Reverse camera interference

D

DavidTetlow

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Hi all, hoping that you may be able to help me out.

I just fitted a headunit with large lcd screen into a Ford Kuga. As well I then fitted a wireless reverse camera which is mounted in place of the rear number plate light.

Camera and transmitter are powered by the reverse light at the back, which transmits image to a receiver at the headunit. The receiver at the headunit is powered by ACC live behind headunit.

When engaging reverse, both with engine on or off, image appears on screen and is nice and clear.

Problem arises after driving for a while, say 30 mins, then when engaging reverse, the image appears on screen with terrible interference.

I’ve read that there are engine noise filters available, and also ground filters. Would any of these help in this situation?
 
LeeH said:
Feed the cam through a relay, use the reverse light supply to pull the relay in.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Why would it require a relay? Seems like it’s getting power no problem, a relay would be used to source another 12v feed right?......whereas seems the 12v feed is working already, but i get the interference only after driving for a while
 
Hi,you did say that the camera operated ok,with the engine running,so something else is at play...

Just out of interest,is the kit a Chinese ebay job?
 
Yes the image is completely clear with engine running..... only getting heavy interference lines in the image after going out on a drive.....

I’m pretty sure it’s a Chinese built, was eBay uk supplier but I’d say sourced from China no doubt..... iv used them before, have one in the bmw now and that words perfectly
 
Only reason i mentioned it,was because i have fitted a few,and had some issues,,,

I stuck one on the back of my Patrol,to view the lining up of my tow-ball. The cameras and monitors,sometimes come with dodges,and occasionally just die.

Some are a bit sensitive to voltage,and your Kuga,is a known electrical bundle of fun :)

What with 200 Amp alternators,load shedding,etc you may find that measuring the voltage at the feeds,during the times when it works,and fails,may shine a light on the matter.
 
recently fitted LED headlamp bulbs to van. when headlights are on, i get RFI from them on the radio if the station is a fairly weak signal.
 
sorry I skimmed your post and thought the issue was when you engaged reverse.

You could try a suppressor.

10A Noise Suppressor/Filter - Eliminate Car Radio Noise https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0060GF1AC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_-JacAbPN7RFHH
DavidTetlow said:
Thank you. Why would it require a relay? Seems like it’s getting power no problem, a relay would be used to source another 12v feed right?......whereas seems the 12v feed is working already, but i get the interference only after driving for a while
Click to expand...
 
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I think you may be better off,narrowing down the possibilities,before adding components,suck-it-n-see stylee;)

If you turn off,lock up,and try again,does stay fuzzy?

How long is it before it can be retried and work successfully?

Is it the same scenario,whether day or night?

Have you tried ALL accessories,when working,and,when fuzzy,to see if there is an improvement/deteriation?

If you just add extras,invariably,they will be left in position,and you could end up with new issues,side issues,and fresh things to cause other issues.

Basically,you don't need a dozen street vendors...


(More Big Issues than you wanted ;))
 
PEG said:
I think you may be better off,narrowing down the possibilities,before adding components,suck-it-n-see stylee;)

If you turn off,lock up,and try again,does stay fuzzy?

How long is it before it can be retried and work successfully?

Is it the same scenario,whether day or night?

Have you tried ALL accessories,when working,and,when fuzzy,to see if there is an improvement/deteriation?

If you just add extras,invariably,they will be left in position,and you could end up with new issues,side issues,and fresh things to cause other issues.

Basically,you don't need a dozen street vendors...


(More Big Issues than you wanted ;))
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan, but not sure where to start..... the interference is only happening after a drive, with no accessories on, no heater, no aircon, no headlights on, only thing switched on was a cd playing....... tried already switching engine off when it’s got bad interference, and it doesn’t clear it, only clears after some time when using car again, maybe 30 mins, but then I haven’t tested amount of time it takes to clear
 
Ok so I went out to test a few things......

Get in the car, camera image is clear.
Tried radio, cd, headlights on and off, heater controls, pretty everything I could press I did.....

After 15 minutes driving (doesn’t matter if 15 mins of 40mph or 70mph) then the camera image if badly fuzzy.

With a fuzzy camera image, tried pressing same things, radio, cd, headlights, heater controls, no difference, image stays fuzzy....... but!!.....with a fuzzy image, if I press the Max button on heater control (puts full heat on high blower speed with front and back window demisters), then miraculously the camera image clears immediately, when I turn off Max button then image stays clear....

so for now, if image is fuzzy I can press Max button on and hen off to clear it, but would like to figure this out for long term if I can
 
Right then,fair play for you,to do the further fiddling:)

As i alluded to,the electrics on them Kugas,can be "challenging".
I am flying blind,here,but your vehicle may have the electric boost,for the heating circuit.

