Wiring a reverse camera mounted in the license plate

[dasmikechen]

Hey all,

I am very very new to wiring, but I think I have the general concept down. I just bought an in-dash head unit with camera input and screen. I love backing into parking spaces, and decided to spend some $$ to get a good camera ($83 shipped). I am thinking I need some help with the install, at least someone who know wtf they are doing to walk me through it.

It mounts in one of the license plate light spots and then wires need to run to the front of the car. A power wire (which will be tapped to an always on with ignition accessory) and a video RCA cable need to run to the dash/fuse box, and I will also need to run a line from the reverse lights (since the fuse is always hot) to the head unit to tell it to switch automatically to the camera when in reverse. I don't really know which wire I need, but more importantly (and frieghteningly for me) is I don't know how to run the wires in a clean install front to back. Can anyone walk me through it or would anyone want to meet up to help me? I have tools/garage in champlin I could use... any help would be great. Should be arriving in a few weeks.

Thanks

 

[ClearCoatMiata]

it sounds like a very simple instal its just time to make shur it looks nice i would love to help but im just not comftorable to work on other peoples cars yet

 

[WhiteSpy9]

You don't want me anywhere near your wiring, but every time I put the mazda3 in reverse, I look at the dash, hoping for a back up image to appear.
I like this idea....

 

[dasmikechen]

Well, it is now installed, works great! I owe a lot to my girlfriend, she always loves helping me with my projects... The camera was made perfect to mount in the license plate light's shield/cover. Ran the wires for the camera up the right rear boot toward the brake lights. Ran a ground and the 'backwards sensor' to a ground on the hatch and to the green power wire for the back-up white lights. then ran them up the floor board sills to the fuse box/head unit. Took us about 3 hours of diligently working to get it done right. If anyone wants pictures, let me know.

 

[mndsm]

pics?

 

[dasmikechen]

Here are pictures of the camera install

The look of the installed camera in the light area.
<a href="http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/?action=view&current=2010-05-25163415-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/2010-05-25163415-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Picture for reference of how close the item in the screen is to the car.
<a href="http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/?action=view&current=2010-05-25163400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/2010-05-25163400.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Picture of the screen image while in reverse.
<a href="http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/?action=view&current=2010-05-25163450.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/2010-05-25163450.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Close up on the screen.
<a href="http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/?action=view&current=2010-05-25163520.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab284/dasmikechen/Mazda%20camera/2010-05-25163520.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[dasmikechen]

Here are pictures of the camera install

The look of the installed camera in the light area.

Picture for reference of how close the item in the screen is to the car.

Picture of the screen image while in reverse.

Close up on the screen.

 

[dasmikechen]

I dont get the internets.... how the heck do I link pictures in here?
The look of the installed camera in the light area.

Picture for reference of how close the item in the screen is to the car.

Picture of the screen image while in reverse.

Close up on the screen.

 

[Z-licious]

NICE! I've always wanted a back-up camera but never got around to it.

 

[Jesse_Melara]

Hey All,
I have a question. I just Installed a back up camera. It looks great, tapped into the power supply no problem. Got it to my head unit, no problem. But in order for it to auto switch to reverse, I need to have the wire from the head unit to the reverse wire...where is that located. How did you do it? For the time being, I have it just hooked up to AUX instead of CAM-V and must switch it manually. Please get back to me

 

[dmention7]

Simplest way is to tap into one of the wires for the reverse lights. You just need to figure out whether it's the +12v wire that's activated when the lights come on, or whether the ground wire is closed to activate them. Probably the first, but I've heard of the latter being used for lights sometimes.

 

[Jesse_Melara]

I already tapped into the green wire(reverse light wire) and the cars ground wire on the boot of the car, ran the wires in the trim, looks great. But my head unit has a wire that needs to be connected to a reverse wire so it knows to switch to back up cam when reverse is engaged. Is there a wire up front, like under glove box? Or do I run a wire all the way to the back in the boot?

 

[dmention7]

If you have a manual transmission, I know for sure there is a reverse switch on the transmission that runs to the ECU. On an automatic, there might be a switch of some sort at the gear selector... but I have no idea.

The simplest is probably just to use the same reverse light signal, and run it up under the door trim to the front of the car. It's usually really easy to hide wiring under the sill plate trim.

 

[Jesse_Melara]

Yes, I found the wire on the right side behind the kick panel of the passenger side. Thing is, its always hot...so I ended up running a line from the head unit to the boot and tapping into the same line again and it works perfectly now. (Did it before I saw your reply lol) thanks! Looks kick ass on the screen

 

[mndsm]

I'd look for the relay for the reverse lights and plug into that.

 

[dmention7]

Yes, I found the wire on the right side behind the kick panel of the passenger side. Thing is, its always hot...so I ended up running a line from the head unit to the boot and tapping into the same line again and it works perfectly now. (Did it before I saw your reply lol) thanks! Looks kick ass on the screen

If the power wire for the reverse light is always hot, it probably uses switched ground. If your system requires a 12v+ signal to activate the backup cam, that would probably be a non-starter. Either way, sounds like you got it figured out!