Mod to switch GPS rear-view camera ON

[Sodo]

I have a Garmin GPS 760LMT that has a wireless rearview camera. When I put the truck in reverse, it switches the GPS screen over to the rear-view camera. I like it automatic, but there are times when I want the camera "ON continuously". If I put it Drive, the camera turns off. Then back to reverse, it comes on again. Which sounds only HALF bad except there's appx 2 seconds delay. For example if hooking up a trailer I need to horse around betw. D & R and a 2 second delay for it to turn BACK on in "R" is a PITA.

It could be better.

The camera gets its 12v power from the reverse lights. When they go on, the camera transceiver turns on and takes over the GPS screen (I suppose by bluetooth). I want to be able to control this camera manually at times. I think I can use the courtesy lights (in my canopy) to make the reverse camera stay on. So I can either manually switch on the courtesy lights, or I can just crack open the door and the courtesy lights come on. My wire for canopy lights passes by the left rear taillight so this is all pretty easy to do.

With my exemplary artistic skills I have drawn a schematic, with a relay that switches between the courtesy and the reverse circuits. Can anybody (who understands it) see a problem with how this might work?

 

[zing]

It should work. I have seen a lot of forums where people talk about having their camera on a perpanently powered wire instead of the backup lights, then they can view their horses while they are in the trailer, their boat, or the load on their trailer, etc.

 

[Sodo]

There are many times I've wanted to take a peek at the load on the trailer while driving.

 

[MossRoad]

You may have a problem with wanting to use the camera at night, and being able to look around through your windows too. I have problems looking out the windows at night with the courtesy lights on inside the vehicle.

 

[Monster5601]

Can anybody (who understands it) see a problem with how this might work?

As long as the relay is shown not powered by your courtesy light circuit your are good. Food for thought, I leave my back up camera on all the time and then switch the rear view on and off using the Garmin.

 

[Sodo]

As long as the relay is shown not powered by your courtesy light circuit your are good.

Thx for the interest. Courtesy light circuit is the trigger that causes the relay to switch from "reverse" to "ON", so I'm not sure what you mean by this.

Food for thought, I leave my back up camera on all the time and then switch the rear view on and off using the Garmin.

You are saying there a control for this on the Garmin? I searched the web for how to do this, cant find anything. Please give a hint where.

 

[Sodo]

OK Monster now I understand. If the backup camera is powered full time (key-ON) then you MUST control it with a few button-presses on the GPS screen. I was not aware of that because I wired it to the reverse lights directly upon installation. I kinda think having it activated by the reverse lights is a PITA. I will investigate that method which may be better than adding a relay to employ the truck's courtesy light button.

Also I made a huge mistake in model#. It's not a 760LMT, it's a Nuvi 2798LMT.

 

[bigtiller]

Also I made a huge mistake in model#. It's not a 760LMT, it's a Nuvi 2798LMT.

Have you used it yet? How do you like the pinch-to-zoom glass screen? I am debating whether or not to buy their nuvi CamLMTHD with a forward facing camera. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-road/automotive/2015-line/nuvicam-lmthd/prod168820.html

 

[MossRoad]

If you leave the camera on full time, you may significantly reduce its life. Note I said "may". If its not an expensive camera, it may be a non-issue to replace every few years.

 

[crazyal]

I think I would just wire it up to a switch in your dash. A single pole double throw switch would do the same thing. In one position the camera would get the power from the reverse lights while in the other it could get power from the accessory position on the switch (like the radio). That way you wouldn't need to mess with turning lights on.