Rear view camera installation - Bailey Unicorn

[fkeates]

I'm interested in how people have installed a rear view camera to the back of their caravan (Bailey Unicorn, ideally, Madrid). where they got the 12v feed from, how/where the wires went and how the camera was secured to the back. interested in both wireless and wired set-ups (how / where the wires went from caravan to car in wired set-ups)

I'm not interested in the battery-type camera as I need it to connect to my car system, and they're not compatible.

Note, I installed a wireless camera on my previous caravan and got the 12v from the rear lights, feeding the wire through the back of the high level brake light (camera was at the top of the 'van) down through the paneling to the rear lights. can't do that with this van

 

[Mr Plodd]

I have fitted a wireless system to my Phoenix. Power (and return) taken from the fuse block under the front bench corner. Then down through the floor, zip tied to the cables running along the floor, back up through the floor into the cupboards/wardrobe at tue rear and then out through the rear panel at the top. Correct sized hole saw used (18.5mm) along with grommet supplied with the camera has kept the water out for 6 years. Camera mounting bracket Sikaflexed onto the rear panel near the top, excellent view back down the road over the top of following traffic..
Works perfectly as the camera is only powered up when the caravan is hitched to the car. The monitor is hard wired into the ignition dependent circuit of the car.
Simples! Well almost

 

[borderbilly]

I have a autovox Bluetooth one , just plug and play, no wires.

 

[toad a caravan]

On the subject of hole cutters I've found "step drill bits" very useful in the past.They are able to cut from approx 4mm to 22mm on one bit,I bought a set of three from one of the well known German/Holland? Supermarkets,Very clean and accurate cut,,priced around £10...each cutting edge is etched with it's size.

 

[JSiggy]

My camera is Sikaflexed to the top rear at the rear of the van. To avoid drilling the body the wires take the short cut up to the roof then across the roof to the off side edge of the van. They are then fed throgh the off side "awning rail" to the bottom front of the van and underneath of the body to appear near the tow bar where they are connected to a grey plug. This way the wires are hidden from view. When I had my car tow bar installed and wired up the power feed was tapped from the fridge +ve and -ve (in the car) which is fed to a 7 pin grey socket on the tow bar. When the grey plug/sockets are connected they provide a robust connection between car and van. The video cable follows the same route round the van to the grey connectors. From the car tow bar the video cables are threaded through to come out on the dashboard. Power to the screen comes from an internal 12v supply. Obviously I have the normal 13 pin socket for the usual caravan supplies. The advantage with this arrangement is that it confirms there is a fridge supply.

 

[borderbilly]

My camera is Sikaflexed to the top rear at the rear of the van. To avoid drilling the body the wires take the short cut up to the roof then across the roof to the off side edge of the van. They are then fed throgh the off side "awning rail" to the bottom front of the van and underneath of the body to appear near the tow bar where they are connected to a grey plug. This way the wires are hidden from view. When I had my car tow bar installed and wired up the power feed was tapped from the fridge +ve and -ve (in the car) which is fed to a 7 pin grey socket on the tow bar. When the grey plug/sockets are connected they provide a robust connection between car and van. The video cable follows the same route round the van to the grey connectors. From the car tow bar the video cables are threaded through to come out on the dashboard. Power to the screen comes from an internal 12v supply. Obviously I have the normal 13 pin socket for the usual caravan supplies. The advantage with this arrangement is that it confirms there is a fridge supply.

Seems a bit of a palafa to me. Mine is on number plate, no wires, bluetoothed to screen in motor and vola, instant picture, no cables, no holes.

 

[Mel]

Seems a bit of a palafa to me. Mine is on number plate, no wires, bluetoothed to screen in motor and vola, instant picture, no cables, no holes.

Do you have a link to that particular model?

 

[fkeates]

I have fitted a wireless system to my Phoenix. Power (and return) taken from the fuse block under the front bench corner. Then down through the floor, zip tied to the cables running along the floor, back up through the floor into the cupboards/wardrobe at tue rear and then out through the rear panel at the top. Correct sized hole saw used (18.5mm) along with grommet supplied with the camera has kept the water out for 6 years. Camera mounting bracket Sikaflexed onto the rear panel near the top, excellent view back down the road over the top of following traffic..
Works perfectly as the camera is only powered up when the caravan is hitched to the car. The monitor is hard wired into the ignition dependent circuit of the car.
Simples! Well almost

Thanks - have you got any pictures?

 

[fkeates]

My camera is Sikaflexed to the top rear at the rear of the van. To avoid drilling the body the wires take the short cut up to the roof then across the roof to the off side edge of the van. They are then fed throgh the off side "awning rail" to the bottom front of the van and underneath of the body to appear near the tow bar where they are connected to a grey plug. This way the wires are hidden from view. When I had my car tow bar installed and wired up the power feed was tapped from the fridge +ve and -ve (in the car) which is fed to a 7 pin grey socket on the tow bar. When the grey plug/sockets are connected they provide a robust connection between car and van. The video cable follows the same route round the van to the grey connectors. From the car tow bar the video cables are threaded through to come out on the dashboard. Power to the screen comes from an internal 12v supply. Obviously I have the normal 13 pin socket for the usual caravan supplies. The advantage with this arrangement is that it confirms there is a fridge supply.

thanks - have you got any pictures?

 

[Mr Plodd]

Thanks - have you got any pictures?

What of? I am happy to take as many as you want, just PM me with your email address and what you woupd like pictures of (rather than me clutter this thread)

 

[fkeates]

Seems a bit of a palafa to me. Mine is on number plate, no wires, bluetoothed to screen in motor and vola, instant picture, no cables, no holes.

i tried this on my previous 'van, but found the camera was too low and provided poor field of view, so put it to the top. I'm interested in how the camera is powered, if you have no cables?

 

[borderbilly]

i tried this on my previous 'van, but found the camera was too low and provided poor field of view, so put it to the top. I'm interested in how the camera is powered, if you have no cables?

Solar battery powered.

 

[borderbilly]

Do you have a link to that particular model?

Autovox wireless reversing camera solar, £104 from the big river, don't know how to do links.

 

[Mel]

Autovox wireless reversing camera solar, £104 from the big river, don't know how to do links.

This one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AUTO-VOX-Wireless-Reversing-Installation-Waterproof/dp/B07YS272Y4

Mel

 

[borderbilly]

This one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AUTO-VOX-Wireless-Reversing-Installation-Waterproof/dp/B07YS272Y4

Mel

That's it Mel 👍

 

[Guzzilazz]

Beware of using Sikaflex... I would advise putting washers behind the base, that would enable you to get a cheese wire behind to cut it off.

An anecdote... A boatbuilder mate was asked to remove sheet winches from the side of a sailing yacht. The through deck bolts were removed but the winch wouldn't budge. It was reassembled, and a rope attached to a granite harbour wall, and the winch wound up... The outer glass fibre of the foam sandwich construction ripped off.