Back up camera wiring

[CedarCreekWoody]

I just installed an Amtifo back up camera and it works great. My fifth wheel was pre-wired for a Furrion camera. Using an adapter plate I mounted the camera to the Furrion mount and connected to the wire and plug provided by Keystone. I was expecting the Furrion plug to be powered by the clearance light or tail light. To my surprise it is wired into the 12 volt system and remains "hot" unless the battery disconnect is off. As i will rarely be viewing it I would prefer it only operate when the lights are on. Does anyone have any idea where the connection occurs, and is it accessible? Have others found their Furrion mount powered the same way? We don't really boondock but I don't like the idea of a half amp battery drain.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

I just installed an Amtifo back up camera and it works great. My fifth wheel was pre-wired for a Furrion camera. Using an adapter plate I mounted the camera to the Furrion mount and connected to the wire and plug provided by Keystone. I was expecting the Furrion plug to be powered by the clearance light or tail light. To my surprise it is wired into the 12 volt system and remains "hot" unless the battery disconnect is off. As i will rarely be viewing it I would prefer it only operate when the lights are on. Does anyone have any idea where the connection occurs, and is it accessible? Have others found their Furrion mount powered the same way? We don't really boondock but I don't like the idea of a half amp battery drain.

Mine is wired into the lights... might be a janky way to do it but you could just add a switch at the rear light..maybe mount the switch on the inside wall in the cabinets opposite the light bracket. You could turn off the switch when you get to your destination... may even find a remote control switch you could use.

[Camping family]

Maybe it ha something to do,with it being wired for a furrion and you wired a different brand. Mine was wired for furrion and I purchased furrion and have no issues. Only works with headlights on.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Camping family

Maybe it ha something to do,with it being wired for a furrion and you wired a different brand. Mine was wired for furrion and I purchased furrion and have no issues. Only works with headlights on.

It is simply a power feed cable and the way the Laredo technician chose to wire it. I don't know if this is their standard method, the tech picked up the wrong wire, or if there is no standard.

[JDDilly]

I had an Avalanche a few years ago and installed a Furrion, it was on all the time. The camera stopped working after a year.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by JDDilly

I had an Avalanche a few years ago and installed a Furrion, it was on all the time. The camera stopped working after a year.

That is my concern as well if i don't come up with a way to switch it.

[Mmeyer]

Can you unhook and not use the wires from the factory And pull one of the running lights and tap into the wires so the power will only work when you truck lights are on. That’s how mine is wired. Hope this helps.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Mmeyer

Can you unhook and not use the wires from the factory And pull one of the running lights and tap into the wires so the power will only work when you truck lights are on. That’s how mine is wired. Hope this helps.

That is the way it should be wired. I didn't realize it wasn't until I finished the job, shut everything down, and discovered the camera was still powered on! I will have to go back and see if I can fish a new wire to a light fixture. I have no idea why Laredo wired it direct with no switch. I should have known having it pre-wired was too easy.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

That is the way it should be wired. I didn't realize it wasn't until I finished the job, shut everything down, and discovered the camera was still powered on! I will have to go back and see if I can fish a new wire to a light fixture. I have no idea why Laredo wired it direct with no switch. I should have known having it pre-wired was too easy.

That’s a much better option then what I proposed above lol “adding a switch” I wasn’t thinking that the clearance lights would be so close, But they are .
The only good part about leaving it hardwired with a switch somewhere is you could use it as a security camera at a campground or boondocking without having to have lights on..put the monitor in the fifth wheel with you at night when sleeping in it

[CedarCreekWoody]

I agree. I don't think adding a switch would be the right solution for me. I think I'm going to remove the camera for now and then re-address the issue in warmer weather. Lol

[wiredgeorge]

Someone at the factory thought it was easier to pull a hot wire from the battery (or maybe the converter?) to your camera rather than use the 12VDC from the market lamps... not making sense to this ol' boy.

[CedarCreekWoody]

I suppose the tech just grabbed a wire that looked good. Doesn't make any sense to me either.

[JRTJH]

It's that "danged color coded wiring system" that Keystone introduced... When the guy on the front of the trailer connects the yellow wire to the blue wire spot, that changes the rear camera yellow wire to blue, but the "back guy didn't know what the front guy did"...

So, when nobody checks that system until you buy a camera to install it, it becomes, "WHOOP, there it is".....

[CedarCreekWoody]

I don't suppose where that mis-connection might have been made do you? In an easily accessible locations perhaps? I suspect replacing a clearance light with a camera mount is going to be my best bet.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

I don't suppose where that mis-connection might have been made do you? In an easily accessible locations perhaps? I suspect replacing a clearance light with a camera mount is going to be my best bet.

Can’t you just cap off that wire and pull a clearance light and tap onto one of the hot wires for it and fish over to the existing camera mount?

[CedarCreekWoody]

That is an option.

[JRTJH]

I would probably remove the center clearance light, thread/fish a 2' wire from that hole to the camera mount hole, reinstall the clearance light and connect the camera to that wire. Then the camera would be powered when the clearance lights are powered which means you turn the camera on with the headlights/parking lights on the tow vehicle. If you want to run/check the camera without the tow vehicle, just jumper the two pins adjacent to the keyway on the trailer umbilical.

[CedarCreekWoody]

I will most likely fish the wire or, if that doesn't work, just mount the camera in place of the light. I was checking the camera during the install by jumpering those contacts with a 10 amp fuse, as you recommend. Imagine my surprise at the conclusion of the install when I removed the jumper and the camera continued to work!
I've removed the camera for now and will do the reinstall once warmer weather gets here. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions!

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

I will most likely fish the wire or, if that doesn't work, just mount the camera in place of the light. I was checking the camera during the install by jumpering those contacts with a 10 amp fuse, as you recommend. Imagine my surprise at the conclusion of the install when I removed the jumper and the camera continued to work!
I've removed the camera for now and will do the reinstall once warmer weather gets here. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions!

You need to move to Medina County Texas... where it is currently 72F and sunny; supposed to be close to 80F tomorrow. It is perfect weather for camera fiddling!

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

You need to move to Medina County Texas... where it is currently 72F and sunny; supposed to be close to 80F tomorrow. It is perfect weather for camera fiddling!

Yes, but it will be in the teens there this weekend. This is Texas, remember? Lol
We just delayed a trip for a few days because of the coming cold.