Looking for recommendations for rear mounted work light

[reefmagnet]

174873174874
Hi Guys,

I fitted a home made extendable work light to the back of my car the other day that uses a cheap (too cheap!) LED light that is a bit underwhelming. Browsing the usual suspects for lights gets a bit confusing with all the varieties and, of course, you don't really know what you're getting until you get it. Therefore, I'm looking for suggestions on what people are using that they're happy with that gives a good spread of light for camping etc. This light also acts as a reversing light (which can be switched off) so looking for something ideally around 24 watts with the ability to change the tilt angle without too much hassle and that mounts with a single 8mm bolt.

All advice appreciated. Cheers.

[Mercguy]

Any of the following will suit. Ashdown-ingram aka NAPA now.
Or you could pay through the nose at an auto parts store.
174898
174899
174900
174901

174873174874
Hi Guys,

I fitted a home made extendable work light to the back of my car the other day that uses a cheap (too cheap!) LED light that is a bit underwhelming. Browsing the usual suspects for lights gets a bit confusing with all the varieties and, of course, you don't really know what you're getting until you get it. Therefore, I'm looking for suggestions on what people are using that they're happy with that gives a good spread of light for camping etc. This light also acts as a reversing light (which can be switched off) so looking for something ideally around 24 watts with the ability to change the tilt angle without too much hassle and that mounts with a single 8mm bolt.

All advice appreciated. Cheers.

[reefmagnet]

Cheers, that Narva work light has the spread I'm looking for. I'll see if I can get my hands on one and give it a try.

[reefmagnet]

Thanks in great part to advice provided on this thread, I ended up getting a Narva 72422 LED work lamp. Installed and tested and it is literally and figuratively brilliant. Throws out a perfectly diffused spread of light over an area good enough to light up a camp site. As a bonus (and what swayed me in this direction) it's got an ADR approval for use as a reversing light, so no need for an additional switch to disable it from the reversing circuit.

[trout1105]

Thanks in great part to advice provided on this thread, I ended up getting a Narva 72422 LED work lamp. Installed and tested and it is literally and figuratively brilliant. Throws out a perfectly diffused spread of light over an area good enough to light up a camp site. As a bonus (and what swayed me in this direction) it's got an ADR approval for use as a reversing light, so no need for an additional switch to disable it from the reversing circuit.

Did you put a relay in the circuit and it's own power supply for the light?

[Vern]

Did you put a relay in the circuit and it's own power supply for the light?At .3A it won't be needed

[reefmagnet]

Did you put a relay in the circuit and it's own power supply for the light?


At .3A it won't be needed


It's a more powerful unit than the original recommended on this thread, but that recommendation put me onto the path of the solution because Narva publish light pattern diagrams for many of their lights on their website which makes it a cinch to pick the best for an application. Spec says it draws .8 something Amps @ 12V so that's about 10w which is a pretty good compromise between light output and power draw, imo. I directly connected it to the battery with a pull-on switch mounted on the rear trim. I did install an isolating relay that the reversing light circuit uses to activate the light.

[Vern]

.8A it stuff all as well

[trout1105]

.8A it stuff all as well

Regardless of the ampage of the light it is a Much better option to use the vehicles reversing light cicuit to only trigger a relay and have a seperate (fused) power source for the new light.

The same as for any other additional lights fitted to the vehicle[thumbsupbig][thumbsupbig]

[reefmagnet]

Regardless of the ampage of the light it is a Much better option to use the vehicles reversing light cicuit to only trigger a relay and have a seperate (fused) power source for the new light.

The same as for any other additional lights fitted to the vehicle[thumbsupbig][thumbsupbig]

Yep, fused right at the battery and the amount of techno-wizardry even in these old girls makes me cautious about adding anything to circuits that the computer might interpret as something going amiss.

[Vern]

Regardless of the ampage of the light it is a Much better option to use the vehicles reversing light cicuit to only trigger a relay and have a seperate (fused) power source for the new light.

The same as for any other additional lights fitted to the vehicle[thumbsupbig][thumbsupbig]Well a reverse light isn't supposed to be fitted above 1200mm on a vehicle so i assumed that its NOT wired into the reverse light circuit. And if that's a work light, then its not to be wired into the reverse light circuit, and from memory (engineers requirements for my old rangie, and mr plods in a mates disco one day) the work light switch can't be accessible from the drivers seating position. So why would you put it on a relay?

