20-23 Anytime front/backup camera

Unfortunately, I’m not at home to take an actual picture if it. But here is a screenshot from the Amazon listing that looks a lot like the one I used:

I have no idea why they do not wire it the way it will be used. I was just happy to find the harness.

 

I think I need a little hint. Do you use the tool, and go in through the front of the connector, i.e. NOT the wire side of the connector? And you used a tool with a single stab, correct? This is a PITA.

 

Yes, you go in through the opposite side of the wire. There should be a hole right above the male or female end. Insert the pin remover tool into it gently and as far in as it will go and gently pull the wire out. Sometimes you have to move the tool around until the pin releases.

 

@bigssa Success! I'm in your debt.
I used the pin removal tool that only had one stab, where the stab was the thinnest, but the tip was not pointed, but rather squared off. This was the tool that could with the most ease be inserted into the rectangular slot associated with a pin, be it female or male.

Then I inserted it in that slot using just enough force until it stopped and pulled the wire and pin out without difficulty.

I had a little help using one of these illuminated magnifiers:

Headband Magnifier Rechargeable Magnifying Glass with LED Light Hands Free Magnifying Glass for Reading Interchangeable Magnification Lenses 1.5X 2.5X 3.5X 5X for Close Work Jewelry Hobby Crafts

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RJ1RLXD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Yeah, a bit of project expense creep is occuring... but I do a lot of stuff related to Amateur Radio so, I will get use out of some of the supplies and tools I've been amassing for this project for sure.
So the first wire/pin pair I tried to harvest from the 28pin harness was a complete bust. But with your explanation, and the proper tool selected, it became quite a fun process to harvest the wires and their pins needed for both harnesses.

Then for the male pins, to re-use them in their new locations, I had to use a very tiny flat blade screwdriver to bend the pin's "stab" upward at an angle so that it would "catch" when inserted in the connector body at it's new location.

 

Glad you got those pins out @stftaco. Hopefully the rest of the project goes smoothly.

 

For someone interested in rolling their own Front Facing camera, but wishes to avoid "Pin Harvesting" on the harnesses we've been discussing in this thread, you'd want to look for a source of both harnesses, that are full-through or full-pins or all pin pass-through, that then you could cut the particular wires, and solder on longer wires or RCA M and F pigtail connectors.

This looks like a 28pin harness that can be modified to expose the "trigger source and destination":
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234158260665

And this 30pin connector that is straight through can be modified to expose the video from the rear camera, and the video input to the head unit:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155202107000

 

Well I have assembled all the parts to put it together. I made sure while the weather is still good to take the grill off, and install the camera.
I got a little side-tracked also getting the parts to build my own footwell lighting solution.
I probably need to take pics of both projects including referencing the parts I'm using.

I may start on one or both tomorrow.

 

Got around to installing my homebrew version of the front-camera. While it bench-tested fine, it would not perform switching properly. I think I have an issue with the fused 12V I'm pulling off a "make a fuse" at the fuse holder. Wow, that is a PITA to read the fuses when your vision requires glasses. I'll have to walk down the wiring to the relays and determine if they are getting power through the switch or not. I'm humbled.

 

My suggestion is to take a voltmeter and methodically test the voltage or ground at different connection points and validate that you are getting what you are expecting at each point. I would start at the switch and work your way towards the HU. Hopefully you can narrow it down easily to the root cause and resolve it. If not, post some pics and I’ll do my best to help.

 

I bought the pre soldered harness and camera kit from trailgridpro.

https://trailgridpro.com/products/anytime-backup-new-front-camera-kit-14-19-tacoma/

https://trailgridpro.com/products/anytime-backup-new-front-camera-kit-20-tacoma/

 

Thanks. That's the plan. I had it working fine on the bench including the switch, BUT, the part that wasn't on the bench was the "add-A-fuse". Heck, maybe my fuse is bad, or I blew it. Time to pull out the multi-meter. I'm sure my harnesses are good since I was able to put the vehicle in reverse, and see the backup camera image.

 

Nothing wrong with that at all. After one adds up everything, I'll hardly be saving much, and I'd recommend to others to reconsider... Ha ha ha to myself. Anyway, I think the pre-soldered commercial offering you purchased grabs 12VDC somewhere off one of the harnesses, right? Yeah, I didn't want to do that, but may rethink it. I REALLY do not love the low-profile "add-a-fuse" dongles. Besides being a PITA to see what is what at my age unless at the proper distance, being practically inverted in the front footwell (ouch my back), the fuse block and add-a-fuse is literally hanging upside down. If only the cabin fuses were on a vertical fuse block. Seriously Toyota? Seriously? If I determine it's a power source issue, I might go for picking off power from the engine compartment fuse block.

