Replacing the factory fitted reversing camera

In common with the experience of others on here, our reversing camera failed recently. The failure mode was a blank screen, initially intermittent but then becoming more permanent over several weeks.  I checked all connections and found them OK so took the plunge and bought a new camera from DRW Electronics, who several members have recommended.

I had found the original camera to be less than ideal, particularly at night when the glare of the high level brake light (just below the camera) obscured much of the image, so opted to get one incorporated with the latter.  This one ... 
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I installed it myself without a problem but one point to note is that the original camera was powered via a 3.3V regulator, which is the in-line block incorporated into the power lead, shown at the bottom of the image below. I discovered this by doing some checks with a meter prior to connecting the new camera.

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The new camera is vastly superior to the original. It has a bigger sensor so the picture is sharper, it doesn’t see the glare from the brake light, and the lens angle can be adjusted within its housing to get the optimum image.  It is compatible with the Veba mirror-type display, though it doesn’t display any grid lines, which I never relied on anyway.

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Recommended as a replacement camera, despite leaving a small hole to be plugged from the old fitting and which is almost impossible to see from ground level.

Tim

Our Kemerton XL is still under warranty but last Friday our standard fit A/S camera suddenly failed. Driving in the dark with an oncoming vehicle, I drove into a small pot hole, I'd had the camera on permanently then the screen went black, more exactly or possibly AV1 failed, on AV2 resolution seemed poorer and there was little or no IR illumination, OKish if there were street lights.

For the future here, will you add some more detail to the procedure you used to replace the camera? In the first photo I see the old camera with it's cable cut. I see the voltage adaptor found behind the trim panel, right foot-well by wheel arch, and a jack plug from where?
I assume the top level brake light below the camera needs to be removed to get access the nut which secures the camera? Then you cut the camera cable and reconnect the cable feed to the new camera. What connectors did you use? I assume there no need for a voltage adaptor because the new camera runs on 12 volts so is removed? Where is the jack plug from?

All the connections were done at the camera end, accessed by removing the high level brake light. I checked the connections under the front trim you refer to but beyond that they were of no interest.

The camera had about 40cm of cable, terminating in a male jack plug, which connected to the female connector joined to the cable coming from the front of the van.  The voltage regulator was a few cm’s further on from the female jack connection and is not required for the new camera.

There was fortunately plenty of slack in the cable coming from the front end so I was able to cut off the regulator and separate the individual conductors of the cable. My main concern was to identify the +12V and ground conductors in order not to damage the new camera once connected.  DRW had warned me not to assume it had polarity protection and to double check the power feed.  The video-out connection to the display isn’t a problem and can be connected by trial and error once the power connection has been made.  My cable had the following configuration:  red for +12V (only present when engine running and reverse engaged), black for common ground and yellow for video-out signal. 

Removing the old camera was done by sliding a socket onto the rear securing nut, and getting onto the socket with a pair of plumber’s grips.  Not easy using the brake light aperture for access but just about achievable.  With the nut removed I slid a sharp knife gently under the base of the camera to break the bond of the black rubbery compound used to get a waterproof seal onto the bodywork.  With the camera removed I cleaned up the latter with meths.

With your van under warranty you shouldn’t need to do all this, but you may need to further down the road when the next camera fails!

Tim

Thanks, I'm making a note of all of this, I'm fairly certain that in the future when our van is out of warranty I'll be changing the camera, though our current camera needs attention now.

Regarding the voltage regulator, yours was situated on the cable at the camera end. Others on here seem to have found their camera's voltage regulator in the driver's foot-well, next to the wheel arch. When I unscrewed the three screws to remove the small panel, to check if any wire had become loose, amongst all the wires there did appear to be a black cylindrical plastic item with a small cable going through it, mine being perhaps slightly smaller than the one shown in the middle of your first photo. I have assumed this is the voltage adaptor.

Can I ask how the existing wiring was connected to the new camera once the voltage regulator was removed?

