Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of your camera and monitor kit.   I have produced this pack out of my experiences of fitting cameras and monitors in the hope that it can make your installation a bit simpler if you choose to fit yourself.   If you get confused and think you may inadvertently damage your kit then I recommend you get a professional to fit the kit.   On most installs the time of install should be approx 2hrs depending on how complex your needs are and the basic skills you have.   This guide is a rough outline and your own vehicle and needs may be different.   Assess this guide, the manufacturers instructions and have a quick look at your vehicles handbook if available.  

What tools might I need?

I would arm yourself with the following:-

  *   Electric Screwdriver – Incase you have a bumper camera that needs the hole saw drilled

  *   Flat head and Philips Screwdriver – Handy for taking off some panels of your dashboard etc.

  *   Multimeter – Not 100% necessary in some cases if you know your wires already

  *   Solder gun/iron and Solder (or crimping tools)

  *   Insulation Tape

  *   Wire Stripper

  *   Time – Nothing worse than running out of time half way through a job.   Give yourself and extra 2hrs on top of the 2hr guideline to keep the installation calm.

  *   Maybe a small length of insulated wire if installing using type 1 (for keeping job simple)

Warnings

Before I tell you what TO DO I will first tell you what NOT TO DO

  *   DO NOT reverse the polarities on the camera (if you connect the ground of the camera to the positive supply of your vehicle the camera will act as a fuse and break – this wouldn't be covered under warranty as this would have been an installation fault).  

  *   Before drilling any holes or attaching the camera to the place where you want it, leave the securing to last and check firstly that you have a picture and the cameras not faulty then secondly check that the position is alright for the job you want it for.

Installation Type 1 – I want my camera on only when I reverse

This is the most common install for cars as very often a natural reflection is better for general driving and the only reason the kit was purchased was for the reversing aspect.   If you have little or no vision out the back of your vehicle then ignore this section and go to Installation Type 2 where we will show you the install for permanent on solutions.

1. Gather all your tools and parts together and read all instructions before continuing
2. The first stage I would recommend is installing the monitor, this is probably the hardest part for most people.  If you have ordered a touchscreen Monitor, clip-over the existing rear view mirror pulling apart the two brackets on the back of the monitor. If you have ordered a Stand On Dash Monitor, peel the safety backing to the adhesive pad on the bottom of the bracket and attach monitor to suitable location.
3. (Clip-On Mirror Monitors Only) Once this is on check your happy with the natural reflection you get and that you can use this with your driving day to day.  
4. I would install the filter box relay next.   This is the large bundle of wires that come with the monitor and have a black box with a fuse inbuilt.
5. Choosing where to hide this filter box is a personal choice, I personally either install behind the speedometer if it has cross head or flat-head screws (not if it had star head screws).   I normally find there is a lot of space behind this not being used.   I sometimes store under the steering wheel column where the ignition wires normally are.   There's usually 2 or 3 screws securing this panel, if storing here you would undo them and pop the panel off.   Sometimes I store behind the CD/tape player, useful to have the key to remove the stereo to gain access.
6. Choose the 12v power source that your going to connect the red wire to.   I recommend a few different sources but use a multimeter if your unsure.   In general you should remember that it should be +12V, and should only be on when the ignition is on.   Not on all the time otherwise your battery will run down after a while.   I have used the following before: radio wires (my favourite), I splice into this cable as it has a wire which provides power when the ignition is switched on. Cigarette lighter (back of), only if the cigarette lighter switches itself off when you turn the key to the off position.   Ignition wire from the key switch, only for those that know what they're doing, multimeter is useful for identification.  
7. Once you have chosen your source of power I personally would strip the flex down instead of cutting, strip down the red wire to the filter box so I can twist the wiring together making a neat join and then solder the connection and insulate. If you have the stereo out as you have chosen this, have a look at the power wire – does it have a socket/plug that connects to the socket/plug thats on the red wire.   I have found some stereos have a plug that comes off that gives power to additional accessories.   This eliminates the need to solder or crimp the power.
8. Do the same with the black wire – needs to go to negative earth.
9. Test your monitor – before applying electric attach the two cables – the one from the monitor to the one from the main wiring loom of the monitor you have just added power and earth to.
10. It will display a blue screen when you turn your ignition on and press power button, if not recheck your wiring.
11. Now you've confirmed its all working it's time to hide the wiring between the monitor and the filter box, I would leave the dashboard open for the moment as we still have some work to do here.
12. (Clip-On Mirror Monitors Only) The roof and side panels normally all pop off, this allows you to run the cables down discreetly, you will probably see some other cables there already, these normally power your interior lights.   Clip the panels back over the wiring when it is hidden.
13. Next step is to power the camera.   As we have discussed this section is for people that only want the camera to be on when they select reverse.   To do this we will tap into the reverse light power.   So first identify the wire responsible for the reverse lamp.   A multimeter is handy if you can't trace the wire back from the bulb you know to be reverse.
14. Tap into this wire and connect to the positive wire of your camera (see your individual camera instructions for the specific colour as different cameras have different colour coding)   Remember don't mix-up polarities or this will blow the camera.   Again solder connection and insulate
15. Attach the ground wire of the camera to the ground wire of the car (there should be a ground wire to the whole light cluster).
16. This set-up should now mean that your camera will have power when you select reverse.  
17. Test the camera quickly, run the video lead from the yellow socket of the camera to one of the AV sockets of the monitor.   Turn the monitor on, select reverse, switch AV input if necessary and you should see a picture.   If you don't recheck wiring and power is present.
18. Try the camera out a bit, did you select the best position for it, is it suitable.
19. Now, as you want the monitor to automatically come on when you select reverse you will need to do the following – plug the video lead into AV2.   Attach the blue wire to the reverse lights power.   You may need a spare run of copper wire to extend the reach, sometimes you may be lucky and you can find a connection close to the gearbox, othertimes you may just want the easy life and run a stretch of copper wire back from the blue wire to the power wire where you connected the reverse camera.   Very often you may find you have spare lengths of wire kicking about the place.   Speaker wire for instance from an old Hi-Fi etc.   It doesn't have to be heavy duty as it carries a tiny current.
20. Hide your wires – hide under the carpet, behind panels, anywhere – it will teach you lots of different hiding spots you never knew about, you will find most panels clip on and off.   Then carpet can be lifted and wires hidden.   Fix your camera to the spot you have tried it and know it works best for you.  
21. Test it out, now everythings hidden, make sure it still works and no wires have become unplugged etc during hiding.   You should find that the monitor will turn itself on and select AV2 when the blue wire receives power ie when you reverse. As long as you plugged the camera into AV2 this will display the camera.   If you want you can connect a second camera or DVD player into AV1.   The monitor will switch to AV2 when it detects the charge when you reverse.

