Furion Camera FOS48TAPK-BL Highway view

[Erock67]

I'm getting ready to purchase the Furion Camera for my 2017 Cherokee V-nose. It is already "pre-wired" for it. From reading others comments here I was under the impression that hooking it up as shown in the manual would give you camera view while traveling, and of course backing up. A guy from E-trailer said that it is wired to the reverse light and that it would need to be hooked up to constant power source for highway viewing. Is this correct? If so how difficult it this to do? Is there a constant power (i.e lights) wire near that can be tapped in to? If so, how? Wire diagram?

Thanks!
Eric Robinson
Baldwin WI.

[GalsofEscape]

Does your camper even have reverse lights? I don't think my camper does. My shamrock also came prewired for the Furrion camera. It is just plug and play with power from the running lights. I watched the dealer just go up the ladder and snap it into place. Just have to turn on the campers running lights and the camera works perfect, can see behind the camper as I go down the road.

[RACarvalho]

I just installed my last month.
Mine is the "observation" model so it can be on all the time if I want.
Every builder have a different what to set the wires.
In my Rockwood, it is connected to the running lights so when I want to have it on, I turn on the truck lights and the camera is on and when I turn the truck lights off, the camera shuts off.
If I'm not wrong, in the camera manual there is a list of how the different RV builders connect the camera wires...

[raspivey]

They "can" be wired to work when you shift to reverse (the 7 pin has a reverse wire - center pin I believe). You would have to run a wire from the pig tail to the camera.

Luckily, that's not necessary. They're wired to the running lights. Turn the TV lights on and the camera powers up.

[Comanchecreek]

I bought the same unit and installed it on my Crusader last summer. Used it a couple of times and really like it. I wired it to the running lights and it turns on the camera when the running lights are turned on. My truck automatically turns on the running lights, but I can switch them off if I desire. If you have the Furion mount installed all ready then you just saved about 30 bucks. I had to buy the mount since my trailer did not come with it. I've never seen backup lights on a travel trailer so verify that it has them. My feeling is you're probably all ready wired to the running lights with your pre-wire setup.

[Captn.Ken]

I like my Furion camera. I mainly use it for seeing who is behind me while I am going down the road. The way I did that was to wire into the clearance lights. Then, when you turn on the lights in your TV, you have power to the Furion camera. It really helps in heavy traffic to see who is getting antsy and will try to pass your rig. I would not wire to reverse only.

[Chuckinca]

What size view screen do you have and do you like it.

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[67L48]

Originally Posted by Erock67

[...] A guy from E-trailer said that it is wired to the reverse light and that it would need to be hooked up to constant power source for highway viewing. Is this correct? [...]

No. It's wired to your running lights. So, you turn on your lights and it will be powered. So, at the least, you'll have to have your parking lights on as you drive in order to have the camera on. But, otherwise, it will be on all the time.

Good luck.

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by Chuckinca

What size view screen do you have and do you like it.

If your trailer is prewired for a Furion, it is probably set to be powered by the running lights, mine is.

The Furion only has one screen size 4.3". It uses a wide angle camera lens which I think is about 140 degrees wide. I can clearly see what is behind me up to about 100 feet back, then things get pretty small and hard to see. Beyond the camera visual range, I usually use my side mirrors to keep track of approaching traffic.

I like the setup, good enough to know if someone is tailgating and, when passing, I can clearly tell if it is safe to move back over.

[Comanchecreek]

I have the smaller (4.3 I think) screen. It works fine. I don't have room for anything bigger as have a TPMS monitor and a GPS all stuffed here and there on my Pickup dash. I get all the information I need from the smaller screen. Most of the time your looking for movement which alerts you to someone around you. I don't find the backup setup very useful for backing other than watching for tree branches etc. My DW is the best watcher as long as she'll stay where I can see her, but I learned to back using my mirrors, and that's the way I go.

[Erock67]

Thanks everyone for the input. Buying the camera for my 51st birthday (tomorrow) but will have to wait a bit before the snow is off the cover before I attempt to install it. I think the answer from the guy at E-trailer was a little bit off and it started me wondering. Thanks again!

[marinerjoe]

An early Happy Birthday Eric. Don’t worry about what the guy from E-Trailer said, as a Furrion camera owner myself, it works GREAT on my 21FBRS. I attach the monitor to my rear view mirror as it’s useless when pulling the camper. One word of clarification to the instructions; they talk to putting a magnet (ferrite choke) on the power cord before you mount the camera. One was not included with mine, and after using it for a while, the choke isn’t necessary.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by marinerjoe

An early Happy Birthday Eric. Don’t worry about what the guy from E-Trailer said, as a Furrion camera owner myself, it works GREAT on my 21FBRS. I attach the monitor to my rear view mirror as it’s useless when pulling the camper. One word of clarification to the instructions; they talk to putting a magnet (ferrite choke) on the power cord before you mount the camera. One was not included with mine, and after using it for a while, the choke isn’t necessary.

You are right Joe no need to "Choke a Ferret"! Youroo!!

[nytmare]

My Rockwood Mini-Lite was pre-wired for the Furrion camera, so I purchased the same one you're looking (or already have). Like others have said, your trailer lights must be on for the unit to work, so I simply turn them on from inside my TV as I'm driving and it works fine (remember this when you're syncing the camera with the monitor when you first get it). There's a lot of reviews on Amazon of boneheads that can't follow instructions and have returned the camera 'cause it won't power on.

I will point out that the camera lens is a fish-eye, so your view will appear a bit distorted in the monitor. You'll find that, just like your vehicle's passenger side mirror states, "objects are closer than they appear". Also, due to the type of lens, you get a pretty wide field of vision. I can typically still see the ass-end of vehicles when they're halfway up beside my trailer (keep in mind my trailer's only 22' long though).

All in all, a good product IMO.

Marc