Wiring help for the mechanically challanged

[bonzaiii]

O.K, I'm trying to install my back-up camera-Yes I'm still working on it. I have mounted it on the far left side of the dash next to the drivers side pillar. Now I need to power it. I just have no idea what wire to tap into. Any suggestions would be most welcome but please remember I am truley mechanically challanged so the easier it is to find and get to the wire/connection the better. Thanks so much in advance

[f5fstop]

Remove the driver's side A-pillar molding. (Remove screw cover, remove screw, and pull the molding away from the vehicle.)
Inside you will find some wires. All vehicles will have the Dark Blue/White wire that is the feed for the rearview mirror (auto dimming/temp). This wire is hot in ignition ON and Start.

If you have a sunroof, you will also have a yellow wire, that is supplies power to the motor, and is on the retained accessory power (RAP) circuit. (This circuit keeps your radio powered with ignition off, until you open the door.)

If you are looking for a backup signal to allow the camera to come on only in reverse, look for a brown wire, that will have voltage only with the gearshift in Reverse.

As always, when tapping into these wires, make sure you test everything with a voltmeter since there could be other wires running in the same area that are of the same wire colors.

[Scouts Out]

F Stop or any of you electrical geniuses........
As I am preparing to install my rear camera, I have a few more questions..... it seems logical to have it wired to come on only when the H3 is in reverse, any reasons out there to do it any different? Anyone? and one last question, how would you suggest to slice into the wire. I have worked on my Triumph wiring before but it is 26 years olds so if I screw something up I simply replace it because all replacements are upgrades to the original Lucas. With my H3, What type of splice would you recommend? I am looking for easy and reliable.

I guess I can fix my rattle in my head liner when I do this also, since Wright can not seem to be able to replicate the problem

[lamric]

http://www.sherco-auto.com/wiring.htm

Try the clamp on type "TTP-2" because you don't have to cut the wire. I'm sure F5 can tell you what gauge the wiring is to ensure you get the correct size.

[marin8703]

one reason you might want it to come on when not in reverse would be to watch something you are towing. depending on what head unit you have, you do not need to do anything different to be able to have the camera on at anytime, the head unit will take care of it (depending on the head unit). I have the pioneer avic z1 and i beleive f5fstop has the same. you hook it up to power and to the reverse signal wire as you would normaly and it comes on automaticaly when you shift to reverse, or you can click on the head unit (at any time, drive, park whatever) and it will bring up the camera.

as for splicing, i dont think it makes much of a difference. as long as you use the right gauge splice ( so that it doesnt cut the wire , or be too loose to make a conetion) i dont think anything else would make a difference. maybe some gold plated ones would contact better but dont think thats necesary. the ones i used were nothing special, i just got from home depot. I put electrical tape over them to make sure it stays on there, just in case. also when connecting two wires end to end i prefer to solder them together.

[fourfourto]

[quote=marin8703]one reason you might want it to come on when not in reverse would be to watch something you are towing. depending on what head unit you have, you do not need to do anything different to be able to have the camera on at anytime, the head unit will take care of it (depending on the head unit). I have the pioneer avic z1 and i beleive f5fstop has the same. you hook it up to power and to the reverse signal wire as you would normaly and it comes on automaticaly when you shift to reverse, or you can click on the head unit (at any time, drive, park whatever) and it will bring up the camera.

I bring up the rear camera when in traffic .I get a lot of glare at night from headlights.
I was thinking of fabricating a lens from driving glasses and puting it in front of the lens.

Once my wife was waiting at Mcdonalds and the guy behind he was hitting the horn because they were taking to long and my wife sees him in the rear camera with his hands waving ect(the guy lost it)
He thought no one could see him.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by Scouts Out

F Stop or any of you electrical geniuses........
As I am preparing to install my rear camera, I have a few more questions..... it seems logical to have it wired to come on only when the H3 is in reverse, any reasons out there to do it any different? Anyone? and one last question, how would you suggest to slice into the wire. I have worked on my Triumph wiring before but it is 26 years olds so if I screw something up I simply replace it because all replacements are upgrades to the original Lucas. With my H3, What type of splice would you recommend? I am looking for easy and reliable.

I guess I can fix my rattle in my head liner when I do this also, since Wright can not seem to be able to replicate the problem

Most of your questions have been answered.
How the camera comes on really depends on the system used. As Marin8703 stated, on our Z1's, it automatically comes on in reverse since the system is signaled reverse by taping into the reverse signal wire that goes to the mirror (the auto dimming mirror undims in reverse). However, we can turn it on to view the back via the camera at any time. I guess this is used to watch your trailer. I find the wide angle too wide to really get a good view of a hot babe in a car behind me.
If you want it only on in reverse, then the brown wire, in the A-pillar going to the mirror is perfect. Just check the wire, there are two wires there and I believe one is hot in ignition On.
As for taping into the wire; I prefer cut and spice using Butt end connectors; however, the T-type connectors mentioned by Lamric are used quite a bit, and seem to be ok. Just use the correct size. For almost all applications, you will need either red or blue.
The reverse wire is 20 gauge so use a red T. If using butt ends, use a blue, to allow room for two wires on one end of the butt end connector, and then strip an extra 1/3 inch off the single wire, and double over the stripped wiring and insert into the other end of the butt end.
Problem with butt ends is you need a crimping tool to properly crimp the ends of the connector.

The best advice I can give is use a high-impedence voltmeter to check the wires you are taping into. For the reverse, the wire will only be hot in reverse. DO NOT USE a 12-volt test light, unless it is designated as high-impedence and can be used on electronic circuits. Normal test lights will allow too much current to be drawn through the circuit, and in case you accidently tap into a computer circuit, you do not want to have it draw too much current; so as to damage the computer.
A high-impedence test light or voltmeter prevents excessive current in the circuit. Not a worry with these wires, since they are direct from the fuse panel through a relay. But in the future....

[lennyrebel]

I wired my camera to driving lights and monitor to mirror feed. That way its live whenever I want it on. Like previous post said trailer towing ,watch garage door close correctly somebody behind as I pull out even traffic when driving. It's nice to have the option of having it on whenever. Regards The Rebel.