Rear view camera WIRE

Cougar Jim · 03-08-2020, 10:30 AM

2019 Cougar Half Ton 22RBS

I would like to convert the Furrion camera wire to be powered from the taillights and not just the backup lights.

Questions: does anyone know if that wire goes to one of the backup lights for power? Does anyone know how to remove the combo tail and reverse light assembly because there isn't any visible screws?

I plan to use a Ucam camera and monitor that is suitable for constant vision.

TIA for any help!

Customer1 · 03-08-2020, 04:35 PM

Have you checked? My camera is powered by the tail lights.

KRumm · 03-08-2020, 05:53 PM

When referring to tail lights do you mean running lights?... Is there an running light directly above the Furrion mount?... I believe the Furrion plug is wired to that... If not a simple wiring could be done to link the Furrion to that

+Ruff Rider · 03-09-2020, 05:37 AM

The reason they are wired to the back up lights is because they don't want the camera on while driving. It's a safety thing.

**flybouy** · 03-09-2020, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by +Ruff Rider

The reason they are wired to the back up lights is because they don't want the camera on while driving. It's a safety thing.

While it's distracting and against the law for the driver to view a television or prerecorded video that does not apply to traffic monitoring. Many motorhomes and buses are equipped with rear and side view cameras that are viewable anytime the unit is driven. There is no difference between looking at the image in the screen VS looking at it in a mirror.

**JRTJH** · 03-09-2020, 08:10 AM

To add to Marshall's comments, all of the "truck manufacturers" are installing "invisible trailer camera systems" that operate "in all driving modes" and eliminate the "trailer from the rear view image" by using multiple cameras to produce an image that "electronically removes the trailer from the screen image". It's designed and intended to be used "to enhance safety during driving/towing"...

There is a restriction against "watching I Love Lucy" while going down the road (distracted driver). There's no such restriction against watching your mirror images (sides and windshield) or watching that same image that's "electronically produced" on a screen.....

I'll agree, there's a "reasonable limit" to how many "gadgets" will fit on the dash and having too many (TPMS, Scan gauge, GPS, rear monitor, etc) I'd ask, where is the reasonable limit to how much is too much ?????

jim1 · 03-09-2020, 11:37 AM

In our 2019 Cougar 315RLS the rear camera was pre-wired to the 12v interior light circuit. It was connected to the interior lights at the rear just underneath the over head cupboards. I found the wire and cut a switch in by the over head lights so the camera can be switched on and off when using. It was easy to add the camera and switch and well worth it for peace of mind towing. I also installed the side view cameras with their own switch.

Cougar Jim · 03-09-2020, 06:04 PM

Thanks to all that replied! I will look into all those answers hopefully over the weekend.

+Ruff Rider · 03-10-2020, 05:21 AM

I am not sure why you need to see whats behind you while driving. Wouldn't it be almost like watching a movie. My back yo camera in the truck shuts off when I put it in drive.
With all this safety talk all the time. This doesn't sound safe to me. Just Saying. I get the rear view mirror thing but this is not the same. The camera cant tell you is someone is beside you which is the important thing. You don't watch the mirrors all the time.

Northofu1 · 03-10-2020, 05:25 AM

I watch the camera if I am changing lanes. In my mirrors I can see the vehicle in the lane I'm about to merge into, I get a better read on their distance and speed of approach.

**JRTJH** · 03-10-2020, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by +Ruff Rider

I am not sure why you need to see whats behind you while driving. Wouldn't it be almost like watching a movie. My back yo camera in the truck shuts off when I put it in drive.
With all this safety talk all the time. This doesn't sound safe to me. Just Saying. I get the rear view mirror thing but this is not the same. The camera cant tell you is someone is beside you which is the important thing. You don't watch the mirrors all the time.

We tow either a boat or a motorcycle trailer behind our fifth wheel. There is NO possible way to know if that trailer is even still attached to the fifth wheel without a camera system to monitor the trailer. Between a boat cover ripping off, a flat tire on the boat trailer, the cooler losing its lid, a tackle hatch opening accidentally and the outboard dropping down when the strut broke, having a camera is a valuable safety device for towing. There's a significant difference in using the trailer rear camera as a "rear view mirror" (similar to what's installed in EVERY vehicle by law) and focusing on the image rather than driving. That's not a "camera/monitor issue" that's a "irresponsible driver issue" if the driver is paying more attention to an image on a monitor rather than the "real world outside the windshield"....

Honestly, until you've been towing on a busy highway, watched a vehicle come up behind you, turn on their turn signal AND delayed your lane change because you "know what the car you can't see without a camera is doing" you may never realize just how important a rear view camera can be.

**flybouy** · 03-10-2020, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by +Ruff Rider

I am not sure why you need to see whats behind you while driving. Wouldn't it be almost like watching a movie. My back yo camera in the truck shuts off when I put it in drive.
With all this safety talk all the time. This doesn't sound safe to me. Just Saying. I get the rear view mirror thing but this is not the same. The camera cant tell you is someone is beside you which is the important thing. You don't watch the mirrors all the time.

First off you're truck. Yes the b/u camera shuts off because you can see behind you in the mirror. The camera assist you in seeing objects that cannot been seen in the mirror while backing like a small child or a tree stump.

Like watching a movie? No more than a mirror, same image. If you get "fixated" looking at it then in my opinion you have some attention deficit and maybe you shouldn't be driving. The driver should be "scanning" all the information available all the time. Do you not look in your rearview mirror while driving? What if an emergency vehicle is trying to get by? Looking in my trailer's monitor I'll know that info as well as is it clear to change lanes.