Enjoy, and have a rest after all your hard work.

Installation Type 2 – I want my camera on permanently and have purchased either an extension power cable or the motor home/van extension kit

Most common with van drivers and motor home owners where normal rear view mirror is non-existent or not suitable.   This set-up will mean that your camera comes on and stays on when you drive.

1. Gather all your tools and parts together and read all instructions before continuing
2. The first stage I would recommend is installing the monitor, this is probably the hardest part for most people.  If you have ordered a touchscreen Monitor, clip-over the existing rear view mirror pulling apart the two brackets on the back of the monitor. If you have ordered a Stand On Dash Monitor, peel the safety backing to the adhesive pad on the bottom of the bracket and attach monitor to suitable location.  
3. I would install the filter box relay next.   This is the large bundle of wires that come with the monitor and have a black box with a fuse inbuilt.
4. Choosing where to hide this filter box is a personal choice, I personally either install behind the speedometer if it has cross head or flat-head screws (not if it had star head screws).   I normally find there is a lot of space behind this not being used.   I sometimes store under the steering wheel column where the ignition wires normally are.   There's usually 2 or 3 screws securing this panel, if storing here you would undo them and pop the panel off.   Sometimes I store behind the CD/tape player, useful to have the key to remove the stereo to gain access.
5. Choose the 12v power source that your going to connect the red wire to.   I recommend a few different sources but use a multimeter if your unsure.   In general you should remember that it should be +12V, and should only be on when the ignition is on.   Not on all the time otherwise your battery will run down after a while.   I have used the following before: radio wires (my favourite), I splice into this cable as it has a wire which provides power when the ignition is switched on. Cigarette lighter (back of), only if the cigarette lighter switches itself off when you turn the key to the off position.   Ignition wire from the key switch, only for those that know what they're doing, multimeter is useful for identification.  
6. Once you have chosen your source of power I personally would strip the flex down instead of cutting, strip down the red wire to the filter box so I can twist the wiring together making a neat join, I would also connect the power wire to the camera and then solder the connections and insulate.
7. Do the same with the black wire from the monitor wiring loom and the earth wire from the camera and connect this to negative earth.
8. Test your monitor – before applying electric attach the two cables – the one from the monitor to the one from the main wiring loom of the monitor you have just added power and earth to.
9. It will display a blue screen when you turn your ignition on, if not recheck your wiring.
10. Now you've confirmed its all working it's time to hide the wiring between the monitor and the filter box, I would leave the dashboard open for the moment as we still have some work to do here.
11. (Clip-On Mirror Monitors Only) The roof and side panels normally all pop off, this allows you to run the cables down from the monitor discreetly, you will probably see some other cables there already, these normally power your interior lights.   Clip the panels back over the wiring when it is hidden.
12. Connect the extension power lead to the camera power lead +12V/ground lead which you've just connected to the wiring in the dashboard, feed this to the camera hiding along a suitable path.   Also at the same time feed the 5/10M video extension wire from AV1 yellow socket of the filter box all the way to the yellow socket of the camera.   These will be fed along the same path so best to do together.   Finding the best way through the van/motorhome is personal preference.
13. Play with the camera to get the best location, test by turning the ignition on and making sure monitor is on AV1 which you plugged the cameras video into.    Attach the camera by whichever method is best for your type of camera.   Hide the wires making sure that the plugs of the rca and power are in cover, if external then use amalgamating tape to waterproof the connections.   Adjust the camera if this is optional and away you go.  

Image below shows the general setup of the system demonstrated on a Stand On Dash Monitor which has two extra inputs (a white and red) which is for AUDIO, should you ever wish to connect a DVD player etc.