Have you felt it would be nice to have a
reversing camera system in your Motorhome!
But after checking the prices, decide
perhaps another day. Prices during July 2003 in the UK start at £293.
Why not do as I did. Perusing the shelves
of the new MAPLIN shop locally I came across a security camera and
monitor. this package came complete with Camera, 18Metres of
connecting cable, Monitor and 15Volt power supply. The camera will
work on voltages from 10 to 15 Volts DC.
My first job was to construct a 12Volt DC
connect to the Monitor. This was made up from a 12volt cigar plug,
suitable cable and 3.5mm Din socket for the reverse of the Monitor.
This now powers the monitor and camera when travelling.
This package can now be obtained for
approximately £70. On the box you can find the web site of the
manufacturer: www.swann.com.au.
who will indicate where in UK the package can be bought, and the
recommended price.
The package is basic in that it has no
vehicle support brackets, as it was built to placed on a desk in an
office. So the first job was to construct a bracket for the camera
and the monitor.
The camera went alongside my recently
installed reversing light, on the inside of the rear window. It was
pointed out to me that during wet weather the window would limit the
cameras ability to give an image. This has not been a problem as most
of the time I'm only interested what's behind me and not what type of
car is behind me.
The Monitor was placed on top of the dash
board with a bracket I made up. See the photos below.
On a journey in May it was obvious the
monitor could not be used while travelling. The image was
"True," it displayed the image as one would see when
looking directly at an object. When looking in the vehicle mirror the
rear is displayed in reverse.
So what you may say! the implication was,
when looking at the monitor while travelling, then seeing a vehicle
overtaking, the image displayed this movement as a vehicle coming in
from the left. When the vehicle passed us on the right, this was most
disconcerting. So the monitor had to be turned off while we were travelling.
Back home I felt I had perhaps wasted my
money. Until I went on a web site where this problem was being
"Discussed" I made my comments and I was pleasantly
surprised to receive advice from Johnny London from the Self build
Motorhome constructing club forum: www.sbmcc.com.
The advice was to reverse the two scan
coil wires at the base of the monitor tube. It will then display in
mirror mode. Just as you would see in the vehicle mirror. In
other words the monitor indicated a vehicle overtaking and coming
from the right as does the mirror. Brilliant.
Below see the photos
on how the Scan Coil Wires were reversed. I did this
modification as recommended by Johnny. You might find, as I did, that
the camera displays upside down! Just turn the camera 180 degrees.
[This caused a panic for a short time until turning the camera around
cured the problem]
