Hi all

 

After successfully upgrading my 2007 Octavia from PDC to OPS, I figured I might go all in and install a backup camera too.

All wiring and cables have been pulled except for 12V ACC.

 

It looks like the camera will have trouble feeding off the reverse light wire while the engine is running. So right now, with + connected to the backup bulb wire, it will only work while ignition is on. It stops working after yuo turn on the engine

After contacting the seller on ebay he suggested I need a 12V live feed rather than a 12V canbus so I made a test with my old car battery, hooked the camera up to that instead and sure enough it now works also when the engine is running.

 

So now I need a switched 12V power source at the back of my car... Despite being a full-option vehicle, it's not equipped with a 12V socket in the trunk so I figured I need to fetch one from the fusebox.

A quick visit to the fusebox reveals I have no spare unused slots. I took a multimeter to test all empty slots and they're all dead... what to do? 

 

 

Edited 12 December, 20205 yr by Inex

Connect directly to the large power cable to the rear wiper, job done, - simples!

 

And it is right beside the camera, with the earth its 2 less cables to run through the tight grommet to the hinge panel.

Edited 12 December, 20205 yr by J.R.

Isn't that also controlled via canbus? So similar to how the reverse bulbs and OPS module is...

People seem to have very imaginative ideas about what the canbus communication system does like monitoring bulbs etc.

 

It is a communication protocole between modules which reduces the need for multiple cables between switched & individual components.

 

In the case in point when you actuate the column stalk for the rear wiper its sends a low voltage minimal current signal to the body/comfort control module located as close to the controls it interfaces with as practical, the BCM/CCM in turn sends a signal via the two wire canbus network to the corresponding module/node in the rear wiper which will then actuate the relay to power the motor at the required speed and duration.

 

The power for the motor and the canbus node is the large conductor that I referred to and is the most practical point for you to power your reversing camera from. It is the cable that powers the motor and its canbus node, it is not controlled by canbus, it will be live all the time your ignition is on engine running or otherwise.

 

Most nodes have multiple outputs but as each are only working part of the time only one suitably sized supply cable is required rather then every item having a seperate conductor running to the control switch on the dashboard.

Edited 12 December, 20205 yr by J.R.

Fair enough 👌 will give it a try when I have the chance 🙏

 

Thanks for the explanation 😁 I admit I'm not an expert... Only a simple DIY enthusiast 🤦‍♂️ 

 

My + and - wires from the camera are already drawn to the rear lights area and the grounding above the wheel arch. I'm hoping the + for the wiper is in the vicinity of the OPS module or that rear wheel arch.

I am assuming that your camera is mounted in either the tailgate release handle or the number plate light, in either case it will be right beside the rear wiper so even if you had run the power and ground cables through the loom bellows all you need to do is cut them off long enough to splice into the power & ground wires going into the wiper motor, the canbus node is inside on the PCB.

 

In fact from memory I was in the same situation and I simply unconnected the camera power lead from the extension cable and it was long enough to reach to the wiper motor, just needed the connector cutting off & the cables spliced in.

Right, back at this with some time to finish this off...

 

I see your point - however, I'd rather not have my relay sitting in the trunk. It's a much harder place to service should it ever need this... I'd rather have it inside the rear left wheel arch.

So... Any idea where how the rear wiper power cable is routed through? I'm assuming it goes down in the wheel arch but after having looked for a bit today, I can't find it....

 

Been googling this for a while now too. 

 

The idea would be to tap into it somewhere inside the wheel arch.

If you already have your power wires through to the boot then you could also tap into one of the boot lights. I've heard this is a good source for it.

 

And thanks for the tip of the power from the wiper motor.

 

I've got a camera on the way and will be fitting it asap once it arrives.

You can't tap into the boot lights since they are also canbus controlled...

 

Good luck with the instalation!

 

I've got it all in place except for tapping into power.

People have used the boot lights with success.

 

Yes they are controlled from the computer. But they are not monitored for bulb failure. They are simply fed a live 12v+.

 

It's the bulb failure monitoring that messes up the camera since the current is monitored by the computer and there is constantly pulses of power transmitted even when the light is off (hence why LEDs can sometimes flash.

Finally this project is over after 3 months away from my car

 

I managed to tap into the 12V feed for the rear wiper. You can find that in the beige connector just above the left wheel arch. It's the purple/black wire. For convenience, the connector can be removed from the bracket by pulling it upwards.

 

 

Then, for the relay - I managed used its built-in bracket to screw it on one of the taillight unit bolts like in the picture below - nice and snug

Overall I think this location for the relay is much better than inside the boot lid because it can be easily serviced (should you ever need to). It's much harder to remove the inner boot lid plastic cover and fit it back in without replacing some metal clips.

 

 

 

I went for the relay solution to prevent the camera from being on all the time. I could have directly tapped into the wiper cable and have it on all the time.... but I'd rather not burn through all its lifecycle every time I drive forward just so it's ready for the few seconds of use going backwards.  Works as a charm. The relay engages when I'm sticking it in reverse so the camera is only on when in reverse but feeding off the rear wiper circuit.

 

Hope this helps future enthusiasts. 

