Backup camera failure

[Coelacanth]

Folks,
We have acquired a 2012 Holiday Rambler, Augusta, B+, with 8,000 miles on the odometer, recently purchased from a friend’s estate.
The rig is like new, but the backup/rear view camera has just decided to go dark. The multi-function dash display seems to work fine. But, I’m no no longer getting an image from the camera.
The RV has seen very little use over the past three years. Is it possible that the camera’s electrical connections are corroded? Or, is there a fuse that I should try to find?

Any suggestions are more than welcome.

Best,
Jack

[Coelacanth]

Bruce Brown wrote:
^^^ How much fuel is in the main tank? Any chance it's just low on fuel?

On a side note, I'm just an hour up the road, I have a big garage and lots of tools - and actually know how to use them. :B
If you need any help or need an extra set of eyes on something come on up.

Bruce,
Thanks. Main tank is full.
I appreciate the offer. I’ll let you know.
Actually, I’m just outside of Waterloo, but I figured Syracuse made a more common reference point.
First, I’m going to try to fix the wipers on my ‘64 Vette. Hell to be retired.
Enjoy the weekend!

Best,
Jack

[Bruce_Brown]

^^^ How much fuel is in the main tank? Any chance it's just low on fuel?

On a side note, I'm just an hour up the road, I have a big garage and lots of tools - and actually know how to use them. :B
If you need any help or need an extra set of eyes on something come on up.

[Coelacanth]

Update #2: I removed the inline fuel switch. A few drops of fuel dribbled from the line. I thought this was odd. I expected a flow. Does fuel flow depend on the generator’s on board pump?
Anyhow, I primed the carb. I can heard the primer pump running.
I then tried to start the generator. It fired up on first kick.
Once again it ran for two minutes and then quit. I have a feeling that it uses up the fuel in the float bowl and then just runs out of fuel.

So, should the fuel line remain empty until the generator draws fuel? And, if so, why isn’t fuel flowing? The system seems to prime normally. Could it be a generator fuel pump issue? Maybe the little critters ate a wire I missed??

[Coelacanth]

CA Traveler wrote:
That's 33A, way over a 20A plug capacity.

Male and female 30 amp RV plugs installed.

Update: O.K.,….I removed the generator and redid all the rodented wiring. FYI, removing the generator is not for the faint of heart. I used my ATV jack, but there is almost no clearance.

Now, the generator is back in and starts right up,and will run, what seems like normal, for about two minutes. Then it dies and gives an Onan error code #3-#1-14. After that it won’t restart unless you let it sit for a while.
I checked the spark plug, just for the heck of it. It looks fine. This generator has almost no hours on it. Oil level is good. I never touched any of the carb linkage. But, I did install an inline shutoff valve in the fuel line. Might that be restricting the fuel flow?

[CA_Traveler]

That's 33A, way over a 20A plug capacity.

[Coelacanth]

Onan QG 4000.

[CA_Traveler]

Water might be a concern so I'd use a junction box.

An alternate would be 120V 20A plugs. Even better would be a 20A twist lock plug. Vibration could be a consideration.

I'm assuming your gen is less than 3600W.

[Coelacanth]

Ok,…generator wiring all fixed, …I hope.

The only thing remaining before reinstall, the 120v out line.
It had to be cut in order to remove the unit. My concern is, is it safe to install 120v, 15amp male to female plugs to reconnect the line? Or, should I wire nut the ends together? Install a junction box? Or, is that overkill??

[Coelacanth]

Indeed.
Next up is to reconnect the generator wires that the little darlings chewed through.
It turns over, but won’t start. I suspect the electric choke may be the culprit.



The interesting part was removing the generator from the motor home.
Reinstalling it may be even more fun?

:R

[wallynm]

Diligence has its reward! Congratulations

Coelacanth wrote:
O.k., I contacted the camera manufacturer. They were very helpful.
The lights are all fixed, as is the camera. I managed to splice all the wiring.
And, I covered the wires in a clear plastic sleeve called Critter Cord that smells awful and is designed to prevent pets from chewing electrical cords. Other than that I’ve got my fingers crossed.
But, for now all is back to normal.
Keeps life from getting boring?

[Coelacanth]

O.k., I contacted the camera manufacturer. They were very helpful.
The lights are all fixed, as is the camera. I managed to splice all the wiring.
And, I covered the wires in a clear plastic sleeve called Critter Cord that smells awful and is designed to prevent pets from chewing electrical cords. Other than that I’ve got my fingers crossed.
But, for now all is back to normal.
Keeps life from getting boring?

[Coelacanth]

O.K,…so, I pulled the rear marker lights to see if I could get to the camera conduit. Lo and behold, the lights wiring was chewed through, also.



I couldn’t get to the wiring, so I opened it up a bit with a hole saw. A bit.



I managed to get to all the light wiring, and in the process I found the camera cable. It routes straight down through the back wall to the underside. There was some slack below, but I couldn’t pull it up.



The lights I can rewire easily. But, I tried splicing the camera connector and could not get the camera to work. Either it is severed in another location, or there is some trick to the splice that I’m missing.

Effing fat ruckers! This is more fun than a colonoscopy.

:M

[Yankee_Clipper]

If you can fish the other end of the coax, I would expect a 4- or 5-wire connector. The new camera will screw in easily. It's fishing the wire out that's the rub.
Good luck!

[Coelacanth]

CA Traveler wrote:
There are plenty of other wires. 😞

Exactamundo.
I know that rodents come with the territory. Heck, I’ve got a buddy who suffered through living with a palm rat for an entire season. I have another friend who fell asleep eating a cookie and awoke to find that a mouse had finished it.
Stay tuned. If I have to, I’ll make this RV wireless. Not sure about the bedding.