 | Home > In Car Electronics > TD5 rear work lights to also come on with reverse? |
 
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5700  
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I’ve wired my two LED work lights to come on with my reverse lights by joining into the towing loom which has a tale off for them. As they are LED I haven’t used a relay, and have a switch in the back so I can have them on independently, off, or on when reverse is selected. Some will mention that it’s not allowed. But it Defender I’ve been running like this for at least 12 years, passed every MOT, been pulled by VOSA, and assisted the police, without anyone questioning it.
If you are using higher power and not LED lights you will have to use relays. You can just about see the three way switch, next to power outlet.  Click image to enlarge |
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13th Oct 2022 4:00pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324 
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There are lots of different ways of doing this, depending on the functionality that you want and the complexity that you're comfortable with. Here's a diagram for the set up that I used on my old 90, which provides on, off and auto settings. The latter includes a link to the side lights, so the work light only comes on with reverse when its dark:
Click image to enlarge More details of that here: https://www.defender2.net/forum/post610226.html#610226 On my current 110, I've also added a link to the brake lights, which automatically turns off the work light if you've forgotten to turn it off. The diagram is more complicated as it was part of a larger install, but the worklight stuff is across the top: Click image to enlarge Details of that lot can be found here: https://www.defender2.net/forum/post717233.html#717233 and here: https://www.defender2.net/forum/post717755.html#717755 For a simple life, you can just tap into the reverse light circuit if you're using an LED light that doesn't draw much power. Personally, I'd still do it via a relay though. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia Last edited by LandRoverAnorak on 14th Oct 2022 7:37am. Edited 1 time in total |
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14th Oct 2022 5:48am |
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| chopcat Member Since: 11 Sep 2012 Location: Pembrokeshire Posts: 412  
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Yep.
Get the feed from the reverse light through a relay and add a switch into the wire from the reverse light so you can have the option not to have it on, which might be handy for the mot. TC |
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14th Oct 2022 6:57am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17382 
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It's not a bad idea to fit some kind of a kill switch since it is illegal to wire a worklight into the reverse lights. It is in fact illegal even to use a worklight in a place to which the RTA applies unless it is used in conjunction with a beacon, so if you had the misfortune to meet law enforcement on a bad day you could be in trouble.
That being said I suspect that the likelihood of being done for either is somewhere around the chance of winning the lottery, so it is not something that is likely to be a concern. I have never heard of anyone being done for having LED worklight/reverse floodlights. I have left/right/rear floods, all on individual illuminating switches (and beacons so fully legal) but I have used them regularly when reversing for well over a decade without any hassles. |
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14th Oct 2022 7:04am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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It must be its close resemblance to a map but there is something wonderful about a nicely laid out wiring diagram  |
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14th Oct 2022 7:31am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Heh, heh, thanks. I've always been fascinated by the London Underground
 Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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14th Oct 2022 7:33am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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No kidding, what a genius Harry Beck was to visualise that map.
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14th Oct 2022 7:46am |
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| termohe Member Since: 23 Jul 2012 Location: De Pinte Posts: 15  
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How do you make the diagrams?
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14th Oct 2022 3:14pm |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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For me it was Corel Draw but is now Affinity Design of this kind of work. I am sure LRA probably has some fancy dandy bit of software
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14th Oct 2022 4:09pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Mine were drawn using a CAD package. For a while I was using Back to the Drawing Board that came from the Windows store, which was OK but a bit clunky. I've more recently bought TurboCAD, which seems like a good compromise between that and the cost and complexity of AutoCAD. Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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14th Oct 2022 7:17pm |
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