Back Up Camera help.
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
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2001 CLK 430
Back Up Camera help.
I am installing a back camera and im having troubling figuring out which wires to tap into to power the camera. The picture with the 3 wires are from the left light assembly on the trunk. The picture with the 2 wires are on the right light assembly on the trunk. The camera comes with a power wire red and black. Which wires do I use to power the camera. 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,232
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From: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
SL 350 R230 (3.7L with AMG Speedshift autobox)
I am installing a back camera and im having troubling figuring out which wires to tap into to power the camera. The picture with the 3 wires are from the left light assembly on the trunk. The picture with the 2 wires are on the right light assembly on the trunk. The camera comes with a power wire red and black. Which wires do I use to power the camera.
Its pretty easy if you have a volt meter as for example using the 2 wire assembly if you use the meters probes one way will be show a negative display eg.-12V and visa versa which will then tell you which wire (If any) is +12V, meaning you connect your red wire to positive and black to negative from your camera.
Its pretty basic stuff really as you are needing just to find what circuit becomes live when the reverse light is engage, therefore turning on your camera.!
If you don't have a volt meter you can use a spare bulb with the 2 wires from it to test if it comes on when reverse is engaged. Failing that you shouldn't do the camera any harm if you just chose a wire to connect to and see if it works ! Good luck
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
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From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
I hooked mine up a few months ago. The brown is always ground/negative. The yellow wire is the positive when you put the car in reverse. So you connect the positive of the camera to that. Usually backup cameras are triggered by positive signal so your cameras positive wire is also the trigger wire. As for the monitor upfront is also triggered by positive signal so you connect the monitor trigger wire to the same yellow wire. The yellow wire is yellow on one side and yellow with a white stripe for the other side. Either one works fine because they both get triggered at the same time. You am find those wires in the side pockets under the passenger side door seals which will make it easier to tap into for your monitor up front.
