Installation of Camera Monitor - Goodbye Axxera!!

[VinceAndPam]

Originally Posted by rmblaster

Vince does the garmin automatically switch over to camera when you put motorhome in reverse or use turn signal just like the Axxera radio

Richard

It does not, when a camera feed is detected by the Garmin, it displays a camera icon in the upper right corner. You have to select the camera icon and it switches to the camera feed and remains there until you go back to the map etc...

I currently have the video feed split, going to both the Garmin and the Axxera. If I find I never look at the Axxera anymore, I'll just remove the Y cable and only run the feed to the Garmin.

Vince

[Mo_Mike]

Originally Posted by rmblaster

mo-mike so your not using the radio as a monitor now since you came out of the video switch box

No, I used an RCA "y" adapter to run the feed to both. I also have the backup camera feed going into the axxera rear AV feed (along with the audio from my XM radio) so, when I am listening to satellite radio, I can have something on the screen other than "blue" and can monitor behind me constantly...

[Mo_Mike]

Originally Posted by VinceAndPam

It does not, when a camera feed is detected by the Garmin, it displays a camera icon in the upper right corner. You have to select the camera icon and it switches to the camera feed and remains there until you go back to the map etc...

I currently have the video feed split, going to both the Garmin and the Axxera. If I find I never look at the Axxera anymore, I'll just remove the Y cable and only run the feed to the Garmin.

Vince

Vince

Have you tried to adjust the "backup lines" on the GARMIN to fit your MH yet? That was one of my biggest motivations in doing it, so I could have some gauge on how close I was to objects when backing up.

[VinceAndPam]

Yes, I was able to adjust them to my liking. Of course, they are kinda useless for the side view cameras, but I really like being able to see the video on the Garmin because I can place it where I want it.

[rmblaster]

Originally Posted by oldgold

Some people have asked about the monitor we installed in our Challenger. Here is a copy of my post.

Attachment 4200

Attachment 4201

I bought everything from www.rearviewsafety.com. Here is the parts list from them. Also you will need 18ga butt connectors.

Attachment 4202

I tied the power supply into the incoming power wires to the dash fan switch. This makes the screen only power up when the RV is running or in the on position and it was the easiest to steal power from.

Unplug the wiring harness to the dash fans. Crank up the RV and use a volt meter to test which wires are hot. My wires were two of the multi color wires. Make sure you have correct polarity. Turn RV off double check with volt meter to make sure no volts before cutting. Cut wires about a foot away from the switch and tap into them with the power leads on the wiring harness for the screen. Once tied back together, make sure your dash fans still work.

On the back of the Axxera there is a video cable. Follow it backwards till you locate a black box with 4 inputs and one output. This is the video switch box. It is about the size of a deck of cards.

Unplug the 3 video feeds at the ASA connections. Note which ones are CA 1,2,&3. On my unit CA1 was left, CA2 was right and CA3 was rear. You might have to switch them back around if the wires are mislabeled or different. Plug the incoming video feeds into the screen harness using the adapters which are 5 round female to ASA female. At this point you can turn on the screen and make sure your feeds are the correct camera label on screen. Turn it back off.

Next, the 4th cable hitting the switch box is the trigger wire set. Follow it out from the switch box to the backside of a connector plug. There will be multi color wires before the connector and should be labeled CA 1,2,&3 as well. On my unit, the wire colors actually matched the colors on the screen harness. Hopefully they will on all units. Cut these 3 wires. Use a butt connector to attach each of them to their corresponding video trigger wire on the harness.

Power on the screen and TEST, TEST, TEST!!!

The blinkers on the RV should trigger the corresponding side camera. Shifting the RV to reverse should trigger the rear camera.

I unplugged the harness from the screen and then ran the cord thru the hole just above the left corner of the Axxera. This way you don't have to drill thru the dash cap.

Mount the bracket arm. I chose the flat spot just above right of the HDMI port. MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING BEHIND IT BEFORE YOU SCREW ON THE BASE!! I installed the screen on the bracket arm with the thumb turn facing down so you can get to it to tighten.

That should be it. Congratulations, you now don't have a crappy Axxera as an issue anymore for video feeds!! Lmao... Let me know if y'all have any questions... I tried to be fairly thorough. I highly suggest looking under the dash before ordering everything. As much as manufacturers switch stuff around, it would be a PITA to get all this stuff and not have the correct adapters, etc.

oldgold
i have read your installation of monitor and I have some questions on the trigger wires you say to cut the 3 wires and hook them up to new monitor harness and that would be the wires coming from the connector and not the video switch correct and another question there is a 12v hot wire and ground at that connector they just stay hooked to old video switch ? is there any reason the 12v wire cant be used to power the monitor its only hot with the key on

Richard

[halfprice]

My radio/cameras are hooked up the the coach batteries and tge ignition. I have already removed tge passenger fan switch and will hook up tge power from there.

The power and ground from the splitter will just be capped off and left in the dash.

Yes tge 3 wires are from the cinnectors NOT the switch. When im done with my install the switch is going in the trash.

Jerry

[halfprice]

Sorry had a typo. Camera is not hooked up to the ignition

[glamperjan]

Great post.

[djnash]

Jerry
Having issues with dash fans and radio. Long story short there is a loose fan wire under the dash somewhere preventing power to fans. No fuse issue. Can you explain how to take the dash out to make it easier to access radio and switches. Hurricane 35c.
Thanks

[SuperBoar]

Anyone tried changing the rear camera for an infrared camera?

[SuperD]

Originally Posted by SuperBoar

Anyone tried changing the rear camera for an infrared camera?

If you buy a camera from Rear View Safety it will have the same 5 pin connection that is on most Thor's. Our fixed camera is mounted in a recess and the bracket for a new camera will be a very tight fit, might even need some modifications to the bracket. Other than the mounting there is no reason an infrared camera wouldn't work. If you're still using the Axerra radio display I'm not sure how well it would display.

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by djnash

Jerry
Having issues with dash fans and radio. Long story short there is a loose fan wire under the dash somewhere preventing power to fans. No fuse issue. Can you explain how to take the dash out to make it easier to access radio and switches. Hurricane 35c.
Thanks

If you have the same dash as the 29m i dont know any easy way to remove the front of the dash. The top of the dash in front in the steering wheel comes off. Its held on by two screws. You can get to the back of the radio, kind of, but not to the switches.

Jerry

[djnash]

thanks for the quick reply. I started a new thread hopefully someone has an idea.

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by rmblaster

oldgold
i have read your installation of monitor and I have some questions on the trigger wires you say to cut the 3 wires and hook them up to new monitor harness and that would be the wires coming from the connector and not the video switch correct and another question there is a 12v hot wire and ground at that connector they just stay hooked to old video switch ? is there any reason the 12v wire cant be used to power the monitor its only hot with the key on

Richard

Richard,
I know this is old and hopefully you saw my post on the other thread.

What you suggested is what I ended up doing with my install. I used the power and ground from the switch to power the monitor. In fact after installing the monitor I removed the switch completely. Works better this way. On and off with the ignition.

Jerry

[SuperD]

On mine I used the power from the camera switch box to power the monitor and cameras, it's also switched to come on with the engine. The camera switch box went in the trash since I no longer needed it, didn't like it anyway.

[rmblaster]

Jerry 👍

[oldgold]

Any switch on the dash that turns on and off with the ignition will work as well and turn the cameras/monitor on and off with the chassis.