navtool/backup camera questions..

[Turbo_Bimmer]

Originally Posted by pw44

Could you please explain? I also have the idea to hook from the reverse light the positive to the relay, and was also thinking to have a 6800 uF 50V connected to the relay coils. Do i need the diode?

The 6800 uF 50V capacitor i did use on my led tails lights which were flickering due the pwm and it solved the flickering.

Do you have the LED tail lights + capacitor right now?
If yes, hooking up a relay (with high coil resistance) should work since the PWM signal would already be smoothed by the big capacitor.

If you still have the incandescent bulbs, the reason for the diode is to isolate the charged capacitor from the low resistance of the bulb, so that the capacitor remains charged in between the 12V pulses.
The LED bulbs draw a lot less current than the incandescent bulbs, so a diode may not be necessary.
I will experiment with that in the next month(s) because I want to install a camera, Navtool + portable DVD.

[TerminatorX5]

LED is a diode - so, you already will have a diode in the circuit... the only way to find the right values for capacitor, is trial and error (or, using an O-scope to find PWM values, and calculate the values)

[pw44]

The led tail light is the one from sonar with leds for marker and brake, where the capacitor solved the flickering. The reverse light is still incandescent bulb, so the question about the capacitor and diode for hooking a steady 12V for a small relay to inject groung to the pin 17 of the blue connector of the vide module (to trigger the reverse camera).
TIA

[seeskan]

I e mailed you for it.

[TerminatorX5]

do we have any movent on this one? we have pw44 and seeskan in the process of installing the cameras...
ask questions, we will try to help...

[seeskan]

Thanks for the PDF file Terminator X5. I have been studying it. after seeing how much work you have done to install the camera in the license plate light, I decided to go the easy way and ordered a $19 external camera from Amazon. It is TAO Tronics E363. I will install it on the black valance under the bumper where PDC sensors are.Going to Plasti Dip it black to blend it in, and also water proof it!
I got to the PDC connector X300 as you had suggested and checked the voltage on pin 7 (brown and Yellow wire) with the car in reverse and I got 12v. I hooked up a regular automotive relay to it. The relay didn't seem to latch and my PDC light started to blink. do I need a relay with less resistance?
I received my camera and the NavTool today. Nav tool is suggesting to use a relay on reverse light for power. I am going to do a temporary wiring see if it works. will report.

[TerminatorX5]

check the posts on this same thread from pw44 - he does not have PDC and tried to connect to the reverse lights.. it results in flickering of the monitor. to resolve this, you need to create a circuit that will ignore the Pulse Modulating Wave that is fed into the reversing light.

the relay that i have indicated in the PDF file for the PDC is the one to go - the automotive is requiring more juice and PDC does not have such power to drive the automotive relay. Pin 7 feeds a small green LED in the front of the center console and the voltage and amperage in that circuit is NOT enough to drive a big, 30A relay.

The small relay is spec'd in the PDF file, and you can get it from local Radio Shack about $3-5.

you will need to source the power for the camera, my PDF does not help with power in the bumper valance...

keep us posted

[seeskan]

I have got the the source of power for the camera and Nav tool. The car has rear seat monitors and dvd player and a 110V convertor already installed in the back and I found a good source of hot as well as Acc 12v in the back by the nav computer.
I will visit Radio Shack for the relay, and try the PDC route.

[TerminatorX5]

Very good... one more thing, before you drill (are you planning on drilling?) the bumper, check to see if the point of view of the camera is satisfactory - it might a bit too low...

[pw44]

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

check the posts on this same thread from pw44 - he does not have PDC and tried to connect to the reverse lights.. it results in flickering of the monitor. to resolve this, you need to create a circuit that will ignore the Pulse Modulating Wave that is fed into the reversing light.

PW44 does have PDC, but is trying to avoid it, because when engaged, it remains when the car is shifted to drive, that's why i'm tying to get the signal from the reverse light.

As i did solved the flickering of the rear led marker from sonar (due pmw) with a capacitor, i will try to do it with the reverse light, which is still an incandescent bulb, but and in this thread, i will need a diode for it..

My idea:

reverse light 12V ----------+ ------------ relay coil

|
diode
_
\/
|
| +
capacitor
| _

reverse light ground -----+----------- relay coil

I did not have the time to do it yet due a lot of work and stress.