Eventually it was all wired together and I now have a switch on the dash which turns on the cameras and the display at the same time. That way I can forget the on-off switch on the display and know that the cameras are on and off with the display. The blank square in the photograph is caused by flash reflection and the dymo label actually says "REAR VIEW". I left out the little LED light as I thought it would be too distracting at night and the display is a giant indicator all by itself!
I will not go into detail but some time in the past I ruptured the video lead from the second rear view camera. Its the one used for close up backing and monitoring the bike and carrier on the rear. I decided to fix this as well, which required cutting the lead and replacing a 4 pin plug before the break. It's hard to believe but after looking through all the catalogues of electronic parts, at an electronics supply company, that plug could not be found anywhere! This meant of course that I had to cut off the end of both cables I needed to join and replace them with matching plugs of another type. This wasn't such a big deal but did mean that they could not then act as backup for each other, I had located these plugs so that the cameras could be switched in about 30 sec's should one or the other fail, without accessing a much less convenient spot and changing things there. That's life . . .
The 12vDC outlets were then all rewired and as I didn't really need a 24vDC outlet I rewired that to 12v as well. Now I can have several items operating in the cab, fridge, GPS 1, GPS 2, MP3, laptop, battery charger . . . hmmmm maybe I need to drill some more holes in the dash!
The
While doing all this I came across the remote control for the camera display still in it's plastic bag. I have always scoffed at the idea of a remote in a vehicle when you can just reach out and press a button or twiddle a knob but after trying to find a radio station while travelling down a dirt road recently this and the radio remote will now find a permanent home close to the drivers seat.
This seemed to complete all I needed to do in the cab for a while so it was outside again.
Some time ago in circumstance I refuse to describe (so I can't be prosecuted for endangering the public) I managed to lose a number of the leg housing covers. The next day or so was spent finding some acetal large enough and then machining the replacements. Enough said.
While out looking for the acetal I managed to run across some locking fuel caps which just fitted straight onto the tanks. The ones which came with the truck when I bought it were some plastic caps which are only legal in this state as "get you home" type items. I was intending to machine some new ones from stainless steel whenever the opportunity arose but they fit and are locking and I can just put them straight on and aren't overly expensive. No brainer!
Also the taillight assembly was transferred from the original tray body onto a piece of angle iron as a temporary measure to get me home when I sold the tray. They actually stick out a bit behind the house and get in the way of the bike carrier when it is swung down.
Time to address that so while getting the caps I also got some new LED lights to fit to the truck.
It was startling to be told that the clear reverse lights were DOUBLE the cost of the turn and stop/tail lights. I was told that they are priced that way from all the manufacturers! Can't follow the reasoning there.
In looking for a suitable mount for these new little beauties I came across some "yard rail" I had left over from cattle yards on the farm. In order not to injure the cattle it is a nice smooth profile which I think will make quite a nice "bumper bar" on which to mount the lights.
Back in a couple of days . . . .
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