Furrion Observation Camera system

[DutchmenSport]

I have the larger Furrion Observation Camera monitor on my Montana High Country with 3 cameras. I installed everything myself some 5 years ago. It's all been working fine until today.

I hitched up to take the Montana into the shop for a small repair. I plugged in my Furrion Monitor and .... Nothing! It flipped on for a split second and then went black again, like it's not getting any power.

I fiddled with the cigarette lighter plug, nothing.

I then took it and tried plugging it into my other truck and still, nothing!

It's acting like it just has no power. The cord checks out OK. Any thoughts? Is it dead? Time for another one, or something else? or nothing at all!

[LeftOverParts]

Our monitor too is a little fiddly. I’ve tested the output of the cigarette lighter power supply and it’s good for voltage and flipped the wire a few times to make sure the plug at the either end isn’t intermittent. I also tried another power supply to make sure that wasn’t the cause.

For us, it appears to be the socket in back of the monitor. The monitor will go blank sometimes and I have to turn the 3.5 mm plug so that the wire is flipped up - meaning it bends the receiver in the monitor down a little. Thinking it’s a loose solder or wire joint in the monitor and just haven’t gotten around to fixing it. I also prob need to store it better as I usually put it in the center console with the plug in the monitor when not using it and that connection probably gets stressed.

[RMcNeal]

I think you're on the right track. I had a similar problem and had to resolder the socket inside.

[DutchmenSport]

Update:

I ended up ordering a new monitor. Lippert / Furrion sent ONLY the monitor, no wires, no nothing. That is what I wanted anyway.

Plugged the new monitor in, nothing, nothing lit up. Kind of disappointed now. I double checked the cigarette lighter port in the truck, it was good. Other devices worked just fine.

Got serious now and decided it has to be the power cord. I figured out how it comes apart at the cigarette plug end, and found out there re two black wires soldered to the metal spring clip and both were broken off. It's strange that they would break there, it all was inside the plug. But, maybe that spring, inserting and pulling out of the cigarette lighter port was just enough bending, and bending, and bending, it finally broke solder.

So, I then ordered 2 new electric plug wires. I figured there was nothing wrong with the original one, it was just the broken wire.

I have had problem with the monitor for about the last year. Sometimes it simply would not come on, sometimes it did, sometimes when driving I would loose the screen. I think it all makes sense now, those wires were broken for quite a long time, but still making contact with the ground spring thing. Bouncing and vibration would cause it to temporarily disconnect (not touch), causing intermittent issues.

Well, the new wires worked just fine. Both monitors lit up.

I decided I'm keeping the new one anyway.

So, the first one was paired and worked just fine. I attempted to pair the new one too. I eventually go it paired too, all 3 cameras and everything looked good. But after I got it paired, I checked the first one again and now it kept displaying "No signal found".

I sent an Email question to Furrion customer service to find out if only 1 can be paired at a time, or can multiple monitors be paired to the same camera. I was hoping I could keep one inside the camper when parked and the other in the truck when traveling, considering I have 2 monitors now.

So for, I've not received a response back from Furrion, but today is Saturday and I'm not in any rush.

Does anyone know if 2 monitors can be paired to the same camera, or does each time the camera pairs, it creates a new signal unique for that pair only?

[Lee-CI]

I can't say how the Furion actually work, but from a electronic standpoint either monitor should be able to pair to your remote cameras. Whichever monitor ic currently paired may have to be unplugged from it's power source to allow the second monitor to pair when plugged in. A lot of electronics have an idle state and are not fully "Off" when it's switch is turned off. A TV is a prime example of this scenario.

[DutchmenSport]

Update again!

I received an email back from Furrion. Here's the content:

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Good morning and thank you for contacting Appliance and Entertainment division of Lippert.

In reference to your email below, only one monitor can be paired with the cameras at one time. You cannot have both monitors paired. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks!

Best Regards,

-----

Well, that settles it. When I paired the new one, the old one lost its pair.

Sheesh! Furrion sure has made it impossible for their system to play with other systems, even their own system doesn't play with itself!

Right now, I've got the new one paird. I'll just keep it that way for a while.