Did you attach connectors to the existing wiring to attach the camera connections to, or did you solder or otherwise connect the wires directly

Trying to pluck up courage to do this as my camera has packed up but don't fancy soldering small wires 8 to 9ft of the ground

I used automotive connectors but can't recall exactly which type.

You're right to be cautious about working at height. I have steps that can be configured as a ladder and leaned it against the rear edge of the roof with towels to protect the bodywork. I feel safer leaning against the van than using stand-alone steps. I've since purchased a telescopic ladder that is small enough to stow in the van, in case I need roof access when away from home.

Tim

That's great, thanks for the info. Will have a look online

Tim, I too discovered the 3.3v regulator! Another of my obsessions is measuring everything with a multimeter. Just as well, I was close to by-passing it and going straight for 12v!!

How's the replacement camera still?
Apart from the new camera being less affected by the brake light, what's your general opinion of your replacement camera's performance, in comparison to your original camera? What's the field of view, any better, is it more adjustable perhaps, and the camera image quality etc?

The camera on our Kemerton XL hasn't given us any further bother, though I do have a lingering doubt that going into that pothole that I reported earlier, following that it did cause loss of signal. Using the remote once back home I was able to regain a reasonable camera image. Just an aside, the route was on a road used by the Tour de France in Yorkshire when before the Tour they mended all the potholes and re-tarmaced in many placed. Potholes reform though as I found out. I wrote earlier the pothole was small, it wasn't it was a real biggy and really shook up our van including all its contents.

Currently our rear view camera works though only really as a parking aid, it's not a replacement for a rear view mirror which i would also like, it's pointing too far downwards to the back of our Boxer van for that. A compromise situation then, it's rear view mirror replacement or a parking aid. Fight?

RV,

I’m still very happy with it. The camera chip is bigger so the image delivered to the screen has greater resolution and looks much sharper than with the original factory-fitted camera. You might recall that I didn’t change the Veba (rear view mirror type) screen. The image is better in all conditions (day, night and in wet weather).  

The field of view is greater and unlike the original fixed camera, the eyeball lens housing can be adjusted. I have it set to point downwards onto the rear bumper, so am biassing it towards more of a parking aid. It only switches on when in reverse as I have no need for a rear view while underway.

If I get an opportunity next week while away I’ll adjust the camera to its furthest “chin up” position and take some screen pictures to illustrate the differing fields of view.

Tim

Decided to jump in.

Reversing camera ordered today from DRWelectronics 

Crimping set purchased and much practice carried out this morning.

Due to be away in van to Cumbria at weekend so hopefully should be here in time for me to fit.

Will update once fitted and used in earnest.

Watching with interest as our camera needs replacing. I'd be really interested to see any photos of how you make the connections. TIA

Is partially obscuring the high level brake light not illegal? Mine is mounted above it.

I hope not. Passed the MOT with it fitted. 

Tim

Thank you for sharing this information. I've removed rear light and it seems not too daunting so will go ahead and order. 
Can I ask where you sourced the plug for old hole and what size it is
Thanks

I think it's likely to be fine as far as the MOT is concerned. Someone told me once that even if it didn't light up at all, it was only an advisory. If it's E-marked, or has a TüV approval number marking, then it should be fine. I know people have run into problems before with non approved lighting, mainly things like aftermarket LED bulbs or incorrectly coloured light clusters though.

I found a plastic cap in my odds and ends box which I siliconed over the hole.

Tim

v8oholic wrote:I think it's likely to be fine as far as the MOT is concerned. Someone told me once that even if it didn't light up at all, it was only an advisory. If it's E-marked, or has a TüV approval number marking, then it should be fine. I know people have run into problems before with non approved lighting, mainly things like aftermarket LED bulbs or incorrectly coloured light clusters though.

I think it’s fine too. My understanding is that if a high level brake light is fitted then it should definitely be lit and functioning properly, which this does.

Tim

Where three brake lights are fitted, they all need to be working. If only two low level lights then that is fine for MOT etc. If 3rd light is connected at least 50% of LEDs need to be working for MOT pass.

