Add a Device to the Rear Camera Switch

[GeoffChapman]

I would like to add a device to the Rear Camera Switch on the entry light panel. I mentioned this issue in a previous post this week, but thought I'd start a separate thread on it.

The device is a small 12v Tireminder booster. I want to tie it to the Rear Camera switch b/c I don't want to forget to turn it off when I am not traveling. I thought I could draw a positive lead from the downstream side of the switch and find a negative lead somewhere nearby, and then velcro the booster to the inside wall.   Well, I've opened up the space, pulled out the panel with its wires, and I am confused.

Because there are functioning lights in the panel, the panel needs to have both a positive and a negative to work (right?). The panel itself is plastic as far as I can see, which would mean it must have a negative to the switch itself, unless there is imbedded wiring that is out of sight. Each of the smaller light switches has three wires. I thought one of these wires must be that negative.

But I also noticed that the three lower left switches, including the Rear Camera, will work when the Master Light switch is off. So their wiring may be different than the others.

I started to pull and test the wires and the rear camera switch. The top with on each switch feeds the blue light switch. If I pull that top wire off and the switch is on, the blue light does not work, but its device does work. That makes me think that top wire is a negative. Then one of the bottom wires would be the positive feed from the battery/upstream side and the other would be the positive feed from the device/downstream side. 

Does this sound right?  When I test my Tireminder booster with this theory, I can't get it to work. And then sometimes while I am testing, the blue light does not work till it restore the original connections! 

I'm a bit confused and can't find a wiring diagram to help me out.  Can anyone tell me a good way to hook my booster to the Rear Camera Switch?

Geoff

 

[ScubaRx]

The blue light is purely an indicator that the switch is "on". This known as a SPST illuminated rocker switch. It will have three terminals on the back side. They should be labeled as 1-2-3 or A-B-C.

In this illustration just imagine the fan as the camera. # 1 is power from the battery, # 2 is power to the camera, # 3 is ground to the blue led so that it lights up when you turn on the switch. Your deduction is correct. The ground for the camera is NOT coming from the switch. In our Oliver's, a yellow wire means it is a ground. To install your booster, splice into the power wire on the # 2 terminal and run it to the positive side of the booster, you can also pull a ground from the yellow wire to go to the negative side of the booster.

 

[rich.dev]

Doesn’t answer your question, but I use the TST 507 TPMS and no need for the booster. 

[GeoffChapman]

7 hours ago, rich.dev said:

I use the TST 507 TPMS and no need for the booster. 

@rich.dev Hmm. Mine is the ‎TPMSAPP6 (have to use my phone for the display) and it flashed a 'lost contact' warning several times on our recent trip. I did have the receiver buried in my console, though. May swap it out for yours (still within Amz's 30 day window)

8 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

To install your booster, splice into the power wire on the # 2 terminal and run it to the positive side of the booster, you can also pull a ground from the yellow wire to go to the negative side of the booster.

@ScubaRx That is big time helpful, Steve.  Exactly what I needed. Thanks. 

[Mike and Carol]

9 hours ago, rich.dev said:

Doesn’t answer your question, but I use the TST 507 TPMS and no need for the booster. 

Same here.

[rich.dev]

5 hours ago, GeoffChapman said:

have to use my phone for the display

Here’s my display!😊

[GeoffChapman]

11 minutes ago, rich.dev said:

Here’s my display!😊

@rich.dev Going to swap mine out for that. On my TPMSAPP6, I had to pick up my phone and swap apps to know what the alarms meant.  Not something I want to do at speed!  I’ll be glad to have the monitor for $50 more.  

[Steve Morris]

Note that there is now a newer display available. I got it in a bundle with six sensors. Key for me is that it charges using USB-C, which is what I'm trying to convert all my stuff to. No more USB-A, micro-USB, mini-USB, Lightning, etc.

https://technorv.com/products/tst-770-touch-screen-color-monitor

[ScubaRx]

18 minutes ago, Steve Morris said:

Note that there is now a newer display available. I got it in a bundle with six sensors. Key for me is that it charges using USB-C, which is what I'm trying to convert all my stuff to. No more USB-A, micro-USB, mini-USB, Lightning, etc.

https://technorv.com/products/tst-770-touch-screen-color-monitor

 

USB-C is the way to go. Apple has finally switched to USB-C for its new iPhone 15 lineup.

https://www.cnet.com/videos/how-apples-switch-to-usb-c-will-change-the-iphone/

[Galway Girl]

I added the TST transmitter to the power head of the front jack.  
 

I leave mine on all the time as the draw is very low.  ( Others may choose to add a switch to the back side of the case.

 

 

 

For the + power to the transmitter it’s easy to tap a fuse line into the black + wire between the raise/lower toggle switch and light switch. Negative connects to any of the the metal case hex head screws. 

 

We use a cover on the jack head so I don’t worry about water incursion. Just for good measure I sealed the wire going through the case with 3m 4200 black sealant. 

[Ray Kimsey]

I did this, but I connected the TPMS booster in the rear overhead cabinet. I removed the whiteboard on the right to get access to the cables then connected the camera wire with the booster and ground wire to the ground.  Worked without a problem.

Quote

 

 

[GeoffChapman]

3 hours ago, Ray Kimsey said:

I connected the TPMS booster in the rear overhead cabinet.

@Ray Kimsey That would get that booster on the rear camera switch. Great idea, Ray! I’ve worked with those wires when I installed my new rear camera, so I know right where they are. I suspect the added distance would not be a problem. 
Geoff 

[Ray Kimsey]

1 hour ago, GeoffChapman said:

@Ray Kimsey That would get that booster on the rear camera switch. Great idea, Ray! I’ve worked with those wires when I installed my new rear camera, so I know right where they are. I suspect the added distance would not be a problem. 
Geoff 

It  works fine for me from that location. Good luck!

 

[Fritz]

I wired a levelmate unit into the rear camera switch  (link below) for power while the rear camera is on. The description of splicing into the switch wiring might be of assistance.  

 

[GeoffChapman]

11 hours ago, Fritz said:

The description of splicing into the switch wiring might be of assistance.  

@Fritz Very helpful! Thanks.

 

[GeoffChapman]

What gauge wire is the normal 12v wire (like those behind the entry light panel) in the 2021 Oliver’s? 
Geoff

[Chukarhunter]

I too found it necessary to hook up the signal booster to my Tiretraker to prevent "lost signal "alarms.  I attached a 12 volt male cigarette lighter plug to the signal booster and when I tow, I plug it into a receptacle in the rear of my vehicle and secure it to the side with a piece of velcro tape.  It is easy to remove and store when not towing.  This approach should work in any of the cigarette lighter ports in the Oliver as well and only takes a few minutes to set up.  No trailer wiring involved.

 

[GeoffChapman]

I completed the install of my signal booster. I swapped out my Tireminder TPMSAPP6 for a TST550 b/c I wanted a display that would tell me at a glance what was going on if I had a warning - I didn't want to have to fuss with my cell phone if there was a possible emergency. 

The signal booster works the same way on both units, and I T-Tap'd it into wires #2 & 3 on the Rear Camera switch, as per @ScubaRx's post above.

I threaded the wires through the path used by my microwave plug (had to pull it out to access that path) and placed the booster in the closet above the microwave, so no need to drill new access holes.

It now turns off and on with the rear camera, as hoped, and works well!!  Thanks to all for your advice!  

Geoff