What you need to install
- two-core cable for powering the camera, designed for a rectified stabilized voltage of 12 V and a current of no more than 0.7 A
- two-wire cable with RCA-connectors, also called “tulips”, for transmitting the video signal to the screen.
Cables can be extended or cut if necessary, since the wires are not shielded. A TV antenna cable can be used as a coaxial cable to transfer the signal from the camera to the display.
There are varieties of RCA cables that have a field wire. With the help of it, the screen is activated with a positive current, which automatically switches the device to broadcast mode. Excitation wire is not used in all devices.
In some systems, the camera is automatically activated using a video link. If the radio tape recorder does not support this function or the connection is made incorrectly, then you will have to manually switch the picture on the display with a special button.
Place of installation
The car owner chooses the place where the camera and monitor will be located, guided by his preferences, but the wiring diagram is the same in any case.
Installation of the camera is possible:
- into the plafond illuminating the license plate. Many cars have special transitional glasses that allow the device to be installed while maintaining the license plate illumination.
- into the trunk handle, often made in the same body with the molding on top of the license plate. In this case, the rectangular chamber is easily attached with self-tapping screws.
- to the license plate frame in the bumper. on many cars you don’t even need to remove it to mount the camera. In this case, an oval-shaped device is suitable. You need to make a hole in the bumper, and for reliability you can put the camera body on a sealant. Passenger compartment cables can be routed through the vents in the trunk.
Description of the process of self-connecting a car rear view camera
Car owners have different attitudes towards special devices that help to control the space behind the car, and are divided into two camps: some of them tend to conservative simplicity, considering additional electronic devices as toys, while others recognize gadgets as necessary attributes of a modern car.
But when it comes to the rear view system, it’s not about tastes and the decorative side, but about safety. In addition, the camera has a number of advantages over, for example, parking sensors, since it helps to prevent collisions with fences in the form of posts thinner than 3 cm, collisions with an open sewer hatch and objects with an inclined surface, for example, a snowdrift, which the parking radar may not recognize. Therefore, the camera will be useful for both beginners and experienced drivers.
Installation and connection
- electric drill or screwdriver;
- soldering iron, acid, solder;
- a set of screwdrivers, stars and other keys;
- electric wires;
- glue or sealant;
- electrical tape or tape.
- You should start with the installation of the peephole. If there are special slots for the video sensor, then you just need to remove the plastic plugs and insert the device into the hole. But how to install a rear-view camera in those cars in which the manufacturer did not provide for such points? Using an electric drill and a drill of the appropriate diameter, a hole is made in the bumper next to the license plate. Then, using glue or sealant, the camera peephole is glued to the inside of the car part.
- Now you need to pull the wires from the camera into the luggage compartment. First you need to connect the negative wire (usually black) to the vehicle ground. Any bolt that connects something to the body will work for this. It is only important to sand the circle near the bolt or hole to ensure reliable contact. The positive lead (red) is best fed to the power cable of the reversing light. Then the power to the camcorder will be supplied only when the reverse gear is turned on.
- When the camera is connected to the car’s electrical network, you need to run the video cable through the passenger compartment and connect it to the monitor. The manufacturer usually equips the camera with a wire of sufficient length, therefore, when choosing a “route” for laying, one should rely on the accessibility and aesthetics of the connection. So that the wire does not subsequently fall under the fasteners and is not accidentally damaged, it should be attached to the body or existing wiring using electrical tape or tape. It is not difficult to connect the video cable to the camera output and the display input, since the wire is equipped with connectors called “tulip”.
- The parktronic screen may have several similar connectors. Then you should adhere to the identity of the color on the wire and video input. Some cars have a display in the radio. In this case, there must be a special input for connecting a camera on the back of the music device.
- When the monitor is connected to the rear view camera, it remains to connect the display to the mains and install it on the dashboard. The negative wire is connected to the mass of the car in the most accessible place, and the positive wire is attached to the power wire of the reversing lamp. It is located in the area of the gearshift lever under the torpedo.
- The monitor can be attached to the panel using self-tapping screws, but it is better to use double-sided tape for mounting.
Safety engineering
Working with an electrician requires responsibility and safety. To eliminate the possibility of electric shock, before starting work, the vehicle must be de-energized by turning off the ignition system and removing the terminals from the battery.
Optional equipment
The lens is often splashed with dirt and icy, but rarely even standard devices are equipped with a useful camera lens washer option. By installing the device in the trunk lid, in which there is already a rear window washer, you do not have to worry about lens contamination, since automatic cleaning will be ensured.
