How To: Easy To Install Wireless Backup Camera

Before you start, before you even purchase a VR3 Wireless Backup Camera, you should take a look at your vehicle, and make sure you have a way to get the camera's power cable from the license plate area to the wires that power the backup lights.

The camera is designed to mount on the license plate, and should get it's power from the same wires on the wire harness that power the backup lights, so the camera is only transmitting when the backup lights are on.

It is very important to be sure you can do this before buying a backup camera kit. The first vehicle I tried to do this on was a pickup truck with a cap on the truck bed. I had bought the camera first, then realized that to get to the backup lights, I needed to remove the cap. Now I don't think too highly of putting a cap on a truck bed because I also noticed that to just change a bulb in one of the tail light assemblies, I would need to remove the cap. Maybe it was just the particular truck/cap combination I was working with, but it'll certainly be something to think about if I ever get another truck.

All your materials should be included in the VR3 Wireless Backup Camera Kit, you'll just need a pair of pliers, screwdriver and whatever else you need to remove the license plate and tail light assembly from your vehicle.

You'll need a drill if you need to make your own hole for the power cable, and you might need some electrical tape if you don't want to use the solderless terminals in the kit, or just want to play it safe, and wrap your splices in tape when you are finished connecting to the power.

The first thing I did was to make sure I had a hole near the license plate and a path from there to my tail light assembly.

Luckily the car I decided to install the backup camera on had a hole just behind the license plate light holder, it doesn't lead to the inside of the trunk, but to a space between the bumper and trunk.

I tentatively attached the camera to the bottom holes of the license plate, but had to keep it loose to get the wire behind the plate, then pushed it through the hole above the plate.

I was able to undo one of the tail light assemblies, and let it hang out over the bumper.

Here's the back view of the light assembly.

The round object with the three wires going into it is the break and turn signal light socket from the back.

Flipping to a different angle shows the actual backup light's socket with the black and purple wires going into it.

While I was working on removing the light assembly from the car's body, the power cable for the backup camera was just hanging to the ground from behind the bumper.

I brought the cable up, and pulled it through so I could connect it to the harness wires that connect to the backup light on the light assembly.

Identify the positive and negative leads, the black should be the negative. Then just use the supplied connectors to connect to the proper leads. There are instructions in the kit that explain how to safely test and identify the positive and negative leads.

The crimps that come with the kit makes it easy to connect the power cable to the harness.

Now it's time to test it. Before you close everything up, take the monitor with the cigarette lighter power adapter, start the vehicle up, put it in reverse with the brake on, and make sure it works.

Even if you plan to hard wire the power cord for the monitor later, testing everything right now could save you a lot of headaches later.

It was at this point I realized I had made a potentially large mistake.

The power cable was very close to the exhaust. At this point, I decided to not change which light I was attached to, but it is something I should have avoided in the first place.

With a zip tie, I just coiled up the slack and secured it away from the exhaust.

The camera can be mounted at the top or the bottom of the plate. I mounted mine at the bottom because it appeared to be less recessed in the bumper, and would allow me the better view.

The kit includes several different bits of hardware to help mount the camera. Mine was an older version that uses shims to help aim the camera, newer versions have a tilt adjustment.

Now to put the monitor on the dash. I took the easiest way out. I selected my spot, put the Velcro mounting tape in place on the dash, and on the base of the monitor holder.

The monitor can be removed from the holder so you can take it with you when you leave the car. I already had a 12 volt adapter splitting my cigarette lighter into three positions with an open spot, so I just used the 12 volt adapter that came with the monitor.

The kit comes with a power cable that can be connected in the fuse panel. I could have connected it that way, but decided not to. If you are going to hard wire in the fuse box, I would suggest testing it again with the cigarette lighter adapter to make sure a wire didn't get disconnected when everything was put back together.

When you test your backup camera, if you connected the power cable to the correct wires in the wiring harness, the camera should only be on when the vehicle is in reverse.

It's very easy to do damage to the lights or accidentally disconnect any wires that have poor connections while handling the harness or light assembly. You should have someone help you test the lights, or use a mirror behind you to see them.

When the camera is working, the lights are back in place and working correctly, it's time to practice using the camera. Most likely, if you've never used a backup camera before, you'll have to train yourself to look at the monitor while backing up. You'll also have to learn to judge distances with the camera.

The display is color LCD with adjustments to deal with glare, too much or lack of light. It is a good idea to get use to the controls before you start using it in real parking situations.