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Thread: Back-up lights illuminated entry

  1. #1
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    Cool Back-up lights illuminated entry

    Hi Guys

    I've noticed a lot of the newer vehicles put the back-up lights on when the trunk/tailgate is opened or with the illuminated entry feature when the car is unlocked and thought I might have a go at reworking the back-up lights on my Marauder to do the same.

    So the design brief was for the back-up lights to come on when the trunk is open and as an illuminated entry feature when the car is unlocked at night and the parking/head/courtesy lights come on.

    At first I thought it would be a simple job with a couple relays but I ran into a problem, the trunk light ground wire has voltage on it from the LCM untill switched to ground when the trunk is opened, which basically meant I had to add an extra relay, here is my wiring schematic for you to critique.







    There is one minor fly in the ointment I am working on at the moment and that is the courtesy lights fade as they turn off which means the upper right relay coil loses voltage gradually and buzzes for 1/2 a second as it trys to switch with a low voltgae, as the relay is buzzing it means the contacts will be arcing, not a good thing for relay longevity, I am thinking this may be cured with a capacitor across the relay coil.

    Regards

    Dereck

  2. #2
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    Having a capacitor in the system to provide that fade away effect is what is causing the problem of the buzzing relay adding another will only extend the time that the relay buzzes.

  3. #3
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    How about using a solid state relay? Low power ones can be purchased for pretty cheap. Im gonna run this plan past my electrical engineer friends and see if we cant solve the noise problem.

    Your diagram looks good to me. I like where your head's at with this idea.
    2004 Silver Birch w/moonroof. "Isabelle"


    Eaton swapped summer/fall 2015 with all the gooddies, tune by the one-and-only Marty-O +2psi pulley, Steigemeyer stage 6 port, SWLT, custom ss exhaust, Borla ProXS, Addco sway bars, TCE s/s brake hoses, Hawk HPS pads, Zack big brak kit, J-mod, battery in trunk, full custom audio (never used, blower whine sounds better)

    To do list:
    HID headlights, LED interior/exterior, courtesy "3-flash" turn signals, widen wheels, rear deck wing, marauder stencil on cmhsl? bumper cover inserts? deck lid, steering whee, hood liner godshead, more power!

  4. #4
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    Are the parking lighs always on when driving at night with the headlights? The only problem I see with that diagram is if I turn the dome light on while driving at night, the reverse lights will come on. Not good.
    2004 Silver Birch w/moonroof. "Isabelle"


    Eaton swapped summer/fall 2015 with all the gooddies, tune by the one-and-only Marty-O +2psi pulley, Steigemeyer stage 6 port, SWLT, custom ss exhaust, Borla ProXS, Addco sway bars, TCE s/s brake hoses, Hawk HPS pads, Zack big brak kit, J-mod, battery in trunk, full custom audio (never used, blower whine sounds better)

    To do list:
    HID headlights, LED interior/exterior, courtesy "3-flash" turn signals, widen wheels, rear deck wing, marauder stencil on cmhsl? bumper cover inserts? deck lid, steering whee, hood liner godshead, more power!

  5. #5
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    Thumbs up

    Hi Emas

    Quote Originally Posted by EMAS View Post
    Having a capacitor in the system to provide that fade away effect is what is causing the problem of the buzzing relay adding another will only extend the time that the relay buzzes.
    I was thinking maybe reduce the relay coil voltage to a minimum required for the coil to hold using a resistor and then a capacitor would maybe reduce the "buzzing" with a little extra voltage before the voltage drops off completely as the courtesy lights fade


    Hi Dmjarosz

    Quote Originally Posted by dmjarosz View Post
    Are the parking lighs always on when driving at night with the headlights? The only problem I see with that diagram is if I turn the dome light on while driving at night, the reverse lights will come on. Not good.
    Yes the back-up lights would come on if you switched the dome lights on while driving at night but this would only happen if you used the main light switch to do it, which I expect you would virtually never need to do as the rear seat passengers can switch thier dome/reading lamps on indipendently and the front seat passenger/driver can switch thier light on using the switch in the roof console.

    Regards

    Dereck

  6. #6
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    Where in the circuit are you planning to put the capacitor and resistor?

  7. #7
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    Hi Emas

    Quote Originally Posted by EMAS View Post
    Where in the circuit are you planning to put the capacitor and resistor?
    The resistor/capacitor thought has been shelved due to calculations revealling an unfeasonably large capacitor would be required, plan B is to use a Schmitt trigger and then maybe making the whole circuit solid state.

