Measure! Measure! Measure!

NewbieDan

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The first time I posted a request for information on a license plate style waterproof rear view camera was Dec of 2017 and I've been waiting patiently for street guardian to come out with theirs ever since.
The only other alternative would have been to use motorcycle camera systems.

Well recently they did, and I gleefully purchased the dual channel model that allowed me to substitute their new rear waterproof camera. I gave it to my installer, who had only one problem:
At 6 meters, plus a 1 meter pig-tail, it wasn't long enough.
To be fair, my application is a little unusual.
I have a hard top convertible which uses the trunk as a tonneau cover. So it has to open two different ways, making routing cameras thru it more complicated.
Then it opens a third way, straight up to allow access to the storage area beneath the folded top, resulting in an even more complicated path.
It took over half the cable just to route from the license plate to outside the top mechanism.


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Unfortunately this is a digital signal cable and cannot be lengthened by the usual methods used on analog cables.
In building, we say "Measure twice, cut once". In this situation its "Measure twice, cut never". Its a digital cable.
I've ordered a replacement cable, because we cut the first one thinking we could lengthen it.

I'll keep you updated if we find good routing.

I'm not putting SG down in any way. Their support has been awesome.
I simply want to suggest that IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO USE ANY REAR WIRED CAMERA,
Pick up some string or twine first and run it along your intended path for the camera.
Once run, measure its length to make sure it is less than the cable length available to get to the camera.



Good luck everyone.
Dan
 
Last edited:
Thank you, I did not think about it ... it looks like that dunce installer, who first cuts the wires, then starts to think, and only then reads the instructions :)
 
I would pull out the carpet sitting on the trunk floor and place the wire in the middle of the trunk then tape the wire in place with duck tape. Once you put the carpet back in you should have a basically straight line directly to the back seat. You may have to pull the back seat out also. You may have to drill a hole to put the wire through the panel behind the rear seat back if it is solid metal.
 
I would pull out the carpet sitting on the trunk floor and place the wire in the middle of the trunk then tape the wire in place with duck tape. Once you put the carpet back in you should have a basically straight line directly to the back seat. You may have to pull the back seat out also. You may have to drill a hole to put the wire through the panel behind the rear seat back if it is solid metal.
You still have to go to one side of the car or the other to run wires across the top if you mount the cam high, and if you are mounting on the trunk lid you need to route wire via a trunk lid hinge.
If you want to put the wires visibly down the center of the car window from the front cam (unsightly) you can go behind the dash down to the floor and backwards.
If you have a place to put the rear camera below the opening trunk then yes you can go straight back.
Not all installs are that simple.

Dan
 
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