A thing I want to add to some of my wheels is an idea that came from the time(s) I spent messing around with RV's.

Some RV's are mighty long - and backing them into a space is a trick at the best of times. After dark it's more like a game of high stakes damage control...

To counter problems with not just "BLIND" spots, but outright DARK areas, many coaches (Thinking of them as "COACHES" was a new way to look at it) have floodlights on the lower sides to light up spaces that are being maneuvered into at night. This began with Class "A" diesels and extended also to fifth wheels, and eventually to travel trailers as well - it was a just plain good idea!

Cars and trucks have 'WHITE' backup lights, and they are the only white lights allowed on the back of a vehicle other than a tag light - but they do not provide much illumination.

What I want to do is mount an LED white floodlight under the back of my cars and trucks in a way that makes them invisible to other drivers direct line of sight, but puts out a wide fan of very bright light when backing up at night.

I also want the control circuit design to be completely supplied by the reverse light signal, so that any time the machine is shifted back to any other gear, the light is cancelled.

The circuit I have in mind will:
1) When going into reverse the switch to activate the ground effect floodlight(GEF) is available.
2) When in Reverse, AND the push-button for the GEF is pushed - power (from the reverse switch) to keep the GEF relay energised is applied to the relay coil.
3) A parallel set of contacts in the GEF relay applies 12VDC (from battery) to the GEF


I think I have it almost all the way smurfed out. It needs a dual pole relay.


The reason for all of this plotting and planning is so that it automatically turns off when shifting out of reverse, and so that it is selectable as an OPTION when backing up


PROBLEM 1) *5 minutes after posting originally
It needs a "CANCELLER" so that it can be turned off without shifting gears.
~ A normally closed push-button maybe...

Simple answer, a switch like above that cuts off relay coil power


What you want to picture is a wide (5 LED) white floodlight, mounted under the bed or rear cargo area of a vehicle so that it throws a wide flat bright white light out around the back of the car or truck, but the direct beam is shielded from view by the underbody and bumpers

* Can actually be mounted on a bracket on a rear axle. My Festiva's have a "K-Frame" that the rear axles are on.

 

I wonder if it could be included with a camera

 

Wouldn't want a camera that low - it wouldn't see anything but road

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This is what the unit looks like
~it's more than equal to a 55W

 

i have two of them mounted under the bumper corners on the plow trucks. power is hooked directly to the reverse lights.
plus a wire runs into the cab to a switch so i can turn them on independent of putting it in reverse.
during the day you do not even notice them. at night it will light up 30 foot behind the truck very bright.
in conjunction with the two under the bumper, i also have a high power three LED light in the overhead whelen light bar that lights up the center area of the truck for a good 50 foot.
there is no need to run extra wires to power them, they only draw around 3 amps each.

 

That's the thing about LED tech - they are the brightest and (AND!) most efficient lights, and they are getting bigger all the time.

They just DO NOT waste heat energy, from what it looks like to me.

There IS a reverse problem though - LED's and Incandescent light circuits should never be crossed. I ran into problems with RV's that had hybrid light systems a lot, you can power an LED from an ordinary circuit easy, but the reverse may not be true!

An Incandescent light draws so much more power that a "TEST LIGHT" may not read a working LED circuit.

 

I have a small 4 led one on all the spreaders on my salt trucks
That way the driver can see what pattern he's throwing

 

They have relays that can be swapped in the fuse box that are made to recognize LED lights and not think the bulb is tripped.

As for LED lights shining down, I'd move on from that idea. Mose LED's don't throw the light far enough to be a major concern. Especially if you're going to wire a switch in where you can bypass it. Direct shot out the back will give you a good 30' or maybe less. That's not an overpowering reverse light. You can get some nice LED spotlights that will really reach out there a distance, but they don't shine that wide.

And if you want to sometimes be able to use them and other times be able to shut them off, my suggestion would be go back to KISS.

Just put them on an on/off switch and manually turn them on when desired. I've always had the auxiliary reverse lights on my truck on a separate switch. Don't want them on when I have a trailer because it just throws the light out to the side and blocks any view from the mirrors.

 

I agree with Ken on replacing the backup lights with LEDs. That's a good start. Also, I installed one of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OOMQDG/ that plugs into the power supply to your trailer. Also, if you have your marker lights on, you can turn it on and have extra light around the back of your vehicle. It plugs right in the 7 pin plug. It does look a little tacky, but it's bright!

 

Didn't mean to quote?
I have an 86 B700 turned into a camper and working on RV but i turned the old flasher lights into back up lights on a switch and the front ones into fog lights that can't be legally used on the highway in most states on there own switch.
I used the original wiring that is only 18-20 guage and have had no wiring,wire overheating,or blown original fuse issue with switching to 42 diode LED lights.
I used an OPTRONICS brand 7" and after several uses I have had no problem.
Before that I wired in two light like you show to my front bumper to help the headlights to a spare on my original fuse panel with about a 15' wire run overall with its own switch and had no fuse or wire problems.
The only thing I had to worry about on the front is the state had specific's of where they could be placed to use them going down the road.
Which for NC is no more than 5' above the road and nothing within 16" s of each corner of the vehicle.
Good luck

 

Hey GW... here's something I did on a Previous Tahoe... might give you an idea or two

https://jniolon.classicpickup.com/auxbackuplites/auxbackuplites.htm

 

I installed some backup/work lights today. Simple switch and relay setup though, nothing as elaborate as what you're planning.





Now that it's dark out, I should go get a pic of them turned on...

 

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My bumper is about a foot away from a white garage door. Lights are Grote Trilliant LED work lights:

https://www.grote.com/products/63621-trilliant-mini-led-work-light-clear-trapezoid/