Purple/White (reverse) wire for backup camera

[cube901]

JVC Purple/White (reverse) wire for backup camera

I have a 2005 Ford Ranger XLT and I was thinking about getting a Double Din Car Stereo. So I went on www.sonicelectronix.com and I got a JVC KW-V130BT. You can put a backup camera on the stereo. It requires a RCA cable. I am so confused on the Purple/White reverse wire. I don't know where it goes. I was thinking it goes on one of the red wires that is on the yellow RCA cable. It looks too long to go back to the reverse lights. Some say it may go to a reverse wire in the dashboard but I don't know what color wire it is. Does it go on a wire under the dashboard? Where does it go?

Please let me know were it goes. Thank you!

 

[RonD]

You run a wire either to the Reverse light switch on the transmission or to reverse light wire at the back of the truck, and connect it to the purple wire.

The radios purple/white wire is connected to a sensor inside the radio, when it detects voltage on that wire, back up lights on, then display will switch to camera.
You can manually switch display to show camera on most models, the reverse wire just does it automatically.
This wire is NOT for powering the camera

On some Rangers there is a reverse light wire in the cab, but on most there is not.
Most only have what you need at the transmission or at the tail lights
Since you have to run wires from the back of the truck to the radio any way just run 1 wire for the reverse lights

 

[adsm08]

What Ron said.

 

[cube901]

You run a wire either to the Reverse light switch on the transmission or to reverse light wire at the back of the truck, and connect it to the purple wire.

The radios purple/white wire is connected to a sensor inside the radio, when it detects voltage on that wire, back up lights on, then display will switch to camera.
You can manually switch display to show camera on most models, the reverse wire just does it automatically.
This wire is NOT for powering the camera

On some Rangers there is a reverse light wire in the cab, but on most there is not.
Most only have what you need at the transmission or at the tail lights
Since you have to run wires from the back of the truck to the radio any way just run 1 wire for the reverse lights

Can you like get some extra wires from like an electrical store or at Home Depot and crimp the Purple/White wire to some extra cords and go back to the reverse lights? Because it doesn't seem long enough to go back to the reverse lights.

Also, I think the RCA cable already has cables that already go back to the reverse lights. They aren't far from the actual camera that goes on the license plate. There's a Positive(Red) and Negative(Black).

I also think you could put the Purple/White wire somewhere in the dashboard but if you wanted to wire it to the reverse wire, some older Ford Ranger Models have different color reverse wires. I don't know where the reverse wire is nor what color it is. Could you also connect to where I wouldn't have to buy extra wires to go back to the reverse lights?

 

[Curious Hound]

The black and red wire with that cable are probably for supplying power to the camera. It would be best to use them in accordance with whatever directions or documentation came with the stereo unit.

If you don't want to tie the purple wire to the reverse lights, then you will need electrical diagrams for your vehicle in order to find other places to connect it. Those diagrams will tell you what color wire to look for and where it goes. You may try the electrical diagrams in the tech articals on this site. There is a link at the top of the page. Many of those diagrams apply to multiple years of vehicles or will be very similar to your vehicle.

Yes, you can extend the purple wire with another piece of wire. You can get a small roll of "primary wire" at most automotive stores. They will also have connectors and tools for the job.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Curious Hound]

By the way. You only need 18 gauge wire for that reverse wire. Wires arevsized by how much current they have to carry. That reverse wire is what we call a "signal wire". It won't carry any appreciable current. It is just there to tell (signal) the stereo that your transmission is in reverse.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[cube901]

The black and red wire with that cable are probably for supplying power to the camera. It would be best to use them in accordance with whatever directions or documentation came with the stereo unit.

If you don't want to tie the purple wire to the reverse lights, then you will need electrical diagrams for your vehicle in order to find other places to connect it. Those diagrams will tell you what color wire to look for and where it goes. You may try the electrical diagrams in the tech articals on this site. There is a link at the top of the page. Many of those diagrams apply to multiple years of vehicles or will be very similar to your vehicle.

Yes, you can extend the purple wire with another piece of wire. You can get a small roll of "primary wire" at most automotive stores. They will also have connectors and tools for the job.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

So either way, even if you get extra wire, you can connect it to either the reverse lights or the reverse wire depending on what year model the Ranger is and the color of the reverse wire?

Also, if I were to connect it to the reverse lights, where should it connect?
Because there's already the red and black wires on the RCA cable that connect to the reverse lights.

