The Ford Barn

std1940 · 02-13-2022, 05:07 PM

Has any one installed a 6 volt back up camera on a 40 Ford or any other 6 volt car?
Looking for vendor to buy from and installation ideas.
Thanks Tom.

36coupe · 02-13-2022, 06:12 PM

Might be easier to install an auxiliary 12v battery and charge it ever so often. Probably would last whole season before it needed a recharge.

Cool Hand Lurker · 02-13-2022, 06:26 PM

Here is an ad for a 12V to 6V converter for cameras. I don't know if it can be used in reverse. The ad does indicate that the camera is actually 6V but i don't know if that means all back up cameras are 6V. I will keep searching because I could also use one.
https://www.amazon.com/Metra-AX-CAM6.../dp/B017CBK4K0

tubman · 02-13-2022, 06:38 PM

Yep. Something like that will work. A couple of years ago, my partner and I developed a fully isolated fully regulated 12 volt negative to 6 volt positive ground converter. It worked great, and I used to to power a backup camera and a bunch of other stuff in my '51 Ford. What we found out is that all of this new stuff is mainly plastic (so polarity doesn't matter if you connect it properly), and it is pretty resistance to dirty power and voltage spikes.

Beware though; backup cameras can be addictive. I stll have the one on my '51.

Jack E/NJ · 02-13-2022, 08:20 PM

I'd prolly install a 6v 4-way flasher, a 6v center brake light, a 6v backup light, 2 side view mirrors, bendix brakes and assorted other accoutrements first, 8^)

52flthed · 02-13-2022, 09:50 PM

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I saw a back up camera installed for sale on eBay in a license plate topper, it was a standard 12v camera but the installation I thought was very clever. It used a Atlantic White & Flash license plate topper the one where there’s a red jewel in the center so in place of the jewel they fitted the small camera. The topper is large enough so it hid the wires pretty well.

Eagle43 · 02-13-2022, 10:44 PM

I think a 6V backup camera would be hard to find and expensive. On the other hand, 12V cameras are cheap and readily available from China via Aliexpress and Ebay. To get them to work on a 6V system you will need a step up boost converter to convert your 6V to 12V. These can be had from the same sources for less than $10. I just ordered one for my F1 for $5.58 including shipping but have installed them previously on my other antique vehicles so I'd have 12V outlets to power phones, cameras, etc.

tubman · 02-13-2022, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ

I'd prolly install a 6v 4-way flasher, a 6v center brake light, a 6v backup light, 2 side view mirrors, bendix brakes and assorted other accoutrements first, 8^)

You don't have a car with one, do you?

Gene1949 · 02-14-2022, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

You don't have a car with one, do you?

sure do.. It's called a rear view mirror.
No batteries, wires or upconverts

Frank Miller · 02-14-2022, 08:59 AM

Here is what I use for my GPS. Newer one I got did not work on 6volt. As long as you are under 120 watts you're good. I leave a battery tender on mine but understand there is a slight drain on the battery if these are left powered up. All gounds must go back to the converter. You cannot use the car ground as that is already 6v pos.

https://www.amazon.com/DIGITEN-Conve...16722828&psc=1

fortyonerag · 02-18-2022, 07:00 AM

Try having a hunt for a USB powered camera. It's 5 volts, you might get away with that.

Alternatively, you can get 6V to 12v step up converters. They are fully isolated and can be used to drive 12V components, depending on power rating.

This one is advertised at 10A, but I would take that with a boulder of salt.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/31196262820...kAAOSwC11Zv5bG

tubman · 02-18-2022, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortyonerag

Try having a hunt for a USB powered camera. It's 5 volts, you might get away with that.

Alternatively, you can get 6V to 12v step up converters. They are fully isolated and can be used to drive 12V components, depending on power rating.

This one is advertised at 10A, but I would take that with a boulder of salt.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/31196262820...kAAOSwC11Zv5bG

It's not really a problem. I have quite a bit of time into this, and can tell you that the power requirements for these devices is usually in the milliamps range. We had a monitor built into our experimental power converter, and ran a GPS, a Backup Camera, and a small CD player on it. The total draw was slightly over one amp (and you know where most of that came from). Even polarity isolation on this stuff is not important, as the cases are made entirely of plastic, so you can mount them anywhere.