To do this, you need a tee, which must be installed in the washer channel in front of the rear window nozzle. A small nozzle from most cars can act as a spray. It is not at all necessary to use a fan nozzle, since the lens is small.
The camera backlight is a dubious feature, although it is present in some models by default. Often it will light up the lens and will not improve the image in the dark. The same problem can be caused by installing the camera next to the license plate light. This problem is solved by replacing the lamps with LEDs. If this does not help, then you can install a protective screen.
Where to install the rear view camera on the car
The selection of the installation site is the most important condition on which the correctness and efficiency of the camera depends. Many cars have standard installation holes, they can be found in the technical description, which also provides installation instructions and recommendations for parameters. In the case of an independent choice of a place, visibility and protection from dirt are taken into account.
- bumper. choose a central place as high as possible from the road surface;
- in the light element of the license plate;
- in the back of the body or trunk strictly in the center;
- in any part of the outrigger bracket;
- towbar (suitable for off-road vehicles with high ground clearance).
Before installation, it is important to properly prepare the inset in order to avoid corrosion when using self-tapping screws and to pre-adjust the visibility. After installation, the fasteners should be treated on both sides with an anti-corrosion compound and sealant.
How to install a rear view camera on a car
Until now, many experienced motorists mistakenly believe that parking electronics are expensive to purchase. It’s not like that at all! Today, in some service centers, installing a rear view camera on a car is significantly more expensive than purchasing this equipment. When buying a device, it is quite possible to keep within 1-2 thousand rubles. Thus, do-it-yourself installation will allow you to avoid the main costs associated with the appearance of such a convenient option on your car.
Do-it-yourself installation of a rear view camera
In one of our articles, (“How to install parking sensors with your own hands”), we have already talked about devices for controlling the rear of the car during parking. But this option may seem to someone not visual and, as a consequence, not effective. Indeed, if a thin column is located between the sensors, then its determination with the help of a parking sensor becomes problematic. It is much clearer to observe the full picture of what is happening through the rear view camera when you park in reverse.
How to install and connect a reversing camera in order to have such objective visual information, we will talk in this article.
Where is the best place to install
It’s not that simple here. It is necessary to take into account not only good visibility indicators, but also the degree of difficulty in completing the task. Let’s imagine several options for mounting a camera on a car:
- Let’s start with the most attractive in terms of labor costs. There are very convenient cameras for cars on sale, combined with license plate frames. You just need to change the frame in order to acquire such a wonderful option. The only drawback of the kit is the price. it is slightly higher than for standard copies. Nevertheless, in such an important matter, 500-800 rubles. not a critical amount for any motorist.
- Owners of station wagons, SUVs and hatchbacks will surely like the idea of fixing it inside the cabin, behind the glass. To solve the problem, you can use not only standard fasteners, but also glue with good characteristics. It is necessary to study the angle of view in order to understand where to put a particular rear-view camera. Worth exploring the option of connecting to an additional brake light.
- If we consider a sedan, then in some cases the place of installation may well be the trunk lid of a car. It is necessary to take into account the features of the cover when selecting electronics.
- Installation in the bumper area is possible. The method is especially attractive when there are lights on the bumper. Then there is the possibility of installing a suitable sample in one of the illumination devices. In the absence of lighting devices, a tie-in into the bumper is carried out, which has a significant drawback. The low location of the equipment leads to its rapid contamination. The driver has to deal with cleaning it from dirt more often.
- In commercial vehicles, auxiliary electronics are often installed on the roof. Significant mileage of trucks, buses, forcing drivers to look for points least exposed to dust, moisture, dirt. It is necessary to act on the basis of these considerations.
How to route wires
There is nothing complicated in this process. Rather, patience and accuracy are needed. Use the original clips and wire routing provided in your car. The main principle is that the wires must be protected from mechanical damage and moisture.
And one last tip: wipe the camera regularly to keep the picture clear. We hope that after installing the rear view camera, your driving will become more comfortable and safer for you and for pedestrians and other car owners.
Which reversing camera to choose ?
The answer to this question will be individual for everyone. Everything will depend on what you have and what you want. So the simplest reversing cameras cost about 50. Of course, they will also help you when parking your car, but we would like to tell you about what you will be offered for a lot of money.
First, I would like to say about the camera resolution. So almost all, even the cheapest camera options, guarantee the proper resolution, which is quite comfortable for viewing.
Second, and more importantly, the camera must have good sensitivity. In fact, this is the ability of the reversing camera to work in low light conditions. So, cameras are produced that work only in sepia (b / w) mode, which allows you to make the camera more sensitive, just for work at night.
