Hydrophobic Rear Camera Cover by Abstract Ocean - excellent!

[CyberLucky]

I don’t understand how it is not working for some people. We have had some good rainy days and it has absolutely made the rear camera useful when raining or snowing. Could not see a damn thing before without the cover.
Any details on what it was doing?
Have you driven in the rain without it? The camera is a nightmare with no cover.

When I look at the spray pattern of mud and moisture on the rear gate, it sure seems like a design flaw: it seems to aim right for the camera.

I wonder if there's a way to prevent it by adding flaps under the bumper. I'll have to take some video to better understand exactly where it's being kicked up from (probably the aero is pushing it towards the gate - must be a vacuum created by that flat gate).

@AO-Pete you guys working on anything to stop the mud spray closer to its source?

Sponsored

 

[AlmostHuman]

When I look at the spray pattern of mud and moisture on the rear gate, it sure seems like a design flaw: it seems to aim right for the camera.

I wonder if there's a way to prevent it by adding flaps under the bumper. I'll have to take some video to better understand exactly where it's being kicked up from (probably the aero is pushing it towards the gate - must be a vacuum created by that flat gate).

@AO-Pete you guys working on anything to stop the mud spray closer to its source?

Every truck does this, just how the air flows. I doubt there is anything that can be added under the bumper to stop water from getting on the tailgate area around the camera.

 

[mdcoleman]

Same as OP, I am in Western WA as well and can say the AO cover makes a huge difference. Before V1, I was wiping the camera every time I got in the truck to leave wherever I had just gone, to make sure I had a clean slate start on the wet roads. Without the cover, camera was blurry or totally wacked out with a droplet hanging on...before I was even halfway to the destination. Like all others that ordered V1, in comes the wide angle zoom and AO sent the discount code for all V1 purchases, which I promptly used and ordered V2. Not that I use the 0.5x rear cam setting that much, but still a minor, periodic annoyance.

Removal of V1 was difficult. Slightly pulling the top corner of the cover away from the truck, I then used a pencil style vinyl knife to CAREFULLY score the tape to allow for most of the meat to come off the truck with the cover versus leaving it behind to clean. Cleaning the residue left behind was cumbersome, but I'd rather do that once a year than not have the cover.

V2 seems to perform better than V1 in all aspects. Not sure if its one thing or a combined number of things, but my gut tells me that because the low-pro frame of V2 makes the hydro film sit directly on the camera lens (film is slightly convex when installed), the potential for anything to really grab/build up on the film far lesser than the V1. Either way, I recommend the product and will eventually subscribe to the auto-reorder program. Just want to see whether I can live without it during the "dry" months in the pacific north*wet* or if it's going to be a full-time thing for me.

 

[lbelland]

I don’t understand how it is not working for some people. We have had some good rainy days and it has absolutely made the rear camera useful when raining or snowing. Could not see a damn thing before without the cover.
Any details on what it was doing?
Have you driven in the rain without it? The camera is a nightmare with no cover.

Yes, I've driven in the rain without it. I've had my CT for about a year and live in Oregon. Before the AO product was installed, the rear camera became obscured, prompting the AO device purchase. However, the worst days previously were as bad as the entire drive up and back from my Sacramento trip. AO has reached out to me and is sending me a newer version. It may be another V2, it may be a new V3, and it may be that they inadvertently sent me a V1, and I'm getting a V2. I'll update my post one way or the other after the replacement is installed. I'm sure I won't have to wait long for more rain.

 

[AO-Pete]

It’ll be a v2. We are working on a V3, in fact I should have a PPS (preprod sample) when I get back at the weekend, but I suspect it’ll be another couple of Iterations before we can move into production. It’ll be an evolution of V2, but likely the top edges of the opening will be more squared off as opposed to perfectly round, and we’re looking to see if there’s any aero steering we can add, but that’s an odd science, and as others have said, the back of any truck takes the full force of the aero effect as it whips over the top of the tailgate. There’s pros and cons to messing with that, as you do want the aero-wash to keep the cover clean (which is also why it performs better at highway speeds than city streets).

