Wire reverse lights to a switch?

[Cork]

How would I go about wiring reverse lights to a switch? So I can just flip a switch and they are on. They still need to work when I have the switch off though. Just run a separate feed to the positive side of the reverse circuit and put a switch in it?

I always back up to equipment when I am doing work and would like to be able to flip them on when its dark out in the mornings...

[Mechanos]

Just find the two wires that come off of the backup light switch (either a separate switch on the trans if a manual or usually part of the park/neutral safety switch on autos) and wire a toggle switch in parallel with the existing backup light switch.

[Eskimo]

and keep in mind, that switch may be providing a ground, not necessarily 12v+

[bluecrew]

Not sure if this is a DAN response, but oh well..., I have always just bought a set of cheap-o fog lights and hard wired them into a switch on the dash. Flick them on anytime in any gear. Whenever I've backed up to a trailer or whatnot, I can have the truck turned off and in park and still have the lights on. Cheap, but effective.

[PAToyota]

Taking bluecrew's suggestion a step further, I've wired up aux lights so that switched one way they have their own power and the other way they come on with the reverse lights. Have more light when backing and work lights when you need them.

[Cork]

Reverse lights are plenty bright now, there is already 4. I am going to mess around with it some today. Its on a 7400 international truck btw...

[Bump&Grind]

I run a 1/0 welding cable from the positve side terminal to the rear of my truck. I have the female twist on welding conector in the bumper for boosting my junk. You could go lighter, run a solenoid and 2 little wires to run as many lights as you want.

[IDASHO]

You can wire another hot lead to the existing harness to power the backup lights, but to avoid backfeeding the other end of the circuit, you will need to install a 3-way switch.

STOCK/OFF/AUX

Stock would be factory configuration.

Off would cut power to the lights all-together.

AUX would cut power from the factory source, and use your new hot lead.

--------------------

Somehow I wound up a spare Pilot driving lamp. Just one.

When I was fabbing p the rear skirt on my flatbed I remembered about it, and flush mounted dead center in the skirt.

Wired in like a standard backup light. But bright as hell!

[EricCartman]

Here is how I did mine...



The diode on Factory Reverse keeps you from back feeding you reverse lamps in your tailights.

The diode across the relay is common practice to keep the relay from chattering.

You could probably easily adapt this for a 3 way switch...

Good luck,
Cartman