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How is an after-market rear camera trigger connected?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by jrlnc, May 18, 2012.

  1. jrlnc

    jrlnc Junior Member

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    Hi all,

    I am dumb about car electronics. When I got my new 2010 Prius I had a local shop install a new Alpine NAV headunit.

    One thing they put in was my rear camera. It worked very nicely until just recently. The only thing that has changed recently is that I installed the new JDM LED taillights.

    I remember that there was 1 wire left over that didn't connect to anything. The new lights just plugged into 1 wiring harness which is the master harness. On the old light, there was a single black wire that hooked onto one of the lower lights.

    Anyway, since there was no way to plug this extra black wire into my new light I just rolled it up and zip-tied it to a place under the cargo floor.

    Do you think this was for the backup camera? The camera still works if I select it manually through the screen, but it won't come on when I go into reverse.

    Any ideas? :confused:
     
    #1 jrlnc, May 18, 2012
  2. zebelkhan

    zebelkhan Member in good standing

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    Aftermarket Backup cameras normally pickup their trigger from reverse lights. If so, that wire also provides 12 volt power to the camera. So I am a bit confused as to how your camera can work if that extra wire is indeed its trigger/power lead and is not connected.
    Best thing to do would be to trace the camera wires starting at the camera and work backwards. There should be one single cable out of the camera which then splits into two sets. One for power (positive and ground) which goes to tail light, and the other for signals going to the display in the head unit.
     
    #2 zebelkhan, May 18, 2012
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  3. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    All cameras have 3 wires _+ RCA output.

    Ground
    12VDC
    Reverse

    The reverse signal can be picked up at the dash - or as I did form the tail lights. Since you were playing with them - likely that's the issue. There should be a wire that taps into the reverse light on one side or the other - that probably came loose.
     
    #3 rrolff, May 18, 2012
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  4. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    The backup camera I installed on my 2010 had RCA video and two wires -- 12V and ground. Some people run the 12V to the reverse light, so the camera is only powered when needed. I ran mine to a constant 12V. But I don't understand how yours works only sometimes, unless the wire from the reverse light goes to the head unit, and not the camera.

    I think your best bet is to take it to the ship that installed the backup camera. It's most likely supposed to connect to the backup light, but if you send 12V to ground you could fry a relay or worse; it's not worth it.
     
    #4 Rebound, May 19, 2012
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  5. jrlnc

    jrlnc Junior Member

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    UPDATE:

    I decided to take the car back to the shop where the NAV & camera were installed.

    They took a look and said that wire was definitely needed to trigger the rear camera. They hooked it up. Everything works again. Only charged me $25.

    I'm a happy camper.
     
    #5 jrlnc, May 20, 2012
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