led slimline lights for rear

[maz]

Hello Good people,
I would like to fit two small slimline led lights high up on the back of my van to help illuminate the back area when reversing.
Now i am not to sure what whattage or lumens i would need.
Can some one with more knowledge please enlighten me.
Also how best to make them work , as i will not be needing them all the time i thought a manual small switch onmounted on the dash some where so i cn switch the lights on as needed.
Please feel free to advise anf inform me.
Thank you all for you input.
Cheers maz.

 

[gltrimble]

I wired my van for auxiliary reverse lights. The lights will activate every time I reverse via a reverse lamp relay or I can turn them on manually from my front overhead panel.

I chose to mount the lights tucked under the van pointing down and outward. This way they do not blind anybody following me but still illuminate the ground surrounding the rear of the van. Sometimes this is enough light to make the backup camera useful.

I am using these lamps from Amazon. They claim 3600 lumens. They also come in a smaller 4” version.

Auxbeam 7 Inch LED Light Bar 36W LED Driving Light Spot LED Work Light Waterproof LED Lights for Trucks Car Pickup ATV Jeep Motorcycle Boat Golf Cart with Mounting Brackets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T7L0DKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_9AWnEb7S6JQFA

 

[maz]

I wired my van for auxiliary reverse lights. The lights will activate every time I reverse via a reverse lamp relay or I can turn them on manually from my front overhead panel.

I chose to mount the lights tucked under the van pointing down and outward. This way they do not blind anybody following me but still illuminate the ground surrounding the rear of the van. Sometimes this is enough light to make the backup camera useful.

I am using these lamps from Amazon. They claim 3600 lumens. They also come in a smaller 4” version.

Auxbeam 7 Inch LED Light Bar 36W LED Driving Light Spot LED Work Light Waterproof LED Lights for Trucks Car Pickup ATV Jeep Motorcycle Boat Golf Cart with Mounting Brackets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T7L0DKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_9AWnEb7S6JQFA

Hello gltrimble,
Thank you for your reply, are you happy with the brightness of the lights , or are they overkill or just enough ???.
Cheers maz.

Hello gltrimble

 

[gltrimble]

Hello gltrimble,

Thank you for your reply, are you happy with the brightness of the lights , or are they overkill or just enough ???.

Cheers maz.

I have it wired up but have not gotten around to installing the lights. Since my lights will point to the ground not to worried about being too bright. I think the 7” lights might be too bright if mounted up high on my van.

Forgot to mention I also have a switch next to the rear door for the reverse lights. I do have a set of slim lights mounted high up on the inside of my rear doors and in my cargo area. Theses are helpful when loading in the dark.

 

[CAsprinter4x4!]

I have it wired up but have not gotten around to installing the lights. Since my lights will point to the ground not to worried about being too bright. I think the 7” lights might be too bright if mounted up high on my van.

Forgot to mention I also have a switch next to the rear door for the reverse lights. I do have a set of slim lights mounted high up on the inside of my rear doors and in my cargo area. Theses are helpful when loading in the dark.

Nice bikes sir!

 

[Vanzer Pagen]

Jeez Lynn, whaddup with those Special Guy XC whips? No wonder I can't keep up with you on the climbs! Gawd help you on the "Stairway To Hell" though
Do need to meet up for some Noble and van time though, (or the secret trails).

 

[gltrimble]

Jeez Lynn, whaddup with those Special Guy XC whips? No wonder I can't keep up with you on the climbs! Gawd help you on the "Stairway To Hell" though
Do need to meet up for some Noble and van time though, (or the secret trails).

Bob, the 2019 on the right replaces the 2011 on the left. So impressed with the 2019 I hardly ride my Special Guy Enduro much, except maybe “Stairway to Hell”. I am ready for a meetup and ride, and Paul does still ride.

By the way, think I saw a couple of solar panels along 395 on my way back from Mammoth and Alabama Hills. Thought to myself, “could those be Bob’s?” .....”naahhh....” and kept driving.

