Rear camera installation

[jakewalter]

I am in the process of installing a rear camera for my truck camper.

I am working on my 85 K20 with an automatic transmission.

I need to tap into the backup lights.

Rather than run a wire back to the taillight I was wondering if I could tap into the wiring underneath the dash.

If anyone knows where the wires are I would appreciate the help.

Thanks so much,
Jake

 

[YakkoWarner]

I am in the process of installing a rear camera for my truck camper.

I am working on my 85 K20 with an automatic transmission.

I need to tap into the backup lights.

Rather than run a wire back to the taillight I was wondering if I could tap into the wiring underneath the dash.

If anyone knows where the wires are I would appreciate the help.

Thanks so much,
Jake

I am not sure that wiring will be under the dash since nothing in the cab actually depends on it - my understanding is there is constant +12 going to the switch on the transmission (which closes when you move the selector to "R") and then from there it goes right to the reversing lamps. The closest point to grab that signal might be at the transmission itself.

 

[Rickf]

My rear camera needed one power supply when the vehicle is on and one signal (reverse light) to turn it on. Is your setup similar?

 

[Ricko1966]

You should be able to pick up reverse light power at the base of the steering column

 

[Scott91370]

If you can't find it put in a switch that you can use to turn it on anytime you want.

Flip switch, camera comes on.
Put truck in reverse and back up.
Turn switch off.
Put truck in drive and drive off.

 

[Steelbuddha]

If you can't find it put in a switch that you can use to turn it on anytime you want.

Flip switch, camera comes on.
Put truck in reverse and back up.
Turn switch off.
Put truck in drive and drive off.

Yep -- the screen for my camera has an on/off switch on the face of it.

 

[plumtruckerd]

I have a dump truck that has small side mirrors. I installed a camera that the screen is a rearview mirror. It was able to be set to stay on any time the truck is on. It did connect to the backup lights, but that just turns on the lines to help with parking. It works great, but can give you a little motion sickness if you watch it too long going down the road. It has ad HD display that is so clear.

 

[Terry Wilkerson]

I have a back up camera on a choptop sled. I have it powered with the ignition on all the time. You should have open ignition slots on the fuse block to pick up ignition power. Like yours mine has a switch on the unit if I want it off.

 

[jakewalter]

I’m sorry for not getting back to this sooner.

My wife and I went on a camping trip in the upper peninsula of Michigan and had transmission problems.

We had to leave the camper up there at a friends house so it will be a while until I get back to the rear camera.

Thank all of you for your insight and advice.

It is really appreciated.

 

[Muddybuddy]

Those of you that have them and like them, can you share which ones you have? Been wanting to do this for k5 and crewcab

 

[HotRodPC]

Thank God I was put to sleep for that and don't remember it, and even better it was all good news. So I was told I wouldn't need a camera in my rear again for 8 more years.

DOH !!! Ohh Wait !!!

Uhh so yeah. I just bought a back up cam for my roll back. 1 hot wire, which I'm taking from the tail light for the camera, ground to chassis through the mounting bracket, then the screen just plugs into a cig lighter which I'm just going to wire hot to the IGN side of a fuse. The Camera and 1080P 7in screen communicate wireless through these little antennas. That's it. Fairly easy. Now I just need to do it. $88 from Amazon. Looks like it's $109 now with the $30 coupon. I just got it this week, so it went up quick. Well it was Prime 2 day sale now that I recall. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0773HXB23/ <<<<< LINK

 

[YakkoWarner]

Those of you that have them and like them, can you share which ones you have? Been wanting to do this for k5 and crewcab

I got one of the folks here at work to order me the Wolfbox setup that has the in-mirror front facing camera and a small backup camera. I use it in my 1989 Suburban that has the ambulance-style doors with just 2 small square windows you can't see much out of. I mounted the backup camera on a bracket at the top inside edge of the passenger-side rear door window; angled downward. I can't quite see the bumper of the Surburban from that angle but even the door handle is clearly visible. It lets me see things close to the rear of the vehicle, objects further back can be seen regular side mirrors but I can see if there is an object or person or animal that would be hidden from the normal mirrors otherwise.

The head unit just goes over the normal inside rear-view and its display is reflective enough that it could work as a mirror when off. It has the option to switch to full width rear camera view if wired to the backup light circuit, but it also has the ability to show the forward facing and rear facing in a side-by-side configuration which works better for me. It records both cameras to an onboard mircro-SD and has a GPS receiver that keeps the time-stamp accurate and also shows speed and direction on the front-facing image - very useful in a 35 year old squarebody which has a speedo that is always around 5-10 mph off.

 

[Scribbles]

I am in the process of installing a rear camera for my truck camper.

I am working on my 85 K20 with an automatic transmission.

I need to tap into the backup lights.

Rather than run a wire back to the taillight I was wondering if I could tap into the wiring underneath the dash.

If anyone knows where the wires are I would appreciate the help.

Thanks so much,
Jake

I'm out of town so don't have my book here but just pull the drivers taillight and note the color of wire. Then pull the door sill and find the wire (be sure to check with a meter that it only has power when in reverse) then if you don't want to hit it there you can follow it up to the dash.
Even if someone tells you the wire color and exactly where it is you must always check it with a meter.
One of my guys at the shop didn't do it and the guy was driving and all the iair bags in the car went off at once. At least you wont have that problem but you can still fry a module pretty easy.