Getting Wire From Engine Bay Into Dash

[Brigante]

I am toying with the idea of fitting a front facing camera to the mondy

To do this I will need to route the 5metre video wire as well as a power wire from the front of the car, around the engine bay (discreetly as possible) and it then needs to find its way into the dash somewhere where it is easily accessible as I'll then need to route it around the A pillar into the roof lining.

Is there an access point somewhere I can pass the wire from under the bonnet through the the inside of the car without too much faff?

[troy45]

I'm thinking of similar for my Focus - it's possible there'll be a 12V supply you can use in the engine bay but your post has just reminded me that it would need switching in somehow.

Most obvious way would be to go for the grommet where the engine bay harness routes through the bulkhead, probably not far from where the passenger fuse box is located. Tricky bit then is how to do the routing - possibly try and feed wiring into the main branch and push through the grommet, or plan B would be to pierce the grommet then push cables through and reseal the cable in some way. Depends how watertight the grommet actually needs to be...

Maybe possible to use one of the wireless transmitters sometimes used for the rear cameras to save adding in the long wiring run but you'd still need a way of switching the camera on and off.

[Brigante]

Yup I thought of tapping into a local 12v under the bonnet but as you say it would need switching, and I intend to fit a rocker switch close to hand somewhere on the dash (exact spot undecided as of yet)

Also I do not like the idea of the wireless cameras, heard the signal on them can be ropey. I could of fitted a rear wireless camera but I'd rather spend the extra time and faff to route a wire through the car, as awkward as it may be, so that the signal will be strong as it can be.

So if I'm gonna route the video wire through the car I may as well route the power wire also as it will need switching.

Yup I was thinking the bulkhead too myself, silly question I know but where do I actually locate it under the bonnet? Haven't had time to look yet. What will I need to remove to access where it enters the car?

[troy45]

Yup I thought of tapping into a local 12v under the bonnet but as you say it would need switching, and I intend to fit a rocker switch close to hand somewhere on the dash (exact spot undecided as of yet)

Also I do not like the idea of the wireless cameras, heard the signal on them can be ropey. I could of fitted a rear wireless camera but I'd rather spend the extra time and faff to route a wire through the car, as awkward as it may be, so that the signal will be strong as it can be.

So if I'm gonna route the video wire through the car I may as well route the power wire also as it will need switching.

Yup I was thinking the bulkhead too myself, silly question I know but where do I actually locate it under the bonnet? Haven't had time to look yet. What will I need to remove to access where it enters the car?

I'm not certain exactly what you'll have to remove - on the Focus I'm expecting the battery box will have to come out but I'm not that familiar with where things would be on your Mondeo. Google will have the answer :)

I'd wonder if there would be any spare cables in the wiring loom but would need to check out the wiring coming into the junction box to see if any cores go into plugs but aren't terminated to anything.

[jeebowhite]

I did it another way.

I bought a motorcycle 12v, cut the ends off and fed it into the plug on the inside of the centre console (the plug that leads off to the rear passenger 12v).

I then taped these in place to secure the connection, and just put an extension 12v on it, and connect my devices to this.

That way it comes on and off with the power.

In the meantime if you really want to take a power supply from the engine bay, find the conduit that goes into the bulkhead (next to the battery). I basically pierces a hole with a screwdriver into this and made a hole. Popped the wires through and they came out behind the glovebox.

If you want to secure it, use some rubber seal to waterproof it,.

[Brigante]

the power aint the problem, its the camera itself

the camera will be located in the front grill and the video wire needs to go into the car regardless of whether the power is coming from the engine bay or not

as said before i dont want a wireless camera so a wire will have to go into the dash either way

[jeebowhite]

Camera in the grill won't work so well I don't think but I look forward to hearing I was wrong!

[Brigante]

just a possible that i'm thinking of

if it doesnt work right i'll put it elsewhere

can you clarify if i'll need to remove anything on the mondy dude to route into the dash?

[troy45]

I had the glovebox out of my Focus recently while investigating possible current drain and found the cabin side of the grommet where the engine bay wiring comes through. It's not obvious to see as it's behind an insulation panel, and the actual cables then run along the bulkhead before coming into the fusebox. But think if I sneaked a feeder wire through I would be able to get hold of it for pulling the necessary cables through.

But still undecided about routing through the main grommet, the cable run is well taped up engine bay side so wouldn't be easy to try feeding cables through the existing loom plus it's not a straight cable run into the grommet. The grommet on the Focus isn't a tight fit to the bulkhead so I could push the grommet to one side and run cable through the edge of the hole, however this leaves an obvious leak path into the cabin. Maybe piercing the grommet is the simplest way to do it then sealing around the hole.

For switching the camera on/off I'm contemplating using a spare heated screen button but getting hold of suitable wiring plug is difficult and these buttons don't actually latch on or off, just work as a push button with the control then being done by the GEM or latching a relay in.

