Rear work/backup lights ideas

[Rockcrawlindude]

Being in Georgia, my bed lighting remains on even when the vehicle is in motion. So I may try adding the reverse/work lights to the bed lighting circuit.

my Chevrolet would cut the cargo / bed lights when the vehicle started moving

if I connect to the bed lights, we would have ground illumination if we push the button in the bed so we can jump down and avoid puddles at night or I can hit the dash button if I need more light to backup my trailer etc

 

[Brewbud]

Cool, I am in CA but I bought my truck in Texas so I am good to go. Oh wait...dang it....I don't have bed lights...yet LOL But when I do, eat your heart out other Californians. I assume it would be a change in AlfaOBD anyway.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Being in Georgia, my bed lighting remains on even when the vehicle is in motion. So I may try adding the reverse/work lights to the bed lighting circuit.

my Chevrolet would cut the cargo / bed lights when the vehicle started moving

if I connect to the bed lights, we would have ground illumination if we push the button in the bed so we can jump down and avoid puddles at night or I can hit the dash button if I need more light to backup my trailer etc
View attachment 10387

Are you sure it stays on? Mine turns off while driving but the dash still shows the indicator

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Are you sure it stays on? Mine turns off while driving but the dash still shows the indicator

Yes. I cannot see the cargo light by the third brake light on the cab (which I don’t care much about, I’m waiting on a topper) but I can see the LEDs in the bed in the rear view mirror.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Yes. I cannot see the cargo light by the third brake light on the cab (which I don’t care much about, I’m waiting on a topper) but I can see the LEDs in the bed in the rear view mirror.

My tonneau cover is on so i cant see it i was looking for the cargo light reflection off my backrack

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

My tonneau cover is on so i cant see it i was looking for the cargo light reflection off my backrack

I believe, based on my interpretation of the owners manual, that the cargo light does shut off in motion. The bed lighting stays on, I tested up to 55mph. I’m going to be moving forward with my plan of using that circuit for “zone 7” lighting as Baja designs calls it

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I believe, based on my interpretation of the owners manual, that the cargo light does shut off in motion. The bed lighting stays on, I tested up to 55mph. I’m going to be moving forward with my plan of using that circuit for “zone 7” lighting as Baja designs calls it

Great to know as i am putting lights under the bed rails there are times when i am towing my 5th wheels its nice to peek on things while driving at night

 

[Wpg_Ram]

Hey guys, i have a 2021 ram 2500 on order and i'm looking to see what you guys have done for backup/work light options. I know baja designs has a set meant for these trucks but im trying to stay within a budget for lighting and i blew that when i splurged on their Onx6 front light bar kit for my new truck. On my current truck i have recessed lights in my rear bumper and they work great but up here in canada with all the salty roads those light housings and the cutout bumper around them corrode and look horrible after the first winter or two.
Anyone have any other ideas or pics of what they have done?

Late reply but I’m in Winnipeg and my old rigid ones have lasted in the bumper just fine in my old 1500. A quality set will survive mud, snow, salt, water. Just depends on the material and seal quality

 

[Brewbud]

Anybody have a pic (or just share your thoughts) of the light output on the Baja’s? The kit I’m looking at looks like the pics above, and is marketed as “wide cornering” so I am hopeful that the beam is wide and bright. The specs are 1130 lumen, 12w, 42° beam

If they have great output then I’m thinking about getting the kit and wiring one of them to the reverse circuit and wiring the other into the bed/cargo lights. My bed and cargo lights operate on the dash switch and I also have a factory button in the bed to operate them. I would mount them near the center of the vehicle like @cjmvt above. This way I would have stronger reverse output and I would have a work light and I would maintain the clean symmetrical look.

I have gotten to where I don’t like extra switches and buttons and I like setting things up to work how I want them without my input. I have my Baja designs fog lights set up to run automatically as well.

@Rockcrawlerdude are you happy with the BD wide cornering for backup lights. I am waffling between those and the BD work/scene. BD has those listed for Zone 7 but I could see where the wide cornering would work if flipped. Would you do the same lights again?

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

@Rockcrawlerdude are you happy with the BD wide cornering for backup lights. I am waffling between those and the BD work/scene. BD has those listed for Zone 7 but I could see where the wide cornering would work if flipped. Would you do the same lights again?

I am happy with them, they’re very bright even compared to larger lights despite being such small lights. I can see perfectly now backing up at night.
It sounds like the work/scene lights would put out a ton of light as well. Hard to decide which is better... Kinda depends on how you want the light to be thrown but either will be such an improvement

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

@Brewbud
By the way the light pattern difference from left to right was all me. When I flipped the bezel I let the reflector slip out of place on one.
Here is a shot of the beam out the back, out the mirror and on the wall close up. The dark spot line on the garage door is a “refresh line” the leds throw on the backup camera. It goes across the screen when I’m close to a wall like that.

I have them pointed mostly straight back, they are just slightly angled outward. You could angle them more if you wanted to.

 

[Brewbud]

That works great. I noticed their backup kit has the WC instead of the work/scene despite what they show for their lighting diagram. I will just go with the WC lights. That way I don't have to make the brackets for the bumper. I still need to decide if I am going to replace the 3rd brake light with one from Evil Manufacturing or GJ Motorsports Neither show an option for the cargo camera. GJM doesn't show even one for 19-20s yet. This would give me dust lights as well as an NMO radio antenna connection.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

That works great. I noticed their backup kit has the WC instead of the work/scene despite what they show for their lighting diagram. I will just go with the WC lights. That way I don't have to make the brackets for the bumper. I still need to decide if I am going to replace the 3rd brake light with one from Evil Manufacturing or GJ Motorsports Neither show an option for the cargo camera. GJM doesn't show even one for 19-20s yet. This would give me dust lights as well as an NMO radio antenna connection.

Well, that would certainly be a lot of light. Lol.

As of now, I’m happy with my forward lighting, cargo lighting and my rearward lighting upgrades

 

[Brewbud]

The two outside would just be for dust lights. You need to see them in daylight too.

 

[Cronk]

Not that I would do this on my 2500. But when I was younger I had a s2000 with a hard top and limo tint. I drilled a hole in each tail light and installed a hid bulb. Long story short. Wired the hid set up to the reverse signal and it was BRIGHT. Never had an issue with heating up the lense. Like I said, wouldn't do it to the truck but it worked really well lol.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

@Brewbud you can also mount the BD backup brackets further apart. They can mount to any of the bumper bolts. I have mine closer to the middle but they could be all the way spread out

 

[Brewbud]

@Brewbud you can also mount the BD backup brackets further apart. They can mount to any of the bumper bolts. I have mine closer to the middle but they could be all the way spread out

I like the output of yours. I will probably do something similar.

 

[Ramit530]

This unit is pretty amazing and very simple to install....
https://www.vleds.com/lp-reverse-72-w-5500k.html
I used a 7 pin trailer Y Splitter and modified to wire this in as to not cut or splice any factory wiring.
Also wired it to an Aux switch using Roadmaster Hy-Power Diodes so there is no back feed from circuit to circuit causing any codes or issues with the truck electrical system

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Hooking up my trailer from the back yard @ 9:00 pm