I have not managed to fit new camera yet as wrong type sent ...the one with bolts, where WXL needs screw fitting to avoid damaging interior trim while fitting. Waiting for replacement and hope it will be delivered when I get back from Lake District trip later this week.

I am waiting to see if I can fit new camera and leave existing one in situe before trying to remove existing one.

Bilbobaggins wrote:

I am waiting to see if I can fit new camera and leave existing one in situe before trying to remove existing one.

Bilbo, from my recollection I think you’ll find they might foul each other, and even if they don’t then you’ll find it difficult to remove the old one with the replacement in situ.

What I did do, before removing the old camera, was to make a temporary wiring connection to the new camera and just had it propped on the roof to confirm it worked. Then I disconnected my temporary setup, put the new camera out of harms way and set about removing the old camera, for which you need access via the high level brake light aperture in the bodywork.

Do bear in mind that the new camera won’t necessarily have polarity protection, so use your multimeter to ensure you know which is the +12V dc from the van (only present when reversing lights lit) and which is ground. DRW told me he no longer changes cameras that have been subjected to incorrect polarity.

Tim

Hi, 
Camera CAM-79 from DRW arrived this morning. I was expecting a male jack connection as 'old' camera but this has different fittings, option of BNC (?), or the twin connection of video & power. Am I missing something here? I ordered on the link above.
Thanks - Chris

It's making the connections that is my concern. I can see that this is not a simple 'plug in' exchange with the existing cables, so this is the reason I'd be really interested to see a photo of the connection method from anyone who has successfully carried out his fitment. It would really clear things up and be much appreciated.

Cam79 had wrong type of fittings requiring entry through lining above rear doors, so I returned it to DRW and asked for the one in the picture for Cam79, with screw fittings to be sent, or refund. I got a refund with no explanation or apology for the wrong item being sent.

I have now ordered screw fitting type fro reversing cameras UK, and expect deliver by end of week.

Like the DRW one this also has the"wrong" connector, my intention is to follow example above and either splice in connectors to link camera with rest of system or connect the camera and existing wiring directly. Depends on how much extra cable I have to play with. 

Looking on web simplest connection is twisting wires together and using insulating tape,

Second option is crimping wires either through a butt connector or using spade terminals to connect.

Third, and easiest to to probably Scotch Lok connectors

Hardest solution I have seen is soldering.

Will update once I try.

I cut off the RCA connectors supplied with the camera and used automotive connectors of the type shown here [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

However they were very fiddly to use. The plug (or socket) part of them that I attached to the new camera could be done on the bench, which was OK (ish) but fitting the corresponding part to the van cable while working off a step ladder (in winter) was an order of magnitude more tricky. I don’t recommend them and would suggest the following alternative.

The problem is that the screened cables supplied with the new camera are small diameter and so the copper core and screen are fine gauge. The same for the cable in the van. Crimping can be a bit hit and miss with such fine wires. Either the crimp doesn’t trap the wire or if does then it can break it. Even just stripping the insulation needs care so as not to cut through the filaments. There just isn’t much strength in such small diameter copper.

I therefore favour the “twist together” option because that at least bulks up the copper in the joint. I’d then trap the twisted section with a “choc block” connector (taking care not to overtighten) and then wrap it with insulating tape. I’d also wrap tape around all the cables to act as a cable clamp. A tip I learned many years ago with screened cables is to strip back more insulation than you think you need (50mm or so) so you have more copper to play with. It’s easier to trim later, than box yourself into a corner at the outset.

On reflection I’d probably use this job as the justification to treat myself to a gas soldering iron! Although I’m not a great fan of choc blocks they are easy to work with and cheap. I think the above is a low risk, reasonable compromise, given that the connections are in a watertight enclosure and not subject to mechanical interference.

Shame about the DRW response (or lack of) Bilbo.

Tim

Unfortunately. Like Bilbobaggins my CAM-79 has the wrong fittings for 2014 Boxer and I will have to return it.  Alternative suggestions welcome.