rear view camera - spare wires

[Barry38]

I am in the process of changing the rear high level brake light fitting on my 2009 Autocruise Rythm Peugeot X250 and fitting a rear view camera and reversing camera in place.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a reasonable cost camera and cab monitor.?

 

There is an unused 3 pin socket at the brake light point with wires coloured a)orange/green

b)white and c) black . There is a second single spade connection with 2 x white/orange wires and a third single spade connection with 2 x pink wires.

 

Does anyone know what any of these wires are for and where they are terminated ?

 

I was an industrial electrical engineer before retirement so I have the ability to do whatever is necessary to make use of the spare cables with regards to fitting a camera/s

Any help would be appreciated.

[Brian Kirby]

To avoid complications in installation, you ideally need a combined camera/monitor rear view system in which all components are compatible.

 

Dometic do a twin camera plus 5" monitor system kit that is available via Conrad Anderson. It includes a high mounted camera housing to which you re-fit the existing high level brake light, the monitor, a 12V power supply, all interconnecting cables, and automatic switching (if you choose to make the reversing light connection) from rear view to reversing view when reverse gear is engaged. There is no rear mike, so sound is not available. All you need to identify within the van is an ignition switched 12V supply, a system earth, and a 12V feed from the reversing light.

 

I have fitted this in our van and it works very well, with the monitor mounted on the dashboard top on the driver's side. Running the cable from monitor to the high level brake light was the only difficult (due to limited access) part of the job - plus, on our van, which is all CANBUS, I had to get a suitable feed to the reversing light installed when the radio was fitted. However, the latter should not be a problem on your van, and you should find you can piggy-back a 12V reversing supply (it is, in reality, just a switching signal line - power is supplied from elsewhere) direct from the "primary" rear light cluster.

 

If your van has a dash mounted 12V socket/cigarette lighter, you can do as I did, which is to jump the 12V system supply + earth from the feeds to that: is it is (should be!) ignition switched (easily tested).

 

You will need to dismantle quite a bit of dashboard (air vents and fuseboard access panels etc.) to run the cables and, as there are various sharp metal edges in that area (and behind the high level brake light) a supply of suitable sized, flexible, split conduit would be a wise precaution.

 

Whether you regard the price for this kit reasonable, I'll have to leave to your judgement. The Dometic code for the kit is RVS536T. I'd suggest talking to Conrad's to be sure that the kit will be compatible (particularly the high level housing) with your van, as the panel above the rear doors may not be the same for X250 as with X290 variants - though it looks very similar.