 

[RonD]

The red and black wires with the RCA cable are to power the camera, 12volt(red), Ground(black)
They can be spliced to the Radio's KEY ON Power and Radio's Ground wire, this powers the camera

Above has nothing to do with Reverse lights
Reverse wiring is OPTIONAL, customers choice, so no wiring is included in the kits

Go to an auto parts store and get a spool(20ft) of 18gauge wire, about $6
Also get some wire splicers, look like this: https://www.rpidesigns.com/images/quicksplicechall.jpg

Ford uses a Black/Pink stripe wire for the Reverse lights, if your truck is wired for trailer lights then you will see it there.
If not just look thru the wires on drivers side under tail lights for the Black/pink stripe wire, it will be there
Use the Splicer to add(connect) your Spool wire to the Black/pink stripe wire
Connect other end of spool wire to Purple wire on radio



You can use just the red and black wire for this.
The black wire, with the RCA, is for a Ground, the Frame at the back of the truck IS a Ground.
The wires coming out of the camera will have a red and black wire, so you can Ground the cameras Black wire to the frame.
This frees up the RCAs Black wire....................and it runs with the RCA and red wire to the back of the Radio.
So the black wire could be used as the Reverse wire

 

[cube901]

The red and black wires with the RCA cable are to power the camera, 12volt(red), Ground(black)
They can be spliced to the Radio's KEY ON Power and Radio's Ground wire, this powers the camera

Above has nothing to do with Reverse lights
Reverse wiring is OPTIONAL, customers choice, so no wiring is included in the kits

Go to an auto parts store and get a spool(20ft) of 18gauge wire, about $6
Also get some wire splicers, look like this: https://www.rpidesigns.com/images/quicksplicechall.jpg

Ford uses a Black/Pink stripe wire for the Reverse lights, if your truck is wired for trailer lights then you will see it there.
If not just look thru the wires on drivers side under tail lights for the Black/pink stripe wire, it will be there
Use the Splicer to add(connect) your Spool wire to the Black/pink stripe wire
Connect other end of spool wire to Purple wire on radio



You can use just the red and black wire for this.
The black wire, with the RCA, is for a Ground, the Frame at the back of the truck IS a Ground.
The wires coming out of the camera will have a red and black wire, so you can Ground the cameras Black wire to the frame.
This frees up the RCAs Black wire....................and it runs with the RCA and red wire to the back of the Radio.
So the black wire could be used as the Reverse wire

So I could basically connect the Purple/White wire to the Black/Pink wire if I had extra wire to connect under the driver's side and the stereo will still sense the vehicle when it's in reverse?

That looks like the easiest way to connect it.

 

[RonD]

Yes, Rangers Black/pink wire will have 12volts when Reverse Lights are on, 0 volts when they are off

Stereo will switch to Camera Input when Purple wire has 12volts, and back to Display when it has 0 volts

 

[cube901]

Yes, Rangers Black/pink wire will have 12volts when Reverse Lights are on, 0 volts when they are off

Stereo will switch to Camera Input when Purple wire has 12volts, and back to Display when it has 0 volts

Oh, I see. I've actually found that wire under the driver's side trying to connect a trailer brake system for my truck a few years back. The black/pink wire is what I need to connect the Purple/White wire with.

Two more questions:

What are the little red wires from the yellow RCA cable that plug into the stereo and the camera for?

Are the red and black wires from the RCA cable "OPTIONAL?" Because if the Purple/White wire goes to the reverse cable (Black/Pink), do I need the red and black wires to go to the reverse lights anyway?

 

[RonD]

RCA cable is Video from the camera, but no video unless the camera has power........................
Red and black wires are for the camera power, not optional

Yes, test if that Black/pink wire has 12volts with key on transmission in Reverse and then 0 volts key on transmission is NOT in Reverse
If so then thats the wire

 

[cube901]

RCA cable is Video from the camera, but no video unless the camera has power........................
Red and black wires are for the camera power, not optional

Yes, test if that Black/pink wire has 12volts with key on transmission in Reverse and then 0 volts key on transmission is NOT in Reverse
If so then thats the wire

I think I've figured it out. Installing the car stereo is easy for me to do.

I just have to connect the yellow RCA cable into the car stereo and extend the cord to the back of the truck to the license plate where the camera is.

Have some wire splicers to connect the wires into place.

Connect the red and black wires to the reverse lights.

Connect the Purple/White wire to some extra 18 gauge wire so it can have 12 volts to the stereo and camera.

Connect the 18 gauge wire to the Black/Pink wire. Then I can test it out and see if it works. It has to have 12 volts to work.

 

[RonD]

I officially give up

You win

 

[cube901]

I officially give up

You win

But thank you so much!! You were a life saver to me!