Backup Lights

[JSFoster75]

I installed the Oracle rear bumper lights and tied them to a rocker switch so I can turn them on/off at will. I can also strobe them with my Trigger Six Shooter wireless switch system.

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[Cyber_Jeeper]

I’m planning on adding a couple of backup lights and I’m planning on splicing into the reverse wire on the 7 pin harness. I figure I will have less issues there than the actual reverse lights. I’m also not connecting it to the aux wires, at least not for now.

What’s the best way to splice the wire? I haven’t read great things about T taps, and it seems like a difficult location to solder. Especially for my poor soldering skills. It’s a pretty exposed area so I expect it to be exposed to a lot of water, salt, and dust.

 

[Jwb211]

I’m planning on adding a couple of backup lights and I’m planning on splicing into the reverse wire on the 7 pin harness. I figure I will have less issues there than the actual reverse lights. I’m also not connecting it to the aux wires, at least not for now.

What’s the best way to splice the wire? I haven’t read great things about T taps, and it seems like a difficult location to solder. Especially for my poor soldering skills. It’s a pretty exposed area so I expect it to be exposed to a lot of water, salt, and dust.

i ran mine up behind each tail light and t-tapped in to the harness on each side. It was super easy. If you’re in a salty area and going low I would either solder the connection or fill the t-tap and male slide full of dielectric grease.

I’ve never looked for any but someone probably makes a waterproof t-tap type connector.

ETA: I looked on Amazon and surprisingly enough I don’t see anything. The posi taps looked promising but after reading about them they are not waterproof either.

 

[Gravytheclown]

I put some on a bracket I got off Amazon. it fits onto a tow insert. I then wired them up to the tow socket. Works fantastic.

 

[vonbek]

I’m planning on adding a couple of backup lights and I’m planning on splicing into the reverse wire on the 7 pin harness. I figure I will have less issues there than the actual reverse lights. I’m also not connecting it to the aux wires, at least not for now.

What’s the best way to splice the wire? I haven’t read great things about T taps, and it seems like a difficult location to solder. Especially for my poor soldering skills. It’s a pretty exposed area so I expect it to be exposed to a lot of water, salt, and dust.

Soldering is probably the best way to go. Strip some of the insultation on the reverse wire, wrap the tap wire around it, and solder. Then cover with electrical tape, then cloth tape. You can find the cloth tape on amazon for about $7 (https://www.amazon.com/Wire-Harness-Automotive-Cloth-Tape/dp/B086X3DN2N). That's likely what's already on the wiring harness. Check out the video around 3:54 https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/diy-advanced-soldering/

 

[Cyber_Jeeper]

I was doing some research and thinking last night and came across a solution I think might work.
I have two backup lights and they are not wired together which means I actually have 3 wires that need be patched together.
Some people on some other forums have had luck with the standard heat shrink butt connectors. You size up the butt connector and insert multiple wires into each slot and then crimp. If you have two wires on one side, and only one on another, you can fold the one wire back onto itself to effectively turn it into two. Add some extra heat shrink tubing for extra security.

 

[TopKatz]

I just completed this project. I ended up doing this with diode dynamics ssc1 lights and their reverse light harness. I also used the oracle reverse light harness to splice into so i did not hack the OE wires. The lights feature a back light feature. I chose red and tied them into the running lights. The harness is very nice and comes with all connectors, as well as a three way switch. This enables you to turn on the reverse lights, have them work when in reverse or disable them all together.

I ran the harness through the engine compartment conduit on the fire wall and down the drivers side frame rail. I mounted the relay right by the battery. The switch wire goes through the fire wall plug and then is mounted under the light controles on the dash.

I used self tapping fasteners to fix the brackets to the bumper beam. All the wires are fished in the frame rails and beam and then secured with zip ties when appropriate. I use an oracle tail light harness for their reverse lights between my tails and the plug. I spliced into this harness so I did not need to splice the OE wires. I did not use their plug. With the back lights you tap pin 4 to tie into the running light driver.

My install was not cheep, but I’m happy with it and the results are fairly impressive.

