Wireless reverse camera for CampLite TC11

Started by Seattle-TC11, July 30, 2019, 12:52:09 PM

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Seattle-TC11

The remote wireless camper camera project for my 2016 CampLite TC11 worked out amazingly well.  I used a piece of scrap thick walled aluminum tubing and my angle grinder to cut a mount that stood out far enough to clear the camper's roll-out awning in order to have the camera look at a downward angle.  It is the same metal as all the aluminum trim so it looks great.  I used the orbital sander to give it a matte finish.

After re-using existing screw hole locations for the mount, I routed the wire inside the marker light to re-use that existing wiring hole. I did not have to make any new installation holes.  I had to modify one of the marker light covers on the bottom side to allow the wire to fit when the cover is snapped back on the mount.  It is on the bottom of the cap, so there is no worry about leaks.  The video wires and the marker lights are using the same hole and it is caulked.  I used butyl tape under the entire mount and caulked around everything.  A bit of advice...do not use self drilling screws longer than 1.25"  -- they will cut into the opposite side of the frame studs, and then the head will snap off.  Stick to 1" self drilling screws, they work great!

The power for the remote transmitter was the most difficult part. Starting at the reverse light accessible from the gray/black tank drain area (I tapped into the black and white wires), I had to run an extension wire from the reverse light under the floor where the black tank is located (a broom stick and a hook on the end worked very well for grabbing wire in the very limited space).  In the bathroom area, I had to remove the wall panel next to the toilet.  This panel is difficult to remove and must be treated with extreme caution so as not to damage the edges or corners (you must flex it to have it come free from the metal edge work).  The panel can be removed to gain access to this area.  So far, I have been unsuccessful despite several attempts to get some extra inside paneling from KZ.  They do not reply to any of the emails I send.  I would love to have some interior panels because a few are scratched up (it actually arrived new that way). 

The wire was run along the black tank vent pipe (attached with zip ties), so there was already a hole in the floor for the pipe to use.  There is also an existing a wire raceway along the ceiling that is easily removed that already carries the wires from the marker lights.  Unfortunately, these wires are not usable because they are not associated with the reverse light.  It was very time consuming and somewhat frustrating work removing panels and raceway covers, and it took hours, but I also didn't damage anything so it was worth the effort.  With the correct reverse wire power feed, the transmitter kicks on instantly when the reverse light is active.  There is no delay at all when the camera becomes active.  The image is also clear.

Inside the truck, I installed the wireless receiver to switched power so it is only active when the truck is running.  I also purchased an old Radio Shack coax A/B switch I found on Ebay.  I used Coax to RCA adapters that match what the head unit already has for video.  A few short RCA video cables were added to reach the head-unit and it was done.  I can flip from the truck's wired reverse camera to the camper's wireless camera anytime I have the camper in the truck. The truck's wired camera is blocked by the camper's bumper, so it wasn't very useful.  When I have the camper on the truck, I flip the A/B switch to the wireless camera and nothing else is required.  I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out.  The camera has less of a wide angle view than I really like.  I have ordered another camera similar to this one and I hope it has a super wide angle view.  Even if it does not have a wide view, I am still happy to see what is behind me with this giant camper on the truck.