Auxiliary, Reverse Lights Wiring

[Shakour]

Hi all, ive bought a pair of LED lights to hook up to the revese light to get more at night..im having trouble locating the correct wiring.
is it possible to 'pinch' or tap straight into the back of the lights or trailer plug. If so...
What are the colors of the wires?
cheers

 

[Old.Tony]

Here is an invaluable resource for you.

In NSW at least, the laws are going to change in relation to reversing lights, making them compulsory on large trailers (eg caravans). This means that auto electricians - who up until now saw the connection of the reversing wire as optional - will start to connect it.

If yours is not connected you'll need to get to it - if the stock harness doesn't include a reversing wire and you are compelled to tap into the tail light, please do the following:

1) Leave enough wire free to enable the cluster to be pulled out without snagging anything.

2) Cut the reversing wire and use an insulated connector like these to join the wires.

If you're adding lighting that draws more than about 20W, take these additional steps:

3) Run an earth wire from a body-mounted screw under the dash to a switch in the dash. Connect the other pole of this switch to a wire that you run out the firewall and down to the rear of the car to a new relay and connect it to pin 86. Grab a decent gauge wire (6mm or more), connect it to a suitable fuse for the new lighting and connect this fuse to battery positive. Run the wire to the rear of the car and connect it to pin 30 of the relay. Now connect pin 85 to the reversing lights, and pin 87 to your new lights. This takes the current draw off the reversing light circuit as well as allowing you to switch the lights off. This will NOT allow them to come on without being in reverse. Make sure all the joins are wrapped up - rescue tape is fantastic for this task.

 

[Ben54b]

Awesome reply tony. Next job worked out for me.


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[jonney]

i removed the rear tail light cover to gain access to the reverse wire and tapped into this wire for positve power for the led and earthed the other led wire to ground.

 

[Shakour]

Thanks OldTony
The LEDs I got are, 6" 18w ea X 2. In that case I have to go through the relay wiring set up ?
In the existing Reverse housing I currently have CREE LED bulbs, whicheans it wouldn't draw much power as opposed to normal filament bulbs... right..

...so if I wanted to use the actual wiring in the back of the bulb connector rather than going through relay wiring process... wouldt it be possible? or would that blow.a fuse?

cheers

 

[DVR]

i removed the rear tail light cover to gain access to the reverse wire and tapped into this wire for positve power for the led and earthed the other led wire to ground.

Yep, thats what I did to install these

Dunno what color as Im color blind but once you have the tail light in yor hand, just luse the one that goes to the reverse globe
Just make sure the combined current draw doesn't exceed the fuse limit(10amps) Mine draws 8 amps total and is working fine. The lights are an awesome improvement

 

[Old.Tony]

Thanks OldTony
The LEDs I got are, 6" 18w ea X 2. In that case I have to go through the relay wiring set up ?
In the existing Reverse housing I currently have CREE LED bulbs, whicheans it wouldn't draw much power as opposed to normal filament bulbs... right..

...so if I wanted to use the actual wiring in the back of the bulb connector rather than going through relay wiring process... wouldt it be possible? or would that blow.a fuse?

cheers

18W x 2 = 3A, which if you're using LED replacements will just about even the scales. Let's check that first: normal incandescent bulb = 21W, so 42W for two. LED replacement probably 5W x 2 = 10W + 36W in new lights = 46W. I don't think the system will object to the extra 4W.

You will miss out on being able to turn them off if you don't install the relay, but if you're ok with them coming on at all times then that's the way to do it.

If you only want them to come on when your headlights are on, that's also easy. Grab that relay, pin 87 goes to the new lights. Pin 30 to the reverse light positive wire. Pin 85 to the parker circuit and pin 86 to the earth. You could swap it so pin 85 goes to the reverse circuit and pin 30 to the parker circuit, but that means that the lights will draw power from the parker circuit instead (using the reverse light circuit for the relay trigger).

 

[Shakour]

Thanks for your imput SHANE...
Just to make sure we r on the same page... the reverse bulb has 2 wires and so does the NEW LED lights that I bought. I just have to find Positive?? on the TAIL LIGHTs and on the NEW LED, and the other wire GROUND it ?

 

[GunMentalGrey]

I got a couple of similar ones to fit to my STX. Any chance of a pic of how you fitted them please?

 

[Shakour]

Cheers OldTony

I dont mind having the lights wired permanently to reverse.
I've done exactly the same thing on the front end. Ive wired another pair of the same LEDs, but these I have tapped into the parker lights so that they come ON as I turn parker ligjts on. So I was hoping to do same for the reverse.
As far as the front as I have them wired up currently, I would like them wired differently, and have them come on with ignition on ... any ideas how ?
cheers .... again.

 

[Shakour]

Hi GunetalGrey
are you referring to the rear LEDs?
if so... I havent any pics but, I've drilled a hole to suot the size of the bolt that comes with LED bracket on the underside of the rear bumper where it bolts on to the chasis. It took a bit of persuasion as you drilling upside down through about 4mm plate... but you can use a smaller drill bit first, and then increase the size. Bolt on and zip cable the wiring with existing harness and done. All up it took me about 20min.



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Join Date: Aug 2016

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I got a couple of similar ones to fit to my STX. Any chance of a pic of how you fitted them please?
Are you refering to the rear LED?

 

[Shakour]

I got a couple of similar ones to fit to my STX. Any chance of a pic of how you fitted them please?

I drilled a hole on the under side where the rear bumper bolts on to the chassis(both sides) the LEDs a barely visible from the rear..

 

[bods]

Cheers OldTony

I dont mind having the lights wired permanently to reverse.
I've done exactly the same thing on the front end. Ive wired another pair of the same LEDs, but these I have tapped into the parker lights so that they come ON as I turn parker ligjts on. So I was hoping to do same for the reverse.
As far as the front as I have them wired up currently, I would like them wired differently, and have them come on with ignition on ... any ideas how ?
cheers .... again.

For the front ones, I fitted some LEDs to the front of my d22. I tapped into the ignition feed for the wiper motor. I don't know if the d40 has the same setup, but mine had I think 5 wires going to it, or maybe 4, I can't remember now... I just found the one that had 12v with the ignition on and tapped into that. I have been considering hooking up a spdt 5 pin relay to the LEDs so that when I turn the headlights on they go off. Apparently that's how daytime running lights are supposed to be wired. I just haven't got around to doing it yet...

 

[Old.Tony]

There is no ignition-active feed at the rear of the car so if you want to do that, you'll need to run a cable down yourself. However, your reverse lights only come on when you're in reverse gear and have the ignition on.

 

[GunMentalGrey]

I drilled a hole on the under side where the rear bumper bolts on to the chassis(both sides) the LEDs a barely visible from the rear..

Thanks. I haven't really had a chance to see where to fit them yet. Will have a play around.

I was planning on tapping into the reverse lights feed and then running an earth back into the cab to be able to switch them off if necessary, but if they aren't too bright it might not be necessary.

 

[DVR]

Thanks for your imput SHANE...
Just to make sure we r on the same page... the reverse bulb has 2 wires and so does the NEW LED lights that I bought. I just have to find Positive?? on the TAIL LIGHTs and on the NEW LED, and the other wire GROUND it ?

Correct however I also hooked my spots neg to the reverse globes neg just so I could keep the visible wires all loomed together.

 

[Shakour]

Cheers all...
I ended up tapping directly to the reverse lights so they come ON when put into reverse.
PEEEEERFECT... this weekend just gone as I went camping and got to camp site at 7ish pm and reversed onto the site turned car OFF and put it in PARK... lights came ON... and it all happened... set up camp nicely !!!