I installed some additional back up light and my question is this if i have them wire through a switch and relay and also want them to be triggered by my backup light can i just tie the feed wire from the backup light into the relay or will that cause a feed back when i use the switch to manually operate the lights???

 

[quote author=DF5152 link=board=49;threadid=22189;start=0#msg207580 date=1068352985]
I installed some additional back up light and my question is this if i have them wire through a switch and relay and also want them to be triggered by my backup light can i just tie the feed wire from the backup light into the relay or will that cause a feed back when i use the switch to manually operate the lights???
[/quote]

You can feed it right into the relay. Here is a diagram how to wire it up.

 

I bought a set of driving lights and used them as back up lights. I wired them the way they wanted me to (through a switch), but then I just spliced a wire from the power to the light, into the power wire for the stock back up light and voila. They come on whenever my reverse light's come on. Oh yeah, I also upgraded the in dash fuse for the back up light from 10 to 20 amps.

 

Big Blue if you didn't also upgrade the wiring to the backup lights, the wire harness has now become the "fuse"

The stock wiring probably wasn't designed to handle that kind of a load.
It's better to run a larger gauge "hot" wire to a separate fused circuit and use the stock back-up circuit to fire a relay to power the lights.

 

What if a person only wants them on when in reverse and doesn't want a pesky switch to worry about? How would the wiring be done that way?

Thanks,
Daren

 

[quote author=Daren link=board=49;threadid=22189;start=0#msg208901 date=1068662108]
What if a person only wants them on when in reverse and doesn't want a pesky switch to worry about? How would the wiring be done that way?

Thanks,
Daren
[/quote]

You would just scrap the switch and run the lead from the reverse light circuit (red in diagram) directly to terminal 86 on the relay.

 

Refer to the schematic above. Omit the switch, and tie pin 86 of the relay to the backup light wire. As I've mentioned before in other posts. DO NOT! leave the relay or wire splices exposed to salt spray. Your installation will quickly malfunction. I would house the relay up in a tail light pocket, and solder and insulate the splices there as well. I potted my relay and socket in RTV. Relays and sockets can be purchased at www.partsexpress.com for a few dollars.

 

[quote author=Commatoze link=board=49;threadid=22189;start=0#msg208907 date=1068662752]
Refer to the schematic above. Omit the switch, and tie pin 86 of the relay to the backup light wire. As I've mentioned before in other posts. DO NOT! leave the relay or wire splices exposed to salt spray. Your installation will quickly malfunction. I would house the relay up in a tail light pocket, and solder and insulate the splices there as well. I potted my relay and socket in RTV. Relays and sockets can be purchased at www.partsexpress.com for a few dollars.
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Yep, that's another important thing to do. You can also mount the relay inside the cab if you don't feel like waterproofing it. And heat shrink tubing also works very well on connections exposed to the elements.

 

The lead that is going from the hot with the fuse, does that come directly from a battery or some other source? I have never done something like this and want to do it right.

Daren

 

[quote author=Daren link=board=49;threadid=22189;start=0#msg208921 date=1068663615]
The lead that is going from the hot with the fuse, does that come directly from a battery or some other source? I have never done something like this and want to do it right.

Daren
[/quote]

Yes, this goes directly to the + terminal on your battery. You want to keep the fuse as close to the battery as possible. This way if the wire ever shorts, the fuse will blow and the wiring will not be damaged.

Some people will put the fuse closest to the lights in the back of the truck, but if there is a short in front of the fuse, the wiring is not protected.

 

I forgot to mention: One pin (forget which one) of the factory circular trailer connector is +12V hot all of the time, and is on a 40 amp fuse up in the engine compartment. You can splice into that wire if you don't want to run a new wire up front. That's what I use. I did make sure that the splice was soldered and RTV'd completely.

 

[quote author=Commatoze link=board=49;threadid=22189;start=0#msg208944 date=1068667421]
I forgot to mention: One pin (forget which one) of the factory circular trailer connector is +12V hot all of the time, and is on a 40 amp fuse up in the engine compartment. You can splice into that wire if you don't want to run a new wire up front. That's what I use. I did make sure that the splice was soldered and RTV'd completely.
[/quote]

Excellent Information....You may have just saved some people quite some time and feet of wire ;D Especially if they don't need a switch to control from the cab.

 

For me i wanted to be able to use extra back lighting for working or trailer hookups etc. so didnt want to have the existing switch wired in..i bought a small set of driving lights ..that by the way wouldn't be any good for their intended use..but came with relay, switch etc and have 50w H3 bulbs upgradeable if needed to 100W..i put the switch in the drop down panel under the steering wheel..with the shorter winter days up here they have been very handy so far..oh and they were only 50 bucks..thats about 35 american these days and went together without easily beacuse of the good instructions..similar sets can be found in any auot parts store

 

I picked up two tractor utility lamps, rubber housing and fairly wide diffused beam, my question is, were is the best place to mount them? On the bumper or on the receiver?

 

i wouldnt drill into the receiver. I mounted my lights in the bumper...