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Old 05-19-2019, 02:16 AM   #1
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Furrion wireless review camera - no signal when engine running.

Hi all,


We just picked up our 17B on Friday and are struggling to get the Furrion wireless rear view camera to function properly. Tow vehicle is a 2014 Ford Escape w. tow package.


Here are my observations and things I've checked:


1. The camera works fine when the TV engine is off. No problems at all. Signal strength is 3 bars.
2. Image disappears and I get a 'No Signal' message as soon as I start the TV engine.
3. I double-checked to ensure the in car wifi hub was disabled (possible source of interference)...no difference.
4. I double-checked antenna orientation on both the camera and the monitor for maximum transmission/reception (both vertical)...no difference.
5. I connected the monitor to an Alinco DM-330MV 12V power supply positioned at the back bumper of the trailer to minimize distance and possible interference from the TV...no difference.


Has anyone experienced this before?


I was wondering if there might be a power issue to the camera when the TV engine is on but I don't know where the closest place is for me to check the input voltage. I do see that the blue power LED on the camera stays lit whether the TV engine is on or off.


Please let me know if you have any ideas or know where the easiest/closest point is to check power to the camera. Right now, the camera is useless for us in it's current state which is dissappointing with us having the trailer for less than 48 hrs.


Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions.


Chris P.
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Old 05-19-2019, 04:48 AM   #2
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On mine, the camera gets power only when the headlights are turned on.
The 7 pin cord must be connected between the car and trailer.
Turn on the lights and give it a try.

Ed
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Old 05-19-2019, 10:02 AM   #3
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We just pickup up our 21 less than 2 weeks ago and had a similar issue. Turns out I had the headlights on Auto instead of always on. Hopefully yours is a similar quick fix.
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Old 05-19-2019, 11:17 AM   #4
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Thanks for the quick replies.


I should have mentioned that I double-checked the headlight setting of the TV. I've tried it with both auto and on. Our TV seems to turn on lights anytime of day in auto mode if a trailer is connected.


Chris P.
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Old 05-19-2019, 11:47 AM   #5
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Chris, you would have daylight running lights in Canada. Those are not the same as headlights. The taillights are not activated when daylight running lights are on.
That's why you are advised to turn on headlights in tunnels and during rain and fog events.
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Old 05-19-2019, 11:53 AM   #6
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Question

Initially my problem was in pairing the unit.

From the Owners Manual.

Instant Pair
1. Connect camera to power
2. Short press"PAIR"
3. The system will automatically pair
NOTE: Make sure camera is receiving power when pairing.

That is what I failed to do. The headlights had to be on to provide the power to the camera. The 12v for the camera comes from the trailer tail lights. Without the power to the camera, the pairing failed.

Maybe
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Old 05-19-2019, 12:04 PM   #7
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I have a somewhat similar problem with the camera, picked up the 19 earlier this month and when connected to my BMW X5 the display keeps going in and out with “no signal” message. The Escape person demonstrating the camera connected an external power source to replace the car’s power and then the camera worked fine. Note that all other lights, brake-lights and turning signal works fine with the car. It is possible that there is a signal on the power line that interferes with the camera operation somehow, it could be related to the system that checks for bulb failure. I’m going to work on this when I have some time, I wish I had the schematic of the electrical system.
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Old 05-19-2019, 12:05 PM   #8
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Hi Chris,


I'm sorry to hear about your frustration. Our Furrion works perfectly as long as our clearance lights on the trailer are energized, which as already pointed out, is true only when the TV is connected and the clearance lights on the TV are energized.


However, it seems from your description that something odd is going on which is a puzzle to me. If the light on the camera stays on when the engine is running, that suggests that you do not have a problem with power supply to the camera. OTOH, the behaviour you describe suggests a power problem which occurs only with the engine running - very odd indeed.



If I were you I would double check the voltage delivered to the camera both with engine off, and engine on. On our E21, the supply wires are in the rear upper storage cupboard. I do not know where yours are, but if you have an upper cupboard in the rear of your trailer, the wires likely originate there and supply the outside camera through a drilled access hole to the outside. If Escape wired the supply to the camera, it should only be energized with the TV connected and at least clearance lights turned on. As Gbaglo points out, this may only happen if you manually turn them on - they may not be on during daylight clearance operation.


You could also check power supply to the monitor while the engine is running, but I have a tough time imagining how a problem at that end could arise absent significant malfunction in the TV.



