Reversing light install

[coggie]

With abit of time on my hands I finally got round to installing the LED lights I bought in the summer, to act as additional reversing lamps. I reverse down an unlit access road 4-5 times a week and as it's narrow I wouldn't mind seeing abit more.

After some looking and thinking I decided to power them direct from the fusebox at the side on the dashboard, a switch on the dashboard and mount them in the rear bumper next to the reflectors.

I chose an ignition switched live so there's no chance of leaving them on, added an inline fuse holder and the switch has an led indicator so I know if they're on or off. I also mounted 2 red LED's behind the switch to illuminate it, not sure if this will work out though as the switch seems very well sealed.

The LED's came from a UK supplier on the web (it's too long ago to remember exactly what site) but the manufacturer is in Germany http://www.pro-car.de/en/produkte/pro93.html All the other bits were from ebay, except the red / black wire which 'appeared' as I got home from work one day. The only special tools you'd need are a 27mm hole cutter for the bumper and 20mm hole/cone cutter for the OBD cover.

Here are some pics...

This part of the bumper is ideal, it's flat and faces down & outwards



Some string to put the wring through from the outside up to the boot.


Mounted the LED


Not too noticable from a distance


Powered up...


Switch on the OBD cover




I tried them on a 12V power supply and them had a range of about 6-7 meters, will post some pics once I've tried them out in the dark.

 

[rebel69]

reversing lights

Cool that looks well good been trying to think of a way to illuminate the back when I'm reversing as I think 1 reversing light is pants.

Waiting to see the night time piccys

 

[Nath.]

Why didn't you connect them up to the existing reverse light circuit? Connect from the rear light cluster direct to the aditional light? That way there would be no need for a switch in the dash.

 

[coggie]

I thought along these lines.

The reverse lamp is in the tailgate and getting wires into there didn't seem like a good idea. Up the side of the boot, into the headlining?, Into the tailgate, around the window....

Having them light up each and everytime I reverse seemed stupid, 3 reverse lights for a bright sunny day in summer? Or I can just switch them on and off when required.

 

[Gazza_24]

Good job, look forward to seeing them in action ;-)

 

[LEE69]

Up the side of the boot

And that is where the connection could have been made