Installation Of A Pormido 998 Mirror/Camera System

[Gary Lewis]

Some of you know from the other thread that I've been searching for "the right" mirror/camera system for Big Blue. As it turns out no one makes exactly what I've been looking for, which is a high resolution display and two waterproof cameras, one for the front bumper and one for the rear.

But in all my searching I found one company which has been extremely helpful - Pormido. And after over 60 email messages to and from their tech support I recently ordered the following equipment:

• Pormido 12” Mirror Dash Cam with Detached Front Camera

• Pormido Hardwire Kit for PR996,PR998: Allows the system to be powered all the time but shuts off power if it goes below a certain voltage. That way it can record if the truck is hit while parked.

• Pormido GPS Antenna for PORMIDO Mirror Dash Cam PR996 PR998: Records GPS coordinates on the memory card.

• Pormido 2 Meters Extension Cable for PR998: I can cut into this and extend it w/o cutting the mirror or camera's harness.

All of that equipment came in yesterday and today I started testing it prior to installation. So the posts following this one will be to document how I install it.

[Gary Lewis]

Today I fired up the mirror and the cameras, and I'm really pleased. The images are crisp and the lighting excellent.

However, it doesn't look like I'll be able to use a 2nd rear camera in the front, just as Pormido's tech support said. The front camera has 4 wires to it, one of which is power and it pulls ~250 ma through that wire. The rear camera has 5 wires to it, and two of those appear to be power. The red one has 275 ma in it, but the black one has 140 ma in it. All up the front camera is pulling 415 ma, and I'm sure that's why they say it won't work.

So, I'm back to using the front camera and mounting it in a box with a clear lid, and I'll show you options on where I might mount it in a bit.

But first let's talk about mounting the mirror itself. Here it is mounted to the existing mirror using the provided rubber straps. Not bad, huh?

But, if you look at it from the side it is far less than elegant.

Just so happens that I have an old Bullnose mirror that was badly cracked. So I broke the glass out and removed the mount. And as the picture shows, I plan to drill and tap that piece of pot metal on the left that the mirror mounted to.

And here's a shot of the back of the Pormido mirror. You can see the rubber "ears" that stick up, and I've drawn in an aluminum plate that will be 5 1/2" long and 2 1/2" wide. That will be a push fit between the ears and then it'll be retained by the straps. And in the middle of it there will be a counter-sunk 1/4-20 screw coming through and into that mount shown above.

Ok, so how to mount the mirror is pretty well figured out, but what about mounting the camera? The piece of wood in the two pics below is the same size as one of the boxes I'm considering. On the left is Plan A, which kinda hides the camera a bit. But Plan B, on the right, may provide a better view as the "thimble" for the winch would obscure things directly in front and below more in Plan A than in B.

Thoughts?

[Bruce moose4x4]

Today I fired up the mirror and the cameras, and I'm really pleased. The images are crisp and the lighting excellent.

However, it doesn't look like I'll be able to use a 2nd rear camera in the front, just as Pormido's tech support said. The front camera has 4 wires to it, one of which is power and it pulls ~250 ma through that wire. The rear camera has 5 wires to it, and two of those appear to be power. The red one has 275 ma in it, but the black one has 140 ma in it. All up the front camera is pulling 415 ma, and I'm sure that's why they say it won't work.

So, I'm back to using the front camera and mounting it in a box with a clear lid, and I'll show you options on where I might mount it in a bit.

But first let's talk about mounting the mirror itself. Here it is mounted to the existing mirror using the provided rubber straps. Not bad, huh?

But, if you look at it from the side it is far less than elegant.

Just so happens that I have an old Bullnose mirror that was badly cracked. So I broke the glass out and removed the mount. And as the picture shows, I plan to drill and tap that piece of pot metal on the left that the mirror mounted to.

And here's a shot of the back of the Pormido mirror. You can see the rubber "ears" that stick up, and I've drawn in an aluminum plate that will be 5 1/2" long and 2 1/2" wide. That will be a push fit between the ears and then it'll be retained by the straps. And in the middle of it there will be a counter-sunk 1/4-20 screw coming through and into that mount shown above.

Ok, so how to mount the mirror is pretty well figured out, but what about mounting the camera? The piece of wood in the two pics below is the same size as one of the boxes I'm considering. On the left is Plan A, which kinda hides the camera a bit. But Plan B, on the right, may provide a better view as the "thimble" for the winch would obscure things directly in front and below more in Plan A than in B.

Thoughts?

With your expertise and tools. Could you machine out a hollow oval out of aluminum to replace the Ford emblem on the grill and cover it with plexiglass? With the camera inside the oval.

[grumpin]

Today I fired up the mirror and the cameras, and I'm really pleased. The images are crisp and the lighting excellent.

However, it doesn't look like I'll be able to use a 2nd rear camera in the front, just as Pormido's tech support said. The front camera has 4 wires to it, one of which is power and it pulls ~250 ma through that wire. The rear camera has 5 wires to it, and two of those appear to be power. The red one has 275 ma in it, but the black one has 140 ma in it. All up the front camera is pulling 415 ma, and I'm sure that's why they say it won't work.

So, I'm back to using the front camera and mounting it in a box with a clear lid, and I'll show you options on where I might mount it in a bit.

But first let's talk about mounting the mirror itself. Here it is mounted to the existing mirror using the provided rubber straps. Not bad, huh?