Let us know how you make out with the voltage check, and if power supply to the camera is not the problem, I may have suggestions for further troubleshooting.
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Old 05-19-2019, 01:38 PM   #9
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Believe me all, I've double and triple checked that the lights are on. The trailer marker lights are definitely on when this problem occurs so I'm 100% sure power is there and, as Allan mentioned, the camera obviously has power too since the blue LED on.


Also, as Allan mentioned, I wonder if the power level to the camera is sufficient when the engine is one so that is what I plan to check next. I couldn't find the camera connection point but I'll have another look now.


My next step after that is to go to Princess Auto to get parts to homebrew something like this so I can check levels with the TV engine on/off: https://www.amazon.ca/IPA-46468-7865...95835221&psc=1
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Old 05-19-2019, 04:16 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrispy35 View Post
My next step after that is to go to Princess Auto to get parts to homebrew something like this so I can check levels with the TV engine on/off: https://www.amazon.ca/IPA-46468-7865...df_B000HI48KI/
Good project... but make sure you get the right 7-way connector (the RV style with 6 blades and one round pin), not the commercial truck style 7-way connector (7 rounds pins) shown in that listing.
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Old 05-19-2019, 05:17 PM   #11
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I know when I picked my trailer up ETI had connected the camera to the monitor and made sure it worked.



Did your camera/monitor work at the time of orientation?

Have you checked all the monitor settings?

Have you called ETI?
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Old 05-19-2019, 06:22 PM   #12
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Yes, it worked at the time of orientation, albeit with the engine turned off. We just figured there was some user issue when we were already on our way and tried turning it on.


The camera is paired fine and everything works absolutely fine as long as the TV has lights on and engine off.


Back from Princess Auto, probing the power supply to the camera with the engine on is next.
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Old 05-19-2019, 07:51 PM   #13
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Ours only works on channel 2. When I switch to channel 1, it shows 'No Signal'. Though, I'm puzzled why yours would work with the engine off and then stop once you start the engine.


Note: Not sure I have the same model (Escape might have changed), but we ran into a similar problem and the channel wasn't set right. Worked in orientation, but not out on the highway. Hope yours is an easy solution.
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Old 05-19-2019, 08:16 PM   #14
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Well, it turns out I didn't need to go to Princess. All the major wiring connections are available to probe in a junction box on the inside of the driver side frame rail (first pic).

I probed all wires with the engine on/off (lights on in both cases). The marker/tail lights signal is 12 V in both cases but there is a large AC component that appears when the engine is on. I imagine this is enough noise to make the camera fail.

To be sure it wasn't some TV/trailer interaction, I tested at the 7-pin connector on the TV with nothing attached and got the same results.

Going to try with a different TV and then, if that confirms the issue with the TV, start debugging the TV wiring harness.
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:22 AM   #15
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Confirmed that it works just fine with a different TV. Now to start digging into our TV wiring/harness.
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Old 05-20-2019, 09:38 AM   #16
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If you have a significant AC component to your TV output with the engine running, your alternator may be faulty. A blown or weak diode will do that.
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Old 05-20-2019, 11:32 AM   #17
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Thanks for the insight Allan. I did a quick check at the connector on the TV with AC on/off and there wasn't appreciable difference.


The saga continues...
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:34 PM   #18
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We picked up our E21 on May 15 and are experiencing problems too. When connected to the trailer, with headlights “on”, the unit powers up, and springs into life-for about 3 seconds. Then “no signal”.
ETI thinks it might be related to the tow vehicle (VW Touareg).
I’m waiting for a response from Furrion Tech Support.
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Old 05-20-2019, 01:36 PM   #19
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To both of those who seem to have TV issues with the Furrion, one solution might be to power the trailer camera with a switched circuit from the trailer battery rather than from the clearance light circuit. The circuit would have to be switched either manually or with a relay to prevent the camera from running down the battery while camped.



However, if you head in this direction, test the setup before running wires permanently because whatever mischief the TV electrics are up to could get into the trailer through the charge circuit as well as the light circuit. It would be a shame to get those wires in place only to discover that nothing had been solved.



Additional solutions also exist if even a trailer battery circuit does not do the job.



With regard to the excellent idea of trying the system on another TV, you could also check whether the problem is at the monitor end, the trailer camera end, or both by switching monitor and camera between vehicles.



Good luck with it.
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Old 06-05-2019, 10:39 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EdColorado View Post
On mine, the camera gets power only when the headlights are turned on.
The 7 pin cord must be connected between the car and trailer.
Turn on the lights and give it a try.

Ed
��Same as mine. Powered by the marker lights. So make sure headlight switch is not on auto
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