Wireless Camera Stopped Working

**Bailey'sMom** · 06-27-2021, 03:41 PM

Hi All

I had this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...k_ql_qh_dp_hza wireless camera installed by the dealer last fall and it worked fine.

I added a second camera last month (from same company) that I power by plugging into 12v cigarette outlet at back of car. I wanted to keep the 2nd camera portable - used it as a hitch camera.

A month ago the camera on the trailer 100% worked. I don't remember if the second camera also worked at that time. Cam1 was originally the one attached to the camper. Cam 2 should have been the hitch one. Currently, the monitor recognizes the hitch camera as CAM1 and CAM2 says No Signal.

When I pulled camper out of garage today, the camera attached to the back of the camper didn't work. I thought maybe it just needed to be paired again. Tried that - didn't work. Made sure my trailer was plugged in securely to the car & car lights were on - they were. Checked my camper lights were lit - yes. Now I am stumped.

What might be causing this camera not to work? Any ideas? Might there be a fuse in the camera that was blown somehow?

Why would trailer lights work, but not the camera that is tapped into the same light?

I really want the camera on the back of the camper to work. It was very helpful last month when I had to pull the camper out of garage and then back it in again later same day. I was really looking forward to using it for backing into campsite.

**Bill** · 06-28-2021, 07:23 AM

Bad ground on the camera? Is there a physical wire from inside the camera body to a known-good TM body ground? Or is the electrical connection to ground made through the swivel on the camera, and then through the painted mounting base of the camera? It wouldn't take much of a layer of corrosion in either place to break the connection. It might be worthwhile to get a can of spray contact cleaner, loosen both contact areas, spray in some cleaner, then wiggle and re-tighten those items. Wipe any stray contact cleaner off the paint.

As you know, the fact that the lights are on doesn't conclusively mean that the camera is getting power. Is the camera connection made inside the light housing, or inside the cavity under the TM skin, with a wire nut, for example? Surely it is not made with a manual strip-and-twist-and tape connection. Can you open the running light where the camera is connected, and confirm that power and ground are both solidly connected to the camera?

The camera has an external antenna. Did it get bashed? Is it still solidly connected?

Bill

**Bill** · 06-28-2021, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Hi All

Cam1 was originally the one attached to the camper. Cam 2 should have been the hitch one. Currently, the monitor recognizes the hitch camera as CAM1 and CAM2 says No Signal.

This probably normal behavior, and I wouldn't worry about it. If you tell it there are two cameras - Cam1 and Cam2 - but there it can find no sign of what you think of as Cam1, it probably assigns the first name (Cam1) to the first camera it finds - the hitch camera. Then there is no Cam2. But you told it there is one - so it says No Signal (in other words, it can't find it) in that position.

Concentrate on why the TM body camera is not working.

Bill

**Bailey'sMom** · 06-28-2021, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill

Bad ground on the camera? Is there a physical wire from inside the camera body to a known-good TM body ground? Or is the electrical connection to ground made through the swivel on the camera, and then through the painted mounting base of the camera? It wouldn't take much of a layer of corrosion in either place to break the connection. It might be worthwhile to get a can of spray contact cleaner, loosen both contact areas, spray in some cleaner, then wiggle and re-tighten those items. Wipe any stray contact cleaner off the paint.

As you know, the fact that the lights are on doesn't conclusively mean that the camera is getting power. Is the camera connection made inside the light housing, or inside the cavity under the TM skin, with a wire nut, for example? Surely it is not made with a manual strip-and-twist-and tape connection. Can you open the running light where the camera is connected, and confirm that power and ground are both solidly connected to the camera?

The camera has an external antenna. Did it get bashed? Is it still solidly connected?

Bill

Hi Bill

I don't know the answers to most of your questions because I had the dealer install it. No corrosion. Antenna is good.

It's also difficult to test since the length of the wires is such that I can't see the monitor at the same time while plugged in the normal way - monitor in car/camera on back of trailer. (sure would be nice having 2 people.)

However, since this runs on 12V power, I will try to plug camera into the camper 12v plug and unplug from the tail light. It has the nice male/female ends so I can unplug from the taillight power.

I will then plug the monitor into the other 12v cig plug so I should be able to see both at once. At least I think that will work. Both monitor and camera can be attached to a cig lighter plug, that's how I have second camera plugged in.

Will report back once I can try that. Hopefully tonight yet. But not sure if the cord will be long enough to reach to the outlet

Sara

**Bill** · 06-29-2021, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

However, since this runs on 12V power, I will try to plug camera into the camper 12v plug and unplug from the tail light. It has the nice male/female ends so I can unplug from the taillight power.

Do you have a voltmeter, or even a test light? You could confirm that 12V is present at the tail light power connector.
Bill

**Bailey'sMom** · 06-29-2021, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill

Do you have a voltmeter, or even a test light? You could confirm that 12V is present at the tail light power connector.
Bill

So I found an old 12V extension cord. Was able to test the camera that is mounted to the TM using this power source. Camera still did not work. I verified this power source / extension cord worked by testing my other camera that is not permanently mounted. It worked just fine.

Conclusion. It is the camera itself that is bad.

See attached showing my process.

**Bailey'sMom** · 08-01-2021, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

So I found an old 12V extension cord. Was able to test the camera that is mounted to the TM using this power source. Camera still did not work. I verified this power source / extension cord worked by testing my other camera that is not permanently mounted. It worked just fine.

Conclusion. It is the camera itself that is bad.

See attached showing my process.

UPDATE... So i never had time to swap out the camera. Went on vacation 3 weeks ago. Camera still didnt work. But, then on the way home i tried it and it worked.

It worked again when towing camper home after getting a couple repairs done. Awesome right.

Then popped up camper to prep for this trip, folded it down again when i was going to back it into garage it wouldnt work. Didnt work at all on the 3.5 hour trip.

I THINK I MIGHT KNOW WHY....BUT HOW TO FIX?

I tested my lights before leaving and it seems that the running lights were not working. The brake lights and signal lights work. Yes i had my headlights in the on position.

The camera is connected to the running lights. So why would the running lights work sometimes and not other times?

Bad ground? If so how do i test and fix?

Does it have anything to do with the wires that run along the outside of the camper when folding / unfolding? Like maybe they get caught differently when folding down?

Thoughts?

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