But, if you look at it from the side it is far less than elegant.

Just so happens that I have an old Bullnose mirror that was badly cracked. So I broke the glass out and removed the mount. And as the picture shows, I plan to drill and tap that piece of pot metal on the left that the mirror mounted to.

And here's a shot of the back of the Pormido mirror. You can see the rubber "ears" that stick up, and I've drawn in an aluminum plate that will be 5 1/2" long and 2 1/2" wide. That will be a push fit between the ears and then it'll be retained by the straps. And in the middle of it there will be a counter-sunk 1/4-20 screw coming through and into that mount shown above.

Ok, so how to mount the mirror is pretty well figured out, but what about mounting the camera? The piece of wood in the two pics below is the same size as one of the boxes I'm considering. On the left is Plan A, which kinda hides the camera a bit. But Plan B, on the right, may provide a better view as the "thimble" for the winch would obscure things directly in front and below more in Plan A than in B.

Thoughts?

That’d be slick Bruce!

I’d say trial and error, whichever place you like better looking in the mirror.

[Gary Lewis]

With your expertise and tools. Could you machine out a hollow oval out of aluminum to replace the Ford emblem on the grill and cover it with plexiglass? With the camera inside the oval.

Bruce - That's an interesting thought! And it sure would be cool! But I don't know how I'd be able to do that on my manual mill. However, I have a nephew that has a CNC mill, so I've asked him if he could do it.

Or, what about using a 3D printer for the oval? It wouldn't be shiny like the aluminum would be, but maybe ok?

And use a piece of Lexan to cover it? That's pretty tough stuff.

Another thought is to put it on something that fits into the receiver below the bumper. The only problem with that is when I put a draw bar in there I'd have to move it. But if it had a strong magnet on the back of it I could just stick it on the bumper for that short period.

Also, Jeff did some Photoshopping and suggested this:

[BigBrother-84]

Bruce - That's an interesting thought! And it sure would be cool! But I don't know how I'd be able to do that on my manual mill. However, I have a nephew that has a CNC mill, so I've asked him if he could do it.

Or, what about using a 3D printer for the oval? It wouldn't be shiny like the aluminum would be, but maybe ok?

And use a piece of Lexan to cover it? That's pretty tough stuff.

Another thought is to put it on something that fits into the receiver below the bumper. The only problem with that is when I put a draw bar in there I'd have to move it. But if it had a strong magnet on the back of it I could just stick it on the bumper for that short period.

Also, Jeff did some Photoshopping and suggested this:

Don't know for you guys, but for me, the Ford blue oval is like the star at the Christmas tree top... If missing, sounds as Rudolph without its nose. (Sorry, think I am seriously in the Hollydays mood).

[grumpin]

Don't know for you guys, but for me, the Ford blue oval is like the star at the Christmas tree top... If missing, sounds as Rudolph without its nose. (Sorry, think I am seriously in the Hollydays mood).

I agree on the blue oval.

So go Batman style! Blue logo moves out of the way to use the camera, done with the camera, blue oval moves back into place.

Na na na na na na Batman! Biff! Pow! Sock!

 

[BigBrother-84]

I agree on the blue oval.

So go Batman style! Blue logo moves out of the way to use the camera, done with the camera, blue oval moves back into place.

Na na na na na na Batman! Biff! Pow! Sock!

Easy project for Gary!

[Gary Lewis]

Easy project for Gary!

Youse guys are funny! I'm seeing a DB7 with an emblem flipping up and a machine gun appearing.

Here's my thinking at the moment, but since my kids and grandkids arrive soon and will be here off and on until Jan 5th, not a lot of actual work will be done until after that time. IOW, I have time to think and re-think this, many times over.

I'm going to order in a plastic box with a clear lid that is just big enough to take the camera and a waterproof grommet. Then I'll mount the camera in it and explore where it looks and works best on the truck.

That will get me "on the road" for our planned trip in mid-January. But I believe that is going to look dorky, and if it does then I'll explore other options. One that my nephew suggested is to mill out a piece of aluminum similar to the plastic box and place it just above the fairlead, which is also aluminum.

However, I don't want that to get in the way of getting the EFI system on the truck, so I may well live with the dorky plastic box. Perhaps if I painted it with an aluminum-colored paint it would look less bad?

 

[BigBrother-84]

Youse guys are funny! I'm seeing a DB7 with an emblem flipping up and a machine gun appearing.

Here's my thinking at the moment, but since my kids and grandkids arrive soon and will be here off and on until Jan 5th, not a lot of actual work will be done until after that time. IOW, I have time to think and re-think this, many times over.

I'm going to order in a plastic box with a clear lid that is just big enough to take the camera and a waterproof grommet. Then I'll mount the camera in it and explore where it looks and works best on the truck.

That will get me "on the road" for our planned trip in mid-January. But I believe that is going to look dorky, and if it does then I'll explore other options. One that my nephew suggested is to mill out a piece of aluminum similar to the plastic box and place it just above the fairlead, which is also aluminum.

However, I don't want that to get in the way of getting the EFI system on the truck, so I may well live with the dorky plastic box. Perhaps if I painted it with an aluminum-colored paint it would look less bad?

Good plan. I am simply wondering about the fragility of the plastic box, if exposed in front or on top of the bumper (small rocks, mud, or when manipulating the winch or the hitch).