Anyone who owns a backup camera has likely experienced the same scenario: It’s 20 million below outside, you climb into your warm car ready to back up, and your backup camera reveals...a blurry, foggy mess. Getting caught unawares by a fogged or dirty backup camera is unfortunate, and with a little maintenance, can be easily avoided. We’ll take you through the steps of properly cleaning a camera lens, and then what you can do to troubleshoot a little further, as well as how to protect your backup camera for the future.
How to clean a lens
Most camera lenses are carefully formed glass that is often treated with different chemicals to preserve the integrity of the image and protect the lens itself. So you might be asking, how to clean a backup camera lens? Well, backup cameras are no different, and just like other camera lenses, they come in varying degrees of quality. Regardless of the quality level of your lens, it’s usually best to utilize lens cleaning best practices.
There are an enormous mass of specially formulated lens cleaners on the market, and most of them will work well with your backup camera. Do you need special rear view camera cleaner? Nope! If you’re looking for a cheap, effective solution, isopropyl alcohol will work great. Avoid cleaners with acetone as a primary ingredient, as it can erode many of the protective coatings on your camera lens.
First, use a soft bristled brush or a microfiber cloth to wipe away any dust, grime, or other debris. Then, spray with your cleaner of choice, and wipe away with your microfiber cloth using gentle circular motions. Voila! You’re done. Now, if your camera is still blurry or you’re seeing noise or other types of technical problems, continue reading this guide and we’ll help you out.
Check your connections
Usually, if your camera display is just appearing foggy, you probably don’t need to check the connections between your display and the camera or your fuse box. Foggy backup camera repair can often end up becoming a display issue.
But, if your display is showing any visual noise or distortion, it’s a good idea to check the connection between your camera and your display. Double check to ensure that the cables are power both are seated and are not split or disconnected. If there’s any fraying wires, electrical tape and a splicing tool are your best friend. Additionally, checking the fuse box in your vehicle for a blown fuse is a solid idea as well.
If you have a wireless camera, checking the manual to see what the factory reset procedure is can be a simple fix.
Protecting for the future
If the previous two steps didn’t work, it might be a good idea to check and see if condensation or debris has come in behind the camera lens itself. If that’s the case, you probably need to disconnect the camera and submerge it in a desiccant, like heated uncooked rice. The desiccant will pull any moisture out of the electronic components and allow you to attempt to reseal the lense and camera from any stray moisture. Depending on the type of camera, you can use a whole bunch of different types of sealant to attempt to close it off from the outside world.
Unfortunately, unless you’re a master, this can often result in artifacts or other blemishes on the camera display. But that may be a small price to pay in exchange for a functioning camera system.
Time for an upgrade?
If your backup camera is damaged beyond repair, it’s likely time for a new one! Luckily, Camera Source has you covered. We sell a wide variety of cameras from wireless ones to wired, as well as cameras that are designed for a number of different makes and models of cars and trucks. If you have questions about backup camera repair or you’d like to explore adding or replacing the camera on your existing vehicle, browse our products.
Questions? Get in touch with us. A wide variety of cameras from wireless ones to wired, as well as cameras that are designed for a number of different makes and models of cars and trucks.
If you have questions about backup camera repair or you’d like to explore adding or replacing the camera on your existing vehicle, browse our products. Questions? Get in touch with us.
