Rear light wiring

[rc_cola_j]

I am new to electrical wiring. I have recently installed and wired an LED bar on my front bumper as well as two pods on my roof racks. They are awesome! I learned quite a lot about wiring by going through the installation of these lights.

 

Next I'd like to tackle my rear. I can't stand how dim the reverse lights are on my Pathfinder. I live in a rural area where there are but a few street lights, and I often find myself having to back down very long dark driveways.

 

I would like to mount two more pods on the rear that come on when in reverse. Which should be pretty easy. What I'm wondering is whether I can do this but also have the ability to manually turn them on via a switch so that I can use them as work lights. Is this doable?

 

I'd appreciate your thoughts and any help on how to do this.

 

Thanks

 

 

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[mjotrainbrain]

I'm interested in doing something similar, so I'll be keeping an eye on this.

[rc_cola_j]

I'm interested in doing something similar, so I'll be keeping an eye on this.

It shouldn't be too hard. If someone could give an example with a simple circuit diagram I think I could figure it out.

 

 

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[hawairish]

Very easy. Two scenarios you might like:

 

In this scenario, they'll be on if a) you're in reverse, or b ) if you flip a switch.

In this one, you have a little more control and you can choose whether they're a) on with reverse, b ) off completely, or c) on with a switch.

I didn't have better symbol options for a switch, so disregard the direction (and that it's for a rotary switch). A SPDT On-Off-On rocker switch (not shown) is a good choice here...the middle prong on the switch would lead to the relay; the outer prongs would be for the reverse and ACC/12V signals.

 

A diode is probably optional, but a safe way to keep power out of that circuit just in case in that first scenario. For the switch, you can decide when to feed it power...do you want to be able to turn them on even with the truck off, or perhaps only when the key is in the ACC or ON position?

 

 

The reverse signal you can get from the park/neutral position switch (AT) or the back-up lamp switch (MT). FSM says it's a yellow wire, so just need to splice into that. You can also take it directly from one of the taillights (also yellow).

 

The switched lead can come from multiple sources. The radio circuit is usually the easiest place since it has both a constant (blue w/yellow) and ACC/ON (green w/white) circuit. (BTW, these wiring colors are specific to your 00MY per the FSM.)

 

On a side note...the existing back-up lights are not on a relay, so I don't recommend powering your new backup lights on the same circuit unless you're certain the overall load is below the amp rating on the circuit (10A). Even with LEDs, it might work, but it's a long circuit run and you may just end up popping fuses (and you should not simply use a larger fuse) or heating up the wires. Best bet is a separate fused source. If you plan to add any other electrical accessories to the vehicle, consider adding a fused distribution block instead of just adding a bunch of wires to the battery.

 

On the relay:

30 - battery

85 - reverse/switched signal from SPDT switch

86 - ground

87 - to lights

Edited June 12, 2018 by hawairish

[rc_cola_j]

Very easy. Two scenarios you might like:

 

In this scenario, they'll be on if a) you're in reverse, or if you flip a switch.

In this one, you have a little more control and you can choose whether they're a) on with reverse, off completely, or c) on with a switch.

I didn't have better symbol options for a switch, so disregard the direction (and that it's for a rotary switch). A SPDT On-Off-On rocker switch (not shown) is a good choice here...the middle prong on the switch would lead to the relay; the outer prongs would be for the reverse and ACC/12V signals.

 

A diode is probably optional, but a safe way to keep power out of that circuit just in case in that first scenario. For the switch, you can decide when to feed it power...do you want to be able to turn them on even with the truck off, or perhaps only when the key is in the ACC or ON position?

 

 

The reverse signal you can get from the park/neutral position switch (AT) or the back-up lamp switch (MT). FSM says it's a yellow wire, so just need to splice into that. You can also take it directly from one of the taillights (also yellow).

 

The switched lead can come from multiple sources. The radio circuit is usually the easiest place since it has both a constant (blue w/yellow) and ACC/ON (green w/white) circuit. (BTW, these wiring colors are specific to your 00MY per the FSM.)

