Factory backup camera useless in rain

I used some RainX on mine and it has improved things considerably.

 

Yes!

 

look at it this way, if the back window is dirty, chances are your camera is dirty. I usually have fast food napkins in the glove box (one balled up in the door pull is more like it) which I use to wipe the dirty side view mirror, and when I get out I usually grab it and wipe the camera lens before I chuck it in the trash.

I don't think there's a design method that can avoid dirt and water collection on the back of a 5-door car, so I won't jump on the design flaw wagon.

 

Are you aware of any backup cameras that work any better when they get water on the lens? The places to put it seem to be very limited.

 

Even a hood won't help once the car starts moving. The Kammback design pulls up a lot of water and dirt onto the back of the Prius. About the only thing that would help is a self cleaning design, but then the cost starts to go up.

Tom

 

I would hardly call it "useless" in the rain.

First of all, the lens is rarely blurred by a big drop of water directly on the lens. And in any event, I think that for me the view with the backup camera is ALWAYS better than the view out the back window in the rain (even when the lens is covered with a big drop of water).

 

I think it rains as much in South Florida as in most places and I don't mean drizzle either.

I have had only one or two occasions when a drop of water distorted the view. I can't imagine building a hood to deal with that because it invariably runs off soon. The bigger problem is road dust or water and dust combined. While it is raining it is usually easy to see since the water kind of clears the lens of dust and dirty water. I just hadn't focused on this as a real problem.

 

Absolutely. Simple aerodynamics.

 

1. How about a micro, mini wiper blade for the lens??? or

2. How about rigging up a small air jet nozzle aimed at the camera lens? (This sounds more doable than the 1st option). You could have a small underhood compressor activated by a dash mounted switch to supply the required air to dry the lens.

Just thinking out loud.

Dbcassidy

 

Yes. The kammback creates a vortex of rolling air in the space right behind the car. Water and dirt kicked up by the tires is pulled into the vortex and some of it gets deposited on the back of the car. Haven't you noticed how dirty the back of a Prius gets?

Tom

 

America's Cup racing yachts have trouble with water on camera lenses. One of the techniques use to combat this is a cylindrical clear cover which can be rotated. The camera lens shoots out of the front, while a squeegee cleans the back. When water spots appear, the cylinder is rotated by a motor, and a freshly squeegeed section moves to the front.

Tom

 

I habitually wipe my lens each time I come back to the car. I just run a finger over it. My habit is a function of our nasty weather.

Tom

 

Such a simple fix for such a simple problem. If only RainX would fix life's bigger issues! Seriously, get a bottle of RainX and you should be good to go!