People don't like to follow trailers. They will do anything to go around as quickly as they can. This has happened to me often. Let's say I'm on an on ramp to a busy highway, like I95. You have maybe 1,000' or so to move left before the lane ends. I check the left mirror and the lane is open. Just as I start to move over a car juts out from behind the camper. He floors the gas to go around and I have to swerve to avoid a collision. Seeing that car in the camera monitor I 1. know he's back there, 2. know what he's most likely going to do, 3. can see him make that move BEFORE I can see him in the side mirror.

The argument for driver distraction is what I don't understand. All drivers should be taught to scan their dashboard gauges and the spatial environment in as much of a 360 deg circle as possible, including the mirrors, in a regular pattern at a regular interval.

When I was flying there were well over a dozen "gauges" to scan as well as the 3 dimensional space that I was flying in. Add the task of plotting the course progress on a chart and operate the radio to communicate with air traffic control. When I had boats it was the same process. Monitoring the very few gauges in modern vehicles while looking at a monitor on the camper camera should not be an "overwhelming" task.

AbHDToyHauler · 03-10-2020, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

We tow either a boat or a motorcycle trailer behind our fifth wheel. There is NO possible way to know if that trailer is even still attached to the fifth wheel without a camera system to monitor the trailer. Between a boat cover ripping off, a flat tire on the boat trailer, the cooler losing its lid, a tackle hatch opening accidentally and the outboard dropping down when the strut broke, having a camera is a valuable safety device for towing. There's a significant difference in using the trailer rear camera as a "rear view mirror" (similar to what's installed in EVERY vehicle by law) and focusing on the image rather than driving. That's not a "camera/monitor issue" that's a "irresponsible driver issue" if the driver is paying more attention to an image on a monitor rather than the "real world outside the windshield"....

Honestly, until you've been towing on a busy highway, watched a vehicle come up behind you, turn on their turn signal AND delayed your lane change because you "know what the car you can't see without a camera is doing" you may never realize just how important a rear view camera can be.

I agree. I hardwired my rearview camera all the way to the back of the trailer as I did not like the wireless camera i had tried. I like to be able to see behind the trailer while driving. I have 38 extra feet of vision to see if someone is coming up fast or in lane I plan to move to. We all drove years without these things but sure do like it when hauling my RV.

chunker · 03-10-2020, 02:55 PM

In the motorhome there is a rear camera and 2 side cameras. The rear stays on and even has sound so when you are parking the guide can speak to you. When driving the rear camera can see a vehicle behind me and also monitor my toad. The side cameras come on when I use the turn signals. So as I am signaling my intention to turn or change lanes, I can see if someone is hiding there out of sight of the mirrors. I'll agree with the comment that if a camera or scanning the area is too much distraction then time to hang it up and take a Trailways.

Cougar Jim · 03-11-2020, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by +Ruff Rider

The reason they are wired to the back up lights is because they don't want the camera on while driving. It's a safety thing.

I drove Big Rigs for years with constant camera views and I like seeing what’s behind me for being able to merge after passing.

Cougar Jim · 03-11-2020, 05:49 PM

Thanks to all that support my reason for a constant camera. You don’t know what you miss until you don’t have it. 😎😎. Hopefully I can work on the suggestions this weekend for constant power for the new camera.

Auggie Waterman · 03-14-2020, 11:03 AM

I towed for a few years without a rear camera. Our 308BHDS fifth wheel has the furrion on when the battery switch is on, so all the time. I love it while driving for all the reasons stated here- when in traffic and someone is tailgating our trailer, when I go to switch lanes to get around trucks doing 50mph, I can make sure the following car is not moving into the lane i'm going into.

And it's great for seeing anyone coming up fast also because it's a wide angle, and has green, yellow and red marking lines that can be turned on by a button on my screen in the cab so when I'm backing (becuase I've measured) I know the red lines are 10 feet and in, yellow 20, green 30 feet.

My project today is adding a switch because I want to be able to switch the camera off without having to turn off the battery. I discovered by pulling interior fuses that it's connected to "exterior lights". I haven't discovered a place to add the switch yet, so IF ANYONE knows, give me a holler! I'll post if/when I find it.

dutchmensport · 03-14-2020, 01:12 PM

If yours is a Keystone product and you have the pre-wired rear camera mount for a Furrion camera, it is most likely already wired into your camper running lights. What that means is, when the headlights are on in your to vehicle, the running lights are on in the camepr, the wire running to the camera is on also whenever you turn on the lights on your tow vehicle.

Old Mustanger · 03-14-2020, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

If yours is a Keystone product and you have the pre-wired rear camera mount for a Furrion camera, it is most likely already wired into your camper running lights. What that means is, when the headlights are on in your to vehicle, the running lights are on in the camepr, the wire running to the camera is on also whenever you turn on the lights on your tow vehicle.

Not always true, my camera is always on when the battery disconnect is on, doesn't care if the trailer is connected to the truck.

Cougar Jim · 03-15-2020, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cougar Jim

Thanks to all that support my reason for a constant camera. You don’t know what you miss until you don’t have it. 😎😎. Hopefully I can work on the suggestions this weekend for constant power for the new camera.

Had time to install the Ucam camera yesterday. The power was/is coming from the clearance light just above the Furrion. The Furrion female plug wasn’t compatible with the Ucam so I had to replace with the proper plug.

Thanks again for all the suggestions 👍

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