Backup camera noise when applying brakes

Need some electrical help here...

So I installed a backup camera to my headunit last week (same wiring method as shown in the photo), the headunit switches and camera turns on as it should when I put the truck in reverse. However, I have an issue when I apply/release the brake pedal when backing out, the video flickers and goes in/out.

I'm wondering if its: A.) a voltage drop to the camera, since voltage is being routed to the brake light and reverse light when I press on the brake... but not sure why this wouldnt be more common of an issue since I think most people wire to the reverse light. Or B.) maybe its noise at the red RCA pigtail near the headunit. When I ran the RCA wire up the rubber grommet under the driver seat, the red pigtail may have got a bit chaffed as it was a very tight fit... Or C.) something else

Any Sparky's out there that may know what is causing this camera noise?

 

How is the camera grounded? You might be getting some interference from the brake light circuit. I have this problem with my aux backup lights that I added, when I put the truck into reverse, the lights come on, but when I hit my brakes, they flicker a bit.

Also, how did you run the camera cable? If you followed the wiring loom path back along the frame rail, you might be introducing EMF noise into the camera video cable.

 

All the grounds wires were spliced into the existing wire bundle GND's and then taped up. Not drilling or grounding to the frame. And yes, I followed the loom along the frame rail.

Have you fixed your flickering? Or just letting it be?

 

I haven't fixed it yet. I tapped into the rear backup light circuit, but I want to run a new wire to the rear so I can switch the lights on manually. And I have a backup cam that I want to install as well. I'll just run both at the same time, along with some other stuff I want to do.

Vehicle electrical systems tend to be noisey, as incandescent light bulbs don't really care, they just work. Cameras will be much more sensitive to voltage and interference. You might try using a ferrite to help with the interference. I would be installed on the camera cable behind the radio. That would help with the interference coming from the brake light circuit.

I would also consider separating the ground wire from the wiring at the rear, and finding a isolated ground. You don't have to drill a hole into the frame, but maybe find a bolt or something you can sneak a wire under.

 

One thing to consider is that if ground is weak (the connection between tail light ground and truck's body) then some current from tail light might be traveling back to your head unit via the shield of camera cable. That can create a lot of interference. So make sure that tail lamp ground is really grounded. With old trucks aging solid contact in connectors is always a problem.