Anyone know part number for trailer camera that plugs into ports on rear bumper?

tgodrich · November 27, 2019

OK, so I have a 2020 Chevy 3500HD. I do not like having to string a cable from the rear of my 34' trailer to use the camera option. From my understanding, the cable has a DC bias for the camera with the video riding on this voltage. This allows one coax cable to supply both the video and the DC needed to bias the camera. I currently have a Furrion wireless camera mounted on the back of my trailer. I am hopeful at some point a wireless adapter will be made that could plug into the camera plug on the bumper and talk to the camera, sans the cable. Not sure why a wireless camera is such a problem on a truck that has wifi, bluetooth, satellite, and can be a cell hot spot. Seems it should have been wireless from inception. My wireless Furrion rear trailer camera has been around for years. What a concept.

However, I am an electrical engineer, so I am thinking the following in the absence of a commercially available solution...

This is video signal we are trying to get to the camera plug. I may open up my little monitor that came with my Furrion wireless camera and see if I can add a video connection where it connects to the monitor and bring that video out to a plug I can deal with. The monitor does not have a video out (it's built in to the monitor), so I am essentially making a video out. This will keep the camera wireless, and I do not have to buy another camera. The Furrion was about $350 too. But wireless and works at night. The mount came on my trailer (Grand Designs Reflection) and included the 12V needed for camera bias (I added a switch because the 12 volt camera bias wire is always hot, keeping the camera on all the time).

I haven't measured the DC voltage at the camera plug on the bumper of the truck yet. I would suspect 12 volts, but Chevy may have this a different voltage. By adding a simple filter on this plug connection, I could block the DC and pass the video. This would allow me to make a short cable from the wireless monitor with the new video out to the camera plug. I may find the camera coax in the truck's wire harness and bypass the camera plug on the bumper altogether. Anyway, this will likely be a winter project. I will post if I get it working.

I agree with the prior posts that paying $350+ for a GM camera system that does not have IR for night vision is a shortfall. Such an easy addition. And having to string a wire is also a shortfall. In fact, Chevy could have simply made their trucks compatible with the Furrion wireless cameras already widely available and in use on trailers and this could seamlessly interface to the truck video computer system, and wirelessly, and syncing just like the Furrion camera already does to its monitor. But that would have been way too easy. Come on GM engineers, get with the program. This is not rocket science. You could still charge us customers by making this option something you would have to pay the dealer to enable (an electronic key of sorts).

joelabq · November 28, 2019

You wouldn't happen to know the cable type and connector types would you? Without ordering the camera, I'm trying to identify based on the bumper plug and the pictures people take, but many like me are looking to extend the cabling from the bumper to the in bed plug and swap the plugs for those of us with fifth wheels. I don't have furrion cameras, although that option seems better than running cabling, but otherwise I'd like to set least not have the cables go to the bumper plug.

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hptulsa · November 28, 2019

the cable is a triaxial like a coax and has to be terminated and new connectors added if you try to cut it to extend it... there are many types of the connectors and i've found it difficult to find the exact kind GM uses so i'm hesitant to cut it (i actually want to remove about 20' from the cable as it is just hanging inside my trailer). The connectors look very similar to regular tv coax cable which i've been able to use before, but these smaller connectors look a little more difficult to me...

If i'm reading your question right, you want to move the camera connection from the bumper into the bed where the other trailer plug and the 4 post connection is? If thats the case, i would think there is enough cable going to the bumper to move it to the bed and swap the plugs...not sure if the 4 post wires would reach the bumper but maybe that's not an important connection for you?

What i just did to my gooseneck was to run the cable into the trailer about even with the bumper (when its attached to the truck) and straight up through the trailer floor (in my case into granny's attic). It then hangs down directly over the bumper plug. Then i added a simple cord keeper underneath for when the trailer is unattached.

https://www.commscope.com/SiteSearch/?q=triaxial&sayt=1

hptulsa · November 28, 2019

Cautionary tale of these $200+ cameras! First, they aren't good in the dark (no led) so don't expect to be able to see in a darkened trailer.

Secondly, they break just like any other glass lens if dropped!

