Extra reversing light

[Terranical]

I seem to remember a recent post regarding the fitting of a more powerful reversing light and thought this might be of interest.
My daughter lives about 2 miles up a very steep Spanish mountain track, and leaving her place demands reversing about 100 yards down a 1 in 4 slope with sheer drops either side - not for the faint-hearted.
As this can be a tad scary at night I decided to give myself a bit of extra candle-power!
I bought these lights as a pair of front foglights from, of all places, Bulgaria.
They come with 55w halogen bulbs, mounting brackets, fixing hardware and electrical connectors, all for the princely sum of £6 for the two (I've paid more than that for two bulbs in the past!)
They give an excellent light for reversing (probably illegally at 55w but I'll take them off for the next Spanish MOT)
I've only fitted the one, keeping the other as a spare

.

 

[vince]

just a thought, wouldnt it be best to fit it on the passenger (left) side as you already have the oe one on the right? to give a better spread of light:nenau

 

[exosteve]

I want a big round one on the roof.

 

[Terranical]

Good idea, but because it's a front foglight it has a wide spread of light (plus it was easier to wire into the existing light on that side).

 

[exosteve]

ive got a cigarete lighter socket in the boot doing nowt.
im goint to put a multi plug socket on it to power rear t5at lamp and or powered cool box.
easy.

 

[zippy656]

Copy cat



Lol



Its a good spot to fit them

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Good idea, but because it's a front foglight it has a wide spread of light (plus it was easier to wire into the existing light on that side).

Just a point, did you use a relay and not just wire it in parallel to your existing reversing light? If you didn't you are in real danger of not only overloading the wiring, but also having the reversing light switch weld in the on position resulting in it staying on when going forward, and a very unhappy PC possibly asking you to pull into a convenient lay-by..

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

ive got a cigarete lighter socket in the boot doing nowt.
im goint to put a multi plug socket on it to power rear t5at lamp and or powered cool box.
easy.

I fitted a Ring wireless remote control module to one of my rear sockets, so I can turn it on and off from the front of the car... great for additional lights.

 

[Terranical]

Just a point, did you use a relay and not just wire it in parallel to your existing reversing light? If you didn't you are in real danger of not only overloading the wiring, but also having the reversing light switch weld in the on position resulting in it staying on when going forward, and a very unhappy PC possibly asking you to pull into a convenient lay-by..

OOPS! Didn't know that ociffer!

 

[zippy656]

OOPS! Didn't know that ociffer!

Lol

Like i said in my thread, relay in by jack.


Simples

 

[Banshee]

Lol

Like i said in my thread, relay in by jack.


Simples

I'm interested on mounting a lamp like that soon as it was only the other day that I was reversing onto the drive when the street lamps were out in our street and I couldn't see a thing, I had to keep tapping the brakes so I could see where I was going then back up bit by bit :lol

What relay can I use?

 

[makeitfit]

Here's what I did when my truck was more road going :lol
http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4697&highlight=rear+work+lights

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Just pick up an automotive relay, Halfrauds sell them, but you can get them cheaper in many other places, even places like "The Range" have them.

The automotive relays tentd to be a little 30mm black cube, with a fixing loop sticking out the top, and either 4 or 5 connections (You can use either) sticking out the bottom... They are normally rated at 25, 30 or 45 amp, but there are other values as well.

Just think of it as a remote controlled switch, which uses just a small current from your existing circuit, to switch a much larger current on your new circuit.

In your case, you can use any relay rated at above 10amp.

First you wire up the control coil, which is a tiny electro magnet that will operate the actual switch, but draws hardly any current, so does not over load your existing circuit.

The connection marked 85 is one side of the coil, and is connected to the existing reversing lights.
The connection marked 86 is the other side of the coil and is connected to ground.

If you hold/touch the relay and select reverse you will feel it click as the magnet changes the switch, it will click again when you take it out of reverse.

Then you wire up the additional item.

Take a 12v feed from the battery via a fuse. Some relays have fuses built in, but as this relay will be at the rear of the car, and that means a long wire running the whole length of the car, it needs a fuse to protect it at the front as near to the battery as possible.

Connect this 12v feed wire to the connector marked 30 on the relay. This is one side of the "remote" switch

Connect the New Reversing lamp to the connector marked 87 on the relay. This is the side of the switch that is disconnected (normally open) when the relay is not energised by the reversing light circuit.

You may then, if it was a 5 pin relay have a spare contact connector 87a, which is not used in your application, but is actually the normally closed side of the switch.

Have a look at this link if you want to know more about relays.
http://www.bcae1.com/relays.htm

Hope that helps.

Here's what I did when my truck was more road going :lol
http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4697&highlight=rear+work+lights

That was one of the first threads I read on here... genius...

 

[zippy656]

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19314



Heres another link

 

[96terrano]

just watch you dont overload the circuit using a bigger bulb, if it was me, id of done it via a relay since my rear lights are off a L**d R***r, the revercing light is bright enough without a higher wattage bulb

 

[zippy656]

just watch you dont overload the circuit using a bigger bulb, if it was me, id of done it via a relay since my rear lights are off a L**d R***r, the revercing light is bright enough without a higher wattage bulb

Mine are two 21w throuh a relay

 

[96terrano]

Mine are two 21w throuh a relay

good, all safe then

 

[zippy656]

good, all safe then

Always

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

few years ago picked up pair of t2 clusters left and right both with reverse lens
not fog on either. that would have doubled candle power reversing. would have
fitted an led type strip brake light as the fog in middle of bumper but ended up
selling that t2 and the clusters to a member.

do not know why nissan scrimp on a single reverse and single fog, troll was same
as is new t2 of course, yet many of the nissan cars have twin fog and reverse.

think better to class as a work light with own illuminated switch, that can also trip
with reverse so as not be accused of dazzle if fitting larger wattage bulbs/lamps.

 

[96terrano]

few years ago picked up pair of t2 clusters left and right both with reverse lens
not fog on either. that would have doubled candle power reversing. would have
fitted an led type strip brake light as the fog in middle of bumper but ended up
selling that t2 and the clusters to a member.

do not know why nissan scrimp on a single reverse and single fog, troll was same
as is new t2 of course, yet many of the nissan cars have twin fog and reverse.

think better to class as a work light with own illuminated switch, that can also trip
with reverse so as not be accused of dazzle if fitting larger wattage bulbs/lamps.

They'd of scrimped to keep manufacturing costs to a minimum