McLouis Fusion parking camera - any ideas? (1 Viewer)

[roxburd]

Hi all,

The parking camera on my McLouis Fusion 331 was intermittent for a while and is now dead.

I had hoped to pull the camera out and find some connectors that I could clean up and hopefully it would work again. But no such luck. The photos attached show what it looks like - a single black lead disappears into a sealed unit. I'm sure the lead has several wires inside it but nothing external that I can test on. Another photo also shows that the wire goes into the aperture in the top of the rear of the van. Unfortunately, I can't pull it out any further. But the photo shows that the black lead goes to a small black plastic unit. That unit also has a white and a green wire coming out of it, both looped back to it. It didn't look like a connector but it was hard to tell as I had such poor access to it.

Any ideas what's wrong and how I can go about testing? I've done some electronics and electricals in my time so I'm happy waving a soldering iron around. Maybe I need to yank that unit out a bit further? Maybe there's a connector somewhere else and I can swap in a known-good camera to test? Any advice much appreciated. My local dealer quoted me £980 for a replacement. I'd rather avoid that if I can!

I realise I could bypass it with a wireless camera. I'd just rather get this one working again if I can. I don't fancy an extra display in the cab plus the faffing about with wiring in a power supply or having to remember to change batteries.

Cheers!
Dave

 

[meanders]

Not a McLouis, but do you have high level lockers above the rear window. Both our last two vans have and the camera connector is inside plastic trunking in the locker.

 

[Lenny HB]

The green and white wire will for reversing the image and turning guide lines off and on.
The black cable will be a coax cable for the video plus a wire for the +12v.
Normally only a foot of cable then a 4 or 6 pin plug and socket.

 

[Guigsy]

I'm in a similar situation. Camera is intermittent. As meanders said, there's a connector a short length from the camera. Problem is with mine, although the connector is fairly standard, but the pin arrangement is odd.

 

[roxburd]

The previous owner thought this was the connector to the camera - photos attached. It's behind the rear bumper. It doesn't look like it could support a camera to me... it's certainly not a coax connector. It just has two wires - supply and return. Not enough wires for a camera, surely?
Any ideas? Seen a camera lead like this before??
I can't trace the wiring as it disappears inside the bodywork. And I can't see anywhere inside the van that I can remove a panel or cover to get access to find/trace the wires.
Although it doesn't look like it could support a camera to me, when I disconnected it nothing stopped working on the back of the van... suggesting that maybe it does support the camera! Or it's connected to nothing...
I suppose I could open up the lead connected to the camera, see what's in there and test continuity...
I've got it booked into the local dealers next week - Marquis in Ipswich - £120 just to get a diagnosis.
I could fit an aftermarket wireless camera... but it's more clutter in the dashboard and messing with batteries...
Advice much appreciated!

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[meanders]

It could be the power supply to the camera, but equally it could be for anything else. Good luck with Marquis Ipswich. Depends who they put on the job.

Are you in the Ipswich area then? if so and Marquis struggle, let me know and I will see if the guy that does my habitation checks can help. .

 

[Lenny HB]

The previous owner thought this was the connector to the camera - photos attached. It's behind the rear bumper. It doesn't look like it could support a camera to me... it's certainly not a coax connector. It just has two wires - supply and return. Not enough wires for a camera, surely?
Any ideas? Seen a camera lead like this before??
I can't trace the wiring as it disappears inside the bodywork. And I can't see anywhere inside the van that I can remove a panel or cover to get access to find/trace the wires.
Although it doesn't look like it could support a camera to me, when I disconnected it nothing stopped working on the back of the van... suggesting that maybe it does support the camera! Or it's connected to nothing...
I suppose I could open up the lead connected to the camera, see what's in there and test continuity...
I've got it booked into the local dealers next week - Marquis in Ipswich - £120 just to get a diagnosis.
I could fit an aftermarket wireless camera... but it's more clutter in the dashboard and messing with batteries...
Advice much appreciated!
View attachment 889621View attachment 889622

That is definitely not it.

 

[Guigsy]

That is definitely not it.

Could it be wired to the reversing lights as a power source?

 

[meanders]

Could it be wired to the reversing lights as a power source?

Good thinking. It would then power the camera when you select reverse. Easy to check with a meter. Ignition on, select reverse, check lights are on and see if you get 12v across the two terminals.

Zooming in, those contacts look a little corroded so that may actually be your problem. . Suggest you get some 'contact cleaner' (Screwfix, Toolstation etc) give it a good spray and make and break the connector a few times. Has that fixed your problem? Sorry to shout but however tempting DO NOT USE WD40 or similar. It must be contact cleaner or isopropanol alcohol.

 

[roxburd]

It could be the power supply to the camera, but equally it could be for anything else. Good luck with Marquis Ipswich. Depends who they put on the job.

Are you in the Ipswich area then? if so and Marquis struggle, let me know and I will see if the guy that does my habitation ch

Yes, Ipswich area. It's not FGH is it? He wasn't keen to look at it as he said he'd done jobs like it before and it had been a nightmare - having to remove cupboards and so on to get at the wiring.

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[roxburd]

Could it be wired to the reversing lights as a power source?

I couldn't get any voltage reading across the supply side, no matter what controls I activated...

 

[meanders]

It's not FGH is it?

No not his initials which are LS. Not sure who FGH is. My guy is freelance doing work for several companies and himself. Previously worked for Stowmarket Caravans before they folded. Let me know if Marquis struggle. I don't know how busy he is at the moment but his car is rarely at home during the day,bso guess he is busy. He lives about 100 yards away.

 

[Guigsy]

I couldn't get any voltage reading across the supply side, no matter what controls I activated...

Did you try putting it in reverse so the lights came on?

 

[roxburd]

Good thinking. It would then power the camera when you select reverse. Easy to check with a meter. Ignition on, select reverse, check lights are on and see if you get 12v across the two terminals.

Zooming in, those contacts look a little corroded so that may actually be your problem. . Suggest you get some 'contact cleaner' (Screwfix, Toolstation etc) give it a good spray and make and break the connector a few times. Has that fixed your problem? Sorry to shout but however tempting DO NOT USE WD40 or similar. It must be contact cleaner or isopropanol alcohol.

Did you try putting it in reverse so the lights came on?

Yep - no voltage on that connector...

 

[buntyb]

Are you on Facebook? If so, there’s a McLouis UK owners club. There’s been others with similar issue. Might be useful.