LED light bar
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 110
Likes: 2
From: north east pennsylvania
LED light bar
I have a 2008 f250 that I plow with. If I put an LED light bar on the back of my truck (running off the reverse light terminal in the trailer harness) am I going encounter any issues. I can't see very well backing up with the OEM reverse lights. Only going to use them when plowing my private drive. Thanks!
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
How much power will the LED need? If it's over a couple of amps I would run a wire off the battery to a circuit breaker, and then from the circuit breaker run the wire back to a bosch type foglamp relay. You may have room behind the taillight to mount the relay out of the weather. Run a small wire from the backup lights to the relay to trigger it on, and then your light bar will run off the power you added with the circuit breaker, saving any factory circuitry from too much load. If you use a relay you can add a pretty large light or lights back there. The bosch type relays commonly handle 30 amps.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 110
Likes: 2
From: north east pennsylvania
Thanks Dave: I have not picked out the light bar yet. My grandson sells them and has dozens available. I will use your information in selecting the right one. I have been reading stories about guys trying to use LED lighting elsewhere on their trucks and having issues. Thanks again. Do I need a circuit breaker or will a fuse block work also?
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Joined: Nov 2004
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For what it’s worth, I stuck LED bulbs in the reverse lights of both my 2006 and 2011 F350. There is a significant improvement in the light output (in my opinion), especially when plowing and it’s reflecting off snow. They’re not spotlights, of course, but they work very well.
I also use the backup lights that go into the trailer hitch and plug into the trailer plug so that they go on in reverse.
Both simple and easy modifications.
I also use the backup lights that go into the trailer hitch and plug into the trailer plug so that they go on in reverse.
Both simple and easy modifications.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
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The led reverse light bulbs are “Ibrightstar 9-30v Super Bright Low Power” - cost of about $16. Amazon has a vehicle check function to make sure it fits your vehicle
the trailer hitch lights are COR FAB GEN 2 Trailer Hitch Receiver Mount - cost of $175
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
If you did have a trailer hook-up back there that did have the reverse function hooked up, that would be a good place to put a large extra lamp back there for vision purposes. The trailer reverse is on a different circuit than the truck's reverse lights, and usually has it's own fuse in the fuse box also.
You could use a fuse or a circuit breaker if you added power directly to the battery. I am a fan of adding extra add-ons and wiring on top of the factory wiring, modifying the factory wiring the least amount that I can.
You could use a fuse or a circuit breaker if you added power directly to the battery. I am a fan of adding extra add-ons and wiring on top of the factory wiring, modifying the factory wiring the least amount that I can.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 110
Likes: 2
From: north east pennsylvania
Seville: That is one nice looking hitch mounted light. I was thinking of mounting the light bar higher because I have backed into my bank a couple of times already (probably because I could see decently while plowing). I will consider this one though.
Franklin: I do have the reverse light available in my trailer connector. Thanks for your help.
Franklin: I do have the reverse light available in my trailer connector. Thanks for your help.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,976
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From: Virginia
Seville: That is one nice looking hitch mounted light. I was thinking of mounting the light bar higher because I have backed into my bank a couple of times already (probably because I could see decently while plowing). I will consider this one though.
Franklin: I do have the reverse light available in my trailer connector. Thanks for your help.
Franklin: I do have the reverse light available in my trailer connector. Thanks for your help.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 110
Likes: 2
From: north east pennsylvania
I used to plow snow, several driveways and a parking lot. After awhile you get tired, and you end up backing up and letting truck truck drift back till it hits the snow you piled up, and then push forward as far as you can go, and the back into the snow bank again. My trailer connector led a rough life back there, and after a couple of years finally broke off.
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