Thanks to my wife throwing the 'cables' into the garage, the camera lens shattered...so now i have a cable and camera body to play around with. once i took apart the camera housing, i realized that the cable (triaxial) simply unplugs from the camera. I've been trying to find a similar camera but they are not seemingly labeled very well in terms of connection type. Since this camera will be mounted on the rear of the trailer, i don't care if its the same type of housing, just want to find a camera that will connect the same way...maybe there is an adapter connection i could get as many cameras use a bnc style.

btw, if you are trying to run the cable through a small opening you can take apart the camera housing, unplug it and run that end of the cable through a much smaller hole, then just reconnect.

joelabq · November 29, 2019

Yes, I want to move the connection into the bed, and at least without cutting open the harness to see how it runs there is only about 6 inches of slack from it's current location and therefore most be extended. I may open the harness, but reluctant on such a new truck.

Sorry to hear about your broken camera. That sucks!

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hptulsa · November 29, 2019

hopefully opening up the harness will give you more slack...\

i definitely wouldn't cut the cable as it can't be spliced like electrical wire...

let us know if you are successful as i'd like to move mine too!

joelabq · November 29, 2019

3 minutes ago, hptulsa said:

hopefully opening up the harness will give you more slack...\

i definitely wouldn't cut the cable as it can't be spliced like electrical wire...

let us know if you are successful as i'd like to move mine too!

I definitely won't be cutting it no matter what. I was planning to patch it with an intermediate cable if nothing else. I still have not purchased the Camera because I am holding onto hope that a better solution for fifth wheels will come along, but if I find the right price on the GM camera I'll jump on it and place it higher on my list of things to do.

hptulsa · November 29, 2019

What other type of solution are you thinking of? Do you just mean the connector location or a different type of camera system?

Gecko50 · November 29, 2019

On 11/28/2019 at 8:31 AM, hptulsa said:

Cautionary tale of these $200+ cameras! First, they aren't good in the dark (no led) so don't expect to be able to see in a darkened trailer.

Secondly, they break just like any other glass lens if dropped!

Thanks to my wife throwing the 'cables' into the garage, the camera lens shattered...so now i have a cable and camera body to play around with. once i took apart the camera housing, i realized that the cable (triaxial) simply unplugs from the camera. I've been trying to find a similar camera but they are not seemingly labeled very well in terms of connection type. Since this camera will be mounted on the rear of the trailer, i don't care if its the same type of housing, just want to find a camera that will connect the same way...maybe there is an adapter connection i could get as many cameras use a bnc style.

btw, if you are trying to run the cable through a small opening you can take apart the camera housing, unplug it and run that end of the cable through a much smaller hole, then just reconnect.

What is the OD of the cable connector in the camera housing? Can you post pictures of the camera open and especially the cable connector, Maybe next to a ruler to see the OD.

Thanks

Chuck

hptulsa · November 29, 2019

There were some pics earlier in this post I believe or there is another similar post with them. If you disconnect the cable at the camera it is fairly small less than 1/2”, maybe 1/4”. The connector to the truck has two finger pulls that make it over 1” ‘Anne as much as 2”. Kuo

Gecko50 · November 30, 2019

I was hoping the other end picture. At the camera end and lay it on a ruler so the OD can be determined. It also nice to see inside the camera part of it. That could make it very interesting, maybe the PC mother board has some info as to who made it etc. Usually tattle tale info is in the housing or the mobo.

Thanks

Chuck

hptulsa · November 30, 2019

On 11/29/2019 at 12:21 PM, hptulsa said:

hptulsa · November 30, 2019

I looked everywhere for the camera part # and can’t find it. Nor the cable ... I know both are not Delco and even though the fm website says they are gm OEM they can’t be as both have other product codes not related to gm

hptulsa · November 30, 2019

When I get home tomorrow I’ll put it on a ruler

hptulsa · December 1, 2019

On 11/29/2019 at 10:46 AM, Gecko50 said:

What is the OD of the cable connector in the camera housing? Can you post pictures of the camera open and especially the cable connector, Maybe next to a ruler to see the OD.

Thanks

Chuck

Looks like a smidge over 1/2” which is also the same as the cord wrap.