Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
Forum Discussion
Backup Cameras
Once I had the front trim pieces removed for the installation of the Disco Lights figured might as well start work on a few other projects that had been rattling around in my brain but never got around to. One of those is the backup cameras.
This will require the removal of the front headliner. Had previously installed a overhead storage shelf that I bought from J.C. Whitney. In the picture I've removed the shelf but the end brackets are still in place. Remove them next.
Remove the plastic trim pieces on both sides of the windshield. They just pop off.
Running along the back edge of the headliner are five of these plastic bolts with the large heads. I'm sure they have an official name but don't know what it is.
Slide a screwdriver between the top of the van and the headliner and carefully work the plastic bolts out.
After remove the bolts the only thing holding the headliner up is the rubber edging above the doors on each side. Free up one edge and lower the headliner.
The wire that runs to the overhead light is tacked to the headliner with some type of glue.
The wire with glue comes free from the headliner without too much force.
This is the overhead light fixture. I'd previously converted it to LEDs.
The fixture easily pops out of the headliner. Then unplugs from the wire.
The headliner is now free.
It wasn't that sunny of a day but the exposed metal top was surprising warm on the inside.
Notice the screws sticking down from the front edge of the penthouse top. Got stuck by these more than once.
I'd never had the headliner off before now. First thing is to insulate it. Use my trusty double-sided tape then Reflectix.
Watch out for those screws.
I want to install two cameras on the back of the van. One will be for backing up while the other will act as a secondary rear view mirror. Once the fridge is installed I'll lose half the view through the back doors. Since I'm running the wiring for the backup camera adding a second camera isn't that much extra work.
I used the 12 volt benchtop power supply from the previous posting to test that the two cameras could share a video signal cable since they wouldn't both be on at the same time. Used this coax ethernet cable I had laying around as the video cable.
Cut the BNC connectors from both ends and add a RCA plug to one end.
Unscrew the cloth trim from along the edge of the penthouse and fold it back. Run the coax cable from the front of the van through a new hole drilled in the roof along side the plywood piece that holds down the penthouse canvas. I'm using silver duct tape, not duck tape, to keep the coax in place.
Run the cable to the right (passenger side) rear corner of the penthouse top.
continued -
Once I had the front trim pieces removed for the installation of the Disco Lights figured might as well start work on a few other projects that had been rattling around in my brain but never got around to. One of those is the backup cameras.
This will require the removal of the front headliner. Had previously installed a overhead storage shelf that I bought from J.C. Whitney. In the picture I've removed the shelf but the end brackets are still in place. Remove them next.
Remove the plastic trim pieces on both sides of the windshield. They just pop off.
Running along the back edge of the headliner are five of these plastic bolts with the large heads. I'm sure they have an official name but don't know what it is.
Slide a screwdriver between the top of the van and the headliner and carefully work the plastic bolts out.
After remove the bolts the only thing holding the headliner up is the rubber edging above the doors on each side. Free up one edge and lower the headliner.
The wire that runs to the overhead light is tacked to the headliner with some type of glue.
The wire with glue comes free from the headliner without too much force.
This is the overhead light fixture. I'd previously converted it to LEDs.
The fixture easily pops out of the headliner. Then unplugs from the wire.
The headliner is now free.
It wasn't that sunny of a day but the exposed metal top was surprising warm on the inside.
Notice the screws sticking down from the front edge of the penthouse top. Got stuck by these more than once.
I'd never had the headliner off before now. First thing is to insulate it. Use my trusty double-sided tape then Reflectix.
Watch out for those screws.
I want to install two cameras on the back of the van. One will be for backing up while the other will act as a secondary rear view mirror. Once the fridge is installed I'll lose half the view through the back doors. Since I'm running the wiring for the backup camera adding a second camera isn't that much extra work.
I used the 12 volt benchtop power supply from the previous posting to test that the two cameras could share a video signal cable since they wouldn't both be on at the same time. Used this coax ethernet cable I had laying around as the video cable.
Cut the BNC connectors from both ends and add a RCA plug to one end.
Unscrew the cloth trim from along the edge of the penthouse and fold it back. Run the coax cable from the front of the van through a new hole drilled in the roof along side the plywood piece that holds down the penthouse canvas. I'm using silver duct tape, not duck tape, to keep the coax in place.
Run the cable to the right (passenger side) rear corner of the penthouse top.
continued -
