Hi!
I'm new to the truck world and the blind spot behind my 2003 Supercrew bothered me, so I purchased a MobileVideo 5.6" color monitor (MONCOLHA5PN), a 15-CM25WNVB-SH20 color CCD Camera and the necessary extra cables and connectors. Now I'm trying to determine the best way to install these items and boy, do I ever need advice!

I'd like to install the monitor on the dash and the camera in the trailer hitch receiver in a way it could be removed whenever I do any towing. I'd also like to use some of the unused fuse locations as power sources so that I don't create any unintended power paths. I also need to know the best way to rout the camera cables drom the rear of the truck forward.

If any of y'all have experience with any of this, I would sure appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks in advance...

 

When I installed my aux back-up lights, I ran the wires from the rear of the truck as follows:

1. Buy enough 1/2" split loom from Home Depot to run from the rear of your truck to the firewall.

2. Put your wiring inside the loom first. Then, route the cable up inside the frame, on the driver's side. There are existing harnesses in there so it is easy to follow. Tie wrap your loom to the existing harnesses.

3. When you get to the front of the truck follow the frame until you get to the inner fender well. There is an existing harness there as well. Follow that up into the engine compartment, tie wrapping along the way.

4. High on the firewall, next to the steering column, is a rubber grommet that will allow you access to the truck interior. Pop this grommet out, drill an appropriate sized hole through it's center and route your wiring. BTW, if you might be adding other accessories in the future that will require wires to be routed into the truck, now is a good time to drill a few spare holes in the grommet. It is much harder to do once wires are through it.

As far as the power source for the camera, you could get it from a multitude of places in the rear of your truck. I am sure it only pulls an amp or so, so it should not be a problem for any of the circuits that are back there.

Is that camera small enough to fit inside the receiver ? All of the IR illuminated cameras I have messed with are too large to fit in there.

Good luck and let us know how it works out...

 

B-Man

Thanks a bunch. I'll be using your instructions next weekend.

The camera is bullet shaped and is 2" indiameter and about 4" long. It may not fit as I had planned. If not, it's back to the drawing board...

 

If you don't mind sharing, can you tell me where you got the camera and monitor, and how much for each ?

Are you happy with the clarity ? Colors ?

What voltage do both pieces operate at ?

Thanks for any info...

 

No Problemo...

I got the equipment at the EPO Computers Electronics Etc. in Webster, TX. The monitor was on sale for $99. The color and sharpness are great. It also has the capability to reverse the image. The Camera cost $149. It operates in a color mode until the light level gets too low and then converts to B&W. The lens is surrounded with LEDs to enhance low light imaging. All together, with extra cable and the prerequisite sales tax set me back a little over $280. They also threw in all necessary connectors.

 

Forgot... They both operate at 12VDC

 

Well, A fellow Friendswood-ian. ?Friendswood-er?

Anyway,

I have been thinking of something like this as well. Where did you end up mounting your camera?

What other modifications do you have?

Houstonwide

 

Houstonwide...

My original intent was to use my hitch receiver. The camera is just the right diameter but is a little too long so I'm back to the drawing board.

I'm going to take a few pictures and measurements of the underside around the hitch area and then try to design a mount using 2" or 2.5" aluminum channel. The camera's mount points are on top and on bottom which means I can use them for left-right adjustment. Vertical adjustment will depend on how I mount the channel to the underside. It's all up in the air right now.

Once I get it done I'll post a photo or two.

BTW, this is my first mod...

 

Well, with thanks to B-Man for his wiring hints, I've installed my backup camera and monitor. For anyone that might be interested, I've put photos of the installation in my gallery:

https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=3289

The wire loom followed the existing wiring on the drivers side wherever possible and entered the cabin through the grommet recommended by B-Man. The power is supplied via two existing fuses in the interior fuse box. I used the trailer hitch fuse to power the camera because it turns off with the key. The monitor is powered via the fuse that handles the emergency flashers. This allows the monitor to be powered at all times so that picture settings (brightness, color, etc.) are retained. Both are grounded on an existing brace under the dash.

The picture is great except when there is a bright object in the field of view, causing a bright vertical line on the screen. Perhaps a polarizing lens might help.

It also is not very effective in the dark. More light is required when backing up. Could this be my nect project?????