 

[IPT]

I chose to mount the lights tucked under the van pointing down and outward. This way they do not blind anybody following me but still illuminate the ground surrounding the rear of the van. Sometimes this is enough light to make the backup camera useful.

Any pics of these mounted? Anyone mount any strip sort of lighting on the sides to make the side view mirrors useful when backing up at night? Last year I found backing up into camp sights a little un-nerving because I felt my visibility was horrible, especially on the sides.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

Any pics of these mounted? Anyone mount any strip sort of lighting on the sides to make the side view mirrors useful when backing up at night? Last year I found backing up into camp sights a little un-nerving because I felt my visibility was horrible, especially on the sides.

I'm going to be figuring out something for back up lights for sure, I feel the same, very poor viz when backing up in the pitch black. I'm thinking off the corners of my roof rack, pointed generally downward and slightly outward. Looking at 60 degree LED floodlights on Amazon. Not sure if I will wire them into the reverse wire, of a separate switch.

 

[gltrimble]

I'm going to be figuring out something for back up lights for sure, I feel the same, very poor viz when backing up in the pitch black. I'm thinking off the corners of my roof rack, pointed generally downward and slightly outward. Looking at 60 degree LED floodlights on Amazon. Not sure if I will wire them into the reverse wire, of a separate switch.

I have all the wiring in place for my reverse auxiliary lights. I have the lights. Just trying to devise a simple bracket to mount the LED lights under the rear corners of the van.

I wired my reverse auxiliary lights so they always turn on when I put the van in reverse. Since the lights are tucked under the van and point toward the ground they will not be a hazard or annoyance for someone driving behind me. I also added two switches, one on the center console above the driver and the other just inside the rear door. Both switches and the reverse signal use relays to activate the LED lights.

I find that once the ground is illuminated then the backup camera will be of use.

 

[kcshoots]

I mounted two KC Hi Lights C-Series C2 LED Area Flood lights onto the rear of my Aluminess roof rack. These are nice as they are compact, bright, and low wattage LEDs, as well as fully sealed. Connectors are high quality. I ran the wires into my roof junction box, where I have a pair of the same lights on each side, as well as a Gravity LED Pro6 on the front of the roof rack. All share a common negative to reduce the wires having to go thru the roof junction box and into an electrical panel below it. The junction box is full sealed with Dicor sealant as well as screwed onto the roof with one large conduit pipe fitting trimming out the roof penetration hole as well. Each wire enters the roof mounted junction box via a dedicated rubber grommet so each wire is water tight, and the junction box is my large solar panel, so also protected from the elements yet accessible if needed. The power wires for all lights are run within a small cabinet and wire chase above the PS slider door and to the center of the headliner, where I have a BlueSea Weatherdeck 8 switch with switches for the four roof lights, as well as overhead map lights, air compressor and a strip of ceiling LEDs that run the full length of the interior so I can see at night if something is sliding around or needs quick attention. All works great. The rear lights as well as the side lights are wide area, so illuminate close to the van for seeing rocks, branches, etc as well as lighting up a fair distance to spot wildlife, camp sites, read signs, etc. Here are a few photos although I don't have any handy of the rear lights and some of these were taken before completion but I can take some soon if you'd like. You can see the side lights (with their wind/tree branch protector in front of them) which are the same as the rears, only the rears are installed between the roof rack and roof so fully protected from backing into a tree branch.

 

[stucky53]

You can wire a Bajadesigns S2 light onto the reverse camera cover. It clears the doors, looks super clean and comes in difference light patterns. I used the flood pattern and wired it to a switch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4-Ux8dBxN8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

- Jake

 

[gltrimble]

Some pictures of my reverse lights which I realize I never posted. More details about the lights on my build thread.

 

[DocsVan]

You can wire a Bajadesigns S2 light onto the reverse camera cover. It clears the doors, looks super clean and comes in difference light patterns. I used the flood pattern and wired it to a switch.

http://instagr.am/p/B4-Ux8dBxN8/
- Jake

Can you share more about this setup? I love how clean it looks and the functionality is perfect.

does the light block the camera at all? Curious about legality bc you also are partially blocking the third brake light but I imagine that varies state to state.