cheap reverse camera, sat nav and dashcam install

[Halford]

Just finished the installation of my mirror display reversing camera, sat nav (android phone using Sygic) and dashcam.

It's been an interesting little project removing all the internal trim panels, which I wouldn't have been able to do were it not for the great info I found on this site.

for the dashcam and phone you can use 2 of these, one with the micro (android phone) and one with the mini (dashcam) connectors

 

EBORN Micro / Mini Dual USB Cable Car Hard Wire Kit £8.99 amazon

 

 

for the mirror display .... 

 

BW 2 in 1 5 inch Digital Color TFT LCD 16:9 5" Screen Car Rearview Mirror Security from amazon only £19.96

 

 

wiring up - I chose to have the dashcam permanently live (so I can leave it on in cars park visits etc) and wired it to the internal 12v / lighter socket fuse (30A)
Then I combined the phone and mirror display on the same fuse as the rear wiper (15A)

 

 

 

for the camera ......

replacement camera/boot release handle £10.99 from china (eBay)

 

 

took a punt on this eBay china camera/boot release as noticed it had the same dimensions as the Yeti one. The camera and the boot release mechanism work great, but the fitment is different.

as you can see the OEM yeti boot release has expanding plastic lugs which keep it in place

 

 

whilst the Chinese copy comes with 2 bolts

 

 

so it was necessary to improvise some form of fixing assembly

 

 

works great both as boot release replacement switch and as a camera, the image is very good.

 

I wired the camera into the blue/black reverse light cable and the body earth point shown.

 

 

on shifting to reverse gear, the rear view camera worked fine with the key on Acc, however, with the engine running, the image would flicker then disappear. 

 

a bit of research suggested the problem was with the camera being connected to a non stable signal on the reversing light circuit when the engine was running as it needs to be connected to a constant 12v.

 

the solution was to take the wiring I'd installed from the reverse light and use it as a trigger for a micro relay and to take the stable power supply from the rear wiper.

 

 

 

the video cable supplied with the mirror display wasn't long enough to route all the way back to the camera, however, a second video lead came with the camera.

 

Hence, it was an easy job to splice the two cable together - note the live wire wasn't required as this is simply used to trigger the display on infotainment system displays.

 

 

everything works great, so well pleased

cheap as chips

 

 

 

Edited 1 August, 2017 by Halford
wrong image

[Halford]

daylight and night images 

 

 

[valep]

Did you take off the A pillar cover if so how do you do it.  I want to put the cable in side the A pillar cover as there is an air bag in the A pillar and the A pillow cover is blown off and I do not want the cable a and dash cam been in the road

[Halford]

from memory (failing every day)

 

first ease the door seal off from the top down to the dashboard

 

then place your right hand fingers under the lip of the A-pillar at the vertical top edge nearest the door

and your left fingers into the A-pillar lip at the top edge 

 

and work your right hand down maintaining  pressure waiting for the pillar to give and pop off

 

there are only 2 clips keeping it on, don't be afraid to use controlled force in the direction towards the mirror (to pull the clips out)

 

you'll be OK as long as you don't use any tools under the edge that could catch the airbag

 

use common sense when hiding any cables as you don;t want them in the path of the airbag.

 

check out a post on the darkside

http://www.yetiownersclub.co.uk/forum/dash-cam-with-auto-power-on_topic2615.html

 

 

 

 

[valep]

Thanks very much for that