How To Connect Backup Camera To Head Unit?

Are you worried when you’re about to reverse your car? Having a backup camera is a very good option if you have children, or when you’re quite nervous when reversing. A backup camera can help you easily see the area behind your vehicle. It is very important for you, as a car owner, to learn and master the backup camera installation guide. This is for you to understand the working principle of a backup camera. This is also useful if you need to possibly inspect any failure or defect that can happen while on the road. So, do you want to know how to connect backup camera to head unit? Do not worry because this article will help and guide you about the backup camera installation process so you can do it simply on your own and in the span of minutes.

Buying and Preparing the Essential Equipment

Before proceeding on how to connect backup camera to head unit, let us first discover the essential equipment that you need to purchase and prepare to efficiently install the backup camera to your car. It is important to prepare first the items so you can proceed to connect the backup camera to the head unit easily. Be guided with the following tips listed below.

Backup Camera for Your Vehicle

It is very important to purchase a device that is specifically tailored for the vehicle that you own to ensure your safety. Buying a backup camera that is designed for your vehicle can help you install it efficiently. To know that a device is perfect for your vehicle, just look for a camera that mounts onto or directly behind your license plate.

External Monitor for Your Backup Camera

As a small video screen that mounts onto your windshield similarly to a GPS, an external monitor takes up more space unlike internal monitor, but it is easier to find and replace if needed. You can also use a standard video monitor, but it does not have the same features with the devices that are specifically designed to be used for backup cameras. This is one thing to know when figuring out how to connect backup camera to head unit.

Internal Monitor for your Backup Camera

If you do not like purchasing an external monitor for your backup camera, you can opt to an internal monitor. It serves as an effective rear-view mirror that has a small screen inside the glass. Since most types of internal monitors shut off and disappear, they would not ruin your car’s appearance making them a better option to choose from.

Power and Video Cords

If the backup camera that you have purchased does not include camera and monitor splitter cords with connectors for video and power cables, 2 bare wire power cables, and an RCA video cable, you need to purchase them separately. They are important to complete the process on how to connect backup camera to head unit.

Installing the Backup Camera

Since you already now know how to prepare and what you need to purchase, let us now proceed to how to connect the backup camera to head unit. Be guided with the following tips below to properly install a backup camera.

Removing your License Plate

The first step to the backup camera installation process is to take off your car's license plate. To do this, you can use a Philips head screwdriver to remove the screws that are holding your license plate. Pull the plate off and set it aside to somewhere safe. Always make sure to keep the screws so you can use them to attach the license plate again.

Taking off your Trunk’s Interior Panel

After removing the license plate, you can now proceed to take off your trunk's interior panel. To do this, you should open your car truck and look for a solid interior panel covering the opposite side of your license plate mounting area. After that, put inside a thin device behind the panel and pry it off.

Drilling a Small Hole

To drill a small hole in the license plate mounting area, you should first see to it that there are no barriers between the rear wiring chamber and license plate mount. You can use a drill bit that has a diameter of between 1⁄8 and 1⁄4 inches. If there is none, you can now create a small hole in the car using a power drill equipped with a high-speed twist drill bit. The spot where the splitting cord sits when you hold your camera up to the area you intend to mount is a perfect place to drill a hole.

Cutting a Rubber Grommet

You should slip a rubber grommet onto it near the non-splitting end before running the camera cables into the car. This ensures that the wires will be kept in place and prevent leaks.

Running the Camera Cable to the Trunk

You should pull the splitting end of your camera’s video and power cable through the drilled hole into the trunk of your car while making sure that you are pulling it tightly so the rubber grommet lodges into the drilled hole.

Locating Two Reverse Light Wires

You should locate the two reverse light wires of your car because they hook directly into your vehicle's taillights. They are usually found in the truck of a car.

Stripping and Fusing the Reverse Light Wires

To peel back the rubber covering the wires, you can use pliers. Then, using a screwdriver, poke a hole through the middle of each exposed wire to separate the individual wire strands. The next step is to fasten one of your bare wire cables to the camera cord's power connector. Lastly, you should jab the bare wires through the center of the exposed reverse light wires and twist them together.

Putting the Monitor

To put the monitor, you need first to connect your RCA cable to the camera cord's video connector if needed and run it through your vehicle to the area by the fuse box. Then, to install an internal monitor, attach it onto your current rear-view mirror. If you are using an external monitor, clip the included mount to the windshield by following the manual instructions and then hook the monitor onto the mount. The next step is to fasten the monitor's power and video cable into the device and to route the cable to the area next to the fuse box from the monitor. You should now attach the cable's video end to your camera's RCA cord and then connect the monitor's power cable to a fuse tap. Lastly, you can now plug the fuse tap into the fuse box.

Mounting the Backup Camera

To mount the backup camera, you need to fasten the backup camera to its video and camera cable. After that, you should mount the camera to the license plate. Put back the license plate and trim panels using a Philips head screwdriver. Lastly, you can now test the camera if it works perfectly to ensure your safety while driving to public roads and even parking at home.

Conclusion

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