[wiredgeorge]

As the OP, I wasn't thinking about using the rear view camera for when unhooked for observation. OK, FIRST, John is off my Christmas list for suggesting a wired system. Got the system I mentioned on my birthday (the 4th) and began install. Notes on install:

1. Hire somebody if you have the money; not sure who would install a wired rear view system

2. Get a 10A Mini Fuse Tap Add-A-Circuit - this allows you to easily connect the hot wire from the system into a fuse. The fuse will say IGNITION or similar. I stuffed a wire (hot) into the ignition fuse socket with the original fuse. It will be replaced once I get the Add-A-Circuit connector which will allow use of 2 fuses; one for the ignition and one for a wire coming off which will be connected to the rear view camera system.

3. Hardest thing to figure out was how to get the 60' long coax end out near the hitch. I ended up getting into my front storage and prying up the fiberglass under belly on the nose and shoving it under the fiberglass skin/ There is a piece of plywood between skin and frame and it is screwed into the frame so unless you took the fiberglass all the way off, you can't get it out. I pried enough to get the connector through.

4. Fab an L shaped bracket to hold the bulkhead connector out front on the hitch. I used a piece of steel blank, made a 1" hole and two small holes for the retaining screws and drilled a 1/4" hole to retain it to the hitch. Painted it black first to hold off rust.

5. Once the front bulkhead is connected I pushed the 60' of cable (still rolled up) through a hole in the back of the propane cabinet on the driver side. Then dropped the cable down to pull to the back. This is where John falls off my Christmas card list... I have road base on my RV parking spot and no matter how many Chewy boxes I lay down, I get beat up crawling under the camper. Just kidding John. Pulled the wire to the back and tied it using wire ties so it didn't get in the path of the brakes or suspension.

6. Pulled the wire up the back of the trailer and covered the wire in self stick cable sheathing. Connect the camera bracket up using two screws and then put the camera in and hook it up and the trailer is ready to go.

THE TRUCK

Easier to do the work compare to the trailer as it is on asphalt.

1. Drilled a 1" in hole next to my 7 pin in the bed and used sheet metal screws to retain the bulkhead connector to the bed sidewall.

2. Connect the 30' length of cable to the and pull it up front following the truck's wiring loom and tie it to the loom using cable ties. Under my front mat are predrilled holes with rubber plugs. I popped one out and pulled the coax through and then hid it under the driver kick panel near the emergency brake. Run the coax up under the dash.

3. The monitor is sitting on my dash to the left of the wheel and there is a pigtail that connects with two coax connectors and a green wire for connecting to a reverse light if you want it only as a backup camera. The other two wires are red and black. Connect black to a frame screw and the red to that Add-A-Circuit piece and you are good to go.

Camera has a nice picture with decent color. The wireless cheapo units I have had in the past always had washed out color when they did work. Anyway, thanks to John who pointed me in the wired direction as I think it will avoid issues in the future. Even if the monitor or camera take a dump, the wiring is in so replacement will not be problematic. Good luck! BTW: Hard to find any 5th wheel wired install videos on youtube.