A Cautionary Tale: Wired Rear Camera on a 2015 Majestic 28A
A Cautionary Tale: Wired Rear Camera on a 2015 Majestic 28A
Time: 5-8 Hours
Tools needed:
Note: A lot of this can be picked up at Harbor Freight for cheap if you don’t already own it or borrowed from a friend. Said friend could double as an assistant. Cold Filtered water/sports drinks are suggested. A need for painful experiences must come from within.
Camera kit used for this: Tadibrothers RV Backup Camera SKU: 43199
https://www.tadibrothers.com/products/7-mirror-with-120-rv-backup-camera
With the following options:
7-Inch Full Mirror Replacement
(use a screwdriver to pop off the existing rearview mirror)
Upgrade 1st Camera to CCD (Hi-Def)
130° Viewable Angle
Dark Tint (Brighter LCD)
Warning: This install +will+ add holes to your rig...some of them may be not needed in the end, unsightly, or accidental.
To begin with, we started with a 75 foot camera/power cable that came from a security camera kit.
We wrapped most of this in a 50 foot plastic wire sheathing, I think it was about 3/8” thick.
If using security camera cable, you’ll need an RCA adapter
Power plugs that come with the camera kit may already be compatible with the security camera cable.
Start in the front of the vehicle under the driver side dash and drill a hole in the step area.
On the plastic step insert, there is a section that pops out more then the rest and the cable can go through the new hole, down in to the wire channel and up to the dash near the hood release.
Run the cable under the vehicle through the frame channel alongside other cable and later zip tie to the existing cable.
Once you pass the rear axle, there is a place where the water lines are coming out of the floor (under the bed where the water pump is)
Here you can remove the foam sealant and push your wire up through.
Now the easy part is over.
Remove the plastic cover in the rear storage bay (driver’s side) and drill a hole so that the cable can be fed through the existing pass-through hole and in to the space under the driver side nightstand.
The back panel of the wardrobe is removable. This gives you access to the slant cavity that provides access to the upper marker lights. You will need to drill a hole in the wardrobe (behind where the back panel was attached so that it’s covered by the panel later)
Also remove the outlet and panel between the nightstand and wardrobe, as well as the plywood support.
You will then need to use a crowbar to lift the nightstand about 3 ½ inches and support it by a 2x4
The cable can then be routed under the nightstand to the back wall and then fished up to the wardrobe.
The middle marker light will need to be unscrewed and left hanging.
At this point the cable should be able to be fished from the wardrobe to marker light hole.
Drill a hole about 2 inches below the middle of the middle marker light, pass the cable for the camera through the hole and fish it out of the marker light hole.
Screw the camera down to the wall and connect power and video cables between the cable and the camera.
Stuff it all back in marker light hole and screw in the marker light. Caulk the marker light screw holes.
In front of the vehicle, connect the power wires for the screen and camera to an ignition-switched power wire and if you have a reverse trigger, that could be connected to the same power wire or in our case, we connected it to the headlight switch.
We drive with the headlights on, so once we turn them on, the display turns on.
At this point you should be finished and you can test the system and put everything back together.
Notes:
- You do not need to drill a hole through the wall behind the marker light. :h
- When attaching the back panel of the wardrobe DON’T USE LONG STAPLES! :E
- Be *very* careful when running the cable through tight holes. If you “lose” the head of the video cable, you’ll have to solder on a new one. :S
- Heavily consider a wireless camera.
Time: 5-8 Hours
Tools needed:
- trim/molding style pry bars
- Large crowbar
- phillips screwdriver
- SQ2 screwdriver
- Paddle drill bits
- Hammer
- flexible fiberglass wire
- running tape
- fiberglass wire running sticks
- Wire Strippers
- 12v Power probe
- Electrical Tape
- Step Drill bit
- Flashlight
- Shore power (A/C in the summer, Heat in the winter)
- Water
- Masochism
- Assistants/Victims
Note: A lot of this can be picked up at Harbor Freight for cheap if you don’t already own it or borrowed from a friend. Said friend could double as an assistant. Cold Filtered water/sports drinks are suggested. A need for painful experiences must come from within.
Camera kit used for this: Tadibrothers RV Backup Camera SKU: 43199
https://www.tadibrothers.com/products/7-mirror-with-120-rv-backup-camera
With the following options:
7-Inch Full Mirror Replacement
(use a screwdriver to pop off the existing rearview mirror)
Upgrade 1st Camera to CCD (Hi-Def)
130° Viewable Angle
Dark Tint (Brighter LCD)
Warning: This install +will+ add holes to your rig...some of them may be not needed in the end, unsightly, or accidental.
To begin with, we started with a 75 foot camera/power cable that came from a security camera kit.
We wrapped most of this in a 50 foot plastic wire sheathing, I think it was about 3/8” thick.
If using security camera cable, you’ll need an RCA adapter
Power plugs that come with the camera kit may already be compatible with the security camera cable.
Start in the front of the vehicle under the driver side dash and drill a hole in the step area.
On the plastic step insert, there is a section that pops out more then the rest and the cable can go through the new hole, down in to the wire channel and up to the dash near the hood release.
Run the cable under the vehicle through the frame channel alongside other cable and later zip tie to the existing cable.
Once you pass the rear axle, there is a place where the water lines are coming out of the floor (under the bed where the water pump is)
Here you can remove the foam sealant and push your wire up through.
Now the easy part is over.
Remove the plastic cover in the rear storage bay (driver’s side) and drill a hole so that the cable can be fed through the existing pass-through hole and in to the space under the driver side nightstand.
The back panel of the wardrobe is removable. This gives you access to the slant cavity that provides access to the upper marker lights. You will need to drill a hole in the wardrobe (behind where the back panel was attached so that it’s covered by the panel later)
Also remove the outlet and panel between the nightstand and wardrobe, as well as the plywood support.
You will then need to use a crowbar to lift the nightstand about 3 ½ inches and support it by a 2x4
The cable can then be routed under the nightstand to the back wall and then fished up to the wardrobe.
The middle marker light will need to be unscrewed and left hanging.
At this point the cable should be able to be fished from the wardrobe to marker light hole.
Drill a hole about 2 inches below the middle of the middle marker light, pass the cable for the camera through the hole and fish it out of the marker light hole.
Screw the camera down to the wall and connect power and video cables between the cable and the camera.
Stuff it all back in marker light hole and screw in the marker light. Caulk the marker light screw holes.
In front of the vehicle, connect the power wires for the screen and camera to an ignition-switched power wire and if you have a reverse trigger, that could be connected to the same power wire or in our case, we connected it to the headlight switch.
We drive with the headlights on, so once we turn them on, the display turns on.
At this point you should be finished and you can test the system and put everything back together.
Notes:
- You do not need to drill a hole through the wall behind the marker light. :h
- When attaching the back panel of the wardrobe DON’T USE LONG STAPLES! :E
- Be *very* careful when running the cable through tight holes. If you “lose” the head of the video cable, you’ll have to solder on a new one. :S
- Heavily consider a wireless camera.
