Rear Spotlight wired to internal rear light, possible?

[TASR12]

All,

Here's one which will probably show my ignorance but is there anyway of wiring a spot (I'm looking at a 15w pencil led type from eBay) up to the back internal light so that when you drop the tailgate it comes on or will the wiring not support the demand? I was thinking of a aralditing it to the spoiler under the brake light and then wiring it to the rear internal light, would that work?
I would like to run a seperate circuit so I could switch it on off while driving but I'm nervous about drilling holes and running it forward from my point of ignorance, power, earth from where? So tapping in to the internal boot light would be simplest if it can support it.
And advice would be welcomed.
Cheers,
T.

[Wolfracer]

I would imagine 15w won't fry anything, but I'm sure an adult will be along later to confirm... If you were to change the rear lamp to LED's then you could use the saved wattage elsewhere.

[Rob5464]

I Have a big 48 (or something) LED panel in my roof. I put it in the front as mine does not have one there. I tapped off the wiring for the rear light with no problems. LED's use hardly any power anyway. I replaced the factory fitted lights with LED bulbs but it wasn't a great deal better as you can't fit oversized bulbs in them like you can with 501 fitments. I have another panel light to put in the cargo area as well. Just tap straight off the wires and it will come on automatically. Its easy to get to the rear lamp. Easiest way would be to stuck it on the plastic where the original light is. A big LED panel will light half the car up.

You want one of these.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_tr...at=0&_from=R40

[TASR12]

Thanks for that. I'm wanting the light for external use as a work light/reversing light hence the reason for mounting it on the spoiler. Perhaps I can take a live feed from the internal light and run a switch forward so I can switch it on for reversing?

This is what I'm thinking of albeit it has got to come from China, I can't find anything similar over here.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110962221371

Thanks for the responses though, much appreciated as ever.

T.

[shokenore]

Thanks for that. I'm wanting the light for external use as a work light/reversing light hence the reason for mounting it on the spoiler. Perhaps I can take a live feed from the internal light and run a switch forward so I can switch it on for reversing?

This is what I'm thinking of albeit it has got to come from China, I can't find anything similar over here.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110962221371

Thanks for the responses though, much appreciated as ever.

T.

Have you considered having one wired through your reversing lamp and the other one wired through the internal light?

Hence one on when reversing and then one on when working?
If you did need both lights on then all you would need to do is stick the truck in reverse.

Although I can see the idea of the dash mounted switch being pretty handy.
They look to be pretty well made and if the picture from ebay is anything to go by they throw out quite a bit of light.
Anything has to be better than pathetic standard reversing lamps.

Don't forget to post some pictures up when you have finished

[TASR12]

If I'm honest it's main reason is for working around the back. It would appear to be a lot easier to just run it from the internal light as I will have the tailgate down when working/loading back there. A dash controlled one would obviously be better, particularly for the occasions when people are too close as has been mentioned.
The light at the link seem ok although whether it will actually arrive from China is anyone's guess!
Cheers.

[shokenore]

Running a cable to back is not really that bad.
It would be fairly simple to tap off the battery terminal through a fuse and then through the bulkhead to behind dash area,you could fit a switch on the dash near to the ignition switch then it would be easy to run the cable to the back via the existing wiring harness route.



I like the idea of a "warning" lamp set up for the rear.

With regards to ebay from China I felt the same when I first coughed up some cash but the postage times were way off,it went from 18-24 days to taking less than a week!!!!

[TASR12]

Thanks for that. I'm away at the moment so can't look at options for the wiring but it's good to know it doable, although with my level of expertise will take time!
Good to know abut China, I will probably take the risk as they look ok. Did you get hit for import tax?
T

[shokenore]

As far as I remember no tax ,but the tax thing seems to be hit or miss.

[Rob5464]

No tax. You can run a wire down the side of the interior panels and the door trims. easier than going through the roof. I would put an LED's panel inside as I said, wire it into the original light. Then put a separate reverse spot/driving lamp of some kind on the outside. I wouldn't tap that off any wire its too much power. A new circuit is easy enough for one or two lamps. Make sure the cable is thick enough. You can get a set of Ring spot lamps from most car shops for £25. For the price the light output is pretty good.

[Apache]

I made my own - brighter than a thousand suns. Nearly.

[Rob5464]

Looking good. Mine is brighter, can't beat SMD's for that. Yours is a softer colour though. Nice OEM finish too.

What steering wheel is that? I am looking to put a better one in mine but I want a toyota one. Momo's etc look silly.

[TASR12]

Looks good internally. I'm looking for external work lights though.

[Apache]

Looking good. Mine is brighter, can't beat SMD's for that.

Yes you can - but how can you tell from the photo?

What steering wheel is that? I am looking to put a better one in mine but I want a toyota one. Momo's etc look silly.

Thats a standard 3rd gen one.

O/P - if you want to use high current (conventional) lights, just fit a relay with the coil energised by the feed to the internal lights and run a positive from some other higher current feed. If you can use LEDs, you'll probably get away with just wiring it in parallel to your rear internal light. The switches are the weak spot - they're crap.

[Rob5464]

[QUOTE=Apache;780084]Yes you can - but how can you tell from the photo?

Because mine light the car up like daylight when I turn them on. Little too bight actually when you have been driving in the dark for some time

I would put a picture up but its sat in a yard feeling sorry for itself at the moment.