Don't know if you built that mouse trap with the switches and diodes, but this is an easy route



The switch is a SPDT on-off-on switch, so the center position is off.

The orange colored wire to terminal 30 on the relay can be run from the battery, or if the load is small enough, you can use the trailer tow battery charge circuit, so they can only be on when the key is in the run position. The switch would only allow them to be on when the parking lamps are on, or when the truck is in reverse, so a direct battery feed to terminal 30 would be fine.

The switch only needs to be able to handle about 1 AMP, as it is triggering the coil on the relay.
The Relay only needs to be able to run the lamps.
2 50W aux lamps is ~ 8 AMPs draw, so you should have at least a 10 A relay and fuse ( 80% rule ).
Usually the square Auto relays ( Bosch or the likes ) are starting at 20A and go to 40 or 70 depending on the model.
They look like this


Autozone, Napa should have them.

 

its not really a mouse tap lol the one you posted is the same thing but you still have to turn your parking lights on...

Mine the "master switch" turned off disables the whole thing for saftey turned on it will come on with the reverse lights. and the worklight switch turns the light on or off without any other lights having to be on..

and you need a fuse on the line going to terminal 30 wich you didnt show but you did say.

 

So a relay looks like the route ill be going but im unsure about the switch placement in the circuit. the goal would be to have the lights come on in reverse but if i wasnt in reverse and would like them to be on i could run them from a switch in the cab.

im going to need to run a new line to the battery tonight but what im thinking about doing is actually running a 4 gauge line from the battery to the cab and mounted to the firewall as a power source for items in the cab has anyone thought about this before? and do they make a connector that could be mounted to the 4 gauge and have plugs or places to hook up multiple smaller wires?

 

check with a car audio shop they sell what is call a distribution block.. I had these with my car stereo system. its a block with a connection for 4 guage and has 4-5 smaller ports for wire up to 8 guage.

 

The drawing I posted above does exactly that. How much wire is run to the switch placement is up to you. When it comes down to it, where the relay is mounted is also up to you. If you are going to run a SOJ 12/3 cord front to rear, the relay could be under the hood. You can find reverse in the driver's side kick panel for the input to the SPDT switch I show above, and another circuit for the non reverse option. If you want that to be hot at all times, just use the cigar lighter circuit instead of the parking lamp circuit.
That means the switch mounted in the cab of the truck has a single wire through the firewall to the relay in the engine compartment.
Fused wire to the battery for the terminal #30, and terminal #87 runs to the lights in the back of the truck. Ground for the lights can be found in the back of the truck ( lug by the spare tire is where the factory ground is at ).

4 AWG will supply about 160 A of DC power ( 136 A if the wire has a high heat temp ) with 105* C rated insulation. Even with a 80% rule, that is 128 A on lower temps, and towards the 105* temp range, 108 A ). This is using the distance you are talking about ( battery to cab ).



Not really sure why you are planning on that size circuit into the cab, got any insight to provide a better answer

 

First- the switch your drawing shows is an on-off-on, the main question on that is will an on-off switch in addition to a connection to the reverse lamp match your diagram or not?

Second- the main use for the new line would be to clean up some wiring in the cab, currently i have a few items such as gps, glow lights, wigwag switch all using similar power sources from cigarette lighters and radio but i was trying to clean it up. only suggested 4 gauge since thats what my amp is running. open to suggestions at this point

 

No, that would be the mouse trap method, and while on the surface similar in function, they are not the same.
The diagram I posted needs an on-off-on SPDT switch.

If you already have the 4 AWG installed for the AMP, I would not add to it That is spec'd for current in-rush to the AMP.
If you are looking for an additional ATM or ATC fuse panel, look at Centech or Fuzeblock for an option.
The Centech one has a relay triggering all fused circuit, and one that is split.
Fuzeblock is selectable per slot ( constant run or hot in run / assy )

The Fuzeblock one is self contained, relay and fuse block together, the centect one you would need to get the relay for the fuse block type ( AP-1 or AP-2 ).

 

ok im still getting lost in the switch of your diagram. does your configuration require that i can only choose to run the lights with reverse or parking lights? still i ask is there a configuration (not mouse trap) that will allow for operation on a switch or on reverse?

for the new wire i wouldnt be using the same wire as the amp but running a similar wire. i just checked out that fuzeblock.com one and it looks like what i was thinking about. should help clean things up a bit.

say i just use the supplied wiring kit and ran the lights to a switch in the cab, no relay, would the fuzeblock with the right fuse do the trick?

 

His diagram the switch switches between coming on with the reverse lights or parking lights.

My diagram the switch switches them on or comes on with the reverse lights but also has a master switch that will not let them come on by accident "for saftey" u can basicly leave the diode out on my diagram.. it was there from where i got the diagram.

either way will work... just depends on how you want it done.

 

That is what the diagram shows.
If you want the to come on with the reverse lamps, leave the switch in the on position that is wired to the reverse lamps. This way, any time you put the truck into reverse the aux lamps will come on.

If you want them on for load lamps, or hooking up a trailer, turn the switch past the off position, to the other on position. This can be from the parking lamps, or if you choose, something like the cigar lighter ( that would allow you to kill the battery ).

The supplied wiring kit should have a relay with it. If the lights are direct to the switch, the switch needs to be able to handle the load for the lamps, which means at least a 15 A switch.
Additionally, this route, you would need to turn the switch on, every time you want to turn on the aux lamps. That is not what you describe above, you want them to come on any time the truck is in reverse in one mode.

The fuzeblock is just that, the fuses.

 

Would i be able to leave out the master switch? i dont see the safety factor it adds. the switch i plan on using has a blue led when on and i dont plan on leaving them on but where does having a master switch correct that?

 

yes you can leave the master switch out and the diode...

 

the supplied wiring just came with a fuse and no relay. if i add the relay as shown in any diagram i should be able to use a regular switch like i currently have. im pretty certain it will because its the same type of switch thats running my offroad lights and that one has a relay.

what i really want to be able to do is have a set-up like the "mouse trap" but i do now understand the switch in your setup and it seems to be very similar and would work. I think for the time being ill either run them to the switch or just simple to the reverse lights.

in which case id i run them strictly to the reverse lights is it just simple enough to tap into the current wire and ground the lights?

 

the switch needs to be a SPDT (Single pole, double throw) switch the not a simple on off switch which is a SPST (Single pole, single throw) the spdt switch you can get at any parts store it should have three connections on the back of it

 

The switch question was referring to using the on off switch with relay to run the lights and the switch having the power to run them.