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Last changes 2/11/2007
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One thing we became used to with the motorhome Training Wheels was a rear view
camera system. The system eliminated the blind area immediately behind the coach.
The Pace Arrow had a wide view system and was extremely useful when passing a
vehicle. The rear view system gave a definite view that we were ahead of the vehicle we
were passing before we cut back.
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There will be two monitors eventually. We used a piece of 1/4" Lexan as the base of the monitor mount. We fabricated
a pair of brackets from bar steel. The sun shield was cut from a plastic report folder. |
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The location of the monitors really do not interfere with the forward view anymore that if
we installed a bug deflector on the hood. |
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A view from outside in. |
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This is the DAOC Color Waterproof CCD IR Camera. We will use the monitor reverse video
to allow rearview usage. We found this camera in KAWAMALL on eBay.
The IR means that the camera has infrared capability to see at night. The camera captures
available light for an image. One of the largest sources for this light is the taillights. |
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The camera lens angle is 120º for a wide angle view to the rear. It also has a .33"
CCD receptor for greater resolution. We used the same style camera on the back of the trailer. |
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We mounted the truck rearview camera on the headache rack cabinet. Because of the wide-angle
view of the camera, we get a good view of the hitch plate for hitching up the trailer. |
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It is hard to take a photo of the image on the LCD monitor. We will try some more. |
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You will note the trailer hitch near the bottom of the monitor. |
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We plan on having two cameras. One is located on the headache rack cabinet mounted behind
the cab of Red Rover. The other camera will be on the back of the trailer.
The selected monitor has two video inputs to accommodate these cameras.
One feature of the Pace Arrow's rear view system was a set of decals that
were mounted on the screen of the monitor. One decal was calibrated in feet and the other
in yards. They formed a inverted "V". When viewing the rear view monitor,
the decals' "V" lined up with the roadway. The accuracy of the calibration
was very good. We could back up to a post where the decal indicated we were 3' from the post
and we actually were. We are not quite sure how we will be able to replicate this.
We guess a sheet of clear covering for the LCD monitor and a set of lines created with a Sharpie
may do the job. |
Changes - a Hitch Camera |
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We found a problem with hitching up. The hitch plate is black, the bed in black, the hitch
well is black and the trailer pin is black. With everything black, it was hard to see things
unless the light was just right. We added another camera just ahead and above the hitch. |
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We used a plastic conduit body for making corners. We cut off the collar on the bottom of the
body. We used a plastic plate to fill the bottom hole and to hold the camera. |
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The camera fits inside the end collar which acts as a sun shield. The two filler pieces
were glued in with 3M 5200 adhesive/caulk. |
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A piece of aluminum bar stock was shaped as the stand. The body and stand was sprayed with bed liner. |
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This camera was feed into one of the video inputs of the monitor normally used for the computer.
Since this camera is only used during hitch-up, that was not a problem. |
Possible Futures |
Red Rover has powered mirrors and forward mounted wide view mirrors. Time will
tell if more right side vision is necessary. Experience with Training Wheels
proved that we could not run with the shades drawn on the window behind the passenger. Pulling
out from angular streets just was not handled by the mirrors.
If the need for more right vision is necessary, then we will mount another camera on the right
mirror mount. We will run this camera direct to the monitor. We will then add a monitor
switch between the camera on the back of Red Rover and the camera on the back of the
trailer. Only one of these is needed at a time. |
