Rear Monitor & Camera Advice

[spat61]

Has anyone pulled the rear camera from your motorhome? I ask because mine stopped working and I'm told by RVCAM folks they would test it along with the monitor that is just rolling horizontally, if I send it to them.

When I suggested that I would need to cut the cable since it is hard wired to the camera, they stated that I should just pull the cable out about two feet or so and there would be the connector at the end of that stretch.

Has anyone done this? Seems like it won't be an easy task, and from just looking at where the cable enters, not much room for pulling out a connector. Your advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Steve

[maltnhops]

Steve,

I may not be of much help because I haven't actually removed my camera. I was curious about the idea of replacing the bulky B/W camera with a newer, smaller color unit. In my '89 345LE, I have a bulkhead cabinet with two tambour "garage doors". In the middle inside the cabinet is an access panel. I pulled the panel and I could see where the camera housing bolts in place. I didn't see a cable connector in there, but it would certainly be easier to pull it from this area as opposed to pulling from the outside. Of course, you may not have the same interior configuration, so this may not be of any use at all.

I look forward to hearing how this plays out for you.

Good luck!

[Robfike]

I had to replace our original camera system a few years ago. I gained access to the wiring harness at the camera from inside the rear upper bin. I only needed to use 4 of the original 14 wires that go up front. I just picked the 4 I wanted to use, and then connected them in the back and the front. Works great. I just went with the cheaper black and white new unit.
Rob

[choctawmel]

I had a problem with my back-up system. A repair (I use that term loosely) shop I took 'Silver Bullet' to get the front-end aligned couldn't get her to start and somehow (probably reversed the charger/jumps leads) blow the battery up and burned the starter up. Later I found the wiper control burned up, radio out and the back-up camera's 12v to 24v inverter bad. Can't think of the brand.... RG maybe. Anyway it's out of business. Couldn't find a replacement. Had to invert 12VDC to 110VAC, then 110VAC back to 24VDC. All of this in the dash. The duel wiper control isn't made any more, but it was easy to repair: replace the reverse polarity diode (cue to what the cause was) and replace the smoked lands on the control board with wire. Replaced the radio too.
They also broke the window latch on the drivers side. They said, "That thing is old, you got to expect things will break."
Tried BBB, that was a joke.
If I can't fix it myself, maybe it didn't need to work.
There, my repair shop war story from Edmond, Ok.
mel

[cooperhawk]

Two years ago ours quit. I got on the internet and found a new one for about two hundred fifty dollars. This one is a color system with night shot as well. I hooked it up using the original wiring and rear bracket.

I wouldn't try to repair the old one. Get something modern.

[GlenCoombe]

There are no end of CCD mini cameras that you can feed to a monitor or better yet an LCD 7" stereo screen on the dash. You can clear the dash of the monitor and let the camera hang in the rear window out of the weather. Just be sure the camera you pick has a dip switch array that allow you to mirror the image.

What you get is very low power consumption, an inside mount, and a cool new stereo all in one very nice upgrade problem solving fix.

[spat61]

Originally Posted by cooperhawk

Two years ago ours quit. I got on the internet and found a new one for about two hundred fifty dollars. This one is a color system with night shot as well. I hooked it up using the original wiring and rear bracket.

I wouldn't try to repair the old one. Get something modern.

Gunner,
Can I impose on you to elaborate on your installation and especially the brand your purchased that works withn existing cables. A couple pictures of your dash setup with also be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Steve

[spat61]

Gunner,
Can I impose on you to elaborate on your installation and especially the brand your purchased that works withn existing cables. A couple pictures of your dash setup with also be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Steve

[choctawmel]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

There are no end of CCD mini cameras that you can feed to a monitor or better yet an LCD 7" stereo screen on the dash. You can clear the dash of the monitor and let the camera hang in the rear window out of the weather. Just be sure the camera you pick has a dip switch array that allow you to mirror the image.

What you get is very low power consumption, an inside mount, and a cool new stereo all in one very nice upgrade problem solving fix.

I'm color blind and deaf, so $40 to fix the original equipment works good. That leaves me $160 beer money.
Sure wish I'd leaf for New Orleans already. The snow and sleet is going sideways in the 50 mpg wind outside. Leaving Monday for sure!!!!
mel

[cooperhawk]

Originally Posted by spat61

Gunner,
Can I impose on you to elaborate on your installation and especially the brand your purchased that works withn existing cables. A couple pictures of your dash setup with also be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Steve

Sorry, been plowing snow all day. Big storm!
Have to get back to you. Motorhome is in shed and not really accessible right now. I thought I posted some pics a while back of the setup but I can't make the search work for me.

[GlenCoombe]

I was cruzin' eBay and found a 10" rearview mirror replacement that's a monitor.

Innovatek 10.2" CAR REAR VIEW MIRROR LCD SCREEN MONITOR - eBay (item 320465701892 end time Dec-24-09 20:47:38 PST) though this one ended there are lots of them from Hong Kong to Canada.

Couple this with a CMOS or CCD camera with IR LED's for night viewing and you've got a very capable system without getting the new stereo.

[Aage]

It's been pulled, for some reason...

[GlenCoombe]

I went back and pulled a US shipper on a complete system for you to look at.

10.2" Rearview mirror monitor + Water Proof Camera + TS - eBay (item 370305376038 end time Jan-10-10 09:36:42 PST)

If you're looking for options just search rear view camera or monitor and you'll have lots to look at.

FYI I don't know anything about this product but that it is a solution for dead cameras and cluttered dash boards.