MonkeyHorseRock

Trying to get a backup camera and monitor installed in my civic by myself. Already searched up and down these forums and videos trying to get my answrrs, but have some blanks to fill in still. Not too mechanically savvy but I'm trying

The monitor I bought of course has power leads. I'm interested in having monitor and camera turn on with the reverse lights. Though I wasn't sure if that was a silly idea (maybe the monitor takes an annoying amount of time to turn on and it's better to have it always on and switch to new input?)

So I will have to tap the camera leads into the reverse light. With positive going to reverse light, does negative go on negative of the same tail light harness? Has to, right?

Additionally, how do I actually tap into those tiny wires? What's the best way that hopefully doesn't destroy anything, as I'm not professed in wiring and cutting the wire and using a wire nut seems like a bad idea especially since they don't usually have much to work with.

Because the monitor needs power and the camera is getting it anyways, I figured it'd be easy to just run a cable from reverse power in the back that also goes to the front, since I gotta run RCA anyways.

That and I was a little uneasy about going to the fuse box and plugging into there (although I have been on car fuse boxes before to check/replace dead ones).

What can you guys recommend? I was also not sure if tapping into fuse ignition on was a good idea because the camera could always be on and show a blue screen and probably gets annoying especially at night.

I might also need to use the trigger wire, but not sure about that (I figured it'd be like any other TV and sense a new input and switch to it, so I wouldn't need that, or am I wrong? It's only 1 input I will have).

ezone

Been a few years since I did the backup cam in my 12....

I think I used the hot lead in the back up light as switched power for the camera unit. Strip a little bit, wrapped twisted and taped.

Ground to anything on the body (chassis ground). Or use the ground for the backup bulb socket. Whatever is handiest.

Laid wires alongside the original trunklid harness around the hinge area and zip tied together
NOTE: My camera harnesses eventually broke wires due to flexing every time the trunk lid was opened. Had to pull wiring out to repair and just left a bunch hanging so there is now a LOT of slack there.

Ran the RCA cable forward under the door sill trims to the front, to the in dash monitor (mine uses the stock IMID display)

If I were using a different monitor I would tap power at an empty slot in the dash fuse box or maybe use the wiring for the 12v accessory power socket (both hot and ground, since they are very convenient and the hot is switched with the key).
I suppose running an extra wire for monitor power all the way from the backup light harness to the front can be done, it's only like one more wire.



My dad has had two wireless backup cams on his truck. Camera taps power at the backup light, and the monitor plugs into the 12v power outlet. New setup is part of his navigation unit (Garmin?) Still is wireless, same connections as before.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

^^^ Nice you could utilize the imid display.

MonkeyHorseRock

2010 lx doesn't have imid

MonkeyHorseRock

Wonder if I can connect it to the 12v DC outlet (cig lighter). That should be way easier.

Hopefully I don't overload it though because it's only got 1 outlet here, I'm using an outlet extender which runs a heating seat pad, charges my phones, plus the monitor.

But the other things shouldn't be hardly any power, just the heated seat. Hopefully it'll be okay with it, I don't know the limits and how close I'd be to them.

Bothersome why cars these days only have 1 cigarette outlet, my 10 year old car had more and that was from a time where we had less gadgets!

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

You are correct, was directed to ezone about his '12.

M H R where do you plan on placing your monitor ??

Should be a pretty straightforward install though.

You can use a super sharp razor blade and carefully slice a .75"-1" section of insulation from wire you want to tap into... then wrap as mentioned.

MonkeyHorseRock

Was just gonna set it somewhere on the dash. I'm eventually going to get a head unit that can support this..but I'm gonna wait a bit until newer Android auto/Apple carplay ones come out.

So the monitor is somewhat of a temporary stop gap.

ezone

I loosely followed the DIY on 9thgencivic.com. Camera with license lights cost like $15 from China.