REAR VIEW CAMERA

[artfuldodger]

On our previous Montana the camera was powered all the time meaning that it could be used as a rear view mirror in the daytime. The new 2017 3720 will only power the camera when the tailights are on, meaning that they must be on while backing, and while driving in daylight. Has anyone rewired the camera to a live- always source with a switch and if so, how was it done?

[jcurtis934]

If your cam is a furrion, it may or may not survive being powered full time...model dependant. There are posts in archives on this. John

[Razrbk]

FRC12TA is backup only. FOS48TA is ongoing observation & backup.

[richfaa]

We have the CH 56 from RV cams been on two Montana's for 10 years it is on all the time when towing and it is still ticking.

[artfuldodger]

We have the FOS48TA-BL.

[Mr Pachu]

Our 2015 Montana came with a Furrion back up camera which was on all the time. This spring it would not work so our dealer replaced it with a Furrion observation camera.

[artfuldodger]

Well, I've rewired the rear observation camera and now it can be used as a rear view mirror (like my last monty). I removed the camera and bracket to expose the wiring. I left the white ground wire intact and severed the red + wire. I drilled a small hole into the interior upper storage cabinet and ran a wirefrom the red into the cabinet. Next step was to remove the light switch from the wall to the left of the window and find the hot side of the switch. I temporarily hooked my new wire to this hot side and checked out the operation of the monitor. Works! So the last step was to put a switch on my new wire so that the camera can be turned off when not in use. Job done

[Razrbk]

The factory pre-wire will not accommodate the FOS48TA's ongoing observation function??

[artfuldodger]

As said earlier in the thread, the factory prewire is thru the parking lights so if the parking lights are not on then the camera is not on, negating its use for daytime use and making it necessary to put the lights on even to use it as a backup system in the daytime. Why did Montana do it this way--- I don't have a clue. my previous montana' s camera was on all the time and therefore could be used as a rear view mirror