wiring aux back up lights need help

i bought aux lights to mount on the trailor hitch and i bought a relay. the problem is i want it to come on with the reverse lights and i want to be able to turn them on with a switch in the cab, but i can't for the life of me figure out how to wire the switch so that it will turn on the lights with im not in reverse. btw i bought an on-off-on switch if that makes any difference some one please explain.

 

I Dunno,,,but bump for you, hope someone can help you!!

 

run a 12 v source from your back up lights to the relay,then on that same circuit run a switched power source from the cabin.whichever source is powering up the relay will work the lights.on the diagram below, #86 on the relay is where you want the 12v from the backup lights and the switched power from the cabin.hope this helps.

 

I found this right after i made this thread this answers the question, stupid me, i searched but didnt scroll all the way down the threads lol mental note for next time. hopefully this helps someone else

 

I'm a complete nood when it comes to wiring. Can someone tell me what to buy, other than lights to get backup lights under the bumper. I'd like to add a switch so I can have them come on with the reverse lights or disable that function and come on when the switch is turned on.

How many fuses and what kind?
How much wire and what kind?
How many relays and where to mount it?
Any special type of switch?
Do I need wire loom?
Where do I run the wire under the truck when going from the battery to the backup lights?

I think I'v read every post regarding backup lights so I am going to give it a try this weekend.

 

Okay, some people make this wiring way too complicated. I use a single fog light from Walmart attached in the center of the receiver hitch. There are 2 options to get power.

1. If your truck came with a 7-pin trailer plug you are 99% there. The center pin is for trailer reverse lights. The cover of the plug shows the wiring diagram. Just splice the hot side of your reverse light to the center pin and the ground side of the light to the frame. It is already fused in the fusebox and switched to the reverse light. You don't need fuses, relays or switches. You put the truck in reverse and the light comes on. You are done.

2. If you don't have a 7-pin plug then pickup power off the hot side of the current reverse bulb. You just need to remove the taillight to access the wiring and be sure you find the hot side. It is also switched and fused too. I recommend a single light in this case to keep amp draw down.


NOTE:
If you ground the hot wire during this setup, it will blow the 10 amp fuse behind the coin tray in the cab. When this fuse blows it locks the transmission lever in park until you replace the fuse.

 

What guage wiring do I need to follow method 1? Would it still work with 2 lights?

 

I used the wire that came with the $15 foglight kit from Walmart. Just match the size coming out of the light.

I started with 2 lights on the truck and just did not like the look but they both worked fine. Used the same wiring setup.

I decided to go to one in the center because I could tuck it up on the receiver behind the bumper and focus the light better behind the truck and better protect the light from breakage. Look you can see it better here.

 

Thanks! When you say this.."Just splice the hot side of your reverse light to the center pin " I'm assuming you mean somewhere on the back of the plug and it's easily accesssable? What kind of splice did you use? I'll look under there today when I get home and I'm sure it will make more sense to me.

 

Old school - strip the plastic off the wire with a pocket knife and connect them and use black electrical tape to wrap it. (I am being funny but if I were there I would show you how.)

Seriously, get the plastic clips for splicing wires in the electrical supplies at Wally World.

Second serious point!!!!

From my own experience, get 10 amp fuses, you are going to blow a couple and lock that truck in park.

 

Will do. If I have two hot wires (from two lights) should I just use one clip to splice and fit both of the hot wires (from new lights) into one side of the clip, or is there a clip for this?

 

I spliced a wire behind the plug and ran it to the first light and spliced it and then continued the wire to the second light and connected the end there. I grounded the lights to the bumper with the mounting bracket.

Here is the watchout. My dumbass mistake that I repeated for some time was that I had the light wired in backwards and kept shorting the hot wire straight to ground.

Learn by doing was my college's motto.

 

look up how a diode works and wire it before your splice into the reverse light power wire, then you can also switch it on from a second power source without turning your reverse lights on.

 

There is a battery wire already running to the 7-pin. It is for powering accessories in the trailer. You pickup power off that if you wanted to go that way too.

 

since i learned that hard way becare with grounding an blow this fuse u will also lose ur heat and turnsignals if you blow it u can manual override the transmission by popping that little plastic thing just above park on the shift and push down the button and u can put it in gear. it will continue to lock once back in park untill u replace that fuse. i forget what its labeled but its something goofy i had to run back to the dealer to figure out what one the reverse was on.

long story short take your time and becareful of grounding

as of now i gave up on a switch and have pulled the lights off until i can get a straight answer on were i will pass inspection here in PA, the lights were amazing while i had them.

(sry for any bad grammar or spelling im on my way out the door and just wanted to comment on this real quick)

 

Ended up going from each light and spliced to the backup light behind the tail light. Was super easy and works great. Didn't do a switch.

 

Great mod, and looks great!

To find the "hot" wire to the backup lights, was that... the red one? Or did you just find the one that was grounded and use the other wire?

Sorry, I haven't looked at my truck (sitting at work) but this sounds super easy.

Thanks.

 

Yeah there were two wires coming out of that bulb. A red one and a black/white one. I assumed it was the red one and it was. It was very easy to splice and just run the wire down to the aux lights. Covered them with wire conduit and it looks like it came that way from the factory.

 

Looks good.

 

I tried this, (hooked the backup lights to my aug lights with a switch to turn on at any time) & after I completed it, it worked fine, but then my check engine light came on. I'm thinking its due to being tied into the transmission wiring. So I disconnected the wiring & reset it to get rid of the check engine light. Now, I see a diagram in this thread that shows how to do this but I think this is for a 2nd gen. Has anyone done this on the 1st gen & had a switch that can turn it on when you want to? Thanks.