1504

Here's the unit I bought, I also installed a flood light with a switch for light at the rear.

 

rgds John

Here is a picture of mine. I unsrewed the bottom middle part of the spoiler and lifted it just enough to access the wires to the lights. Drilled one hole for the wire and then using short screws mounted the camera to the spoiler. Was only a 15 minute job.

Originally posted by wanderlustnm Very helpful thanks! Do you remember how you identified which wires to use?

I think there are only two wires under the spoiler: power and ground.

But I have a question about the wireless. Does this talk WiFi to your smart phone, or is there a special wireless display unit?

Originally posted by crw8sr DavMar - the back up camera I have is Peak 4.3 wireless.  Picked it out of a clearance bin at Menard's last spring.  It just happens to be on sale at Menard's this week, 69.99 after $20 rebate.

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep my eyes open for one since it would be nice addition to making the Pod easier to back up.

VP, Just noticed you referenced my backup camera, Here's a photo and and how i wired it.

after making the mount I ran 1 three wire (black,white ,green) encased cord (home depot $11)

Ran the wire down the slideout side frame rail. 

Under the front corner of the pod where the trailer whip(wire that plugs int the tow vehicle) connects to the pod, There was a blue wire coming out of the whip side that had a cap on it, this wire was controlled(made hot 12v) by putting the truck in reverse.

There is a good ground and also good 12v that you can use under here

I put a 4pin trailer connector on the end next to the trailer hitch.

and wired up my camera on the mount, with a floodlight, with the other end 4pin trailer connector so it could be removed if necessary.

I ended up a switch on the flood light and wiring it with straight 12v,, because then it could be used whenever and the flood light was too much for the camera to work properly. 

The camera is now mounted in the spoiler and powered by the spoiler lights. Which is easy and out of the way, and leaves room for other stuff on the back.

ds John 

I assume black is positive and white is ground?

That would be correct per the national electric code, but its always safest to verify first with a voltmeter. 

If you remove just the bottom screws on the spoiler you can lift it and gain access without having to redo the sealant on top. the bottom isn't sealed so water can get out. The only wires in there are for those lights. Yes white is ground,(but test anyways).

rgds John

Originally posted by Kahonu37 Thanks, appreciate the quick response. Emailed the camera company an they said the LED light will interfere with the wireless transmission. So my game plan is to remove the center LED light an use its hole to tap into the wires and reseal it. Therefore no holes in the roof and it is centered. My spoiler is sealed all the way around.

Sorry to say but what this camera company has told you I have to throw the B.S. flag on their information! There is no way a LED light will interfere with the transmission from your camera WiFi transmitter (or what ever means of transmitting RF signal carrying composite video ). Why you may ask, well simply because an LED is a light emitting diode and does not put out any RF signal that can interfere. It may interfere if you set an LED light in front of your camera because of to much light.

Your idea on the mount sounds very doable, good luck!

We also are live aboard cruisers, as a matter of info, I received this notification from the USCG,  on LED navigation lights interfering with with some VHF & AIS signals. See attached PDF website.

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/Alerts/1318.pdf?ver=2018-08-16-091109-630 - https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/Alerts/1318.pdf?ver=2018-08-16-091109-630

Thanks for the input

You learn something new every day I suppose? I spent over 30 years working on VHF radios and never had an RF interference problem from LED lights. Which doesn't mean it can't happen I suppose?

Tell me when you hooked up your system and I will assume you got your power from the LED light power wire was your video tearing or freezing up? I'm curious, because when I tested my camera system from the bench supply I was using the video was tearing and freezing up which made it of course not usable. I suspected that maybe the low amperage my power supply was putting out was the problem and sure enough once I raised it no video problems. So I'm wondering if the amperage to the LED lighting if you tapped off of for your camera maybe the problem??? Stranger things have happened as your Coast Guard bulletin points out.

Thanks again for the input 

Originally posted by offgrid LEDs themselves are just diodes and operate at around 3-4Vdc so when fed a dc supply should not emit any rf noise.  So, power supply drivers for the LED lights must be the culprit. These are bucking power supplies to reduce the voltage in order to maintain constant current to the LED's, so they contain switching devices which can produce RF noise.

offgrid, I think you have come up with the reason why some LED light strings put out RF interference. The driver for some reason never entered my mind and all I thought about was the LED bulb itself which we both know is just a diode. Good call!

It appears that you can if you have a well regulated 12V supply, but we don't. The problem is that the current flow through the diodes is very sensitve to how much voltage is applied to them. So if you have basically an infinte source of current like your house battery you need some way to control the current flow as the battery voltage changes. Hence the need for some kind of active driver circuit. Or, you can just use a dropping resistor or trim pot in series with the LED's. The resistor/trim pot will keep the current from getting too high when the battery voltage is high. That kind of passive dc circuit shouldn't create any rf noise.

So if you're a ham operator or AM talk radio fan or using wifi for video transmission and having trouble with noise from your LED lights you could make up your own lighting circuits with LEDs and appropriately sized dropping resistors or trip pots, or see if you can find a commercial product that comes that way. 

Maybe some ot the LED lights in our rpods already do, I've never opened them up to look. Has anyone?

LEDs are more current operated devices, with forward bias current (usually) in the 10-30 ma range.

So in an automotive application, where "12 volts" actually varies between about 12 volts up to 14.6 volts or so, there will usually be some sort of current limiting circuit. In the simple case, you can stack LEDs in series, or maybe just use a current limiting resister to keep the current from going too high. More sophisticated LED lights will have some kind of current limiting circuit to keep the current from burning up the LED.

https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/diode/diode_8.html - Here is a simple explanation of some of the issues. It's somewhat dated, but covers the basics.

I'm getting more curious how the LED lights in our trailers are driven, going to go take a look when I get the chance.

I believe at least the interior LED lighting are integrated LED bulbs with their own driver built in to maintain constant current flow but don't quote me on it!

Originally posted by GlueGuy Originally posted by offgrid I guess someone needs to take a look at the driver circuits and see. I have an old HP O-scope in the garage that could probably tell if it's switching or not.

The nerd in me is curious too to find out what type of driver circuit they are using and I'm betting on its built into the LED light or in the fixture a switching circuit. The reason why I'm thinking its a switching driver supply is because of the interference one of the posters on this thread had when they hooked up their wifi camera to the spoiler LED light string.

I have a couple Tek O'scopes but there is no way I'm dragging one of them out to the camper. I'll just wait on your findings GlueGuy.......

Yes a simple wire tap, I used a 14-16 (Blue). ample wire under the spoiler.

I actually had to shorten the wire on the camera,it was 3' long.

I just bought a new 180 pod and will be putting the camera on it next month, I'll do a how to with pictures when I do.

John

I used 3-4 1" velcro squares to attach it slightly off center (oops) just above the rear window on my 195.  The squares don't cover the screws on the back so replacing the batteries shouldn't be a big deal.

It has survived a couple of trips, including one that included a rough-in-spots gravel road that caused the pocket door to fall off.  Seems to be on there for the long haul.

 

This is a replacement camera and display after the first one filled with condensation. I take it off after every trip now.