Thirdly, the angle of view of the camera. So it starts from 120 degrees and goes up to 180 degrees. Of course, with a wider viewing angle, you are able to monitor a larger area when parking, which will guarantee you safer reversing. But, with an excessively large view, a “panoramic effect” appears, which does not correspond to ordinary perception, which may seem inconvenient to many.
Fourth, the method of mounting the camera. So the cameras can be made separately or built in, for example, in a frame under the state registration plate.
Fifthly, if you already have a multimedia recorder (with an LCD screen), then you most likely will not need to take a monitor to display the picture from the camera. If you do not have such a radio tape recorder, and you do not plan to install it, then you will have to take the rear view camera with your own LCD monitor.
How to connect the camera?
- We are preparing everything for connection. The camera is powered from the vehicle’s mains and typically consumes about 12 volts (/. 4 volts). Therefore, it is not difficult to find a wire with such a voltage. However, for this it will be necessary to dismantle (remove) everything, which prevents us from getting close to the wire leading to the license plate illumination. Remove the trim in the trunk. Then, of course, you need to dismantle the plastic thresholds, under which the wires from the car radio are hidden. After all, the camera must be connected to it to display the picture on the monitor.
- We connect to the connectors of the car radio and the wire with a plus. Access to the connectors of the car radio is required, therefore it must be removed. Usually, with a close examination of the connectors and polarity, problems do not arise. Instructions for connecting the camera to the car radio are supplied with the device.
Once we have done this, we need to find the connector that houses the wires that power the license plate lights. This is the case if we install the camera in the license plate light. You can also connect it to the reversing light wire. You can also connect to the positive wire in the area of the torpedo. That is, there are various options. Why are we doing this? We need a wire with a charge to power the camera.
In more detail and clearly, this video is discussed.
How To Use Reverse Cameras
Install Reverse Parking Camera In Car Without Avoid Warranty | Chep and best & one year warranty
Do-it-yourself installation of a rear view camera
And so, in our case, the simplest rear-view camera of the RM116B model is taken. Camera viewing angle 120 degrees. Mounting the camera on the back of the car will be a top priority. It is necessary that the rear view camera is in the middle, covering the parking area to the left and right as much as possible. If you push it in, then its edges may be “cut off” by the bumper.
But you shouldn’t expose the camera unnecessarily. In this case, the camera will get too dirty from flying splashes of dirt, in addition, in our country there are still many vandals who just look where and what can be “pulled”, even if they don’t really need it.
In our case, the camera was placed on the frame of the rear license plate light.
The frame with the shades is removed from the bumper. The place of attachment of the rear-view camera is shown.
Rear view camera already installed in place. (a distance plate was placed under the camera so that its peephole protruded from behind the bumper)
If you move a little away from the car, the camera is almost completely invisible.
Power and video signal wires, from the rear view camera, are pulled into the luggage compartment, through any plug, in the area of the spare wheel / rear bumper
The camera can be powered from the reversing lamp power cord. In this case, the easiest way is to disconnect the block going to the rear headlight, and sorting through the contacts, find which one is powered when the reverse gear is on.
Next, connect to this wire with a clip (see the article “Connecting to the wiring in the car”) In our case, this is a red-white wire or green-white, one to the block, the other after it.
Now we pull the wiring to the radio / monitor located in front of the instrument panel. As a rule, the wiring is pulled along the left side, dismantling the sills and laying the wires under the carpet of the passenger compartment.
After you have pulled the wires to the front of the car, we start looking for power (if you have a monitor, you don’t need to do this for the radio) and search for power for the reversing light. If you do not want to look for power for the reversing light in front, you can, together with the video signal wire at the back, route it back to the dashboard, or at least trace where it comes from the dashboard, and connect already in front.
As a result, we get the following power connection diagram and all control signals when the rear view camera is operating.
In cases where the car is equipped with an automatic transmission, there may be a problem of turning on the rear view camera when starting off (since the automatic transmission mode selection lever passes through the “reverse” position)
In order to avoid unnecessary switching on of the rear-view camera, you can supplement the circuit with a delay device that will turn on the camera and send a control signal to the radio / monitor after a while. details about such a device can be found in the article “Delay in turning on the power of the reversing camera”
I would also like to say that this installation example and the reversing camera connection diagram are given for a specific case. There are cameras that transmit a video signal via radio communication, while with a unit that supports several video cameras in a cyclic mode, such a connection, as a rule, will be more complicated, since it will require additional power for the radio communication unit.