camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
I can't see anything when I am backing up at night and I was wondering how I could wire up an Auxillary light to turn on with my reverse lights to help out. TIA!!
Adding reverse light question
- Thread starter camarors8992
- Start date
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Use the OEM signal to "trip" a relay, which feeds a reverse viewing lamp (floodlight of some sort usually works.)
Wire in a toggle switch, so you can override the lamp to OFF unless/until you need it.
5-90
Wire in a toggle switch, so you can override the lamp to OFF unless/until you need it.
5-90
HaleYes
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Clay County, IL
I just mounted a light on my swingarm. I currently am just using it on a switch.5-90 said:
I'm guessing you'd tie into the NSS to make it come on automatically? I have the realy mounted behind the kick panel on the pass. side front floorboard. What would be the best place to tap into the OEM signal for my realy?
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
I am electrically retarded.I don't know what a relay even is or how to wire one.
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Just tap the wire for the reverse light - a relay will only add a few milliamps of current draw. I'd tell you which wire to look for, but I don't know what year your rig is... You can figure it out with a test light or a meter, or you can look at the back of a lamp socket, or you can give with your year so we can tell you which one is which (I don't have all FSM's, but I'm workin' on it...
5-90
5-90
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
i have a 95 xj.
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
I just googled how to wire in a relay. Would the amperage(sp?) of the relay matter ?
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
The "amperage" of the relay is more of an "ampacity" figure than anything else. A 30A relay will switch UP TO 30A worth of goodies.
If anyone had a 1995XJ FSM, give with the hot lead for the reverse lamps at the rear, would you? My 1995 FSM is just for the ZJ...
5-90
If anyone had a 1995XJ FSM, give with the hot lead for the reverse lamps at the rear, would you? My 1995 FSM is just for the ZJ...
5-90
HaleYes
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Clay County, IL
It's a 96.5-90 said:
Doah!
I've got an FSM.....
I always for get about that thing!
Thanks!
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
30A is more than enough for a single fog light right ? Would too big of a relay be bad ?
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
camarors8992 said:
Oh, good Lord yes!
Figure a regular floodlamp being about 50W, you'll want to supply about 5A or so. (AMPS = WATTS/VOLTS.)
Going oversize on the relay is not going to be a problem - you just won't be pushing it as hard, and the contacts will last longer. 30A is pretty standard for a Bosch relay, and I use them all over the place (for loads from 1/2A to about 25A. If I go over 25A, I start looking for 40A or 70A relays - I don't like to run things on the edge...)
5-90
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
Thanks guys!!!! I'm pretty sure that I can do this tommorrow!
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
solditforajeep
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Marquette, MI
what method did you use for those lights, mounting and wiring??
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
solditforajeep said:
I used a 30 amp relay to wire them up and the mounts came with the lights.
camarors8992
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Liverpool, New York
53guy said:
EDIT: I have a on-off-on switch. I wanted to be able to turn the lights on so they only come on in reverse as well in the other on position so they will be constantly on. can you help ?
Last edited:
I'm not sure, I'll have to study a bit when I'm not toasted drunk. =) I'll get back to ya in the morning about it, but right now, I can't see the darned lines on the wiring diagram. But my thought is maybe to have the power go through the head light switch, and the relay coming from the NSS. Don't know if that'll work, but hey, its worth a shot, right? Get back to ya tomorrow about the details....
I wired mine straight into the taillight wires. If you open up the taillights where the bubls and stuff are, there is one black and one white wire. I simply spliced in the new reverse lights (one black and one white wire) into those two wires. No relays or nothing, just put it in reverse, voila, lights! There is some special clamp I used that made it easy to splice the wires, can't remember what it's called though, sorry.
Chris
Chris