    Regards

    Dereck

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dereck View Post

    Yes the back-up lights would come on if you switched the dome lights on while driving at night but this would only happen if you used the main light switch to do it, which I expect you would virtually never need to do as the rear seat passengers can switch thier dome/reading lamps on indipendently and the front seat passenger/driver can switch thier light on using the switch in the roof console.
    I use the main switch to do it all the time. What about some sort of normally-closed relay on the dark green wire in your diagram that opens when the car is shifted out of park? That would prevent the reverse lights from coming on when the car is moving. Is there something on the transmission circuit that could be tapped?

    What newer vehicles do you see that have this feature? It would be nice to get a wiring diagram and see whats going on from the factory.
    2004 Silver Birch w/moonroof. "Isabelle"


    Eaton swapped summer/fall 2015 with all the gooddies, tune by the one-and-only Marty-O +2psi pulley, Steigemeyer stage 6 port, SWLT, custom ss exhaust, Borla ProXS, Addco sway bars, TCE s/s brake hoses, Hawk HPS pads, Zack big brak kit, J-mod, battery in trunk, full custom audio (never used, blower whine sounds better)

    To do list:
    HID headlights, LED interior/exterior, courtesy "3-flash" turn signals, widen wheels, rear deck wing, marauder stencil on cmhsl? bumper cover inserts? deck lid, steering whee, hood liner godshead, more power!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by dmjarosz View Post

    What newer vehicles do you see that have this feature? It would be nice to get a wiring diagram and see whats going on from the factory.
    GMs are the ones I've seen with that feature.

  10. #10
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    Wouldn't it be easier to just add a few more courtesy lites around the car and have them come on with the push of the unlock button?

    I would think the added glare from reverse lites would make rummaging around in the trunk a pain. Might be better to just add some extra lites in the trunk for rummaging. JM

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Man View Post
    Wouldn't it be easier to just add a few more courtesy lites around the car and have them come on with the push of the unlock button?

    I would think the added glare from reverse lites would make rummaging around in the trunk a pain. Might be better to just add some extra lites in the trunk for rummaging. JM
    When the trunk lid is open the reverse lights are pointing up. How will that help with looking in the trunk or lighting up around the rear? Would be much easier to add LEDs to the inside of the trunk and maybe some under the rear bumper.
    “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”
    Ronald Regan

    "The only way to deal with the Islamic State - these blood thirsty, blood-drunken, terrorists -
    is to kill them, keep on killing them, until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat."

    Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters

    “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”
    "I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes, if you **** with me, I'll kill you all"
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastblackmerc View Post
    When the trunk lid is open the reverse lights are pointing up. How will that help with looking in the trunk or lighting up around the rear? Would be much easier to add LEDs to the inside of the trunk and maybe some under the rear bumper.
    Isn't that what I said

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Man View Post
    Wouldn't it be easier to just add a few more courtesy lites around the car and have them come on with the push of the unlock button?

    I would think the added glare from reverse lites would make rummaging around in the trunk a pain. Might be better to just add some extra lites in the trunk for rummaging. JM
    Quote Originally Posted by fastblackmerc View Post
    When the trunk lid is open the reverse lights are pointing up. How will that help with looking in the trunk or lighting up around the rear? Would be much easier to add LEDs to the inside of the trunk and maybe some under the rear bumper.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Man View Post
    Isn't that what I said
    Not exactly......
    “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”
    Ronald Regan

    "The only way to deal with the Islamic State - these blood thirsty, blood-drunken, terrorists -
    is to kill them, keep on killing them, until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat."

    Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters

    “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”
    "I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes, if you **** with me, I'll kill you all"
    General James Mattis




  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastblackmerc View Post
    Not exactly......
    Pretty darn close.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by fastblackmerc View Post
    When the trunk lid is open the reverse lights are pointing up. How will that help with looking in the trunk or lighting up around the rear? Would be much easier to add LEDs to the inside of the trunk and maybe some under the rear bumper.
    That's actually what I was thinking. Most modern vehicles now, the reverse/back up lights are part of the body or taillights that are affixed to the sides of the trunk/lift gate.

    2004 Silver Birch
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    2015 Ford Focus SE Sport FWD
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