I have a 2009 RAV4 Sport with a backup camera that appears in the rearview mirror, not the HU. I do a fair amount of towing with a light duty trailer as well as a cargo rack that slides into my receiver hitch. I'd like to install a manual switch that turns on my backup camera (and its display) so that I may periodically check my cargo while driving. Is there any way to tap into the wiring to do this, and, not trigger the reverse lights when I do it?
Hello,
I have a 2009 RAV4 Sport with a backup camera that appears in the rearview mirror, not the HU. I do a fair amount of towing with a light duty trailer as well as a cargo rack that slides into my receiver hitch. I'd like to install a manual switch that turns on my backup camera (and its display) so that I may periodically check my cargo while driving. Is there any way to tap into the wiring to do this, and, not trigger the reverse lights when I do it?
Thanks-
jon
Out of curiosity, I was waiting for a reply from some of our electrical gurus here. I know (very!)basic electricity, probably enough to be dangerous, but I would think a diode, which is a one-way switch, wired into your existing circuit would allow your manual dash switch to work. Don't quote me on that though.....!
Considered a one-way diode to protect the reverse wire, but just now thinking about it.. why not turn on the reverse lights with the camera?
you might need light to see whats going on, and it shouldnt hurt anything.
my reverse camera is powered off the reverse light, and i tapped the reverse indicator wire under the dash.
if i put in the diode, i could switch to the camera input, but then the camera would still be unpowered at the back of the vehicle.
You need to install an extra +12V wire from the dash to the reverse cam, remove the original +12V wire from the cam, and reconnect the original wire again with a diode on the end.
Extra +12V wire --------------- Rear Camera
Original +12V wire ----->|---- Rear Camera
When +12V is powering the extra wire, power to the original wire will be blocked by the diode, so only the cam will get power.
Take any +12V from inside the dashboard for this extra +12V wire, and install a switch in between for rear camera On/Off.
If you search in Ali Express on "Toyota switch" you can find switches which fit in the empty accessory slots, even with cam logo.
Thank you to all who contributed here. May I assume that if I supply the needed +12V to the camera that the display in my rear view mirror will come on as well? It seems logical that both are on the same circuit, but I just wanted to be sure...
HU.......................................................... Camera
<------------------video feed------------------>
<--- rev indicator from the dash
.......................................camera pwr --------->
Camera power is either always on, tapped from some rear cable somewhere
or Camera power is switched by finding a relevant +12V source to tap somewhere (my case the reverse light from the taillights)
my HU pulls reverse indicator from a lead available at the fuse box under the dash. It could be that the lead under the dash is the same as the one at the rear of the car or it could be they are separate, IDK?
So I wouldnt 'assume' they work together unless you make them do so.
Very weird. I used two different browsers and still nothing. So, I looked at the raw HTML and found the link to the image and the CSS had limited the image display to 1px by 1px! However, just copied and pasted the link into a new browser window and whallah: