Adding reverse lights

[66 Galaxie]

Has anyone looked into adding additional reverse lights? Thinking of adding a set of rear flood lights about 18-20w draw and wonder if I need a relay triggered off of the backup light wiring or just wire direct.

Not sure what the computer based electronics allow for load.

Thoughts, experience, etc?

 

[66 Galaxie]

Hooked them them up to the trailer backup light wire and all is well.

 

[66 Galaxie]

They are mounted under the rear bumper using existing bumper cover bolts.

 

[iamdub]

Has anyone looked into adding additional reverse lights? Thinking of adding a set of rear flood lights about 18-20w draw and wonder if I need a relay triggered off of the backup light wiring or just wire direct.

Not sure what the computer based electronics allow for load.

Thoughts, experience, etc?

Hooked them them up to the trailer backup light wire and all is well.

View attachment 414551

You did good. Using LEDs makes the current draw a non-issue. Using the trailer wiring is even safer.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Makes all the difference in the world.

 

[BobHolthaus]

They are mounted under the rear bumper using existing bumper cover bolts. View attachment 414553

What brand did you use? Pictures during the day? Also, did you have to splice the trailer wiring, or is there a plug and play solution? I may do flush mounted Rigid’s in the bumper to the right and left of the hitch opening.

 

[BobHolthaus]

@66 Galaxie Can you please tell me where you tapped the reverse light wiring at the hitch? Thanks.

 

[yourmomsshlong]

@66 Galaxie Can you please tell me where you tapped the reverse light wiring at the hitch? Thanks.

These are a great plug and play option:

Yes, they are pretty much universal.

HitchMount LED Pod Reverse Kit for 2019-2026 GMC Sierra 1500

<div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main"><div class="ddescr dcol1"> <div class="block1"> <h3>Features</h3> <ul> <li>Allows you to mount a C1R LED pod in the GMC Sierra 1500 trailer hitch receiver.</li> <li>Adds a powerful reverse light, 4th brake light, and...

www.diodedynamics.com

 

[66 Galaxie]

@66 Galaxie Can you please tell me where you tapped the reverse light wiring at the hitch? Thanks.

Just sent you a note.

The center pin of the 7 pin connector is for reverse lights. IIRC the wire is green and white.

I suggest testing to make sure it has power before you tap into it as a few members have said that you need to have a trailer plugged in for it to have power. I may be lucky that my Tahoe has reverse light power without full trailer lights plugged in.

 

[BobHolthaus]

That is the case with ours: only the 12v circuit is live when a trailer isn’t connected. Back to the drawing board on where to tap a reverse lead.

It took me 2.5 hours to mount these Rigid’s. They look awesome.

 

[BobHolthaus]

Flush mount Rigid Ignite’s. Simply drill a 1.75” hole and they slide right in. Even come with that little template, which I used to ensure correct placement on each side of the opening.

 

[66 Galaxie]

These are a great plug and play option:

Yes, they are pretty much universal.

HitchMount LED Pod Reverse Kit for 2019-2026 GMC Sierra 1500

<div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main"><div class="ddescr dcol1"> <div class="block1"> <h3>Features</h3> <ul> <li>Allows you to mount a C1R LED pod in the GMC Sierra 1500 trailer hitch receiver.</li> <li>Adds a powerful reverse light, 4th brake light, and...

www.diodedynamics.com

The pickups have the same plugs but slightly different wiring. At one point I tried a harness for adding a led light bar to the back which would do running lights, brake, blinker and reverse lights and the lead which would be for reverse was a blinker.

 

[66 Galaxie]

View attachment 417755That is the case with ours: only the 12v circuit is live when a trailer isn’t connected. Back to the drawing board on where to tap a reverse lead.

It took me 2.5 hours to mount these Rigid’s. They look awesome.

You should be able to add in a relay for them. Tap the back up reverse wire in the taillight harness to act as the switch and use power from the 12volt hot lead in the trailer harness.

 

[BobHolthaus]

You should be able to add in a relay for them. Tap the back up reverse wire in the taillight harness to act as the switch and use power from the 12volt hot lead in the trailer harness.

These only draw 12 watts each (.85 amps, or 1.7 amps total - 22 gauge wire could handle these). I doubt I’ll even bother with a relay, but I’ll check it out. I also have some 18/2 that I pulled through the frame when I was adding my 12v outlets to the back end, so if I can find a reverse-activated fuse to tap under the hood, I may go that route. I looked at the fuse box in the rear end drivers side, and none of the circuits appear to be for the trailer hitch wiring.

 

[BobHolthaus]

It appears that fuse 55 in the under-hood fuse box is for the reverse lights in the trailer wiring. I will test this with my circuit tester later.

 

[AliBaba]

Has anyone tried a plug-n-play option?

I’m looking at maybe doing a USCAR t-connector with a 5-way. This would allow me to connect the reverse lights to the trailer plug without splicing anything and keeping it all clean. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...g-solutions-trailer-wire-connector/hop1/41153


My thought for those that have not had success using the trailer plug, is if you don’t grab the ground from the trailer plug as well the vehicle might not be happy with a voltage draw.

 

[AliBaba]

Has anyone tried a plug-n-play option?

I’m looking at maybe doing a USCAR t-connector with a 5-way. This would allow me to connect the reverse lights to the trailer plug without splicing anything and keeping it all clean. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...g-solutions-trailer-wire-connector/hop1/41153


My thought for those that have not had success using the trailer plug, is if you don’t grab the ground from the trailer plug as well the vehicle might not be happy with a voltage draw.

We it was a good effort but no luck. The Yukon wouldn’t even recognize the backup light unless it had draw from the running light.

The part I used was Hopkins 41153.

Going to try some other avenues as I really hate T-connectors and messing with factory wiring.

 

[AliBaba]

More to come...... Spoke to someone who is making a plug-n-play harness for the tail lights that will give you a ground and reverse wire. This will bypass the computerized trailer connector and as long as it's a small load or using a relay you can go the route of not modifying the factory wiring.

 

[BobHolthaus]

It appears that fuse 55 in the under-hood fuse box is for the reverse lights in the trailer wiring. I will test this with my circuit tester later.View attachment 417774

Update: this fuse did not work. Clearly the vehicle needs something else hooked to the trailer wiring to think it’s got a trailer attached. Do you guys think that’s the ground wire? I will try that, the theory being if we ground the harness all of the other circuits will work.

Edit: but then would the Yukon think there’s a trailer hooked up at all times, and would that mess up the screen (which defaults to trailer screens when the trailer is hooked up)

 

[BobHolthaus]

More to come...... Spoke to someone who is making a plug-n-play harness for the tail lights that will give you a ground and reverse wire. This will bypass the computerized trailer connector and as long as it's a small load or using a relay you can go the route of not modifying the factory wiring.

Okay, @AliBaba I am 100% interested in buying one of these harnesses for a 2023. Any idea on timing? I’m glad there’s someone else that’s hell bent on making this work too, thanks.

Btw, I have no issues tapping a reverse wire behind the light enclosure. It’s my laziness at finding how to take that thing apart, etc. Which I guess I’ll have to do regardless with a plug and play harness.

My reality is that these light have been in for 2 months and they aren’t wired. And boating season starts soon!