Running reverse lights with seperate switch

[Craig]

Ok, here's what I want to do...I have some reverse lights that I want to wire up to my reverse wires so they come on when I'm in reverse. I'd also like to wire them up to a seperate switch so I can turn them on whenever I want. I'd like to know if I wire them up to both, will it blow fuses if I switch on the reverse lights manually by the switch? If I turn on the reverse lights manually by a switch will it send power back up the reverse wires for the jeep and if so is there something I can get that will only allow electricity to flow in only one direction?

 

[XJNick]

I have some reverse lights that I want to wire up to my reverse wires so they come on when I'm in reverse.

This is do-able. It would be best to use a relay though, as the stock reverse light wires aren't very thick.

I'd also like to wire them up to a seperate switch so I can turn them on whenever I want. I'd like to know if I wire them up to both, will it blow fuses if I switch on the reverse lights manually by the switch?

This is also do-able. You MUST put the new lights on a fused circuit. If you use a relay as I mentioned above, you'll determine the size of the fuse that powers the relay.

If I turn on the reverse lights manually by a switch will it send power back up the reverse wires for the jeep and if so is there something I can get that will only allow electricity to flow in only one direction?

Do Not worry about this. If you turn on the manual switch and are in any gear EXCEPT reverse, the power WILL feed back through the wiring but will stop at the back-up lamp switch in the transmission. This is fine. If you have the manual switch on AND have the transmission in reverse, you'll still be ok. :mrgreen:

-Nick :!:

 

[graewulf]

You can always wire a diode inline with the lights if you are worried about currrent feeding back through the circuit.. not that i'd be all that concerned