I have a new Kenwood DNX572HB and a BOYO VTB301 camera.
I was wondering a few things about wiring. I want to be able to access the camera all the time that the ignition is on via the menu on the head unit, then have automatic access when in reverse.

It looks like I can wire the camera power to ignition wire on stereo harness, since the power wire is part of the BOYO harness and terminates near the video RCA connector. Then wire the "reverse" wire from the Kenwood accessory harness somewhere in the light wiring for reverse.
I am hoping that this brings up the camera when in reverse and will still let me view it when I select the camera function when not in reverse.

Regarding running the harness from the camera mounted near the high brake lite on the penthouse. Again the power wire is along with the video signal wire. My intention is to run the wire along side the brake wiring that is already up there. I won't have the van for a few days so I cannot just go out and look at it. I also want to pre-run a video out cable for a future overhead monitior near the padded board at the front of the penthouse.

1. Has anyone done it this way, if not, what did you do?
2. If so did it work as stated above?
3. What is the best under dash access to "Reverse" light wires?
4. How did you run your camera wiring back to the dash?
5. What is the best way to bring wiring from the rear of the head unit to the doghouse cover, as I want to be able to hard wire my phone to the unit for mirroring?
6. What is the best path for the video-out wiring?

Thanks in advance for your help!

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George ><>
2005 5.4L E250 RB50 4x4 SMB
2000 4Runner Limited 4WD

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

That's pretty much exactly how I have mine wired, and it works fine.

I originally installed a Boyo camera with my Kenwood, above the license plate. When I had to move the camera up higher due to the bike rack blocking the view I switched to a matching Kenwood CMOS camera thinking it would be a better quality. (It wasn't... the Boyo was as good.)

For "always on" power I tapped into the switched-hot lead for the stereo (or maybe just a switched accessory lead, can't 100% recall, as I did it two years ago) so that it would only get power when the stereo was on. My Kenwood stereo has a button that you can press to turn on the camera display even when not in reverse.

There is an under-dash reverse wire under the driver's dash, near the parking brake. Details in this thread viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3412 (scroll down to Tapatio's photo post). I've copied the text and photo from that below so it's part of this thread, hope Tapatio doesn't mind.

"If you are installing a rear view camera and would like it to turn on automatically when you put the van in reverse splice into the positive wire that connects to the reverse bulb. The wiring harness is located on the driver side below the parking brake. The wire is black with a purple stripe."



I have an EB van and mounted my camera on the PH at the brake light. Since I had to allow extra cable for when popped-up, neither the Boyo nor the Kenwood cameras had wiring long enough to reach to the dash. For mine, I got a long RCA cable and ran that and the other wiring from the dash to the driver's side B-pillar. I dropped the camera wiring down the B-pillar and mated them there via a dual RCA-RCA connector (like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005T3G5). As I noted on another thread, I also ran another RCA cord from the video out of my monitor to this same RCA connector, and from there up to the headliner just as you are planning. One positive note is that this made it easier when I had to wire in my new camera (Kenwood #2 camera, since my first Kenwood camera got water in it) a few weeks ago, as I didn't have to mess with the dash at all.

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Thanks Brian W and Tapatio,
Using your advise I checked out the Black w Purple Stripe wire and it tested out as the brake light positive as stated. Wiring the "reverse" lead there (on the accessory harness for the Kenwood) worked perfectly. When the trans is put into reverse, the rear view camera comes right up, even before the Head Unit has fully booted if you have just started the van. Yet I can still call up the rear view camera manually if need be (by holding in the volume knob for 3 seconds) when not in reverse since I powered the camera with a switched power lead for the stereo.

Now my main concern is how to best get the wiring from the top of the "B" pillar behind the drivers seat, to the rear view camera, to be mounted near the high center brake lite, and also the "video out" cable to the area near the penthouse pull down handles for a future flip down monitor for DVD viewing.

My initial thought is to take the camera cable from the top of the "B" pillar, where it now resides, through a new hole and grommet into the penthouse, near the current wiring. I would then go down the drivers side of the penthouse (where the canvas meets the penthouse at bed level, tucking the cable in at the edge, as it is protected there. Finally follow the split loom up the passenger side rear corner of the canvas to the top of the penthouse.

I don't know how to follow that out to the brake light. I don't want to disrupt the headliner as the canvas is really tight there and much of the top is so thin that the screws that go into it are very short.

What is the best way to get through to the outside at the top of the penthouse. I don't want to go out at the bottom as I feel this is a much more sensitive area for weatherproof issues.

Also, what is the best way to follow the wires to mount an eventual flip down monitor near the padded area at the front of the penthouse top?

I want to do as little disassembly of the penthouse as possible.
How is all that stuff up there wired?
I really don't want to remove the headliner board to find out.

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George ><>
2005 5.4L E250 RB50 4x4 SMB
2000 4Runner Limited 4WD

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I ran my wire from the b-pillar back to the PH brake light this way:

1. With PH up, remove the lower fabric-covered trim panels along the drive's side of the PH at the lower level, like where the springs are. Pop the upholstery buttons off easily with a flat-blade screwdriver and then unscrew the snaps with Phillips head screws in them. Fold the fabric back.

