Parking sensors!

[Noody]

Thanks Derek, I hadn't realised camera systems do so much. I had assumed the monitor to be powered at the cab end and I didn't know that sound was also conveyed.

 

Presumably I'll need too choose a system and buy a conductor for that system, also, one wonders about the load on the reversing-light circuit if all those systems are running.

 

Very helpful and I'll get on with it. Thanks again.

[John52]

Noody - 2016-10-15 9:43 AM

 

Thanks Derek, I hadn't realised camera systems do so much. I had assumed the monitor to be powered at the cab end and I didn't know that sound was also conveyed.

 

Presumably I'll need too choose a system and buy a conductor for that system, also, one wonders about the load on the reversing-light circuit if all those systems are running.

 

Very helpful and I'll get on with it. Thanks again.

 

I have a camera and (4) reversing sensors wired in to my reversing light bulb on my X2/50 with no problems. The camera came as part of a sat nav off rebay which I am delighted with.

The camera is high up pointing down to accurately see the distance between objects I am reversing up to. The disadvantage with this is you can only see about one metre behind.

[Noody]

I had wondered about judging distance with a camera though I do agree it's a good idea to have both, I will have to have a bullet camera installed into the bumper though I'm wondering why it has to be in the centre when the angle of view is 75 degrees ?

 

I have yet to commit myself to project because of the problems of getting the wired terminations through the last few feet so I can have the monitor where it suits me best. Getting wires through is one thing, getting factory fitted terminations through could be difficult.

 

An A Class does have benefits, accessibility isn't one of them.

[Derek Uzzell]

Retro-fitting a wired reversing-camera system to a motorhome is usually carried out by running the monitor-to-camera cable down through the vehicle’s floor at the cab end, then along the vehicle beneath the floor (or perhaps between the floors if the motorhome has a double floor) then up through the floor near the vehicle’s rear wall.

 

If you are really concerned about getting the cable terminators through the furniture, you might want to opt for the under-floor approach instead. At least then you could fit the system in one go, rather than fit a cable now and then find you have incompatibility issues when you obtain the camera/monitor later on.

 

Or just opt for a wireless system and sidestep the potential cable problems.

[Noody]

Thanks Derek, because I'm dealing with a damp problem I have already dismantled enough of the vans furniture and shower tray/enclosure to be able to get the terminations from the back bumper, around the bathroom, past the rear wheel arch, past most of the lounge area then across the van where the Fiat part joins the Al-ko part under a steel plate that has room for a couple more wires. Then I have go through some furniture to get into the engine bay and upwards.

 

The last bit is going to be very difficult, I used to built hand crafted kitchen and bathroom furniture and fit it for discerning clients so I do have some relevant skills though working on a motorhome occasionally takes me away from my comfort zone.

 

I have yet to chat with the member you revccomended though I just sent an e-mail,asking a suitable time to call him.

 

I'm guessing those terminations to be the same as standard audio/visual terminations and needing over 15 mm clear to get through, probably a 20mm hole. Once you have conductor through the hole is reduced by the that conductors diameter so I may need 25 mm holes in a few places in that very difficult last few feet.

[John52]

Noody - 2016-10-16 8:09 AM

 

I had wondered about judging distance with a camera

If you had the camera pointing backwards I suppose it would be very difficult.

 

Mine is high up pointing downwards at the bumper so you can see the gap narrow between the bumper and the obstruction as you reverse up to it. Its as clear as looking in your mirror and seeing the distance between the side of the van and a post for example.

[Noody]

Yes, of-course. And thanks again.

 

I cant mount a camera high, it has to be mounted on a ledge where the bumper meets the back panel, it's why I though having both a camera and sensors was such a good idea though I still have the problem of the odd occasion when I fit a bike on a tow bar mounted rack.

 

Cameras are always fitted centrally but with such a wide angle of vision why can't the camera be mounted either near-side or offside ?

 

Ever since I got involved with this thread I've been staring and scratching my head along that cable route, slowly, very slowly it's all coming together as I visually solve the route-problems. The van floor is repaired, the rain has hammered down all night and occasionally during today without any sign of water ingress. The new floor covering arrives early next week so I'm keen to get-on with this.

 

The site that Derek reccomended I look at for information shows a system where only the monitor needs power, this suits our needs because we want a rear view camera rather than a parking aid once the beepers are installed to help us judge distance.

 

Thanks Derek.

[AliB]

Derek Uzzell - 2016-10-15 9:33 AM

 

With a wired reversing-camera system the cable connecting the in-cab monitor to the rear camera not only needs to carry ‘picture’ data from the camera to the monitor, but also needs to provide electrical power to the camera and (where the camera has an integrated microphone) carry ’sound’ data too. So if you get the cable-type wrong you may (at best) need to use adapters to allow the cable to connect to the monitor and/or camera or (at worst) lose functionality.

 

The best cabling systems use a 4 conductor screened cable terminated in a 4-Pin Aviation Type connector. These connectors screw together with a little 'O' ring between the mating surfaces. This aids the weatherproofing of the connector.

RCA/Phono connectors will require a separate lead for the power and do not have the locking bezel.

The HGV industry demands the use of the 4-Pin connectors both for performance and reliabilty.

 

The 4 Pin system allows the camera to be powered from the monitor.

One cable between the monitor and camera and just one power feed to the monitor required.

[Noody]

You've all been very helpful to me, I made a decision to buy a camera kit from Alib and its on its way but I still have what I regard as insurmountable problems for fitting the camera even though I have plenty skills and the back of my vans furniture is 50% dismantled. Im not even going to try fitting at the top of the back panel because there isn't a route without taking out the remaining furniture which was never designed to taken out and put back.

 

So.

 

I wonder if we have an older Burster Elegance owner 2004 to 2006 maybe, who has fitted a camera ?

 

The bumper ledge I have chosen isn't perfect but it is a reasonable place for a rear view rather than a parking aid, the bumper ledge is probably not quite wide enough to cope with the 4 pin connector poking out the back of the camera in which case I may have to mount on the back panel which invites water ingress.

 

I committed myself so is anyone out there able to help ?

[Noody]

I finally fitted both parking sensors and rear view camera/monitor. The camera had to fitted off-centre on the bumper ledge and whilst I was concerned about the rear view I needn't have been.

 

The combination of sensors and a camera are very good and having a camera to spot those who creep up so close you can't see them is very useful.

 

The route for the cables on my van have been difficult though I won't go into any detail as clearly the Burstner Elegance doesn't figure in the current readers of the forum though I'm happy to share what I know.

 

The discussion and being encouraged into the direction of AliB has been very helpful together with saving me some cash

 

All the parts have cost me £110, I spent two days installing though at least one of those has been head-scratching and doing exploratory dismantling. My van is a rear bathroom type, this adds massively to installation problems.