BeSpoke Backup Camera on Relay
 

Hey can someone check my diagram for installing a 12V backup camera on a relay? Limited experience in circuits so I want to be safe. http://i.imgur.com/wYpEkue.jpg

thats good. I would make sure you add in fuse on the 30 side where you tap your power.

Sounds good, thanks. I'll probably just use a add-a-fuse instead of tapping a wire.


edit: Which fuse can I safely use an "add-a-fuse" to that is 12V? On the driver's side box I only see ECU ACC

You should be able to put it on the cigarette lighter or radio fuse.

What's the relay for? To keep the camera from having constant voltage?

Relay basically is a switch that tells the camera to turn on when the "trigger" tells it too. If you don't use a relay or another method the camera will constantly be powered on (even when the headunit isn't displaying the video) when the car is on instead of just when in reverse.

Ok, so basically like I was asking. Thanks for posting this. A few days ago I ordered a cheapo cam off EBay that another forum member used. I'm gonna be installing it hopefully this weekend. I like the relay idea, although I was thinking of installing it on a switch so that I could turn it on if I wanted to check to see who is following me or whatnot. Brake checks, stuff like that. hehe.

Do you know if I tap the cigarette lighter wire that I already tapped for my LED DRL strips would it still supply enough voltage to power the backup camera? Or would it cause any other problems having too many things on this one line?

Sounds like a cool idea. You should take it one step further and figure out a way to make it go on relay so it automatically turns on AND a manual override switch lol. That'd be pretty boss.

i can't imagine it would be a problem. the amount of power your backup camera draws is VERY low.

Yeah, I was actually wanting to install a front camera as well for parking close to curbs. As low as our fronts are, I'd hate to "tuck" it under one day because of those tire/parking curb things. That and other uses. I'll have to work on a circuit for that.

Using your method is not going to work, unless you start the car and shift it into reverse immediately. The reason for that is when the HU is power up, it needs to detect if there is a camera installed. By using relay, the camera is not on until you shift it into reverse.

On the 16 pin harness, there is a power out. You should connect your camera to that power out. That power out is only on momentary when your HU is boot up, it trigger the camera and therefore telling HU that there is camera installed.

Here is the thread to talk more detail about this;

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36323

Sorry can you clarify about the 16 pin harness? Are you talking about the video wires (yellow and black) that go in the top right in the guide and bottom right in the guide (pin 8[V+] and 16[V-] in my diagram)?

The camera video wire will always have a direct connection to the 16pin. It just won't be powered on until I put it in reverse.

No, the 6v power lead is the one next you your video+ pin. See the link for instruction on how to install this. This instruction comes from David Carter who supplies the 16 pins harness to members here;

http://ae64.com/Rear-camera-install-16p-BeSpoke.htm

http://ae64.com/Rear-camera-16p-operation.htm

Good luck!