I have 2 55w lights I want to hook up as reverse lights - so that when I put the tranny in reverse, they turn on. Where can I splice into a wire for this - where is the 12V reverse light wire located? I imagine its somewhere near the tranny?

Once I locate the wire, I will splice a relay and switch for the after market lights just so I can turn them off if need be.

Thanks,

Scerb

Driver's side of the tranny, near the fill plug.

Why bother hooking them up to the reverse circuit?
Just install a switch and relay, and flip them
on only when you need it. Otherwise, I would
hate to be behind you on the trail at nite.

Thanks 4crawler! I knew you would know right were it is <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

And I just think it would be more convenient to have it hooked up to the reverse circuit. That way its one less thing to worry about while on the trail. My buddies can wear sunglasses when behind me <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

Thanks,

Scerb

or you could worry even less and attach the wire to the reverse lights that are already in the back of your truck. take off one of the light covers and test which wire turns to 12vlt when you put the tranny in reverse and then you wont need to run 4ft of wire from your tranny to lights that are on the ass of your truck. you don't need to run the lights off the circuit that's already there you'll probably continually blow fuses if your try adding those lights on like that. I'd add a relay and grab a constant 12vt from a better line, so that way when your reverse lights on your truck turn on 12 vlts runs to the new relay you added, from there the relay switches on and grabs 12vlts from the new "better" constant that you ran which will then power the lights. that way no ugly switches on your dash and no worry, just pop her in reverse and you're set. just an idea though.

I like that idea a lot. I do want a switch in my dash to turn them off when in town etc though. They are up on my roll bar, so the tranny wire is probably closer anyways.

Could I run 2 relays? One that switches on a dedicated 12v line when the tranny is in reverse - this would be spliced into the reverse circuit. And a separate relay spliced into the dedicated line that has a in-dahs switch? The lights came with a switch, but no relay, so maybe I don't even need one since they are only 55W.

Or if there is a simpilar way I'm all ears...

Thanks,

Scerb

Although this sounds like a good idea, the problem is that the wire that feeds the reverse lights is just too small to carry the current load. You will blow the stock fuse or fry the wire if you replace it with a higher amp one.



The two tractor lamps you see are wired into the reverse lights and are very dim because of the small gauge wire. I also though that having them wired into the reverse lights would be cool but because of the way the roof rack was designed, I find that putting those lights on a seperate switch is much more practical as they swivel down to shine on the tailgate and turn it into a handy emergency workbench when it turns dark. If you do wire them into the reverse lights, run appropriate gauge wire to feed them.

Toughguy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/coolg.gif" alt="" />

You can wire one relay to be turned on my the reverse light wire. That is feed the backup light power to the relay coil, then add your disarm switch in series with the relay coil. Then feed power to the new backup lights through the relay contacts.

Another trick would be to have one relay controlled by the reverse switch and the other controlled by the transfer case switch so that the extra lights only came on when you were in four wheel drive.

Of course, then you'd need the third relay for when you didn't want to blind people on the trail...

I don't want it to be only 4wd.. I use 2wd on the trails a lot to get covered in mud <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />.

I'm not sure if this is what 4crawler was describing or not, but this is what popped into my head when I read his last post:

I'll just put a switch between the reverse light circuit and the relay! Duh. Only need one relay this way.

Thanks a bunch,

Scerb