Aftermarket Backup Camera Intermittent, Now Not Working At All?

I posted this in the Audio & Video but was also hoping there would be some people here who could do some voodoo magic for me.

I installed an

$26 eRapta ERT01 HD Backup Camera Rear View License Plate Reverse Camera Universal for Pickup Truck Car SUV 149 Degree Perfect Angle Night Vision IP69K Level Waterproof

eRapta ert01 on my 05. Ran it to my new Pioneer 1400nex head unit using an in-line fuse, and everything was fine.

About a week later it started only working intermittently.

Fast forward to a few days ago and it died completely.

Just for giggles I checked the in-line fuse, and everything looked fine. Got a bunch of fuses laying around so I replaced it anyways. Camera worked fine for 2 days.

I honestly don't think the fuse was blown, but has anybody had something similar happen to them?

And fast forward to today, the camera wouldn't work again.

 

Check the connector that comes from the tailgate wires to the truck. If that is not connected tightly this will happen.

 

Wires are soldered and heat shrinked. I’m starting to think it might be a bad ground? I have it grounded to the face plate on the trailer wiring harness. Didn’t sand it or anything before putting it in place.
If it is the ground, should I just sand the area where it is now or just tie into the tail light wiring harness ground?

 

How is it wired up? If you're tied into the stock back up camera, the stock system only is rated for 6v whereas the aftermarket camera is looking for 12v. Ask me how I know. I recently replaced my aftermarket camera with a new one and need to fix just this issue. It works and will work but because of the lack of power, I'm getting the banding lines and fuzzy output. Which is exactly what my old one was doing before it crapped out. At least they are fairly inexpensive at about 20$. I would have to double check the voltage coming off of the tail lights, to see if I have a constant 12v source back there otherwise I'd have to run a dedicated hot to back there. I advise switching the camera through a relay using the reverse light signal. You can switch at the tail if you get a water resistant relay or you can switch under the dash if you can find the reverse lights (I'd have to research more to find exactly where this wire would be).

If this is how you have your camera set up, double check your connection points. I heat shrunk and taped where the Coax and power wires connected into because they were showing signs of corrosion. You could also have someone put your vehicle into reverse while you wiggle your connections to see if you have a faulty connection.

-J

 

Thanks for all the info! I’ll take a look at all that after work. Hopefully it is just a loose wire.

As far as how it’s setup, it is aftermarket and it is tied into the reverse positive. But grounded to the trailer hitch wiring face plate.

 

OP has an '05, which doesn't come with a factory cam.
Check the voltage at the camera when truck is shifted in reverse and re-ground to a hitch or bumper bracket bolt that goes directly into the frame. Just wire brush the bolt threads and frame opening clean, heavy sanding not necessary. Rattlecan black paint the area after install to prevent rust.

 

How I did mine (which needs to be corrected) was to use the stock wiring from my factory backup camera. I no longer have my tailgate since I installed a tire gate so I needed my backup camera back. I'm jaded and use rely heavily on my backup camera since I cant see safely out the rear view due to my chonker of a tire blocking clear view. The eSky backup camera has a Coax video and male power plug, so I cut the wire harness in the tailgate and cut an old yellow plug coax cable and made an adapter for the video signal. Tapped into the (6v) power that went to the stock camera wire loom to use the rear view. My head unit is tapped into the same loom at a different location and displays backup camera video at the same time (selectable).

Since that's the case, the wiring should be straight forward. If you're not finding a factory ground at the trailer hitch, you can find a factory ground behind the tail lights. Eyelet with external tooth serrated lock washer to bite into the grounds then treat for corrosion.

I need to rewire 12v to the power supply for the after market camera to bring it back to spec.

-J

 

Got it I’ll check there first. I stupidly made the ground wire shorter than the power, so if I have to go any further than those two areas I’ll have to solder in another length of wire.

I’m gonna check the bumper area first, but good to know that there is another ground in the tail light! If the bumper is a no-go I’ll put a new length in and run it to the ground in the tail light area.

I’ll update this evening with how it went!

Thanks all!

 

Update: Wired the ground to a bolt I found in the tail light housing area. Looks like it holds the rear quarter panel and bed liner together?

Anyways I tested it multiple times and it seems to work now! Heres hoping it isn't just temporary again!

 

As long as its bolted into the metal sub structure, that ground should work. I cant remember if there are any bolts in there that screw only into plastic.

-J

 

Not my photo, but it is one of these bolts.

 

Glad you got it fixed!