Camera Mounted in Winch Control Box

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

I've been thinking about installing a forward facing camera on my 120 for sometime now to enable me to have a view of what lurks beneath my front wheels when heading over a crest or a drop off etc... It would make it very handy to those unsuspecting tree roots sticking out of a rut, or when you have a sharp turn directly after a crest and your nose is up in the air and you can't see jack!! Originally I thought I would wait until GoPro brought out their accessory that streams it's image via WiFi to an App on your iPhone/iPad, but it's an expensive option and still not (quite apparently), available.
I already have the Digoptions AVN11TP GPS/DVD system which I am happy with and the missus loves the reversing cam (no impacts to date touch wood). so I have decided to install a small camera in the front of my Magnum Winch Control Box. The control box is already on an angle facing down, even though the cam I have selected allows me to pivot the cam 90 degrees. (see pic) The camera is (semi) flush mounted and only requires a 19mm hole and also looks to be approx 15mm deep so it will fit snuggly into the box without impeding the solenoids inside.



So I have just ordered on fleabay one of these which looks the go - Forward Facing Camera It has all the necessary cables. All I need to do is take the video cable back to the Aux video in of my head unit and source a power supply to feed the cam. I'm still undecided what to do here as I can do a few things. a) tap into an Acc source so the cam is permanently powered on when the car is running. b) tap into a feed such as the headlights or parkers, so that when i require power to the cam I put my lights on. c) I have an isolation switch on my dash for the winch that I could tap off. This is probably my best option as this goes back to the control box any way... If I'm off road or any time I want to energise the cam, I switch this on and select Aux video on my head unit an bobs your uncle... If anyone has any suggestions or recommendations, I'm all ears. I will update once I do the install..

[Fozzy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fozzy]

You have far too much time on your hands Craig, however once you've got it sorted, come over and set one up for me please.

Cheers,

Dave

[awwricecracker Member Find all posts View Profile Close awwricecracker]

I would take the power off the amplifier accessory cable from your head unit (it's normally the blue one). If your camera draws a bit of current (which i highly doubt it does) you could run it through a relay also but I've never had a problem hooking up cameras this way.

Doing it this way means as long as your head unit is on, your camera is ready to go..

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

I would run it off a switch so running it off the same switch as the winch sounds like the best idea. No doubt you drive around with the head unit on when you are driving so I wouldn't wire it up to come on with the head unit otherwise it will always be on. Mine is hooked up to the F-cam switch on the head unit do only powers up when it is switched.

Does your head unit have a TV-in with power when you select it, that is also another option.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Does your head unit have a TV-in with power when you select it, that is also another option.

Not that I can see...

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Camera arrived imn the Mail today. Nice little unit! (Smaller than I expected too)





It comes with everything I need to install (this weekend hopefully), even comes with a hole saw. I will prably just get a bit of silastic to secure it in place once I'm happy with the location...

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

Looks good Craig - I'm looking to do a similar thing to this. I haven't got my head unit yet - I understand Santa's bringing it, so in the meantime I've ordered a 7" display with two cameras (one for front, one for back). I plan on wiring in the cameras to the display then when I get the head unit I can just re-route the cables to the head unit. Be interested to see where/how you finally wire up the front camera.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Had a quick look again inside the control box to check that the back of the cam won't impede anything and it's about 8-10mm free from the solenoid connections. I have decided to take Brains advice and pick up the power feed for the cam off the Isolation switch I have on the Dash which goes back to the Control box, so when I want to view the cam I just flick the winch switch on the dash and select Aux on the Head Unit Menu and Voila!!



I'm gonna install this tonight hopefully so I'll take some pics as I go...

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Front Cam Install Time....

Installed the Front Camera in the Winch Box Housing tonight. I had already checked that there was enough room on behind the cover. the Back of the Cam clears the links between the solenoids with approx 5-8mm to spare so all good there. As mentioned, the easiest place to pick up a feed for the Cam was from the switch wire from the Dash that I have to isolate the winch from the mischievous...
First pic shows the connections. You can see the twin that pics up a feed from the +ve to the switch and back to the box to provide power to the winch controller. I simply soldered the +ve feed for the Cam onto this and using the crimp lug sitting in the centre of picture, bolted this to the Batt -ve.



Winch Isolation switch on Dash (Gotta replace my Driving lights with something better someday...)
Having the switching and power feed to the cam in situ, I only needed to run the Video feed from the Head Unit to the Cam which I ran in split tubing all the way from the Firewall Grommet onwards



Next was to drill the hole in the Winch Control Box for the Cam with the supplied 20mm hole saw.



Contd next post...

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Next was to fit the Cam and terminate the cables. I also beefed up the insulation on the wires and taped all connections and bundled up excess cabling and cable tied to avoid any chaffing of wiring.

A nice, snug fit of the Cam. There is a small, allen keyed grub screw for adjusting the Cam. I had a bugger of a time adjusting this on my own. You really need a helper to sit in from of the screen to direct you as I was going back and forth dozens of times to get it right. I eventually got the picture to where I wanted it. I have set it up so I have the leading edge of the bull bar at the bottom of the screen.





Now to test....
VERY COOL!!!! I drove up to a small traffic calming island in our street to the point where it disappeared over the bonnet and stopped when the start of the island was at the bottom of my screen. the front of the Prado was still about 500mm away from the Island but obviously having the object in full view as I approached is a great benefit. We also have a steep driveway, so approaching entry into the Garage will save the kids bikes/skateboards etc... from being destroyed!
Last of the pics...



Cam View... (not a good pic as the sun is shining on the screen but you get the gist...)



Now to see how long before SWMBO notices.....

[Guest Close Guest]

A top notch job and good quality image too.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Very nice, useful for cresting big hills in the bush. Only problem I can think of is it will get covered in crap. I have to wipe my rear cam after driving in the rain...

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Good point D4D, perhaps I'll try some kind of crap repellant for the lens... Maybe rain-x or something. It's not going to repel a bug strike obviously, but might help.

Now to find some mud to test


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Just found something strange that someone more learn-ed than myself may have an answer...

I just went for a drive to Bunnings (as you do), the Cam was fine. switched off the car, (and turned off the winch isolator that feeds power to the cam). When I returned to the car 30 min later and turned the cam back on, the image had flipped 180 (upside down). So I turned the isolator off, unselected the Aux in on the head unit (went to Radio) waited a couple of minutes and then turned it back on and the image was right way up again!. I turned on & off a couple of times to try and replicate but couldn't...

Do I need to put something in line with the power to the Cam or something?

Any ideas?

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

Now to see how long before SWMBO notices.....

Ha Ha - been there, done that

Nice job though Craig. Still waiting for my cameras to arrive plus I don't have a winch box on the front of mine that I can use.