Rear fogs, but $&%F$! cargo lamp switch!!!! WTF?!

[glendayle]

So I hate how difficult it is to see at night when in reverse. Particularly at my house, where I have poor lighting in my driveway and on the street near my house. I have kicked this idea around for a while and since my hitch needed to be removed so that i can repaint it, I thought it would be the perfect time to experiment.

I'll add some more pics later. It appears I haven't taken any with them mounted on my truck yet.

Basically I took a couple pieces of angle iron and welded them to my trailer hitch. Then I wired it up.
Here is a pic of the hitch after I primered it.

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Here is a pic of one light mounted on my modified hitch. Sorry about the poor picture quality.

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And of course, it throws mad light. This is just from an angle because straight on just looks like a picture of the sun.

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Only problem I have is that the cargo lamp feed is somehow tied into the interior lights. So when the cargo lamp switch is in the "off" position and the interior lights of the car are "off" the rear added lights turn on. If the switch is in the "off" position, and the interior lights are "on" then the rear fog lights are off. If the cargo lamp switch is in the "on" position, the rear added lights are always on(as they should be).
WTF?!!!!!!!!!

 

[KevinL1987]

Glendayle, Please refer to your other post. I replied there with some information for you.

 

[glendayle]

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[glendayle]

Well, looks like the cargo lamp switch isn't going to work like I had hoped. What an idiotic switch. Would love to just get a stock fog light switch in a vertical bezel, but it seems that they go for about $30-$50 on here. Too rich for my blood. If anyone has one and wants to sell it for around $15 shipped, let me know.

I'll have to explore where on my dash I want it, but looking like I'll use the top blank spot and considering putting in this switch.

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[kkirwan71]

Why not just wire them to your reverse lights?


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[glendayle]

Why not just wire them to your reverse lights?

For a couple of reasons. For one, I don't really want them kicking on every time I'm in reverse. During the day, there is no need for them to come on. 2ndly. Sometimes I want to use them to work on something or for lighting behind the truck while I'm parked. I don't want to be stuck only being able to use them when the vehicle is in reverse.

 

[kkirwan71]

For a couple of reasons. For one, I don't really want them kicking on every time I'm in reverse. During the day, there is no need for them to come on. 2ndly. Sometimes I want to use them to work on something or for lighting behind the truck while I'm parked. I don't want to be stuck only being able to use them when the vehicle is in reverse.

Ohhhh gotcha. Do you have the same orange and orange with a black stripe wire behind your cargo light switch?


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[glendayle]

Ohhhh gotcha. Do you have the same orange and orange with a black stripe wire behind your cargo light switch?


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There are 4 wires. Orange(always hot), Blue w white(feed to cargo lamp), black(ground I assume), and Brown(not sure). Problem is that the cargo light is not always on and has some inverse relationship with the interior lamps. My plan now is going to be to just tap that orange(hot) wire and then send my switch leg to my rear light relay. Just need to get the switch. That should be pretty easy. Just a little annoyed because I really don't like an non-OEM looking stuff.

 

[kkirwan71]

There are 4 wires. Orange(always hot), Blue w white(feed to cargo lamp), black(ground I assume), and Brown(not sure). Problem is that the cargo light is not always on and has some inverse relationship with the interior lamps. My plan now is going to be to just tap that orange(hot) wire and then send my switch leg to my rear light relay. Just need to get the switch. That should be pretty easy. Just a little annoyed because I really don't like an non-OEM looking stuff.

Your solid orange should be your switched spires for your cargo lamp


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[glendayle]

Your solid orange should be your switched spires for your cargo lamp


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I tapped it and it is always on. Not sure what you mean by "spires".