installing 'reverse' lights

I'm getting a receiver hitch for Christmas from my parents for my X, and I want to mount some fog lights/flood lights or whatever on the hitch facing backwards to serve as brighter reverse lights, lights to flick on if I'm hooking up a trailer, or 'F... You' lights for if someone is following too closely.

Now, I'd like to have them wired directly with my reverse lights so that they automatically come on when I put my X in reverse.. so I'm assuming I can just tap into the reverse light wire and badda bing it's done. But can I also hook them up to a switch on the dash so that I can also turn them on manually aside from when I go into reverse? Also, if I wire it up that way, when I flip the switch will my reverse lights come on also as a negative side effect?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Ian's 91ex]

I have it like that, only I have a relay.Power from my amp wire and the switch is in the back so I didn't have to run a wire. Works good loading boat, fixing another car roadside, tow ropes, accident scene etc

 

[Bill Kemp]

I used PIAA 1400s and a "on-off-on" type switch. In one of the on positions the back up lights trigger the relay to turn on the PIAAs. In the other "on" position the lights are on if the key is on. I mounted the relay under the hood and ran a wire from the back-up lights to the switch and ran the power & ground wires back to the lights.

 

[superedge88]

Wire them using a relay that is triggered by both the switch and the reverse lights, but put a diode on the stock reverse light wire being used to trigger the relay. This way when you flip the switch to use the auxilary reverse lights you won't turn on the stock reverse lights with them. Or am I confused with what you are wanting to do?

 

[SilverBullet]

Wire them using a relay that is triggered by both the switch and the reverse lights, but put a diode on the stock reverse light wire being used to trigger the relay. This way when you flip the switch to use the auxilary reverse lights you won't turn on the stock reverse lights with them. Or am I confused with what you are wanting to do?

Nope, you've got it. I want the lights to come on with the reverse lights, but if I turn the lights on via a switch, I don't want the reverse lights coming on with them.

 

[superedge88]

Good to hear, have fun. Oh and you may want to double up on the diodes to make sure that they can handle the amp load you will be feeding.

 

[aldive]

I have a pair of lights mounted under the rear bumper. They illuminate with the reverse lights. I simply tapped into the reverse light power wire.

This system works well and I have never had a problem with it.

 

[superedge88]

Aldive, the reason he is hooking it up with a relay, a switch and diodes is so that he can flip a switch and JUST the aftermarket reverse lights will come on, but not the stock, but he also wants the aftermarket lights to come on when he puts the vehicle into reverse.

 

[SilverBullet]

So what sort of relay would I use? Do they usually come with them when you get a set of lights? Also, what diodes would I use? Where would I get them?

 

[superedge88]

Radio Shack is a good place to get this equipment (diodes, and relays if the lights don't come with one). Usually a relay comes with the auxilary lights.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Just to let you know. If you use a three position switch as I described you dont need any diodes as there is power going only to the new reverse lights when the switch is in one of the "on" positions and power going to both backup & reverse lights when the switch is in the other "on" position.
Yes, a relay should come w/any good set of lights.