Caravan rear view camera - not parking camera.

[philip_stevens]

My second question(s).
I have already read the thread on parking cameras.

Has anyone fitted a rear view camera on their caravan? Not a parking camera per se, but one that can "replace" the obscured car rear view mirror.

The car we are buying has it has its own parking camera. I would like something on the rear of the caravan to (possibly) double as a parking camera and a rear view camera with a separate display on the dash. I don't want one to double on the car multi-function display with wifi/bluetooth etc., as I would want to see the Sat.Nav. information.

I have seen sone double image cameras (grossly expensive) that has one lens looking down "locally" at the parking angle, and another lens looking behind the caravan.

What would be the best? A hard wired camera to another display on the dash, or a wifi/bluetooth display?

Would a very low mounted camera in the number plate area with one lens be adequate to park and rear view?

Guidance and advice gratefully received. Guidance on a tow-car already being acted on.

I'll be coming back in time to ask about comparisons on different lightweight 4 berth caravans - but this will be later on. One thing at a time.

 

[RayS]

I've had what you are looking for for some years and it's great. It's wireless with camera mounted on rear of caravan wired to transmitter also in caravan - in my case in locker over island bed - Coachman Vision 545 layout. In the car - Freelander 2 in the luggage space there is a 12v. socket and the receiver which in turn is hard wired to a monitor which clips over the driving mirror.
The camera/ transmitter in the caravan needs a 12v. supply which you can't take from the lights etc, as this supply gets isolated when you connect the 13 pin plug to the car socket and start the engine. So you have to take a 12v supply through a fuse box and switch to the rear of the caravan. Or consider using small 12v recharagble wet cell batteries next to the transmitter and having two, so that you can always start with a charged one. The current taken is pretty low so quite a small cell should last a normal day trip of say up to 8 hours.

I bought the components from parkingcameras.com and fitted them with no problem. I did have to enquire about a detail and got a fast friendly and accurate reply. No connection with the company other than as a satisfied customer.
The cameras usually have infra red transmitter built in round the lens which gives really good rear vision in low light conditions. This can be a bit odd in the early morning when the view to the front into the darkness is pretty dim but the view to the rear seen in the monitor appears as nearly daylight.

I don't drive any more - my wife does all the towing and finds the system a complete must have particularly in Europe.
I rate this a close second to the motor movr as the best innovation in caravan exteriors in some 50 years of the obsession.

 

[Hutch]

The Wife, SWMBLAO, bought me one a couple of years ago, hard wired, cameara sticks to the back of the caravan with number plates "stickeys" cable goes down the right hand awning rail. Works realy well. Screen is an 6 inch one and sits in the front of our Santa Fe just nice.
Just great.

 

[Mike_S]

Hi Philip
Like Ray, I've had a rear view system for some years and wouldn't be without it. I too bought my kit from Parking cameras and found them very helpful.
The monitor I have clips over the rear view mirror (MON14 £96) rather than sitting on the car's dashboard and the camera I have is a narrow angle camera (CAM064 £60)rather than the usual wider view (Cam061 also £60) used in reversing setups - less prone to distortion. Like Ray I also have a wireless link (12v Indoor only link £80) between car and caravan.
Yes, you can get cheaper kit than this by I wouldn't like to vouch for the quality of the picture you'll see on screen!
Mike

 

[philip_stevens]

Thanks for the replies I've had so far.
I've had a look at the site mentioned and am impressed with the KIT-DW35. I will see what angle that camera has. I notice that it has night capability.

Something to keep in mind when I get a caravan next year.

As l said, one thing at a time. So far, got the car. Next step is the caravan.

 

[Gagakev]

Phil I have just put a few photo's on this thread
click here

May give you an idea.

 

[philip_stevens]

One thing about this forum, is the amount of information given. Thanks.

I had a good read of the reversing camera review. Interesting views.

The twin camera is quite an attractive idea.

I will have a reversing camera on the car we are getting, so OK there. I think the camera on the rear of the caravan, if fitted at number plate level would assist in reversing, but more importantly, be more of use as a rear view "mirror" - one that fits over the car rear view mirror for towing, that can be removed when on site and using the car to tour around in.

Not got the caravan yet, but this is getting me more in the "looking forward to it" mode. Thanks everyone.

 

[chrisn7]

I too bought mine from parking cameras.com. Just a few observations:
- Even if you think you have know what you want from theeh website, its still worth ringing them as, for me, they suggested a better alternative which was not on the site.
- I wanted the camera mounted high up to give the best view as I was looking to use for rear view, than for reversing. I mounted mine below the roof line to avoid being struck by overhead branches.
- In this location, It can be quite tricky to run the cable inside the vans rear panel, even though there are hollow sections - consider carefully before you start.
- if you get the version which clips over the rear view mirror, this of course saves another device on the dash, and it still works as a mirror when turned off, so no need to dismount it after a trip, which is good because the clips are very strong
- the camera power supply can be taken from the 12v feed to the fridge, which reduces a cable run to the battery. This also means it will turn on/off automatically with the cars ignition.

 

[Anseo]

Great idea taking a supply from the12v fridge supply chrisn7

 

[philip_stevens]

Many thanks. I am taking-in all this advice, don't worry.

I didn't realise that the clip-on mirror also acted as a mirror when not in use.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

Many thanks. I am taking-in all this advice, don't worry.

I didn't realise that the clip-on mirror also acted as a mirror when not in use.

yes it does and they are quite good if you want an installation that is discrete as it looks like a normal mirror.
I fitted two cameras one for the car at bumper level so to see the tow ball and also for when the small trailer was on its a pain reversing one when you can't see the thing by any other means. and one for the van but I fitted mine on a bracket that slid over the rear window rail a long wire then went through the van out of the front window and plugged into a socket near the tow ball. the whole lot could be taken off when on site. everything was powered through this socket. on the bar the screen has two channels vid 1 and vid 2 so the car was on vid 1 and the van on vid 2. I could change channels at any time for the best view.
please note the camera angle varies a great deal the narrower angle of 90 degrees gives the closest view but 120 degree gives a wider view but things look farther away. oh and the cameras only see colour in day light at night the IR changes the view to black and white.

 

[RayS]

I should have said that the monitor I have clips over the driving mirror and is hard wired to the receiver mounted in the luggage space of my Freelander" the cable has a second connection point and this is connected to a second small camera which I have mounted inside the car looking out through the rear window. The monitor receives two channels, such that when unhitched I select the second channel and get the view behind the car rather than the caravan. Very hand on overnight stops where you just want to use the car in the evening without having to dismount the monitor.
The monitor does act as a mirror when not powered but it'ts not very good in low light conditions, and I wouldn't really want to argue with the law that it meets the rules, particularly the gendarmes or Guardia Civil.

 

[crazyguider]

we have one - OH put it together himself, so that its wireless between the van and the car. great piece of kit

 

[chrisn7]

I don't think the site mentions this, but I leave mine like this all the time now. The image is clear enough, but with a slight tint. If you also have a dashcam behind the rear view mirror, it might be necessary to re position this slightly, but that will depend on the mirror mounting.

 

[gravesyt]

a few years ago aldi were doing a deal for the garmin camper 760 sat nav and quite a few members bought them unknown to ne at the time you can buy a wireless camera from garmin .so took the plunge it is now flittered to the back of the van just clips on to the number plate and take it power from the side lights. once it's set up its identical to the one on the car