As to using USB, I don't know. With the step up converters you just correct the wires to the proper polarity on the output of the converter. On USB, the polarity is fixed in the connector, which may be a problem.

Pipemaster · 02-21-2022, 03:44 PM

Talk to Kens 36 He has one in his car.

gtrboy77 · 02-21-2022, 08:07 PM

A regular camera that normally works on 12 volts will still work on 6 volts, it will only run “half fast”.

gtrboy77 · 02-21-2022, 08:09 PM

Sorry for that last post…..I couldn’t resist!

02-13-2022, 05:07 PM	#1
std1940 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: nh Posts: 105	6 Volt Back Up Camera. Has any one installed a 6 volt back up camera on a 40 Ford or any other 6 volt car? Looking for vendor to buy from and installation ideas. Thanks Tom. Last edited by std1940; 02-13-2022 at 05:08 PM. Reason: word change

02-13-2022, 06:12 PM	#2
36coupe Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Eastcoast Posts: 864	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Might be easier to install an auxiliary 12v battery and charge it ever so often. Probably would last whole season before it needed a recharge.

02-13-2022, 06:26 PM	#3
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,565	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Here is an ad for a 12V to 6V converter for cameras. I don't know if it can be used in reverse. The ad does indicate that the camera is actually 6V but i don't know if that means all back up cameras are 6V. I will keep searching because I could also use one. https://www.amazon.com/Metra-AX-CAM6.../dp/B017CBK4K0 Last edited by Cool Hand Lurker; 02-13-2022 at 06:31 PM. Reason: More info

02-13-2022, 06:38 PM	#4
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Yep. Something like that will work. A couple of years ago, my partner and I developed a fully isolated fully regulated 12 volt negative to 6 volt positive ground converter. It worked great, and I used to to power a backup camera and a bunch of other stuff in my '51 Ford. What we found out is that all of this new stuff is mainly plastic (so polarity doesn't matter if you connect it properly), and it is pretty resistance to dirty power and voltage spikes. Beware though; backup cameras can be addictive. I stll have the one on my '51.

02-13-2022, 08:20 PM	#5
Jack E/NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,173	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. I'd prolly install a 6v 4-way flasher, a 6v center brake light, a 6v backup light, 2 side view mirrors, bendix brakes and assorted other accoutrements first, 8^)

02-13-2022, 10:44 PM	#7
Eagle43 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 167	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. I think a 6V backup camera would be hard to find and expensive. On the other hand, 12V cameras are cheap and readily available from China via Aliexpress and Ebay. To get them to work on a 6V system you will need a step up boost converter to convert your 6V to 12V. These can be had from the same sources for less than $10. I just ordered one for my F1 for $5.58 including shipping but have installed them previously on my other antique vehicles so I'd have 12V outlets to power phones, cameras, etc.

02-14-2022, 08:59 AM	#10
Frank Miller Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn, MA Posts: 2,106	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Here is what I use for my GPS. Newer one I got did not work on 6volt. As long as you are under 120 watts you're good. I leave a battery tender on mine but understand there is a slight drain on the battery if these are left powered up. All gounds must go back to the converter. You cannot use the car ground as that is already 6v pos. https://www.amazon.com/DIGITEN-Conve...16722828&psc=1 __________________ “The technique of infamy is to start two lies at once and get people arguing heatedly over which is true.” ~ Ezra Pound

02-18-2022, 07:00 AM	#11
fortyonerag Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 541	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Try having a hunt for a USB powered camera. It's 5 volts, you might get away with that. Alternatively, you can get 6V to 12v step up converters. They are fully isolated and can be used to drive 12V components, depending on power rating. This one is advertised at 10A, but I would take that with a boulder of salt. https://www.ebay.com/itm/31196262820...kAAOSwC11Zv5bG

02-21-2022, 03:44 PM	#13
Pipemaster Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chicago, Il. Posts: 291	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Talk to Kens 36 He has one in his car.

02-21-2022, 08:07 PM	#14
gtrboy77 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 10	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. A regular camera that normally works on 12 volts will still work on 6 volts, it will only run “half fast”.

02-21-2022, 08:09 PM	#15
gtrboy77 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 10	Re: 6 Volt Back Up Camera. Sorry for that last post…..I couldn’t resist!