Backup camera 12v DC point

wallaced

Member
I have a 2017 Oakmont fifth wheel that I want to put a backup/rear view camera on. I thought that I could tap power off of one of the marker lights, but it only shows 9 - 10 VDC, not enough to power the camera. Any suggestions where I can find a 12VDC point that I can tap?
 

wallaced

Member
Yes, the truck has to be connected with the lights on to get the marker lights to illuminate. The power at that point is only 9 -10 VDC, not enough to power the camera and transmitter.... which is why I'm looking for a 12VDC tap point.
 

Hollandt

Well-known member
I have a 2017 Oakmont fifth wheel that I want to put a backup/rear view camera on. I thought that I could tap power off of one of the marker lights, but it only shows 9 - 10 VDC, not enough to power the camera. Any suggestions where I can find a 12VDC point that I can tap?
Maybe you have a bad ground at the light or at the hitch. Your truck should be at 13.5 when running so the lights should have similar voltage.
 

BST

Member
I installed a Furrion system with a rear camera and two sides last April. Connected it to the 3010’s running lights. You need to check what wires are positive and negative as the two sides had all white wires. The rear had a green and a white. The trailer needs to be plugged in to the towing vehicle in order to work. I traveled about 6700 miles in May and June and would lose signal on occasion when pulling.

 

jerryjay11

Well-known member
If you are only getting 9-10 volts as others stated then there is a bad connection anywhere from your truck trailer connection to the running lights. Could be either ground or positive side. Check your truck connector for 12 to 13.5 volts first then work your way back. Most often I find a weak connection at the truck receptacle rather than the trailer and have found this on both my boat and camper.
 

farfromdunn

Member
You need to check what wires are positive and negative The rear had a green and a white.
I’m in the process of installing a rear camera now. I also have the white and green/white wires at the rear. Do you know which is positive and which is negative?
 

david-steph2018

Well-known member
I’m in the process of installing a rear camera now. I also have the white and green/white wires at the rear. Do you know which is positive and which is negative?
When you tap into the running lights as you plan, the light switch needs to be "on" for the camera to work. Do not place the light switch in "auto" as I have seen this not to work.
So if you ever test the camera and it does not work, look at the switch and make sure it is turned "on".
 

farfromdunn

Member
I'm still only getting 11v at the prewired Furrion connection point at the rear of the coach. I'm getting 13.5v from the running truck as measured at the junction box in the pinbox. I looked in the manuals section of the site and didn't come across a relevant wiring diagram. Am I basically looking at somehow tracing the wiring to every single connection/ground point from the back wall all the way kingpin to find a problem? And while we're on the subject, I just put a new marine deep cycle battery up front in the garage. It's obviously a 12v battery, but my multimeter is reading the *brand new* unconnected battery at 11v. When I connected it in the battery box, the touchscreen in the coach is reading the battery at 13.5v. It's interesting/concerning that the battery alone is reading 11v, I'm getting 11v at the rear, but the panel is reading 13.5v. Scratching my head quite a bit.
 
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BST

Member
Not sure how the pre-wired setup works off of your tow vehicle or your house battery.. I installed my camera by tapping into the rigs running lights which are powered by my truck when the lights are on. I know that you could get voltage drop by the length of you conductors (wires) and the conductor size (smaller gage) to carry that voltage to the rear of your rig. It may cause the difference in voltage you are seeing.
 

david-steph2018

Well-known member
I'm still only getting 11v at the prewired Furrion connection point at the rear of the coach. I'm getting 13.5v from the running truck as measured at the junction box in the pinbox. I looked in the manuals section of the site and didn't come across a relevant wiring diagram. Am I basically looking at somehow tracing the wiring to every single connection/ground point from the back wall all the way kingpin to find a problem? And while we're on the subject, I just put a new marine deep cycle battery up front in the garage. It's obviously a 12v battery, but my multimeter is reading the *brand new* unconnected battery at 11v. When I connected it in the battery box, the touchscreen in the coach is reading the battery at 13.5v. It's interesting/concerning that the battery alone is reading 11v, I'm getting 11v at the rear, but the panel is reading 13.5v. Scratching my head quite a bit.
So the battery itself is reading 11 VDC., and the plug at the rear is reading 11 VDC.. If your camera setup is like mine it is wired directly to the battery with a fuse inline at the battery. This could explain the same VDC reading.
But with the battery being new why is it reading 11 VDC with the meter, assuming the meter is good, but you said it reads 13.5 VDC from the truck.
Start by ruling out a faulty meter check it on another known to be good battery. If it is okay then your new battery could be the issue with it only reading 11 VDC.
I would think the reason the touchscreen is reading 13.5VDC is because it is reading what is coming off the converter with the battery.
So I would check the new battery again. A quick way to check each cell in the battery is if you can add water take the caps off. I then put one lead from the meter the other lead on either positive or neg post. Each cell should read about the same, if one cell is reading really low, it could point to a bad battery.
 

farfromdunn

Member
Start by ruling out a faulty meter check it on another known to be good battery. I would think the reason the touchscreen is reading 13.5VDC is because it is reading what is coming off the converter with the battery.
Figured out last night that it 100% was a faulty multimeter! Got a new one and the new battery is reading 12.9V. Likely the old one was as well and I wasted the money on a new battery. And you're absolutely right about the touchscreen. It was reading 13.5V with the battery disconnected while connected to shore power. 13.5V is absolutely the feed coming from the converter. Wiring conundrum solved.
 
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