This is to aid rapid demisting,from cold,and is usually nothing more than 4 or more glowplugs,in a heat-sink,through which the heater water flows.
It uses plenty of amps,as does the fan blower motor,on high,which is why these things have "load shedding",on the alternator output.

This allocates varying circuits,as if all the electrical consuming devices are on at once,it's melt-down. It can be anyway,as the 200A alternators,struggle to dump the heat...

Anywho...it sounds like it is a possibility,that the circuit your camera/monitor,is on,may be over-voltage,after all other current drawing items,have done their thing,and this may cause the interference.

Switching on the boost,will draw a sufficient amount of current,to maybe drop the voltage again,to a satisfactory level.
Some of these systems can and do,run at 16V+.

Another reason,could be the extra load,causes the load shedding,of an unknown current drawing item,which is the interference generator,and this is why it works.

Measuring voltage at the battery,will not always identify the problem.

I wish you lived next door,my friend,because whether it's a new 200 tonne piece of plant,or an Austin from the 1930's...i live for finding these little foibles ;) i think i wasted my enthusiasm on stuff like this,through my life...instead of investing it,like my pals,on ---- and beer :eek:
 
PEG said:
Right then,fair play for you,to do the further fiddling:)

As i alluded to,the electrics on them Kugas,can be "challenging".
I am flying blind,here,but your vehicle may have the electric boost,for the heating circuit.

This is to aid rapid demisting,from cold,and is usually nothing more than 4 or more glowplugs,in a heat-sink,through which the heater water flows.
It uses plenty of amps,as does the fan blower motor,on high,which is why these things have "load shedding",on the alternator output.

This allocates varying circuits,as if all the electrical consuming devices are on at once,it's melt-down. It can be anyway,as the 200A alternators,struggle to dump the heat...

Anywho...it sounds like it is a possibility,that the circuit your camera/monitor,is on,may be over-voltage,after all other current drawing items,have done their thing,and this may cause the interference.

Switching on the boost,will draw a sufficient amount of current,to maybe drop the voltage again,to a satisfactory level.
Some of these systems can and do,run at 16V+.

Another reason,could be the extra load,causes the load shedding,of an unknown current drawing item,which is the interference generator,and this is why it works.

Measuring voltage at the battery,will not always identify the problem.

I wish you lived next door,my friend,because whether it's a new 200 tonne piece of plant,or an Austin from the 1930's...i live for finding these little foibles ;) i think i wasted my enthusiasm on stuff like this,through my life...instead of investing it,like my pals,on ---- and beer :eek:
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, appreciate you taking the time to help me out here!..... If we have over voltage, from the ACC where I take my live feed from for the image receiver, would it be worth trying to get my live feed from somewhere else instead?
 
It may,but i would want to read that voltage,with a meter,directly where it is drawn,and whilst the receiver is in circuit,just to see what it was,and if there is a difference.

Same goes for the camera feed,although in the end,you may find it is the wireless signal,which will only be short-range,which is being upset.

I suppose if you have the time,you could try the monitor,off another vehicles acc.socket,or even better,a jump-start power pack/alternative power source,and see if that is affected,or what it's range is.

Bearing in mind,where these are made,the power,and what else uses the same RF tech,small wonder any signal makes the journey.

A friend told me,many years back,that if every wireless"connected device",had a single human hair,joining them together- there would be no room left on earth,for an atmosphere :)
 
If you get voltage fluctuations maybe a DC-DC converter or Voltage Regulator would help.
How about using a temporary separate battery to supply the camera
to give a stable voltage?
If that works then this may!

High Power DC/DC Converters – CUI | DigiKey - https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/product-highlight/c/cui/high-power-dc-dc?utm_adgroup=General&mkwid=sJoLbxdi4&pcrid=153600060853&pkw=&pmt=b&pdv=c&gclid=CjwKCAiA1uHSBRBUEiwAkBCtzaVpn7FkaxCWLTEbMQLI3RtHzJIrCXhigiXnkEyWV0C8blcDjPHH2hoCd9AQAvD_BwE
 
The issue I had was due to the canbus (apparently) in my Caddy. The picture was clear until the engine was running. Cam was supplied from the reverse light feed, as to me this was the most simple approach. Separation with a relay solved it without any suppression/filtering.

Some help maybe, maybe not.
 
willy fixit said:
canbus?
Click to expand...
It is Computer analogue network bus system ( controller area network) using thin wires to control the electrical system via the ecu . It does not like bits that should not be there. If it finds additions it throws a dicky fit and tries to lock it out at best out, at worst you can nack the system completely costing a fortune; put very simply .
 
Last edited:
To be honest it is a pain in the backside . It is so fickle it virtually rules out additions. Repairs and fault finding are nerve racking .
As has been said if within parameters it can be used to trigger a relay.
It is measured in milliamps though. As the saying 'great care must be taken'.
 

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DavidTetlow

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Reverse camera interference
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