[Stoney871]

For switching the camera on/off I'm contemplating using a spare heated screen button but getting hold of suitable wiring plug is difficult

I have some spare plugs if you need them.

P/M your address and I'll send them to you.

[jeebowhite]

Nothing needs removing fella. I basically fed the front parking sensors through the large grommet as described. Pushed them through and I could reach under the glove box and pull them through.

All you need is bravery, patience and a screwdriver

[Brigante]

Ant chance of taking a quick photo for me mate of the exact location under the bonnet where the entry point is?

[jeebowhite]

I don't see why not

[jeebowhite]

Here you are

[Brigante]

didn't realise it would be that easy to spot

i'll go and inspect it shortly while theres a break in the rain

so if i pierce through that and thread said wires through, they should be easily spotted in the glove box area? or will there be anything blocking it once i remove the glove box?

this mod should be easily done then looking at it

how come you dont have a battery box by the way?

[jeebowhite]

Yeah it's easy to do, just keep the screwdriver pointing outwards and not in towards the wire bundle.

Worst thing to block it is just the fuse board but it's just a case of a torch and a stretch and it's done.

I removed the battery box as I was having issues with the battery and it made it easier for replacing the battery

[Brigante]

Seems pretty easy to do then

Just purchased a suitable camera from the bay, hopefully it will come early next week and I'll pop to the local motor factor for some speaker wire to extend the power cable into the dash also where it will be connected to a switch that I already have going spare

Should hopefully be an easy ish mod

Hardest bit will be routing the wiring

[jeebowhite]

I'm not convinced though with the grill mate, just my opinion but these cameras are not really designed to withstand constant heat and the engine bay is just that? OK the air flow will cool the front but the back will heat. Depending what cam you get and how much you spend on it, a lot of the budget ones (anything up to about 50 quid) are basically clones, they are OK if not often good at their recording, but the materials I wouldn't expect to cope with those temperatures and I fear you will end up with the case melting, or the buttons affecting the switches.

I hope I'm wrong, but just keep an eye on it. Check the temperature of the camera after long journeys and keep an eye on it for any signs of heat fatigue.

[Brigante]

Yup I have to say I was concerned about the heat but the total cost of all parts required will be little over 15pounds so if it does't work I haven't lost much

You may have me mistaken though, as the camera isn't for recording and doesnt have any buttons etc to go wrong. It is simply a parking camera except it is made for being located af the front/sides of a vehicle as it doesn't reverse the image or have the guidance lines.

It will just be used on odd ocasions when parkinig up close to another car, fence, wall or object in situations where it can be difficult to judge where the nose of my car is. As the parking sensors will be going mad as if I'm about to hit said object but when I get out and check the distance I'm a good few feet away and I wanted to get as close as possible.

The camera listing says that it will work in temperatures up to 75c. Is the lower front grill area likely to be a lot hotter than this? It will only be used for a few seconds at a time anyway like the reverse parking camera would.

[jeebowhite]

I think I did misunderstand lol either way as long as it does the job.

[troy45]

I'll be looking at somewhere around the lower grille for mounting mine, only drawback I see is it getting dirty and how it stands up to water etc.

[Brigante]

This is the camera I've gone for. Seems Ideal for the intended purpose

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-170-CCD-Car-Front-Side-Camera-Vehicle-HD-Color-Waterproof-Reverse-Camera-/271359072528?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

And I'll be mounting it here

I'd mount it to the upper grill but the mesh in my debadged grill aint big enough to accommodate the camera so it will have to go lower grill

Should still be able to see enough with it

Once fitted I'll report back with photos and how I get on with it

Water shouldnt be a problem, same way its not a problem with the rear camera

From time to time the rear camera gets a bit dirty from road crud but its easily wiped off the lens so again not really worried about it

[jeebowhite]

Should be alright. Must admit I am tempted to extend my CCTV cover to the sides do I have as close to 360 protection as possible, these cameras are good but without installing a CCTV hard drive etc it'd just not worth it.

[Ozigoo]

I did this recently and heres a very handy tip......

Yes, remove glovebox first (very easy)

Now look closely at that big center grommet and you will see a small dot on one side

This dot, is a very thin "dot of rubber" unlike the rest of the gromet which is very thick.

It is very easy to poke a small screwdriver through this thin dot, then I just got a piece of wire and poked it through with a loop at one end and pulled the wires through...

[Brigante]

I did this recently and heres a very handy tip......

Yes, remove glovebox first (very easy)

Now look closely at that big center grommet and you will see a small dot on one side

This dot, is a very thin "dot of rubber" unlike the rest of the gromet which is very thick.

It is very easy to poke a small screwdriver through this thin dot, then I just got a piece of wire and poked it through with a loop at one end and pulled the wires through...

Interesting

I've been back out and had a look under the bonnet and I've identified the diddy dot you speak of so now I have my entry point

Thanks for the tip dude