Reversing +/or Working Lamps

Some 4x4's come with 2x reversing lights built in to their rear lights, others have only 1x.
In either case it is useful however not entirely necessary to fit an extra set or single reversing light.

You can mount them on the tow bar, bumper or even the roof. I have even seen them rear facing on wing mirrors.
Extra reversing or working lamps are handy, especially when out at night. Not only on the road but in fields, reversing in to a garage or when hitching up a trailer. Added illumination offers more visibility and safety.

I found out on my last MOT that simply wiring my 2x extra reversing lamps in the the standard 4x4 reversing lights will not do and will result in a fail. To pass an MOT with these lights they needed to be operated on a switch. The switch I use in a 3 way switch.
The 1st switch position is lights off, the 2nd position is lights on only when the vehicle is in reverse and the 3rd and last position is lights on, regardless of if the vehicle is in reverse or not. - Particularly useful when the Auto box is in Park when hitching up a trailer at night. Or hand winching a boat on to the submerged trailer at 12am.

I use a cheap set off 55Watt Ring microlite lamps mounted on the bumper, £19.99. Nothing special. Does the job.

A friend of mine who drives a quarry truck most days of the week has a set of KC daylighters on his wing mirrors mounted facing backwards so that he can view the sides of his vehicle and 30 meters behind when working at night.

Many choices, many options and depending on your standard set up they may be necessary or may not. But very useful.

Jas

Again, back to LED's - having a pair of them mounted on your roof gives great illumination for working behind the vehicle with the engine off, or better still a communal barbeque or party at a show. Best wired up on two seperate switches, that way you can control the light intensity at will.

I am with Jason on this issue, ordinary reversing lights are often woefully inadequate when off road, and many are fitted because they have to be by law, and emit a light thats worthless.

Cheap fog type lights are often sufficient if they are mounted high on the vehicle as they emit a bright and wide angle of light for about 20 metres behind the vehicle, this gives superb lighting for difficult terrain as its wide angle lights up a much wider angle than the width of the vehicle, this allows you to see ditches, hedges, or any other obstacle you wish to avoid.

Wiring them into the reversing light circuit is actually illegal and will often overload the reversing light switch, wiring, and continually blow the fuse/s, or perhaps do far more damage if it ignites. Wiring them in is easy, you need a relay, switch, suitable wire, and a visual indicator so you can see they are on, and obviously wire them through a suitably rated fuse/s, then you are legal.