[trout1105]

Well a reverse light isn't supposed to be fitted above 1200mm on a vehicle so i assumed that its NOT wired into the reverse light circuit. And if that's a work light, then its not to be wired into the reverse light circuit, and from memory (engineers requirements for my old rangie, and mr plods in a mates disco one day) the work light switch can't be accessible from the drivers seating position. So why would you put it on a relay?

With ANY extra lighting fitted it is a Much better proposition to have them powered directly from the battery (fused) with the on/off switch wired up through a relay so that there is minimal ampage running through those flimsy switch wires and the switch itself .

Most of us that have these sorts of reversing lights only use them when offroad hence the reason for fitting a switch inside the cab and most of us incorperate a relay in the circuit so as not to overload the cars original wireing running extra lighting that the cars original wireing isn't designed to do.

As I always run heavey cables to the rear of my 4WD's to an anderson plug (fused at both ends) it is a simple task to tap into this power source for any other use[thumbsupbig]

[Vern]

With ANY extra lighting fitted it is a Much better proposition to have them powered directly from the battery (fused) with the on/off switch wired up through a relay so that there is minimal ampage running through those flimsy switch wires and the switch itself .

Most of us that have these sorts of reversing lights only use them when offroad hence the reason for fitting a switch inside the cab and most of us incorperate a relay in the circuit so as not to overload the cars original wireing running extra lighting that the cars original wireing isn't designed to do.
[thumbsupbig]

As i said, if its a work light, its not to wired into the reverse lights, and if its a work light, it doesn't need a relay for that size load, just a simple switch, why complicate it with a 2nd switch (relay) if its totally not needed. I do know exactly what a relay is for, and why its used, i deal with them daily as an electrician, but in this case, if wired legally, its not needed

[trout1105]

Most of the lights on modern vehicle's run through relays so why would you Not do the same for additional lights fitted??

[Vern]

Most of the lights on modern vehicle's run through relays so why would you Not do the same for additional lights fitted??Why would you complicate it for 800mA?

[muddy]

Hi Trout

think of it differently because of the low current load on the relay the contacts will get dust on them forming a high resistance causing a voltage drop unless you use wipe contacts.

you will have a similar problem with the switch unless it is dust proof due to low current so why add another potential problem to the circuit

Maurice

[trout1105]

Why would you complicate it for 800mA?

What is So complicated about putting a relay in the circuit and with a relay fitted an upgrade for the lights is a simple proposition.

[reefmagnet]

I've put this same kind of setup on previous vehicles and I have used a relay at times to allow switching between aux and main batteries (mainly to keep the reverse circuit isolated). Always had switches to disable the reverse light and another to activate the light itself. The reality is, I rarely turned the reverse light feature off and never had any issues with over zealous law enforcement on the matter.

I do think with modern LED lights anything below a couple of amps draw is probably inconsequential to whatever circuit it may be piggy backing off. The biggest fear would be some kind of failure in the add on stuff popping a fuse somewhere that disables important stuff!

Anyway, for future reference if anyone is interested, my actual circuit diagram is attached

[trout1105]

Hi Trout

think of it differently because of the low current load on the relay the contacts will get dust on them forming a high resistance causing a voltage drop unless you use wipe contacts.

you will have a similar problem with the switch unless it is dust proof due to low current so why add another potential problem to the circuit

Maurice

If you are getting dust or other contaminants in you contacts you haven't fitted it correctly.

[Vern]

What is So complicated about putting a relay in the circuit and with a relay fitted an upgrade for the lights is a simple proposition.Theres nothing complicated about it, but making the system more complicated than it needs to be then it just becomes another to for it to fail.

[Vern]

If you are getting dust or other contaminants in you contacts you haven't fitted it correctly.Oh please, so you're saying all your relays are dust free?

[trout1105]

Oh please, so you're saying all your relays are dust free?

