Adding backup camera

[Camper junkie]

I am installing a wireless backup camera to my fifth wheel Cougar 327RES. In manual it shows the center pin on plug (On Camper side) from truck to Camper (7 pin), is for backup lights. I am aware that the Camper has no backup lights on it, but I am wondering if this connection wire is in back but just dead ended? Any other suggestions would be greatly helpful.
I thought of hooking up to tail light but LEDS on camera would annoy people behind going down highway at night. Thanks

[chuckster57]

You will have to follow the umbilical cord to the junction box. Once there take the cover off and look for the YELLOW wire. Odds are if your trailer didn't come from the factory with B/U lights that wire isn't hooked to anything.

BTW: Welcome to the forum!

[Timon]

If you wire to the backup lights then it's only on when backing up. I'd wire it to aux power so it's always on then you can see what's directly behind you when driving.

[Camper junkie]

Thank you all for info, I'm just getting my feet wet in forum usage so I'm a little slow. I believe your right on junction box from what I just looked at. I am going to check on the aux. power next.

[chuckster57]

I would get power from the center clearance light. That's the most common place, and the camera will only be powered when your lights are on. No need to run an aux power wire.

[BirchyBoy]

I'll second what Chuckster said. Mine is wired to the reverse light and I'm going to switch it to the clearance lights so I can check it while driving.

[MarcS]

Are you adding a back up or observation camera? I don't know if back up camera is wired like the observation camera. Observation camera uses clearance light to wire, so the camera is always on when your lights are on.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[Camper junkie]

It's going to be used as back-up camera. I decided to power it with my clearance lights with an on/off switch, let me explain. 99% of our driving is done during daylight hours but the camera has LEDs that turn on when it gets dark. During that 1% I might have to drive at night, I don't want to blind the drivers behind me so I am adding the On/Off switch for the camera.
Just a side note, We have been seasonal campers for for the last 2 years. I am going to test the camera for the first time next weekend when we bring the camper back home. We miss going to different areas in the state and around the country.

[Timon]

The lights in the camera are inferred so they won't effect the driver at all so you don't need a switch to turn it off.

[Camper junkie]

I further read the tiny manual and that is true. Thanks again for input. The IR stands for infrared ( Which means, IR= I should Read manual).

[tommy_z]

I've read back-up cameras tend to burn out quickly when being used as observation cameras. Supposedly they're not designed for the extended run time. Anybody know if that's true at all? Or have a story contradicting it?

[Mandolin]

The wireless system I bought has two cameras, one with night vision for the back of the RV and the other an all-weather camera to mount to the truck license plate frame.

The paperwork for the RV camera says that it is water resistant but not water proof and should not be mounted on the exterior. Right now it is just sitting inside the trailer, on top of a little wooden tower that is clamped to the back of the dinette, but in the long run I will probably mount it to the RV ceiling looking down and out the big back window. There is a 12v light right there over the dinette that is not part of the interior light circuit, so I could tap into that (and add an on/off switch so that when we are stationary the camera is not powered).

Used it last week for our inaugural outing in the trailer. Worked pretty well, it has a 7" monitor with a 120° field of vision.

Haven't installed the truck backup camera yet but thinking I will tap into the trailer wiring harness and pick off the power to the brake lights so that the truck portion is only an actual backup camera, rather than a driving camera like the one in the RV.

Right now the monitor is powered by a 12v lighter plug, in the long run that wiring will have to be neatened up and I will probably get a stereo place to find a better power pick off than the 12v plug and do a neater wiring installation.

[gary31]

I added a wireless backup/Observation camera to our rig. They are great and serve there purpose. here are some pros and cons.
Pros.
1. No longer need to have my Wife with a walkie talkie(less stress for both of us)
2. Backing gives me much more confidence when using the camera.
3. Mine has sound so someone at the back of the rig can talk to you as well.

Cons.
1. wireless seems to drop signal from time to time
2. I have a 7 inch monitor and while it's great for viewing there is not really a good spot in the truck to keep it all the time so store it when not used.

Overall well worth the investment, I too hooked mine into the center clearance light to power the camera.

[Williston324]

My pro list is similar to Gary's. I would add to it..

- seeing traffic while behind and adjacent lanes when passing. No more guessing when it's safe to change lanes.

- my system is wired so zero signal loss

I run with it on all the time when towing. No degradation of display after 13000+ miles of travel. Zero problems with my system. Love it!! My display fits perfectly in the old ashtray pull down. Stays there permanently as it is wired to one of my upfitter switches.

See my previous posts for install and update.

[Pmedic4]

I recently added a backup/rearview camera to our fifthwheel, and hooked it up to the clearance light. I considered the backup light connection, with of course the only connection being closer to the lower RV tail lights. I wanted a higher view when backing up the RV. Plus, I use the wireless transmission antenna, so figured being higher, and not having to go around the RV would have better signal. I mounted it right at the top of the backwall.

My assumption was the clearance lights are only on when the truck clearance/headlights are on, and if backing up, I can turn on the lights, and 95% of the time, we only drive during the day, so the camera wouldn't be on all that much.

It does work, and when installing at home, I got a good signal and clear picture. However, after taking it back to the storage yard, it seemed it isn't all that good at times. If anything, I'm considering getting a longer antenna lead, and putting a better antenna closer to the front of the RV. Some of the antennas I've seen are only about $15 or so, so that might be a good solution without spending a lot of money.

[Nuke]

We added a Rear View Safety wireless system to our 30ripr. The first unit was like Pmedic4 indicated - spotty. We upgraded our system (thanks to RVS, a free replacement under warranty!) to a newer model and now use an external antenna on the monitor. The exterior antenna made a world of difference. Before the add, we got about 25% connectivity when on the highway. With the external antenna, it rarely drops signal.

After seeing how much more I can see behind/beside me when driving, I wouldn't tow again without it!