Hack #1 Adding a backup camera.
Before picking the camper up, I experimented on cheap alternatives to backup cameras. I tried several cameras on my sailboat and trailer and got practice with the whole scene of backup cameras.
I saw where one guy used his GoPro camera so I tried that but found that the bluetooth link between my iPhone and and the camera was too unreliable.
I even tried one of my home security cameras but the wifi signal would not reach out to the street.
Using our two iPhones in Facetime worked but that is not practical since I might not have her phone available when needed.
I finally decided a wireless backup system was my best choice. These systems are NOT Bluetooth nor WIFI. There are wireless but operate differently from WIFI and Bluetooth and provide better connections.
The backup camera housing on the Imagine XLS 22MLE is designed for a very small camera such as the Furrion Vision S Wireless system but I was not willing to toss down $600 for it.
I researched and ended up buying the Rohent dual camera Digital Wireless Dual Backup Camera HD 1080P 2019 Vision 7’’DVR Monitor which was rated one of the top ten available and was under $250.
This meant that I simply had to mount it below the “backup camera prep” housing. All that I needed to do was use a round file to create a small groove in the edge of the house to pass the camera power cable through.
I connected the camera power to the existing leads easily. The “prep” (as it is advertised) is a power plug for the Furion. It was connected to the source wires with crimped wire connectors. I loosened the crimps with pliers, removed the Furion connector, and replaced it with the Rohent connector and re-crimped the connectors. There was plenty of room in the house to push the extra wiring up and inside making for a very nice installation.
I need a driver’s side camera when backing into the parking spot next to my garage since I have to do an ‘S’ swing back in and cannot adequately see just how close I am to the edge of the garage as I back up. I studied where the backup camera needs to be located and decided it should be at the top edge of the door. I managed to reshape the bracket that it came with. I simply took the standard metal bracket off the camera and down to my shop where I used my vice (and anvil) to re-bend it to a shape that I can slip in the edge of the door then close the door on it to hold it in place for backing up by the house.
I had an old 12VDC power supply from and old piece of electronics so I am using it to power the camera by plugging it into the external AC outlet near the door.
Also, I can locate it at any height up and down the door if needed for backing up any other time too.