Not hard to achieve with some heatshrink and some silicon, Not only dust free but also water resistant as well [thumbsupbig]

[muddy]

Not hard to achieve with some heatshrink and some silicon, Not only dust free but also water resistant as well [thumbsupbig]


why not keep to the kiss principle ----- this is the problem of modern cars running telemetry systems to computers on low voltages and low current inputs going bush into dusty areas and expecting to last forever

[trout1105]

why not keep to the kiss principle ----- this is the problem of modern cars running telemetry systems to computers on low voltages and low current inputs going bush into dusty areas and expecting to last forever

It isn't overcomplicated things at all.
It is doing the job properly instead of doing a half arsed job.

[scarry]

Theres nothing complicated about it, but making the system more complicated than it needs to be then it just becomes another to for it to fail.

A bit off topic,but after 70 yrs,LR still havent worked that one out......[bigsad][biggrin][biggrin]

[Vern]

It isn't overcomplicated things at all.
It is doing the job properly instead of doing a half arsed job.Who says not using a relay isn't doing it properly and half arsed?

[muddy]

It isn't overcomplicated things at all.
It is doing the job properly instead of doing a half arsed job.


my point is why add to a circuit to create another weak link

how many of us that go into an auto shop and ask for wipe contacts on relays

ordinary relays are not dust sealed because they are designed to carrying some form of load/current which cleans them

[trout1105]

my point is why add to a circuit to create another weak link

how many of us that go into an auto shop and ask for wipe contacts on relays

ordinary relays are not dust sealed because they are designed to carrying some form of load/current which cleans them

For a start Most relays ARE now sealed and I have never heard about self cleaning contacts on a relay and if you are paying to have the contacts cleaned (wiped) on a modern relay you are getting ripped off.

On the old school relays they had a set of contacts not unlike a set of ignition points and these Did benefit a clean periodically But we are in the 21st century and these types of older style relays only exist on cars 6+ decades old.

You mob wire up the way you want to it doesn't matter to me, Just make sure you fire extinguisher is handy[bigwhistle]

[Vern]

You mob wire up the way you want to it doesn't matter to me, Just make sure you fire extinguisher is handy[bigwhistle]

Ummm thats what the fuse is there for. Relay won't stop a fire

[trout1105]

Ummm thats what the fuse is there for. Relay won't stop a fire

If you think a 10a fuse will stop a 3a switch from melting/burning in the dash then good luck to you.
Like I said you do what you want on your own vehicle But it will snow in hell before I would let you touch my wireing on my D2a[bigwhistle]

[muddy]

For a start Most relays ARE now sealed and I have never heard about self cleaning contacts on a relay and if you are paying to have the contacts cleaned (wiped) on a modern relay you are getting ripped off.

On the old school relays they had a set of contacts not unlike a set of ignition points and these Did benefit a clean periodically But we are in the 21st century and these types of older style relays only exist on cars 6+ decades old.

You mob wire up the way you want to it doesn't matter to me, Just make sure you fire extinguisher is handy[bigwhistle]


wipe contacts is where on closing they are designed to move across there surfaces thus are called WIPED and are designed for low voltage 0-5 volt or low current closing .

where as the relays you are talking about are spring loaded and if dust gets on them an arc is caused by the current to make contact

no need for the fire extinguisher just rely on years of in the trade all horses for courses

[johnp38]

I simplified it up a little for the rest of us to follow with relay numbering for anyone who builds it, but no PC drawing skills so by hand it is


175078

@reefmagnet, nice circuit but it did me over a bit following the paths coz you put the battery in the loop !

[Vern]

If you think a 10a fuse will stop a 3a switch from melting/burning in the dash then good luck to you.
Like I said you do what you want on your own vehicle But it will snow in hell before I would let you touch my wireing on my D2a[bigwhistle]Who in there right mind would put a 3A switch in a circuit with a 10A protective device? [emoji848]
The protective device is to protect everything downstream of it thats under load.
It will snow in hell before i would want to work on a d2 anyway[emoji846]

[Mercguy]

Wow. come back to this thinking there'd be install pics and instead find an argument over pointless minutae.

c'mon people... there are far more important things to worry about than how to wire up an LED.

[johnp38]

Wow. come back to this thinking there'd be install pics and instead find an argument over pointless minutae.

c'mon people... there are far more important things to worry about than how to wire up an LED.

It's called 'robust discussion' [biggrin]and there are recommendations for lights and 2 suitable circuits given for people to use if they choose.

But yeah, where's the bloody pics ?? Piccy worth a thousand words (or will cause a thousand words discussing it)