 

PS: Prepare at least 5-6 new metal clips for the boot lid inner cover to go back in properly or at least use something to make sure they sit straight and snug when attempting to fit it back in. (I learned it the hard way)

Edited 12 March, 20215 yr by Inex

My camera has arrived. I've also decided to use a relay so I can use a clean feed from the wiper motor power but also not have the camera powered on all the time.

 

Thanks for your tips.

 

Hoping to give it a go at the weekend.

So I got my camera fitted. But I ended up not using the relay and didn't have to tap into the reverse light or anything.

 

I discovered a cable from the stereo that has +12v when reverse is engaged.

 

Since I had to run the video wire to the front anyway then I fed a twin power cable too and used ground behind the stereo and used this +12v connection. Works perfectly, no interference and means the camera is only powered on in reverse.

Sounds good! Și basically you ran it all to the front of the car where there's plenty of 12v and grounding places but how did you figure out that one cable was 12v while in reverse only?

Yes. Since I had to run the wires to the front any way (via the headlining) the it wasn't any more work and saved faffing about at the rear.

 

I just happened to see the wire. It was connected to the same port as the video signal cable. It comes from the stereo and not the car (Chinese Android stereo). I measured it and it gave 12v when in reverse.

On 28/03/2021 at 11:37, Phil-E said:

So I got my camera fitted. But I ended up not using the relay and didn't have to tap into the reverse light or anything.

 

I discovered a cable from the stereo that has +12v when reverse is engaged.

 

Since I had to run the video wire to the front anyway then I fed a twin power cable too and used ground behind the stereo and used this +12v connection. Works perfectly, no interference and means the camera is only powered on in reverse.

 

Do you still get no interference when the headlights are on and the engine is running?  I get some faint lines on the screen when I do this on mine using a similar setup to you although I have earthed to the rear wiper motor body.  I have no inference when the engine is running and the headlights are off though. 

 

Also when using the rear wiper I get interference on the camera too, engine on and off.  Was wondering if this was to do with earthing on wiper motor body or if it was airborne noise being picked up due to the proximity of the camera and motor.  If you could let me know that would be great before I got to the effort of running a dedicated earth to the camera.  

I can confirm that with my setup, I get no interference - regardless of headlights or if the rear wiper is being used.

Thanks for that info, I'll run in some extra cables in mine when I get change. What video cable did you end up using for the install?  Was it the one supplied with camera or did you buy a shielded one? Also how about the power and ground cables, what type and rating did you use?

I used the supplied cables. I only made some of my own wires to ensure they can all reach the relay location at the back of the taillight. I don't remember... But I used slightly thicker wires than you would see on the camera power wire just to be sure.

Hi. I get zero interference on mine. Even with the headlights on (Factory Xenons) or while using the rear wiper.

On 13/03/2021 at 05:04, Inex said:

Finally this project is over after 3 months away from my car

 

I managed to tap into the 12V feed for the rear wiper. You can find that in the beige connector just above the left wheel arch. It's the purple/black wire. For convenience, the connector can be removed from the bracket by pulling it upwards.

 

 

Then, for the relay - I managed used its built-in bracket to screw it on one of the taillight unit bolts like in the picture below - nice and snug

Overall I think this location for the relay is much better than inside the boot lid because it can be easily serviced (should you ever need to). It's much harder to remove the inner boot lid plastic cover and fit it back in without replacing some metal clips.

 

 

 

I went for the relay solution to prevent the camera from being on all the time. I could have directly tapped into the wiper cable and have it on all the time.... but I'd rather not burn through all its lifecycle every time I drive forward just so it's ready for the few seconds of use going backwards.  Works as a charm. The relay engages when I'm sticking it in reverse so the camera is only on when in reverse but feeding off the rear wiper circuit.

 

Hope this helps future enthusiasts. 

 

PS: Prepare at least 5-6 new metal clips for the boot lid inner cover to go back in properly or at least use something to make sure they sit straight and snug when attempting to fit it back in. (I learned it the hard way)

Hi. Could you please explain

a. How you managed to feed the power cable from the camera to the rear wiper 12v feed above the left rear wheel arch. I have tried with no success to feed it down the d pillar with a small poly rod after getting it through the conduit from the tailgate. 

b. How you gained access to the area above the left rear wheel arch. How much trim needed to be removed and how did it come off?
I have pry tools and all manner of other tools but it has me beaten. 
Then there’s how to feed the video cable with the yellow RCA attached to the head unit down the left side. Planning to go through the headlining then down the C pillar and along the bottom of the door channels. I’ve tried feeding the cable through attached to my slim rods but they don’t pass through forward whereas the rod by itself will. 
Thanks in advance from Australia. 
Michael. 

2009 Octavia with rcd unit my head unit supports r cam and I have wired it in the back with power from reverse light and ground but I don't know what to do with this cable coming off rca input do i put this into a fuse or tap into one of the cables next to it? Thanks

Edited 3 November, 20253 Nov by Abzman

Normal you Take KL30&KL31 and Yellow RCA is the Reverse light

sorry what is kl30? is it possible for you to provide a picture please?