 

[stormyeyes]

It’ll be a v2. We are working on a V3, in fact I should have a PPS (preprod sample) when I get back at the weekend, but I suspect it’ll be another couple of Iterations before we can move into production. It’ll be an evolution of V2, but likely the top edges of the opening will be more squared off as opposed to perfectly round, and we’re looking to see if there’s any aero steering we can add, but that’s an odd science, and as others have said, the back of any truck takes the full force of the aero effect as it whips over the top of the tailgate. There’s pros and cons to messing with that, as you do want the aero-wash to keep the cover clean (which is also why it performs better at highway speeds than city streets).

do you have a rough estimate on v3 release? And besides being more attractive and less “in your face”, will it also further refine the reduction in being seen from the rear camera when zoomed in?
Thank you!

 

[AO-Pete]

do you have a rough estimate on v3 release? And besides being more attractive and less “in your face”, will it also further refine the reduction in being seen from the rear camera when zoomed in?
Thank you!

Best guess is “summer”. Hopefully early rather than late, but I don’t want to rush things. Right now I have 7 samples coming to test, various materials, form factors and apertures. All variations of the same theme, but subtle differences and all need testing properly. The final version should better, if not completely, account for the 0.5 zoom.

 

[Coldones]

Best guess is “summer”. Hopefully early rather than late, but I don’t want to rush things. Right now I have 7 samples coming to test, various materials, form factors and apertures. All variations of the same theme, but subtle differences and all need testing properly. The final version should better, if not completely, account for the 0.5 zoom.

Hi Pete,

Have you considered making a 3D printed cover that could temporarily be placed over the camera cover in order to protect the hydrophobic properties when going through a car wash ? Mine filled with water and ended up ruining it when I went through a touchless car wash. It would also help keep the chemicals and waxes from the car wash from contaminating the lens cover and would hopefully add some additional protection from having the high pressure water seep through.

 

[AO-Pete]

I've not...will look into it, but making an over-cover more waterproof that the actual cover might be tricky. The touchless carwashes (at least around here) all use high-pressure jets to clean. I've tested with my home pressure washer, and it's fine if the jet is head-on, but any pressure jet at just the right angle will lift the adhesive unfortunately. It might be possible to add a deflector on the left and right edges (essentially recessing the adhesive) to at least protect those sides.

 

[DarkEye]

I'm on my 2nd (1st V1, 2nd v2) and both got water intrusion on the inside of the cover. Both water intrusion happened after the CT was washed (1st one through Car Wash and 2nd one when Tesla SC was testing water intrusion into vault before and after fixing the seals on the roof applique and testing with water.

After getting my CT back from Tesla SC I noticed the water intrusion on the v2 cover (I've had the v2 cover on for over 5 months with no inside water intrusion). I started to think how did that happen. The water intrusion for both cases happened when the tailgate was put down right after water was used. All of my times doing car washes I never have let the tailgate down and truck always is completely dry when I let the tailgate down and no water leaks out.

So I did some testing and have found out how the water intrusion is getting on the inside of the cover. The water is getting inside the cover from this gap around the camera. Coming from the back of the camera housing.

You should be able replicate this issue yourself. I have taken off my v2 cover and was able to see water come out from around the camera when I soaked down my tonneau cover then lowered the tailgate.

I'll do some testing using some waterproof Silicone to seal around the back camera.

 

[DarkEye]

I got a number of different size o-rings and it will be difficult to have them stay in so it looks like I'll need to use some waterproof Silicone to seal around the back camera.

I have put some waterproof clear silicone around the back camera housing (cured for 12 hours) and did some water testing with tailgate up and down.
Can find no water coming out and around from the back of camera anymore with tailgate up or down. Even when the CT back is lower than the front of the CT so water drains towards the back.

So now I will install a new v2 Hydrophobic Rear Camera Cover and see how it handles car washes and rain when the tailgate is lowered after for water intrusion inside the Hydrophobic Rear Camera Cover.

Before silicone:

Right after Silicone install:

After clear Silicone 12hr cured installed: Not very pretty but the seal is good.

Sponsored