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Back up lights

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Old 02-07-2012
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Back up lights

I'd like to add something to get a little more light back there.

any good suggestions for lights?

also anyone have a wiring diagram if i want it to turn on when i'm in reverse, and also have a switch for it as well.
 
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Old 02-07-2012
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Old 02-07-2012
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Comes with a relay so they come on when you go into reverse. Wiring diagram included, and it shows how to add the optional switch. I have them they work pretty good.
 
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Old 02-07-2012
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Use a relay, but have two wires going to the trigger, one tapped into the reverse light and one coming from a switch wherever, but I think you should need a diode, otherwise the switch would turn on reverse lights and your backup lights together. Unless that's what you wanted.
 
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Old 02-07-2012
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Originally Posted by SteelDirigible
Use a relay, but have two wires going to the trigger, one tapped into the reverse light and one coming from a switch wherever, but I think you should need a diode, otherwise the switch would turn on reverse lights and your backup lights together. Unless that's what you wanted.
having the switch would just be useful for hooking up trailers, or for camping, and the switch would probably be in the box not in the cab.

it wouldn't really matter if the reverse lights came on as well, just looking for a nice upgrade.

would good led bulbs make a big difference as well?
 
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Old 02-07-2012
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Originally Posted by SteelDirigible
Use a relay, but have two wires going to the trigger, one tapped into the reverse light and one coming from a switch wherever, but I think you should need a diode, otherwise the switch would turn on reverse lights and your backup lights together. Unless that's what you wanted.
I have mine hooked up without a diode and you can turn on the extra reverse lights with out the backup lights. I taped into a hot only in reverse wire under the seat and ran it to the switch and also ran a wire from the relay to the switch.
 
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Old 02-07-2012
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Those KC's that green99 recommended would probably be a good choice. If you want to wire them to work with your backup lights and or switch here's a a diagram like SteelDirigible was talking about using an isolation diode. Click Link
 
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Old 02-08-2012
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I have some driving/fog lights under my roll pan that are wired into one of my oem fog switches & I can turn them on whenever I want.

Comes in handy for a-hole tailgaters at night... just hit those lights for a second & they'll back off in a big hurry.

Not exactly what you're thinking about, but like mentioned before, you should be able to run those lights (powered by a relay from the battery) to the oem reverse lights & add a simple toggle switch so they'd all come on at the same time.

I've been doing some more led mods & I should have some crazy bright white led's for reverse lights in a week or so.
 
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Old 02-08-2012
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I have the KC ones-they've been really good for me.
MikeR
 
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Old 02-08-2012
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Does anyone have pics of them lit up at night?
 
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Old 02-09-2012
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i would think for the OP purposes it would be easiest to just wire them to their own circuit independent of the reverse lights, sounds like he wants flexibility.

the nice things about LEDs, and im sure this has been debated ad nauseum, you could wire them without a relay, since they are 1 (one) amp draw, 2 amps for both.

I might do two rear facing LED flood lights

if i was SMART, i would have run 4 conductor wire to the tailgate when i ran the single wire for the under rail bed flood lights...
I was thinking to use a speedometer cable, to run the additional wires in the same loom i used for the bed floods...
 
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