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StuLandy



Member Since: 28 Jul 2012
Location: Here, there and Everywhere!!
Posts: 43

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Alpine White
Rear Work Light
Just purchased a rear work light. Any thoughts on wiring, do i drag a live from the reverse light or put a switch in.....
Post #218775 13th Mar 2013 8:27pm
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DLK



Member Since: 12 Mar 2013
Location: Scheveningen
Posts: 70

Netherlands 1986 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Zambezi Silver
Re: Rear Work Light
Look up a wiring diagram that uses a relay. use the feed from the reverse lights to switch the relay and turn on the power to the work light.

You do need a live feed from the battery with a fuse in it to the relay.

Quite a simple setup that does not balast the current fuse for the reverse lights.

Hope this makes sense to you

StuLandy wrote:
Just purchased a rear work light. Any thoughts on wiring, do i drag a live from the reverse light or put a switch in.....
Post #218780 13th Mar 2013 8:30pm
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StuLandy



Member Since: 28 Jul 2012
Location: Here, there and Everywhere!!
Posts: 43

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Alpine White
Cheers for that. Forgot to add its LED 6x3watt led's.
Post #218782 13th Mar 2013 8:34pm
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DLK



Member Since: 12 Mar 2013
Location: Scheveningen
Posts: 70

Netherlands 1986 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Zambezi Silver
Never mind the relay than... Just use a feed off the reverse lights. LED's do not draw a big current.

LED might not even work correctly on a normal relay.

StuLandy wrote:
Cheers for that. Forgot to add its LED 6x3watt led's.
Post #218788 13th Mar 2013 8:39pm
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udderlyoffroad



Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
Location: Bristol
Posts: 124

United Kingdom 
Whoa there cowboy - 25 W (incandescent lights!) is the maximum permitted wattage for a 'reverse' light. A reverse light being any light that comes on when reverse gear is selected (obviously).

A LED worklight - even 18 W - will be greater than the light output of a 25 W incandescent light. Admittedly, this last sentence is my interpretation and the rules on LED-bulb equivalence aren't entirely clear. But why risk an MOT failure/argument with your local MOT tester for the sake of running a separate feed to the worklight?

Doesn't mean you can't have two-way switch on the dashboard that switches the worklight on with the reverse when you're reversing off the public highway. You probably want to be able to switch the light on independently of reverse (e.g. so you can't get out and hook up a trailer in the dark).

All of the above applies in the UK - apologies if you're not UK based

Matt Real trucks don't have spark plugs
Post #218813 13th Mar 2013 9:16pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17450

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
What's the point of a worklight that only works when the reversing lights are on (quite apart from the fact that it's illegal)?
Post #218883 13th Mar 2013 10:36pm
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StuLandy



Member Since: 28 Jul 2012
Location: Here, there and Everywhere!!
Posts: 43

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Alpine White
The point being that if you turn your engine off with ignition on and have it in reverse, hey presto, light cometh on. Then there's no need for fancy wiring, switches here and there. But if you do spend 50% of your time reversing then unplug it........
Post #218886 13th Mar 2013 10:50pm
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VeeTee



Member Since: 06 Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1512

Netherlands 
I would suggest a three-way switch (on-off-on) on the dash: 1) on when reversing, 2) off 3) manual on.
Place a relay near the work light with a feed from the battery, and feed the relay - depending on dash switch position) via the reversing switch on the gearbox or a manual live. Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold)
1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold)
1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold)
1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold)
2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold)
2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold)

MySite
Post #218893 13th Mar 2013 11:33pm
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x-isle



Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
If it helps, this is how I did mine using the spare purple and black wire behind the rear drivers side panel. This is on a Puma 110, not sure if the spare wires are on all models/ages.

One switch is in the back and the other is on the dash with the warning LED. It means I have a 2 way switch that I can turn on/off from the back or front. It doesn't work with the reversing lights but I can switch it on when I need to.


Click image to enlarge


Here's the photos of the install;

New fuse box and relay behind the rear drivers side speaker panel, utilising the "Purple and Black" Wires

Click image to enlarge


Rear switch connections with wires running off to the front switch and down to the new relay

Click image to enlarge


Earth connection from front switch, this was accessed through the speaker hole.

Click image to enlarge


Drilled through rear and used a grommet to feed the conduit through

Click image to enlarge


Wraped the end of the conduit and wires into light with self-adhesive waterproof tape

Click image to enlarge


The front switch, the LED was not installed at this point, it sits above the switch now.

Click image to enlarge


Rear switch in rear panel, high enough not be be turned on accidentally.

Click image to enlarge
 Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography


Last edited by x-isle on 14th Mar 2013 8:52am. Edited 2 times in total
Post #218894 13th Mar 2013 11:33pm
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x-isle



Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
A mod might want to move this to to Technical Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography
Post #218895 13th Mar 2013 11:56pm
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StuLandy



Member Since: 28 Jul 2012
Location: Here, there and Everywhere!!
Posts: 43

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Alpine White
Cheers for that Craig, that looks boss. Wil follow your example...
Post #218915 14th Mar 2013 8:57am
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barbel jim



Member Since: 12 Dec 2012
Location: Northants
Posts: 1423

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 90 Td5 HT Tonga Green
x-isle wrote:
A mod might want to move this to to Technical


Nice to see a proper job Bow down . All too often see the bailer string and gaffer tape approach, then wonder why we have bad earths blown fuses and worse. Should think it took all of an hour longer to do and will last for years with no problems.
Post #219003 14th Mar 2013 2:58pm
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pope10001



Member Since: 15 Oct 2011
Location: Dulverton
Posts: 489

United Kingdom 1992 Defender 90 200 Tdi HT Zermatt Silver
Why not just have an On/Off switch on the dash? That way when you need it for reversing you can just switch it on, its not too much bother to walk to the front of your vehicle to turn it back off again once you've finished for the night.

Works for me.

Regards,

Mark
Post #219006 14th Mar 2013 3:08pm
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x-isle



Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
The reason I have a 2 way is for my mountain biking.

Especially this time of year, getting back to the truck after a ride, I can just pop the rear door open and have light without having to worry about getting in the front. Just makes life a bit easier.

To be honest, having one or two switches is not a lot of extra bother as the wires have to be run to the front anyway. Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography
Post #219008 14th Mar 2013 3:10pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17450

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
StuLandy wrote:
The point being that if you turn your engine off with ignition on and have it in reverse, hey presto, light cometh on. Then there's no need for fancy wiring, switches here and there. But if you do spend 50% of your time reversing then unplug it........


Fair point. You don't actually need to stop the engine, you can put the main box in reverse and the t-box in neutral (I used to do this when shutting gates etc in the dark so that the reversing light was on).

With a DC like mine you have an advantage when fitting worklights because all the wiring except the switch is present for the HRW. By substituting a permanent live (from the hazard switch) for the ignition-on live of the HRW you have a very simple relay controlled circuit with switch and binnacle warning lights.
Post #219057 14th Mar 2013 6:33pm
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