12 volt backup camera diode specs

I am installing a backup camera on my car and I need to tap into 12 volt power. A friend of mine told me I need to use a diode inline to prevent power from surging back up the wrong way. I was told to find a 12 volt 60 hz pid rated (24 volts max)diode. Can someone point me in the right direction to find this?

Some of those specs do not go with a diode. Are you trying to power the camera with the vehicles reverse wire and also power it up on will to view the trailer hitch connections while you are driving? If you are not trying to watch it outside of reverse, you do not need a diode. If you are, you can use a few 1 amp diodes that are available at Radio Shack. 1N4001, and any number between there and 1N4007.   Parallel 3 of these. I really do not see a camera drawing more than an amp of current, but better safe than sorry. 1N4001 is a 50 volt device.

That the trouble with you Yanks - you use a 60Hz DC system. In Aus we use 50Hz. (Yes, just kidding ) madskilz - if greater than 1A is needed, there is also the 3A 1N5400 series (1N5400 - 1N5408) which are quite common. But a IAAI above wrote, cameras rarely take near or above 1A. And you'd only need a diode if powering from different sources (eg, reverse switch and manual switch), though many might have the diodes turn on a relay that powers the camera direct from battery +12V (fused of course!) both for "cleaner" power and to avoid the diode voltage drop (typically ~0.6V). FYI - The last number in the 1N400x & 1N540x series denotes their voltage rating, ie, their PIR = Peak Inverse (aka Reverse) Voltage. (Maybe that's what your "pid" meant?) And as long as it's higher than the voltage you're working with, no problems. And since the lowest voltage in the above is 50A, you'll have no problems. In fact the cheapest may be the 400V or 1,000V versions (eg, 1N4004 or 1N4007) - besides, others are usually hard to find (why not have only 2 that do the lot?). And the frequency of a DC system is 0Hz (ignoring noise etc).