Mobility Scooter Back Up Camera

IN WORK

My father has limited mobility, so we bought him a mobility scooter. It's a really nice one, with lots of features... but what I thought would be an off the shelf addition, is nowhere to be found. I'm talking about a small backup camera and monitor setup. Most people I see in mobility scooters have limited neck and back rotation. Mirrors are available but can't see directly behind the scooter as they don't hang out past the driver.

The retirement facility my father lives in has two elevators. A small one, and an even smaller one. He has a choice. Drive in forward, without being able to push the elevator button, nor see what floor he's at, and having to back blindly at his floor... or back in, with the fear of running into someone. Consequently, I've been going over to his place almost daily to help escort him. But I want him to have full autonomy. It's important for his mental health as well. Independence is something elderly people struggle with, and for good reason.

This isn't a technically difficult addition, but likely involves some hardware most average people have never seen. I'll highlight some of the unusual pieces of hardware, how they work, and provide sources for everything used. This is NOT an expensive project! The two main parts are a backup camera system, and a DC-DC converter. The camera system includes the necessary wiring, a reversed image camera, and a small monitor. At the time of this posting, it was all of $33! Many of these scooters use two 12V sealed lead acid batteries in series, making 24VDC. Most accessories are 12V. The DC-DC converter efficiently converts the 24VDC to 12VDC. You could have the camera system operate from a switch, but I chose to add a relay, which automatically turns on the camera/monitor anytime the scooter is on. It doesn't draw much power, and not having a switch means one less thing for my father to worry about.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Clicking on the links costs you nothing extra, but it does help pay for the content I provide.

MAIN PAGE