Reversing sensors.. any good?

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bigherb
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by bigherb »

discipleofsketch wrote:So, has anyone fitted cheap fleabay ones in a metal bumper and found that they do work? I bought a cheap set that don't say anything about NOT working in metal bumpers,!
Ultrasonic sensors are not effected by a metal bumper but will see a towball.
Electromagnetic sensors can't be used with a metal bumper
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by discipleofsketch »

bigherb wrote: Ultrasonic sensors are not effected by a metal bumper but will see a towball.
Electromagnetic sensors can't be used with a metal bumper

There is nothing on the box or instructions for mine that state what type they are, it's mostly incomprehensible translations. I'm going to presume they are electromagnetic and I may have wasted £20 :(

Or I mount them in a plastic box above/ below the bumper...
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

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Maplin 4 sensor kit on offer for 19.99 at the mo. Just bought one to fit. All tintops in our house have reversing sensors and after getting used to them, reversing van feels weird! Bri

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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by bigherb »

discipleofsketch wrote:
bigherb wrote: Ultrasonic sensors are not effected by a metal bumper but will see a towball.
Electromagnetic sensors can't be used with a metal bumper

There is nothing on the box or instructions for mine that state what type they are, it's mostly incomprehensible translations. I'm going to presume they are electromagnetic and I may have wasted £20 :(

Or I mount them in a plastic box above/ below the bumper...
Ultrasonic are the round sensors. Electromagnetic are a metal foil strip fitted behind the bumper.
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by discipleofsketch »

bigherb wrote: Ultrasonic are the round sensors. Electromagnetic are a metal foil strip fitted behind the bumper.

Cheers for the clarification, there is hope then :)
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

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If anyone needs ultrasonic sensors (mess one up/whatever) I have a big bag of them!
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by Verne »

LeeME3 wrote:Got a reversing camera on mine and a screen on the dash...works very well as it has a calibrated grid on the display and I can turn it on to check trailer etc if I'm towing! Doubles up as an additional rear view mirror which covers a couple blind spots as well!

Was thinking of going for the camera option, which one did you go for?
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by LeeME3 »

Verne wrote: Was thinking of going for the camera option, which one did you go for?

This: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Rear-View ... 232aa363b8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seems decent enough - it flips the image (so it's like looking in a mirror which makes life easier) and overlays a grid onto the screen so by fiddling with the angle you mount it at you can set the distance at which you go 'into the red'). Also good wide view so will 'see' my trailer when hooked up. Has proved useful on motorways as an (extra) check before changing lanes. Just mounted on top of the rear bumper at the moment but will be incorporated into the rear bumper come this winter's respray / bodywork tidy. Screen was an old in car DVD one I had laying around.
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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

Post by baj25 »

Anybody got a better way of mounting these than drilling the bumper? Ultrasonic sensors that is. I thought of fitting them on underside of bumper but feared that might be a bit low (pick up ground and be too low to pick up a vehicle). TIA, Bri

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Re: Reversing sensors.. any good?

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Oldiebut goodie wrote:Image
I used a Velleman build it yourself kit - 10 minutes to solder up.
I have it set so that I am 18 inches from the object behind. I put the sensors in the bottom of that block of wood with fine brass gauze over the ends to keep the water out. The gubbings were put in a waterproof box and fixed behind the nearside light once set up.( It has to be waterproof due to the water that comes down there)
Make sure that you have a loud buzzer then you can just mount it in the rear and still hear it. The only thing to watch out for with a low down mounting is that there isn't open space under a vehicle behind at that height - usually that would be an object so big that you can see it in the rear window anyway.
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