Back-Up Light Question

[mudraider]

Several ways to do this...
The easiest is probably to use LED flood lights for your aux backup lights. Power them off the standard backup light wiring, right at the back of the truck, but put a large diode between the lamps and factory wiring. Then run a separate power wire from your switch in the cab to the lights. If you stay with relatively low wattage lights, like the $20 or less ~20w lights on Amazon or Ebay, there's really no need for a relay in any of it. (40 watts of lights is less than 4 amps, so not a huge draw... Put a 5 or 10A fuse right were you tap power for the switch just to be safe.

This way, you can turn on the lights any time with the switch, or they'll just come on automatically when you shift to reverse. The diode prevents the truck backup lamps from coming on when you switch the aux lamps on manually.

Make sense?

Oh, I've been outdone with a cool diagram... I'll have to sketch one up now...

That is exactly what I did, and they work great. The tiny reverse lamps in a Raider are a joke, these were a great addition.

sent from my pretty good Android phone

 

[patoz]

rigid sells a wiring harness just for that.i have it on my f150 .

I assume this the one you're talking about? http://offroad.rigidindustries.com/installation-accessories/40192

It's a little pricey at $54.99, but considering what all you get, the ability to run bigger lights, and not having to figure it all out, I guess it may be worth the money.

 

[mtaylor]

I didn't read the thread in detail, but what you described is exactly how I have my switches wired, I have my front lights wired so they either come on with my high beams or independently, and I have my rear lights wired so they come on with the reverse lights or independently. I used DPDT switches, the only complicated wiring is right behind the switch. The rest of the wiring is normal.

 

[warwickscout]

I assume this the one you're talking about? http://offroad.rigidindustries.com/installation-accessories/40192

It's a little pricey at $54.99, but considering what all you get, the ability to run bigger lights, and not having to figure it all out, I guess it may be worth the money.

yes that's it yes pricey but well built and everything you need

 

[Kevin108]

With or without a switch, improved reverse lighting is one of the best mods you can put on a vehicle.

RioRand flush-mounts triggered via relay by the stock reverse lights

Stock vs LED

 

[patoz]

With or without a switch, improved reverse lighting is one of the best mods you can put on a vehicle.

RioRand flush-mounts triggered via relay by the stock reverse lights

How long have you had them installed and have you had any problems with them at all, such as condensation inside or elements burning out?

Also, since they look identical to the Rigid Industries version, do you know by any chance, if they will mount in the Rigid D-Series Angled Flush Mount (Up / Down) adapters. I found dimensions for the Rigid version here, but none for the RioRand version except for depth.

Thanks...

 

[craig333]

I have floods on the camper but these are actually better for backing up and don't blind anyone. Simple relay switched off the stock lights. No need to be able to turn them off separately.

 

[Kevin108]

How long have you had them installed and have you had any problems with them at all, such as condensation inside or elements burning out?

Also, since they look identical to the Rigid Industries version, do you know by any chance, if they will mount in the Rigid D-Series Angled Flush Mount (Up / Down) adapters. I found dimensions for the Rigid version here, but none for the RioRand version except for depth.

Thanks...

I put them in August 2015. No issues so far. I'll pull some measurements off these for you.

 

[patoz]

I put them in August 2015. No issues so far. I'll pull some measurements off these for you.

Glad to hear there have been no issues with them. After I made that post, I found these lights made by NILIGHT, which appear to be identical to the ones made by RioRand. The Nilight version does have dimensions listed and they are identical to the Rigid version. So my guess is, they all came out of the same Chinese factory and they will all will fit the Rigid angled adaptors.

Other than the price the big difference seems to be, the Rigid version is 34.5 Watts and 3096 Lm, whereas the RioRand and Nilight are 18 Watts and 1650 Lm. And from what I read, the Rigid quality is practically bomb proof.

I appreciate the offer, but don't worry about taking measurements, I believe this tells me what I need to know.

Of course there is a lot to be said for the Rigid Industries Lights also, if you can afford them!

 

[Kevin108]

Just confirming that the Rios are the same size as the other two. I looked at the link you included above and laughed at 10/16".

 

[patoz]

Just confirming that the Rios are the same size as the other two. I looked at the link you included above and laughed at 10/16".

I know, I did a double take on that also!

 

[SaltH2OHokie]

I've had it both ways (previous truck had reverse lights on a DPDT switch, for ON/Ind.-OFF-ON/w Rev. Current truck has wired into factory reverse lights, plus switch w/diode for independent use. Either or seems to work fine and neither was significantly harder to wire than the other. Only used the diode on this truck because I took advantage of one of my factory upfitter switches to power them when on independent of the reverse lights.

Regardless I'd have them with the ability to function independently for situations where you might be hitching up to a trailer in the dark, or putting a boat on a trailer in the dark, or any of the other innumerable situations where you might want to see behind you without having to be in the truck, in reverse with your feet on the clutch and brake.

 

[anickode]

I have my truck set up with aux LED lighting on the rack. The system is set up so the 18" light bar on the back works with the reverse lamps and the rack lights. I simply used two diodes. One between the light bar and reverse lamps, and one between the side aux lights and the rear light bar. This keeps the side lamps from blinding me when backing up in foul weather, and the factory reverse lamps from coming on with my LED aux lamps. All very simple and cheap to do. My rack lights use a remote controlled relay (with a manual switch inside the cap as well) which is very nice.

 

[trail-explorer]

Doing it with relays rather than diodes is a better configuration.

These are the lights I am running for aux reverse lights:

http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/compact-led-flood-light-900-lumens-4-LED-hd26004-3WFL.htm

 

[anickode]

Doing it with relays rather than diodes is a better configuration.

These are the lights I am running for aux reverse lights:

http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/compact-led-flood-light-900-lumens-4-LED-hd26004-3WFL.htm

Depends on what you define as "better". Relays keep each circuit completely isolated. Your aux lights will only ever feed off your aux light circuit, and if you use the same type of relay the rest of your vehicle uses, you can always pull it as an emergency spare for something more important.

BUT

Diodes are, in my opinion, easier to set up, and no more prone to failuremore than relays, especially when running low current LEDs. To set up my lights using relays I would have to use 3 of them, and either run extra wiring, or have relays scattered all over. An inline fuseholder with a diode plugged into it tucks away a lot cleaner than a normal automotive relay would IMO. I've yet to have a diode fail, but I keep a couple spares in with my replacement fuses.