Work lights

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

I had a thought (no - don't all fall over laughing - it does happen) about pulling into a camping spot after a long run and having the sun set before I got the camper setup. Then I had another thought (Don't ... ) and went looking for a decent work light or 2. Then I had a bit of a mug's go at fitting some light.

I didn't have a real clue about how to fashion a bracket off the spare wheel holder ... and I didn't want to drill a hole in the roof for wiring - for lights mounted on the roof rack.

SO - I bought a pair of cheapo (Super Cheapo) work lights and fitted them to the rear of the roof rack. I wired them together and fitted them to an Anderson plug - also fitted to the roof rack.

I had a spare power accessory cable with ciggie lighter plug on it - I chopped the other end off it and fitted an Anderson plug.

Now when I want light at night I pop the door open, plug in my cable and I've got a pair of mini floodlights.







The power socket still needs to have the key flicked to accessory. The lights cannot be turned on while driving - even of reversing (good or bad ?) but it should keep me out of strife with the law.

I'm still thinking of a switch - and would have a go at wiring them in properly if I could figure a way of doing it without drilling holes - or taping wires to exterior body panels :lol:

Any thoughts ?

Cheers
Chippy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Brilliant idea there Chippy.

Unfortunately, I don't know my ass from my elbow when it comes to tech skills.

At the risk of proving I'm a total geek, can you not run a cable in around the door (either through or over the rubbers) without drilling?

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Chippy,
In my previous 80 series I had a 2nd battery in back and the H/D wiring led to a solid plug which I used for a hand fluro (Eva Power Torpedo) with an on/off switch .
Wiring also went to an Anderson plug at rear which was connected to van for charging van battery .

Perhaps you could introduce an on/off switch to lead , so that to activate light you need to not only plug in but also switch on.

Pedro

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Chippy, Good work, I think we should call you "MR DETAIL"

[Damien Parker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Damien Parker]

I think he is getting close to being prince of the gadgets...

Drew being king at this point...

Top idea though chippy.

2 thumbs up. I also second the idea of the switch in line as well, but as the saying goes. Keep it simple.

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Thanks for positives guys. It's great to chuck stuff onto Pradopoint and get responses like this. Cheers.

... can you not run a cable in around the door (either through or over the rubbers) without drilling?

I've had a look G-man and it may work. If I run a smaller pair of wires under the rubber strip - it's only a small section to the rear door - and run it down in the recess on the hinge side it will be nearly invisible. I can then tuck it in through the light assembly and I can get access from inside the cab. I reckon I've got another weekend job ... along with the Polyairs and the dual battery. :lol:

Perhaps you could introduce an on/off switch to lead , so that to activate light you need to not only plug in but also switch on.

Top idea Pedro. I reckon I can find a neat in-line switch and splice it into the cable. I might even have an old one in the shed among the pile of stuff the kids have trashed over the years.

Now - all I have to do is combine both ideas - and source the power from the Aux battery (avoiding the accessory circuit) and run it to a switch on the dash - then Tailgaters BEWARE ! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

Top score, Chippy. I like your style.

I've been planning a work/reverse light for my 120 for ages and just never seem to get it done.

Here's a trick for getting the cable in, it's what the professional installers do when putting gear on police cars and ambos and such:

Pull the rubber seal away from the metal work, use a round file and make a sufficient cut away in the steel lip (that the seal was pressed on to) for the cable(s), slap some paint on it for rust mitigation, rooster the cable through and put the seal back. I'm not sure how this would work on the rear seal, it would need looking at. Sometimes it's just the seed of an idea that's needed. :-)

As for being the gadget king, as I've said elsewhere, if I had all the gadgets I dream of in my 120, she's plain sink! I've got so many ideas on the boil and bad time management. I'd love to take Dudley Docker's advice and take the whole year off, shame I'm not rich like he was! :lol:

Drew.

[120GXV6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close 120GXV6]

Just for interest - I finished wiring up my rear work light (55 W QH) yesterday - it is on an extendable post and part of my new rear bar and wheel carrier.

I set it up so the light comes on with reversing lights, with a manual overide switch to turn them on at other times in the front. Tried it out last night and it was great! Look out tailgaters :lol:

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Small techie question Matthew ...

Have you got the lights wired in to come on in reverse - and the overide switch allows you to turn them off, OR, have you got them wired in to reverse - and the overide switch allows you to turn them on at other times.

This is the bit I wasn't sure how to do ????

I also searched your post for pics ... and couldn't find any

Pics, pics, pics

Cheers
Chippy

[120GXV6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close 120GXV6]

Chippy - see revised post with changes in italics

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Aaaahhhh - I'm happy now.

Cheers Matthew - you're a legend.

Chippy

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Found a nice 3 position switch at my local Repco (Narva brand) that fits nicely in the original switch mounting spots.

Middle position = lights off. Up = lights come on when reverse is selected.
Down = works lights on - regardless of gear selected. Down will also bypass accessory circuit and allow the work lights to be run at any time.

Now I just gotta fit it :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Found a nice 3 position switch at my local Repco (Narva brand) that fits nicely in the original switch mounting spots.

Nice work there Chippy!!

BTW, the big 600 is coming up!!!!

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

BTW, the big 600 is coming up!!!!

Really - I hadn't noticed

Cheers
Chippy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

C'mon Chippy, keep going!!!! 8)