 

[REWJeep]

i ran mine up behind each tail light and t-tapped in to the harness on each side. It was super easy. If you’re in a salty area and going low I would either solder the connection or fill the t-tap and male slide full of dielectric grease.

I’ve never looked for any but someone probably makes a waterproof t-tap type connector.

ETA: I looked on Amazon and surprisingly enough I don’t see anything. The posi taps looked promising but after reading about them they are not waterproof either.

These connectors are claimed to be waterproof and vibration-proof. My sprinkler guy uses them with great results (but our lawn does not vibrate the way that a vehicle does): https://ewingirrigation.com/17000680-snaploc-black-low-voltage-wire-connector .

 

[NewsShooter]

I was doing some research and thinking last night and came across a solution I think might work.
I have two backup lights and they are not wired together which means I actually have 3 wires that need be patched together.
Some people on some other forums have had luck with the standard heat shrink butt connectors. You size up the butt connector and insert multiple wires into each slot and then crimp. If you have two wires on one side, and only one on another, you can fold the one wire back onto itself to effectively turn it into two. Add some extra heat shrink tubing for extra security.

That's what I did on my wife's jeep.

 

[Cyber_Jeeper]

I installed two Diode Dynamics SSC1 Sport’s in the flood pattern into my plastic Rubicon bumper. They are spliced into the reverse wire of the trailer hitch connector.

They are installed where the reverse sensors would be if I had the safety packages. Installation was harder than I expected. I knew I had to cut the outside part of the bumper, but Jeep left the plastic inner brackets that are used for the reverse sensors. This inner plastic is smaller than the DD lights so I had to remove some of it. This extra plastic in the inside also meant screwing it together extra difficult. There was no room for a wrench for locknuts, so I ended up reversing it and putting the locknuts on the outside. I don’t like how that looks as much, but it works.

I’m also not sure that the DD lights were designed for plastic. The gap between the body of the light and where the screw goes is pretty small, meaning it’s not hanging onto too much. Due to the tightness of the interiors plastic bits it feels secure, but I’m not sure how it will feel 5 years from now. Long term I may replace the bumper so I don’t need it to last forever.

I was worried about the light overexposing the reverse camera, but the flood beams don’t appear to do so. I wish the beam was even wider, but I think it will work. Maybe on a new bumper I can design it so that each light faces slightly outwards.

 

[hybrid_eg]

plan on going with RC rear bumper which will come with (2) 2" LED pods.. i see everyone is connecting to trailer harness wire or directly into reverse light wire on tail light. Will there be any issues powering these two lights combined 36watts? Main concern of course is wire size, etc.. thanks all!

p.s. would prefer not to run them on one of factory aux switches as i want them to come on together with reverse lights instead of having to manually operate them.

 

[Soulpatch]

I have 2 4 inch pods connected with no issue for me. I run a 2 pole RV switch so I can also activate the lights with a switch in the cabin.

 

[BajaDesigns]

plan on going with RC rear bumper which will come with (2) 2" LED pods.. i see everyone is connecting to trailer harness wire or directly into reverse light wire on tail light. Will there be any issues powering these two lights combined 36watts? Main concern of course is wire size, etc.. thanks all!

p.s. would prefer not to run them on one of factory aux switches as i want them to come on together with reverse lights instead of having to manually operate them.

Hey hybrid_eg, If your considering a couple different options to fill these aux light holes on that new bumper Baja Designs offers our Squadron sport flush mount which would fit perfectly. One question I would have regarding your post is the wattage? Is 36watts your max available input? Feel free to shoot me a email regarding this: [email protected]
Link: Squadron Sport Flushmount Link

 

[bobholthaus]

Reviving an old thread. I didn’t read all 45 pages. Just found that the Roadmaster 792 diode on Amazon is a 2 into 1 unit, so you only need one diode per set to make it work.

Roadmaster 792 Hy-Power Diode, (Pack of 2) https://a.co/d/ejishq9

Also, Did anyone ever find a reverse tap under the hood? Thanks.

 

[MIke Honcho]

I like the Liquid Electrical Tape. Seals pretty good. Available at auto stores, Harbor Freight and Lowes/Home Depot.

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