2. Remove the front and rear hard trim panels where the PH meets the original van top (they run width-wide on the van), just behind the cab headliner and at the rear of the van. These areas will allow you to run the wires.

3. With the front "hard" trim panel removed, you should be able to route the cable(s) from the b-pillar up to the bottom side of the PH. Then, simply run the wire down the lower side of the PH (lengthwise on the van) down where the springs, etc., are. Be careful that the wires won't be pinched by the springs when the PH closes. I used some pieces of duct tape to secure the run.

4. Run the wire across the back of the PH cut where you removed the other trim panel.

5. I ran the wire up the wire loom (zip-tied to it) and out a preexisting hole in the passenger side top corner of the PH headliner. I loosened a few of the screws holding the PH headliner to the PH roof and was able to fish the wire out and then back to the brake light/camera. Very little, almost no disassembly of the PH was required.

This may not make sense reading it, but if you go out and look at the fabric and hard trim pieces that basically frame the PH roof cut, you'll see what I mean. It's pretty easy once you remove those.

I ran my camera cable almost exactly the same that BrianW did. The only difference was that instead of duct tape to hold the wire out of the spring areas under the liner, I did this:

I loosely looped several small zip ties around the wire, and trimmed off all but an inch of the "tail" of the zip ties. About every 12" or so, I loosened some of the trim screws a couple turns, stuck the remaining inch of zip tie under the washer on the screw, and re-tightened the screw. So far, so good.

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DesertBoat ...has been SOLD. Sad to have seen it go.

I did it essentially the same way as above. My first camera wire still got pinched somehow and fried itself. I wonder if it was a manufacturer defect still. I never really could find a pinch, but couldn't explain it any other way. The pinch or whatever problem happened right near the camera, outside of the penthouse fabric near the top brake light, not anywhere near the springs or under the trim inside the van. Still, be careful, the tiny gauge wires used for things like these cameras require some care to make sure they don't get pinched, crushed or otherwise damaged.

Thanks All.
Got it done yesterday afternoon.
Went the same route and used aluminum foil duct tape and the butyl waterproofing that squeezed between the plywood and the original van roof, to keep the cable where I wanted it. The butyl is so sticky, even after 10 years. I cross taped the cable so that everyone in the future could see that there is a cable running through the area.

The BOYO VTB301 came with 60' of cable, and the camera itself had a short pigtail. There was a S-video connector at the camera end and RCAs for video and sound, and two small tinned power wires at the stereo end of the cable. I did not want to cut and try and reconnect the factory ends, so I just wasted about half of the cable in the space under the forward panel cover in the penthouse. There is some space under that thing. I also pre-wired power and an RCA video cable from the head unit for an eventual flip down monitor, and stored the wires in the same space. It was tight, but it fit.

I was able to run it inside the original split plastic loom, but because the cable had larger ends, I could not fit it through the hole in the headliner. I just ran it from the loom to the edge of the headliner then out under the overhang of the pop top. I used photographix's trick of sandwiching zip ties between the fiberglass top and the headliner to keep the roughly 2' of cable tight against the joint where the canvas and the top meet outside. Though the S-video connector was the weather tight version used heat shrink to assure that it stayed that way and would hold better than the simple click together design. I also used a dremel to create a 1/4" semi-circle cutout at the bottom center of the third brake light (which I also replaced during this procedure) for the cable to fit through. Then I silicone around the cable at the hole. I also silicone where the wires enter the new third brake light.

The camera works great! Good quality and color. While my Aluminess box is not yet installed, I can see pretty well over the spare tire. I think the camera will go a long way to help me to see how close any obstacles are.

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George ><>
2005 5.4L E250 RB50 4x4 SMB
2000 4Runner Limited 4WD

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Quick update:
LOVING the Rear View Camera!!
Even though the Kenwood head unit takes a while to boot up, the instant I start the truck and shift into reverse, the rear view camera is displayed. The Deluxe Box with Rails is on and while it does not obscure much through the rear window, it is a prominent feature in the Rear View Camera. I angled the camera a bit and it is working great. The box and spare keep me from getting a straight down angle on the proximity of other objects, But I can get a very good idea as to the distance between me and everything else. I am really glad I did this!

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George ><>
2005 5.4L E250 RB50 4x4 SMB
2000 4Runner Limited 4WD

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I may need to upgrade my Kenwood head unit. My camera doesn't come on until the head unit boots up. It's the only thing I don't like about the entire setup.

The camera is a very useful tool. For the few months that mine was down I really missed having it! Especially on an EB van with a bike rack and bikes on the back...

Skyrat:
I have decided that the kenwood head unit dnx572bh is my first choice.
Aside from the slow-ish boot up time; would you recommend it after using it for awhile?
Is the user interface pretty easy to figure out?
I am not a big computer or smart phone guy, but I'd like to be able to make the thing work!
This will be going in a 2014 sprinter with the penthouse, in an effort to get a backup camera, integrated xm, a cd slot, and functional nav.
The upgraded stereo that comes in a new sprinter is horrible.
Thanks, Dave