I have an H3T with a Slantback topper. I'm really happy with it, but I have zero visibility through my rear view mirror. I fortunately have the factory rear view camera installed, but it only comes on then the vehicle is in reverse.

Does anyone know how to install a switch or otherwise modify the system so that the rear view camera can be activated while the vehicle is in drive?

It would be nice to see a boat or motorcycle that I'm trailering on the highway. I would like to see the faces of folks driving hybrids at a stoplights when they read my "Hydrocarbon Powered Eco-vehicle" sticker.

 

I did this on my truck. I have the slant back too. Basically, I wired up a switch to the backup reverse wire in the a-pillar. You have to put a diode in it though so your reverse lights dont come on.

Just to note, you can only have the camera on for 3 minutes at a time (I timed it) because the camera has some sort of timer on it.

I can post up some pics and stuff if you want.

 

Thanks, that's exactly what I'm trying to do. Could you post some pics and/or let me know which wire I need to splice into and what kind of diode you used?Do I need to ground the wire to activate it, or run 12v to it?

 

First thing I did was add a secondary fused accessory circuit. I did a write-up on CHO. This would be optional for you, but I'm kinda OCD so I needed the extra fuses.

Here's the link: http://www.clubhummeroffroad.com/for...ead.php?t=7204

So after the accessory circuit, I wired up a switch. There are two wires that activate the system. One for the camera, and another for the screen on the mirror. I have an aftermarket camera system, so the camera wire is different than yours. So what you need to do is find where the camera wire from the bumper comes up to the front. You need to find a wire that activates the camera. Shouldn't be too big a deal if you follow the wires.

Here is the switch wiring. One ground (middle) one from acc. and one to the camera/screen:


Next is the wired switch:


Here is where my wires from the camera wires came up from the back:


Now here is the wire that activates the screen on the mirror. Put the switched hot wire from the switch after the diode. Remember a diode allows the current to go one way, so make sure it is pointing the right way. I used a 1/4 watt diode. The wire you want is brown. I cant remember if there is more than one brown wire so make sure you got it right.

Here is the wire and diode installed:


Put your truck back together and good to go.

 

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your interest in our system.

Unfortunately, the Backup Camera interface for your vehicle is not available at this time. Please check back on this board periodically to see if something becomes available.

Thank you,

Tony Yankovsky

 

hey neverendingproject, what was your project time?

 

you asking how long it took?

 

Ya, looks like it took a good bit of time; wondering how much time i might need to set aside to do this

 

It would take 2-3 hrs if you had all the stuff and knew where you were going. It took me probably 6 hrs, but that was with lunch and finding wires and such. If you have a stock system, you're gonna want to set aside more time because I'm not sure where the exact location of the camera wires are, but It will be close. Mirror wires should be the same. Also, if you've never taken all your panels off, you might want to familiarize yourself with all of the dash and pillar components.

 

It has a power cable with a positive and negative wire. Mine was all (video and power wires) in one cable so I connected power to the HU switched power. some have a short power lead and can be connected to the tail light reverse circuit. That way the backup camera turns on when the reverse lights come on.