Curious, is the commercial kit using a SPDT or DPDT relay? I am considering changing my implementation.

 

Sorry, most of that electrical/relay terminology is over my head. That's part of the reason I went with the ready made kit. The other reason being I hate soldering.

 

Upgraded radio and rear camera in tailgate...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/blps-2021-trd-or-6mt.765606/#post-27318856

 

FWIW: SPDT is short-hand switch and relay lingo for: single-pole, double-throw (or contacts with one common, and two positions). DPDT is essentially two SPDT sets of contacts that generally are isolated from one another. In the context of a relay, a DPDT relay has only one relay coil to change the position of both sets of contacts. In my implementation, I'm using two SPDT relays, but I should have simplified by using one DPDT relay.

Anyhow, one thing I've proven to myself again (I knew this when I was younger - my kids joke about "cognitive decline", ha ha), when one uses an "Add a Fuse", the orientation of the device definitely matters for the new fused path, otherwise the "hot" 12VDC aft of the fuse, is, well, not hot.

Soldering and the use of heat shrink tubing isn't tough to learn. Properly using a crimp tool though? That could be the source of my problem.
Should know hopefully later in the day when it warms up, and the wind dies down a bit. OK truck, I'm gonna be packin' my multi-meter.

 

Earlier in the thread, I diagrammed the circuit I was going to construct so I had a front-facing camera. I'm pleased with the results. Note my design, posted earlier in the thread, does not allow for anytime viewing of the backup camera, but just the front when the button is activated. The commercial kit allows for anytime viewing of the forward and reverse cameras which could be very useful. One comment - if I were pulling a trailer, maybe instead of a front camera, maybe I'd have a way of energizing a camera input from a camera mounted on the back of the trailer. I might even consider having it send it's signal to the head unit input via wireless connection... Then again, someone could install a harness at the back of the truck to either plug in the OEM camera on the back of the tailgate, or go to a camera mounted on the back of the trailer.

Hmmm, there's always that curbside camera (I'm a really lousy parallel parker, hence the need for a front-facing camera).
Actually, there are multi-camera input switchers that are commercially available which could be handy if you off-road, and don't have all those cameras as part of an OEM option.

Anyway, I went with a high-quality front camera that I installed in the grill:

$40 NATIKA Backup/Front View Camera,IP69K Waterproof Great Night Vision HD and Super Wide Angle Metal OEM Style Reverse Rear View Backup Camera for Cars Pickup Trucks SUVs RVs Vans (Black)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H852D49?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I ended up using a different set of 28, and 30pin cables that I got from Ali-Express (the 6-pin cable I didn't use):
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...2oiWIp8&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US

I used an relay board that provided two SPDT relays. If I built another, it would probably use this relay instead:

$17 Potter & Brumfield T92P11D22-12 Power Relay DPDT 12V DC 30A, TE T92S11D22-12

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019AOP36C?smid=A3GEYN3RYNFMBE

And for illumination of the switch, instead of tapping off one of the other switches, I used the harness constructed by @kmorgan3 which I purchased from Guild Outfitters (which will also allow me to pick up trigger for a homebrew footwell lighting (or possibly courtesy/rock lights, or both) project I have yet to complete):
https://guildoutfitters.com/products/daisy-chain-harness?variant=41009343037594

A front camera switch can be purchased from CH4x4 Industries, or Amazon:
https://www.ch4x4.com/

 

Anyone in Sandy Eggo, Ca that can install this for a price? Please PM so I see a response.

 

I bet that if you go to any auto audio shop in your area then they would be happy to order the kit and install it for you.

 

I was working on some other mods and realized how messy my wiring is for this project. I decided to clean it up a bit with the use of a 2 channel relay module and a box to house it. I have to say that it really cleaned up the implementation and I would highly recommend it. It does not change any of wiring diagrams.

Here is the module:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLJ7hJM
Here is the box:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrgFfHo

 

Help Please!!
I am new to the forums and planning to add front camera to 2021 sr5. I have a Question on the following comment in the Relay wiring section:
“And we will use the front camera button output as the trigger for the relay AND to power the front camera”.

Does the trigger switch need to send power to both, pin 85 AND the front Camera? I see pin 87 out of relay sending positive to the front camera and am confused.