Well after I got a new truck with tinted windows and adding a reverse camera I realized I needed more light.
I decided to install one, but only I didn't want to put it on a switch or have it on every time I put it in reverse. So I decided to have only come on when in reverse with my lights on.

Here is how I did it.

First I used 2 12v 30 amp relays.
I wired it so that the hot wire off of the reverse light engaged the first relay. On the completed circuit on the first relay I connected the hot side of the tail light, which in turn engaged the second relay. On the completed circuit of the second relay I hooked up 12v fused to the auxiliary reverse light.
Here is a drawing of how it is wired.



To start you have to remove the two screws from the tail light. Open the tail gate and you will see them. The tail light then just pulls straight out.



Once the tail light is removed you can then twist the light sockets out and wire up the relays.





In the hole where the tails are at the bottom is a nice access hole. I ran my wires through there.



I got my 12v from my 7 pin trailer plug. Put a 15a fuse on it and hooked to my light. I mounted my light under the bumper in the step area. Under the plastic there is a thin metal plate. If you do it this way be careful not to drill through the plastic.

Here is the light mounted and in action.









It was really fairly easy to do.

 

Very nice write up. I will have to do this modification.

 

looks funny with just the one light.

 

I agree that another light would balance it out a little bit.

I wish there was something you could do to make the factory back-up lights a little brighter, either in the tail-lights or in the third brake light. Seems like you could put something a little higher wattage in there, since they don't really stay on that long?

 

This is the one I am still planning on doing...

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...-how-pics.html

 

just looks like alot of work. i dont like my tailights anyway, so i might see if some aftermarkets with led's are brighter.

 

This is something that I want to do but plan on putting the lights on a switch. I don't want them on every time I back up but would like to be able to have that option. It would also be nice to have when hooking up a trailer at night.

My only concern with your set-up is that the factory reverse camera uses the back-up lights to "see" and I would be worried that the additional light would diminish the quality of the video feed.

 

While I don't have a factory camera, I would think it would display like it does during the day or something similar. My camera needs light so the reverse light helps out a lot.