Page 1 of 1

aftermarket backup camera install

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:56 pm
by PittsburghJoe
I still can't figure out my backup camera wiring. I know I'm just doing something wrong (probably very simple) with the wiring. I have a purple wire labeled "backup camera" from my JVC head unit and a video wire on the camera (which I know is plugged in correctly) as well as a power and ground wire. I just don't know how to hook them up properly. The ground is easy enough but I can't figure out what to do with the power/purple and backup light wires. Do the 3 of them just come together? That doesn't seem right to me but maybe so. I know I have to get power to the camera and I know the purple wire from the JVC has to be involved somehow. Any help would be appreciated. I'll post this conundrum with it's own topic however.

Thanks,

Joe

Re: aftermarket backup camera install

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:41 am
by murcod
You'll need to hook up to the reversing light positive voltage - perhaps both the purple wire and the camera power would be hooked up to it? (The purple wire to switch the head unit to the camera input.)

Re: aftermarket backup camera install

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:51 pm
by PittsburghJoe
murcod wrote:You'll need to hook up to the reversing light positive voltage - perhaps both the purple wire and the camera power would be hooked up to it? (The purple wire to switch the head unit to the camera input.)
Thanks David,

Do you know which wire is positive on the reverse light? There is a blue and a black running to the bulb. I have a multimeter but don't really know how to use it in this case.

Thanks again,

Joe

Re: aftermarket backup camera install

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:01 am
by murcod
On the right hand side rear light it should be a red / blue stripe wire, the black is earth. I'd suggest running a separate wire for the camera power up to the head unit accessories wire with the video cable (a lot of head units will allow you to manually switch to the rear view camera, that won't work if you've got it powered off the reverse light.)

PS: I'm going to throw up a post soon with some head unit wiring info to help out others. ;)

Re: aftermarket backup camera install

Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 12:38 am
by PittsburghJoe
murcod wrote:On the right hand side rear light it should be a red / blue stripe wire, the black is earth. I'd suggest running a separate wire for the camera power up to the head unit accessories wire with the video cable (a lot of head units will allow you to manually switch to the rear view camera, that won't work if you've got it powered off the reverse light.)

PS: I'm going to throw up a post soon with some head unit wiring info to help out others. ;)
I don't think my JVC unit allows for backup switching unless I'm in reverse. Anyway I got the wiring figured out. Purple from the head unit and red from the camera to the blue from the backup light. Black goes to ground and then bingo. Let me know if anyone else has issues with this.

Joe