08-10-2013, 11:40 PM
Please use the PS2 Install Guide as a guide on how to fit a flip screen head unit.
Shopping List:
Reversing Camera
Heatshrink - £2
Solder - £2
Wires - £4
Total Cost Approx £8
Tools
Torx Set
Soldering Iron
Heat Shrink/Tape
Heat Gun/Lighter
Multimeter
1) Purchase a reversing camera from ebay.
Prices vary but I paid £8.24 for mine delivered from China. It has a 170 degree viewing angle which is decent and means you will see a lot. It overlays some parking lines and seems to have good colour, clarity and comes with decent wiring. Instructions on the listing page are actually fairly useful.
2) Remove your Flip screen head unit and locate the Reversing Camera input and Signal Wire
You may need radio removal keys for this but most likely not. On the back there should be a reversing camera in video lead. This is a special input for the reversing camera as this feed is automatically displayed on the screen when the head unit receives the reversing signal via the reversing wire.
3) Wire up the back of the head unit.
Attach the yellow RCA lead and solder a reel of wire to the reversing signal wire. These cables now need to be run to the back of the car. I suggest going down underneath the passenger side of the dash and then up the side of the dash. Up the A pillar and then along the side of the roof lining. Refit the head unit.
4) Wiring to the reversing light.
We need to power the camera and get the reversing signal. Seeing as we are only going to be using the camera when we are reversing it can draw its power from the bulb holder. Remove the light cover with the 2 twist bits if you have a hatch. If you have an estate youre going to have to take out the rear compartment and surrounding plastics.
You need to use the Haynes Manual or a multi-meter to find the reversing wire and the earth for it. However if you have an estate its a lot easier as you can tell just by looking at it. Wire the teeny tiny cheapy chinese wires onto the light cluster loom by burning off the cable plastic covering, soldering and then taping!
![[Image: IMG_19800106_032239_zpsa2ec931e.jpg]](http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z327/srowell3/IMG_19800106_032239_zpsa2ec931e.jpg)
Then you need to run the cables under the roof lining and bring them out where you want to position the camera. On the estate you cant run the bulky wires without it showing so I dremmeled out some holes in the upper boot plastic and ran the wires through there.
5) Mount the camera.
Many people have theirs on the outside of the car but on the 306 its going to look terrible if you cut a hole in the bumper or boot lid and have it poking out. I mounted mine to the underside of the 3rd brake light.
![[Image: IMG_19800106_034421_zps71b34871.jpg]](http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z327/srowell3/IMG_19800106_034421_zps71b34871.jpg)
Double sided foam tape wouldnt hold it so i removed the 3rd brake light casing and drilled two small 3mm holes and cable tied the camera on. It holds it extremely well and is by far the best way to do it. To get the casing to fit right with a cable tie in the way you may need to dremmel off the centre ridge on the brake light itself. I believe the camera comes with two screws but you dont want to screw through the brake light.
6) Setup the head unit
There are some options you will need to change on your head unit. By default the reversing camera is probably disabled so you need to enable it in the settings. If it always forgets its settings then you need to swap the yellow and red power cables at the back of the head unit.
7) Test the camera
![[Image: IMG_19800106_062206_zps0b6c9475.jpg]](http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z327/srowell3/IMG_19800106_062206_zps0b6c9475.jpg)
Put the car into the second stage of ignition and put it into reverse gear. The reversing lights should come on and the camera feed should now be displayed!
The End
I hope this guide has been of some use to you. I have written it from memory and I have lost many of the photos I took at the time. It is really very simple to do and is a brilliant and useful modification. Don't rely on it though and remember to always use your mirrors as normal.
Also you can only see the camera whilst in reverse with this method of wiring. You can half put the gearbox into reverse whilst driving which means it isnt in gear but does put the lights on whilst you are moving forwards. Means you can check out other cars but will worry drivers that you have reversing lights on whilst driving forwards. And more importantly if you put it too far into reverse youll ruin your gearbox!
Shopping List:
Reversing Camera
Heatshrink - £2
Solder - £2
Wires - £4
Total Cost Approx £8
Tools
Torx Set
Soldering Iron
Heat Shrink/Tape
Heat Gun/Lighter
Multimeter
1) Purchase a reversing camera from ebay.
Prices vary but I paid £8.24 for mine delivered from China. It has a 170 degree viewing angle which is decent and means you will see a lot. It overlays some parking lines and seems to have good colour, clarity and comes with decent wiring. Instructions on the listing page are actually fairly useful.
2) Remove your Flip screen head unit and locate the Reversing Camera input and Signal Wire
You may need radio removal keys for this but most likely not. On the back there should be a reversing camera in video lead. This is a special input for the reversing camera as this feed is automatically displayed on the screen when the head unit receives the reversing signal via the reversing wire.
3) Wire up the back of the head unit.
Attach the yellow RCA lead and solder a reel of wire to the reversing signal wire. These cables now need to be run to the back of the car. I suggest going down underneath the passenger side of the dash and then up the side of the dash. Up the A pillar and then along the side of the roof lining. Refit the head unit.
4) Wiring to the reversing light.
We need to power the camera and get the reversing signal. Seeing as we are only going to be using the camera when we are reversing it can draw its power from the bulb holder. Remove the light cover with the 2 twist bits if you have a hatch. If you have an estate youre going to have to take out the rear compartment and surrounding plastics.
You need to use the Haynes Manual or a multi-meter to find the reversing wire and the earth for it. However if you have an estate its a lot easier as you can tell just by looking at it. Wire the teeny tiny cheapy chinese wires onto the light cluster loom by burning off the cable plastic covering, soldering and then taping!
Then you need to run the cables under the roof lining and bring them out where you want to position the camera. On the estate you cant run the bulky wires without it showing so I dremmeled out some holes in the upper boot plastic and ran the wires through there.
5) Mount the camera.
Many people have theirs on the outside of the car but on the 306 its going to look terrible if you cut a hole in the bumper or boot lid and have it poking out. I mounted mine to the underside of the 3rd brake light.
Double sided foam tape wouldnt hold it so i removed the 3rd brake light casing and drilled two small 3mm holes and cable tied the camera on. It holds it extremely well and is by far the best way to do it. To get the casing to fit right with a cable tie in the way you may need to dremmel off the centre ridge on the brake light itself. I believe the camera comes with two screws but you dont want to screw through the brake light.
6) Setup the head unit
There are some options you will need to change on your head unit. By default the reversing camera is probably disabled so you need to enable it in the settings. If it always forgets its settings then you need to swap the yellow and red power cables at the back of the head unit.
7) Test the camera
Put the car into the second stage of ignition and put it into reverse gear. The reversing lights should come on and the camera feed should now be displayed!
The End
I hope this guide has been of some use to you. I have written it from memory and I have lost many of the photos I took at the time. It is really very simple to do and is a brilliant and useful modification. Don't rely on it though and remember to always use your mirrors as normal.
Also you can only see the camera whilst in reverse with this method of wiring. You can half put the gearbox into reverse whilst driving which means it isnt in gear but does put the lights on whilst you are moving forwards. Means you can check out other cars but will worry drivers that you have reversing lights on whilst driving forwards. And more importantly if you put it too far into reverse youll ruin your gearbox!