 

On a side note...the existing back-up lights are not on a relay, so I don't recommend powering your new backup lights on the same circuit unless you're certain the overall load is below the amp rating on the circuit (10A). Even with LEDs, it might work, but it's a long circuit run and you may just end up popping fuses (and you should not simply use a larger fuse) or heating up the wires. Best bet is a separate fused source. If you plan to add any other electrical accessories to the vehicle, consider adding a fused distribution block instead of just adding a bunch of wires to the battery.

 

On the relay:

30 - battery

85 - reverse/switched signal from SPDT switch

86 - ground

87 - to lights

Oh wow. Thanks! This is awesome. I don't quite understand it all yet, but I'm going to have a good hard look after work tonight.

 

Question regarding ARB rocker switches (is this what you mean by SPDT rocker switches?)......terminal 6 (see below)....can be jumpered or it can be wired to the dash light circuit.....im assuming this is to make the lights on the switch dimmavle. Where do I find this dash light wire on our pathfinders? I've installed my switches in the cut outs below the radio.

 

 

 

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[rc_cola_j]

Here are some photos of the front lights I've installed. Haven't finished installing the switches. One of them is binding on some plastic as I insert it. Need to file that down.

 

 

 

 

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[hawairish]

Question regarding ARB rocker switches (is this what you mean by SPDT rocker switches?)......terminal 6 (see below)....can be jumpered or it can be wired to the dash light circuit.....im assuming this is to make the lights on the switch dimmavle. Where do I find this dash light wire on our pathfinders? I've installed my switches in the cut outs below the radio.

 

Just to describe those acronyms better, SPDT (single-pole, double-throw) refers to the number of circuits (poles) and actions (throws) that switch handles. SPST is the simplest switch; with one circuit and one action, it's either on or off. SPDT is a step up in that it can toggle between two contacts to create "OR" logic for a single circuit; that is either one contact is connected to the circuit OR the other contact is connected to the circuit. SPDT On-Off-On is very similar, except it has a center state where no contact is connected. If you see something like (On)-Off-On or Mom-Off-On, it just means the 1st position is momentary (press and hold), the 2nd position is off, and the 3rd position is on. Lastly, if you see "NO" or "NC", this refers to the normal state of the if it's a momentary pushbutton switch; it's either normally-open (off) or normally-closed (on), noting that pressing (and holding) the button will do the opposite of the NO/NC state.

 

The ARB switches are a type of rocker switch more commonly known as "Carling" switches. Most Carling switches I've seen are DPST because of the status LED being its own circuit, but the illumination circuit isn't switched and doesn't factor into the classification.

 

Specifically for that switch, if you want the illumination LED to dim, you would need an illumination signal and metered ground (the dimmer switch is a potentiometer, and does this function)...both of which can be found on the back of the OE dimmer switch. You're basically following the "Do not jumper" note for terminal #7. But, keep in mind that dimming is a function of the bulb/LED, so this may have little or no effect if the bulb can't handle the voltage or current drop. But, to make it dimmable, on the back of the dimmer switch you'd need to splice the pink/green wire to terminal #6 and the pink/black wire to terminal #7, and not "jump" ("ground would be a better word) #7 to #8.

 

OTOH, if you don't want/need it to dim, and only want the illumination LED to come on with the dash lights, you can still connect the pink/green to #6 and just ground #7 (or ground #7 and #8 together, doesn't matter). Since your switch is under the radio, you should have a pink/green wire in the radio harness that is on the illumination circuit (this normally connects to the orange wire found on aftermarket radios, btw). #8 gets ground in either scenario, as this is the ground for the status LED when the switch is in the On position.

 

Clear as mud?

[RIPB.88]

Rigid Industries also makes a 3 position cherry red rocker switch. On-off-Auto. http://www.rigidindustries.com/installation-accessories/40181