple diode between camera and backup light so it doesn't turn on back up light. But its getting there
I have an auxiliary 7 pin between camper and truck with unused wire. I could run wire thru that. Then it would just running wire from umbilical inside to rear of camper. Hmmm I have an used switch in camper that runs to rear compartment..I could run wire to that and save running wire to back. Then it occurred to me I could use the switch as connection point -truck to switch terminal that current wire is connected to, use exiting wire to rear compartment. Then it occurred to me if I ran power to that switch from camper I could turn on the monitor in truck and rear camera from inside the camper. Hmm that would be weird... flick switch, then peek thru the pass thru window to see who's at the back door..laughing out loud.
Don't know if I can sneak another wire thru up to switch, or if I want to use existing wire. Its a 14ga wire, was electric tank heater that's not used. Seems a waste for powering camera....to be determined
The beginning, truck
Initially pre tested to see if this would work as I thought by simply running power to trigger wire. Didn't work-went to back of truck noted the back up lights were about a 1/4 glow, no camera. Removed 1 bulb the other got brighter but still no camera. Removed other bulb and camera came on. Ok it'll work. Point is though it 'should' work wasn't sure if back feeding power would turn on camera and trigger monitor. Diode required. Just not enough power, possibly if I had LED but really wouldn't want them on but supplying power to existing trigger wire works.
So with a loose plan drill yet another hole in dash and installed new switch beside front camera switch. Open up taillight and install diode between truck back up light and wire that feeds/triggers rear camera and monitor.
Clear as mud but that simple.
Key out, radio bypass on, rear camera on! That was easy.
Ran a jumper from front camera switch power in to new switch & jumper for ground. New switch out has 2 leads, one to run to camper receptacle (TBD) and one to existing relay power in. My relay simply decides which camera (front or back) sends signal to monitor. When activated by rear camera trigger (reverse) opens and turns off front camera if on. Cameras are on same input to monitor-switches/relay decides source or auto reverse trigger like stock. So adding the manual power switch to reverse trigger wire is same as putting truck in reverse.
WIre camper auxiliary receptacle to manually turn on campers backup camera.
Today run wire from new switch to trucks camper receptacle in bed. That'll be fun..Will give me the opportunity to document wiring connections of the receptacle, never had. I have 2 bed receptacles, one standard 7 pin, the other a 7 pin but used for added auxiliary stuff, alternate charge source, refrigerator control and now rear backup camera manual on.
Auxiliary plug- nothing standard about it.
Got wire ran from dash to auxiliary bed receptacle for camper. I had left short stub with female bullet on switch wire in dash. Once run just added bullet and plugged in.
I was going to run from the blue brake controller wire that's unused and below cab on the standard 7 pin (for camper). Would have saved running up and opening up aux. receptacle. But checking the campers factory umbilical cord to be sure, its blue wire is folded over way back in the corner of cabinet-cant reach. The added aux cords free wires are easily reached. So added to the aux as planned.
Checked the campers aux cord blue wire and determine pin location to use. No continuity between any of the plugs terminals and the blue wire ending inside camper? Finally opened up the plug and the blue wire isn't connected. All other wires were, blue wire was folded and stuffed in the strain relief. I don't remember doing that, less why. Regardless also decided not to use it as its 12 ga and might be useful for something so using green wire as its only 14ga. Wire I'm running is only 16ga. Noted pin location on aux receptacle that matches campers green wire pin and attached new switch power to it.
I'll finish camper tomorrow. Stopped to button up & clean truck.
Camper wired
All that's left is to run wire in camper from umbilical to the rear of camper. More fun. Nixed the thought of using existing switch in camper.Just too difficult to get wire up to it, plus be waste of pre-run 14 ga that could be used for serious power need. May leave a loop though so I could add switch to activate camera later if wanted. I cant see any particular use, actually wouldn't be easy to see truck monitor-but I could. But for now running straight back, add diode to back up wire where camera is tapped, connect new wire.
Ran a wire from front of campers green wire in umbilical cord inside to under bath sink at rear and down into exterior cabinet. Older picture but the yellow and white wire come from backup light. At exterior cabinet, to yellow wire that comes from back up light to trigger camera and monitor transmitter spliced in a diode and attached new manual feed wire I had just run. So reverse or manual feed activates camera and video transmitter, monitor is triggered by trucks reverse trigger wire signal.(The DC jack is just in case wireless fails, I can hardwire b/u power to camera)
Other than running wire fairly simple. So I have a switched hot lead, runs to trucks reverse trigger wire and runs thru auxiliary camper plug to its reverse wire that turns on camera and monitor. Switch on truck determines manually if trucks rear camera or receiver from campers transmitter is powered to send video to monitor.
Loaded camper to verify. Reverse triggers monitor and campers camera as before. Flick new switch, monitor comes on, little yellow triangle!. No signal from camper. errrr
Checked all the connections in truck, check the manual selector switch. Trucks camera works...turn back to camper, nada. Then checked camper, its transmitter is powered. Everything is powered and working-just no picture. Finally opened up trucks tail light to check wiring to manual switch. Doh, video cable from transmitter is hanging....Though I had made a short trip to hardware I assume I had knocked it loose when added diode. ...when camper is on accessing the taillight not possible.
Don't think it did but I need to add something so RCA jack cant unplug itself.
Plugged it back in, campers camera shows up. Cool. Cycled thru reverse and manual switching rear and front cameras. Everything works.
Inside the camper, because I realized I could so had to try, ran a jumper from 12v hot to the new power wire. Yup I can turn on the rear camera and trucks monitor from inside the camper-truck off!. Absolutely impractical. mostly cant really see the monitor and cant imagine reason to use. If we had a monitor inside camper I guess but really. Unless looking out the window might trigger loitering pack of zombies into a feeding frenzy. Just in the off chance I added short wire to add a switch if somehow that becomes a want...
WIRING
or alternately select able images of above
Any way works pretty slick. Kinda don't see getting used much, check before driving step not down etc, maybe. Check how close that tailgater is- don't know but have the option.
Radio ignition wire bypass that allowed this mod
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