Wiring Question. Wildcard box/back up lights

firebuff17 · Post by **firebuff17** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:21 pm

Hello,
I have a wiring question for the pro's.

I have a wildcard box and a relay box with it. I am installing extra reverse lights under my bumper. I wanted to wire the extra lights to the reverse lights so they come on when I put the truck in reverse. I also want to wire the extra lights up so I could turn them off when I dont need the extra light to back up.

How do I go about doing this?

Thank you in advance.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:59 pm

Use two 30A Bosch relays.

Relay 1 - coil powered from the factory reverse lights, common to +12, normally open out to relay 2. This relay isolates the factory wiring and prevents blowing fuses.

Relay 2 - coil powered from the wildcard output. Relay 1 NO output to common input. Relay 2 NC output to aux reverse lights. Nothing on relay 2 NO output.

Reverse lights off - relay 1 common connected to NC, no current flows to relay 2. Aux lights off.

Reverse lights on, wildcard switch off - relay 1 common connected to NO, current flows to relay 2 common and out NC output to aux lights. Factory lights on, aux lights on.

Reverse lights on, wildcard switch on - relay 1 common connected to NO, current flows to relay 2 common connected to NO output (no further connection. Factory lights on, aux lights off.

Alternately, you put them on their own switch and turn them on manually. This is what I do.

firebuff17 · Post by **firebuff17** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:32 am

tvjsr

Thank you for the reply. I had thought of doing the seperate switch but I will be using the lights alot when backing up and didnt want to turn them on everytime, I would only be turning them off a few times. This way I dont have to worry about hitting a switch all the time.

Thank you again,

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:18 am

No big deal. You might consider going a little further and having a button that allows you to force them on, regardless of the vehicle status. That way, you can use them for work lights (or bright-headlight dimmers

)

I've got 4 600-series halogens (two Optiscenes, two spots) in my rear doors for backup lights. They are very nice to have.

firebuff17 · Post by **firebuff17** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:25 am

Thought of that option as well but didnt know if both options could be done easily.

Would I be able to do that with the setup you replied with before?
Thanks