pikkashoe

I have finally given up on a small project I installed on my 13 C6 GS.
I have a reverse camera mounted on my front bumper to assist with parking. I have the screen mounted in the glove box. Used to have a curb alert, but it broke.

It works fine when you start the car up. Then after driving for about 30 to 40 minutes it stops working.

I have it wired to a tap a fuse on the seat heater fuse. I also have my Wideband wired to this circuit.

I thought maybe it was the camera that was bad, so I purchased another one. That one did the same thing. Then i swapped the monitor, same result. Then I added a lighted switch to be able to turn it on and off, thinking maybe the monitor was over heating. But it still exhibits the same issue. It has an line fuse, which is fine as well.

I am about to give up and just pull it out, but I figured I would see if anyone could figure this out. No matter what I do, after driving the car for about 30 to 40 minutes, the lighted switch/monitor fails to get power. But the wideband is working fine. If I turn the car off, and turn it back on, it won't work, but if I let the car sit for a while, like a 2 hours, it works again. (this is the most intriguing clue for me, but haven't figured it out. Could it be the tiny gauge wires be overheating in the engine compartment causing an issue????, I am supercharged, thus the wideband)

Does anyone have any ideas as to what I am experiencing and what I can do to fix it. Any ideas are welcomed! Ive changed everything, so only thing left is the wiring, fuse, or the car LOL

bobeast

Were the two cameras from the same manufacturer? If so, maybe its a systemic problem with that particular camera. Backup cameras are probably engineered based on intermittent and short term use. I doubt they even test them for extended use.

I'd suggest a bench test to rule out any interaction with your car's systems. Set the system up on a workbench with a 12v power supply and just let it run for a couple hours. If the same problem occurs, you know it is either the monitor or the camera regardless how how many times you replaced it.

pikkashoe

Bobeast I did get two different cameras, since I wanted to rule out any issues with the particular camera model. I will try the bench test theory. I am leaning to an issue which may be heat related. Not when its on, but more than likely from the area it is mounted, in front of the intercooler for the supercharger.

Anyone else have any ideas or experience?

bill mcdonald

When you added the switch, are you turning off the +12v to the camera?

pikkashoe

Bill mcdonald, I believe I am. When I turn the switch off, the monitor turns off, and I am assuming the circuit is broken, also turning power off to the camera.

But that has me very curious now. I will have to test with the voltmeter to see if indeed it is cutting power to the camera itself, and not just the monitor.

bill mcdonald

I see. from what I have read, reviews and such about backup cameras, they can only be used for short periods of time, or they act up from heat.

If you are using one of those cheap monitors and the camera is a different item/not a kit. usually you need to shut down the camera power. I maybe wrong, but the monitor should be able to handle constant power, it is the camera you need to worry about.

Try just shutting down the camera, and see how that goes.

pikkashoe

Bill, I will definitely look into that when I get back.
Hopefully that is the issue. I have had a hunch that the camera isnt designed to run the entire time, since they are usually wired into the reverse signal to turn on and off. I hope this is the missing key to the puzzle. I cant recall exactly off the top of my head if the switch I wired in will actually cut power to the camera. Hopefully you are right!!

markcz

I power my camera from RAP power, so it's on all the time and I've never had any issues.

I'll even occasionally watch it on longer trips

pikkashoe

What's RAP power?

QUOTE=markcz;1590096297]I power my camera from RAP power, so it's on all the time and I've never had any issues.

I'll even occasionally watch it on longer trips [/QUOTE]

bill mcdonald

RAP = Retained Accessory Power

When you shut the car off, the radio stays on till you open the doors.

pikkashoe

Ok I'm back home finally. I checked all my wiring, I am using the heated seat fuse for power using my tap a fuse, my wideband is also running off it.

I ended up changing the wiring a bit. I wired the on and off switch to the camera as it had been suggested by Bill. I had forgotten the monitor won't turn on unless it has a feed from the camera, so hopefully this will resolve the issue. Before I had the switch wired to turn the monitor on and off, not sure if it was actually turning the camera off.

I am hoping the issue all along was the camera basically still being on even though i had power cut to the monitor. The wideband never goes down, so I am hoping its the camera just being on all the time, and shutting off, thus somehow cutting power. Fingers are crossed!!!! I will test it tomorrow.

If it doesn't fix it, its all coming out at that point!!!!!

pikkashoe

markcz where do you get RAP in the fuse box?

markcz

Once you remove the stock radio you can't

pikkashoe

Wiring the on/off switch to the camera and not the monitor seems to have fixed it, but I still have to keep testing. But now I ran into another problem, broke the handle on my glove box. Looked it up and apparently its a known issue that happens all the time, so I have to redo the camera/monitor wiring all again, going to put it in the center console, to avoid breaking the glove box handle again, which is very fragile apparently.

pikkashoe

Well I give up. Wiring it to turn the camera off made no change.
The whole system turns off after about 15 minutes of driving.
Just going to break down and pay for a new curb alert.
Going to check power tomorrow with the voltmeter, but I'm at my wits end with this project. Doesn't make any sense, both the wideband and this camera/monitor run off the same fuse tap, yet the camera/monitor side turns off. Once the car sits for an hour or two, it works again.

Could it be the thin wires are just over heating and breaking the circuit, the wires for the camera are super thin.

pikkashoe

ok not giving up yet. I tried a new power source (wiper fuse), vs the old heater seat fuse. Still having the issue.
Then I set up the camera inside the car with the ac, still turns off, so that rules out heat.

Im wondering if the vehicle has some sort of security system, if it detects a low or high draw, does it shut that particular fuse off to protect it.

Thats the only thing I can think of, and that explains why when it happens, I have to wait about an hour or two before I can restart the car and the camera works again? Anyone have any ideas?

bobeast

The car does not have any smarts with regards to fuse security. Did you run the bench test I suggested in post # 2?

pikkashoe

Hey bob. I have it on the bench right now, its been running for 4 hours with no issues. So I don't believe its a camera/monitor overheating issue.

Thats why I was wondering about the fuse security.

markcz

Try putting a relay in the circuit, any 12vDC automotive relay will work.

Use the fuse tap to pull in the relay, and use a fused line connected directly to battery + on the relay contacts to power your stuff.

markcz

How many volts is shown on your dash? Maybe it's too high for the gear you have and the gear itself is going into protection mode.