where should camera wire go through?

[Martin kim]

Hello all,
I am trying to install rear view camera beside running light or above running light.
Not like previous trailer, TM is a bit difficult for camera wire to run through to the end of it because TM is transformative.
So question is that where camera wire should go through to the top of TM.
I have wiring schematic drawing from the manual even if I got the concept where the wire harness goes through, I don’t know exactly where the camera wire should go through all the way to the rear.

Thank you in advance.
Martin

[stormpeakco]

Originally Posted by Martin kim

Hello all,
I am trying to install rear view camera beside running light or above running light.
Not like previous trailer, TM is a bit difficult for camera wire to run through to the end of it because TM is transformative.
So question is that where camera wire should go through to the top of TM.
I have wiring schematic drawing from the manual even if I got the concept where the wire harness goes through, I don’t know exactly where the camera wire should go through all the way to the rear.

Thank you in advance.
Martin

_________________________________________________
Though I don't we don't travel much with TM much after dusk, I didn't want to experience the headlight glare of passing vehicles with the IR function.
I ended up mounting the camera (full time, wireless-except for the 12V power) on the top and to the back edge of AC housing.
The 12V power to the TM tongue batteries is with a ~20' long battery tender cable and pigtail (this cable only is ONLY attached w/ zip ties to the front half of the TM-obviating the need for additional slack or concern with articulation of the TM opening mechanism) and runs along with all of the other OEM external wiring.
A simpler solution may be to the TM tail lights (unless we're driving near dusk or more worrisome road/weather conditions, we don't always travel during the day with the vehicle lights on. The left sided xenon headlights are ~$300 spendy to have installed since it requires removing the left fender-yankee ingenuity). Good luck.

[CAG1976]

I think the only option is to run it along the frame underneath and then come up along those torsion bar lift arms and come up to the top of the back shell. That seems to be where Trailmanor ran some power wires on the street side of my TM. They just zip tied them to the lift arms with proper slack. Once you go up the arm you will probably have to lay some kind of "wire channel" along the shells roof edge to hide the wire coming back.

I have been thinking about doing this too. I am thinking it will be better just run under the frame all the way back and mount the camera low somewhere near the bumper or receiver hitch that is one the back of my TM. I recently installed a camera on my tow vehicle and mounted it low near my trailer hitch. The view is still great even from a low point of view because of the wide view lens they use.

[Bill]

Martin -

Are you trying to find a route for the camera's power wire (12VDC), or for a video cable that runs all the way from the camera to the tow vehicle?

Bill

[Gwenne & Len]

Two questions relative to mounting and powering a wireless rear view camera: 1) Has anyone mounted their rear view camera inside the rear window?
2) If that could work, where is the nearest access to running light wiring on the rear shell's interior?

[Martin kim]

Originally Posted by Bill

Martin -

Are you trying to find a route for the camera's power wire (12VDC), or for a video cable that runs all the way from the camera to the tow vehicle?

Bill

Hi bill, I am trying to find a route for the video cable which would be able to go through all the way from front jack to the end of the top shell. Thanks you and I would appreciate any opinion.

[Bill]

Martin -

I know this isn't a very attractive answer, but I'm not sure you can any better than to follow the route that the TM designers used. Run the cable from the hitch area, under the trailer, to the refrigerator area. Then follow the white rectangular lift arm up to the rear shell, bundling the cable with the others that are there, and leaving slack at the hinge bend points. From there, I think you will have to fasten the cable to the outside of the shell, probably using white rectangular self-adhesive conduit. The TM builders routed the wire inside the wall and roof, but they did it by laying the wires into a crude channel that was hacked into the foam before the wall was closed up. I don't think you would be able to follow this channel, although it might be interesting to try.

You are facing the problem that led to the development of wireless cameras. Good luck.

Bill

[nwhouston]

I have a Garmin GPS that takes a wireless rearview camera. To get good wireless communication I put the little transmitter on the pole of the electric jack at the front of the trailer, and ran wire to the back where the camera is located. Mostly under the trailer till I got to the back torsion bar vertical support (driver side). Then up that support, provided some slack for the motion of the support as it travels 90 degrees (same as the TM folks do), then into the rear cabin along the inside wall next to the bed. Finally back out at the top above the three red running lights.

Elegant? No. Functional? Close. Good picture, and the wiring at the torsion arm seems to be managing the movement ok. I used the round black plastic flex conduit sold at the box stores to protect the wire. I did put a fuse at the front end so I did not always have the camera powered when the trailer is in storage.

Hope you have success. Larry

[Bill]

So, an inside run through the rear shell, rather than outside, and then back out again to the camera. I hadn't thought of that. Good idea!

Bill

[Gwenne & Len]

Originally Posted by Gwenne & Len

Two questions relative to mounting and powering a wireless rear view camera: 1) Has anyone mounted their rear view camera inside the rear window?
2) If that could work, where is the nearest access to running light wiring on the rear shell's interior?

From scans of prior posts I remember the warning not to hook the rear camera to the battery as the uninterrupted draw would run the battery down. So there seem to be two approaches to hooking to a switchable feed inside the TM: 1) catch a feed to the running lights that can be switched on when driving - off when parked; or 2) catch the car's feed to the power controller via the 7 pin harness.

For option 1) does anyone know where the running light wire is routed? Under the center seam cover? Behind the interior cove corner trim of the rear shell? Or would it be best to just pick up a feed from a running light or the license plate light and bore a hole through the shell to the interior?

2) How would a tap to the power supplied in from the 7 pin harness be accomplished if that option makes sense?