Yeti and the Marshmallow

[MrBeast]

Alright, I'm in over my head. I need help.

The license plate light is in the way and I don't have the tools to relocate it, also I think it will interfere with the back up camera at night.

Secondly I managed to find screws that fit the license plate on one side, but the other side is stripped out.

My van does have 2 spare 10 Amp fuses, I just have no idea how to wire the camera and monitor to them. My guess is I need to disconnect the battery and unbolt the face plate from the fuse box. but I can't even relocate a light so I am not even going to attempt it.

Suggestions? Anyone in San Diego want to help an idiot out?

send me some pictures of the fuse box.

As well the camera doesnt have to mount to the licence plate, you can get some 3m moulding tape and secure it to the top of the van where it will give you a better viewing angle anyways.

If memory servies, I think you have a 3rd brake light over the doors, you can grind out a corner of the plastic and run the wires in that way, just seal it back up with some rtv to keep it from leaking.

 

[Basement Yeti]

send me some pictures of the fuse box.

As well the camera doesnt have to mount to the licence plate, you can get some 3m moulding tape and secure it to the top of the van where it will give you a better viewing angle anyways.

If memory servies, I think you have a 3rd brake light over the doors, you can grind out a corner of the plastic and run the wires in that way, just seal it back up with some rtv to keep it from leaking.

I'll go and take some photos tomorrow. But I seriously would like some who knows what they're doing to help me out. I seriously over estimate my abilities and don't want my first electrical project to be ripping apart a dash board to feed 2 22 gauge wires through to a fuse box I don't know how to connect them to.


On the plus side I bought a bunch of crimping supplies and have gotten pretty good.

That's a good idea, but there is no space for the camera as the 3rd brake light sits right on the edge of van. I have an idea of how to mount the camera inside my license plate bracket though.

Only two bolts hold the license plate onto the plastic panel, a v-shaped piece of rubber holds onto the bottom of the license plate, and a large plastic piece below that. I can either remove the rubber and add a 2nd set of bolt holes, or Dremel out the plastic piece below it and stick my camera in there.

I'll either get replacement nylon screw mounts, or use bolts and washers to mount my plate/camera.

Just need help with those wires.

 

[MrBeast]

Something to consider, we are going to build you a rear bumper, and when we do your licence plate will no longer be in the same place to keep it visible, it will be a good idea to take the camera and leave as much slack zip tied up in the back of the van as you can so as that it can be mounted where ever we need it.

 

[Basement Yeti]

Something to consider, we are going to build you a rear bumper, and when we do your licence plate will no longer be in the same place to keep it visible, it will be a good idea to take the camera and leave as much slack zip tied up in the back of the van as you can so as that it can be mounted where ever we need it.

Oh dang, I never thought about that. When I run the wires I'll coil up a couple of feet and stash it somewhere. I should be able to run the wires myself, and mount the camera myself. I'll either use a ring crimp connect to attach the camera and monitor to the spare poles on my fuse box or directly to the battery since they have in line fuses. But if I need to splice into my harness for the green relay wire I'll leave that for my mechanic guy. Might take a bit to get done, I just don't want to end up with toasted Marshmallow like you said.

To be honest with you I hate that the license plate is mounted in the door. I think it looks so stupid. I was looking online and saw some guy who removed the cheesy plastic license plate box and welded a plate over it.

 

[MrBeast]

Oh dang, I never thought about that. When I run the wires I'll coil up a couple of feet and stash it somewhere. I should be able to run the wires myself, and mount the camera myself. I'll either use a ring crimp connect to attach the camera and monitor to the spare poles on my fuse box or directly to the battery since they have in line fuses. But if I need to splice into my harness for the green relay wire I'll leave that for my mechanic guy. Might take a bit to get done, I just don't want to end up with toasted Marshmallow like you said.

To be honest with you I hate that the license plate is mounted in the door. I think it looks so stupid. I was looking online and saw some guy who removed the cheesy plastic license plate box and welded a plate over it.

Why does the green wire need to be spliced into the harness?

 

[Basement Yeti]

Why does the green wire need to be spliced into the harness?

It's a relay wire. If it's not spliced into a powered wire the relay will never switch and the camera and monitor won't be supplied power.

I can splice it into anything that is powered when my ignition is on though, since I want the camera always on when the ignition is on. My 12V cigarette plug, my radio etc.)

 

[MrBeast]

Are you going to be replacing your factory stereo?

 

[Basement Yeti]

Are you going to be replacing your factory stereo?

Yeah eventually, once I have all the important stuff hammered out.

 

[MrBeast]

what you need to do is get the adapter harness that plugs into the factory harness at the stereo, this will allow you to hook into the keyed power wire for the stereo, which is the red wire, That way you do not have to splice into anything.

 

[Basement Yeti]

what you need to do is get the adapter harness that plugs into the factory harness at the stereo, this will allow you to hook into the keyed power wire for the stereo, which is the red wire, That way you do not have to splice into anything.

Adapter harness?

 

[MrBeast]

any stero shop will be able to get you one, heck you can probably find one at walmart.

It plugs into the factory radio harness so you can hook up an aftermarket stereo

 

[Basement Yeti]

any stero shop will be able to get you one, heck you can probably find one at walmart.

It plugs into the factory radio harness so you can hook up an aftermarket stereo

Well the stereo I want to buy comes with one. Why not just wire it into the existing stereo's wiring harness for now?

 

[MrBeast]

Well the stereo I want to buy comes with one. Why not just wire it into the existing stereo's wiring harness for now?

It will not have the plug that hooks into the factory harness, it will have the wiring harness that can be spliced into the adapter.

The reason for doing it this way is that it is a very clean instalation, and it keeps you from hacking a factory harness which in my book is a big big no no.

 

[Basement Yeti]

It will not have the plug that hooks into the factory harness, it will have the wiring harness that can be spliced into the adapter.

The reason for doing it this way is that it is a very clean instalation, and it keeps you from hacking a factory harness which in my book is a big big no no.

I agree, I do not want to do this. So if I go to an automotive store or something and get one of these plugs there will be a wire I can splice the green relay wire directly into?

 

[RocKrawler]

The factory harness adapter connects your stereo wiring to a plug that matches your factory Astro harness plug so you don't do any cutting on the original vehicle wires, minimizing the chance of shorts, and keeping everything tidy. I did my own with the stereo I got mail order through Crutchfield (they include the install kit for the dash, harness adapter and vehicle specific instructions for free when you buy the stereo from them) and wired everything in the house, then took it out to the van and just plugged it in like it was stock in just a few minutes.