Trigger S-Pod light when Jeep is in reverse?

[dlm_jku]

I have small LED light on my spare, it's connected to an S-Pod that was installed by the previous owner. I was wondering if it would be possible to wire it up to function as a reverse/backup light as well? So it would come on when I hit the switch on the S-Pod or when I put my Jeep (manual, if that matters) in reverse. I was thinking if I can tap the reverse light wire (if accessible somewhere under the hood) and run a wire from that into the corresponding S-Pod switch wire, to trick the S-Pod into thinking the switch had been turned on when the reverse light wire is hot. Does anyone know if this would work? And if so, where I could find a reverse wire?

 

[WJCO]

I would figure out a way to wire directly into the tail light wiring at the back if it were me. And I would get rid of the Spod all together.

 

[BlackKnight]

Directly into the Tail Light wiring would have been my choice as well...

 

[dlm_jku]

I would figure out a way to wire directly into the tail light wiring at the back if it were me. And I would get rid of the Spod all together.

I would still like to be able to control the light with the switch, even when the ignition isn't on. I was also concerned that adding this light to the brake light circuit might overload it.

 

[CalSgt]

I wired two generic cube lights to my back up lights at the taillight, been working fine for over a year now. Look up the light you have & see what the amperage draw is, it is probably less draw than a single incandescent tail lamp bulb.

Having a switched lead and a lead hooked to the back up lights sounds like a bad idea to me, it would most likely cause an issue

 

[MericaMade]

I would T-tap off the reverse light and ditch the switch idea or leave it as is. I would be concerned about backfeeding power with the switch and t-tap.

 

[TonyT]

Call sPod, they'll walk you through what you need.

 

[Snboarder113]

That’s how I did mine, different switch but same thing. Just tap the reverse 12+ in-line to tail light. Depending on your setup this will also turn on your tails reverse lights when you turn on the light at spod

 

[Leho]

May be a pain in the ass but you could try a three position switch. 1 position for back up lights, 1position for off and 1 position for on when you need it. It’s a lot of wiring though.

 

[Bierpower]

I would put it on a SPDT relay instead of a multi-switch

 

[Leho]

Great idea

 

[Adidas4275]

depending on what s-pod you have some have tigger wires and logic to tell specific switches to turn on when they are triggered (or off)

What model S-pod do you have? I have a switch pros and it has 2 tirgger inputs and they can be mapped to any of the outputs

 

[Attenuator]

This could pretty easily be done with a couple inline diodes, or a 5 pole automotive relay.

 

[ScottofKSU]

My opinion: 1) leave the light connected to the SPOD; 2) get a couple T coupler for electrical wiring T-ing into both the reverse light wires and those from the light to your SPOD; 3) get a suitable relay for the amperage draw of the light; and 4) T the reverse light wiring as the signal wire to the relay to connect power to the light. The light does not care if it is getting power via the relay attached to the reverse lights or from the switch. Doing it this way will not over draw the brake light circuit thanks to the relay and will retain the functionality of the SPOD.

 

[Snboarder113]

My opinion: 1) leave the light connected to the SPOD; 2) get a couple T coupler for electrical wiring T-ing into both the reverse light wires and those from the light to your SPOD; 3) get a suitable relay for the amperage draw of the light; and 4) T the reverse light wiring as the signal wire to the relay to connect power to the light. The light does not care if it is getting power via the relay attached to the reverse lights or from the switch. Doing it this way will not over draw the brake light circuit thanks to the relay and will retain the functionality of the SPOD.

You aren’t wrong. But it is overkill for led lights that use extremely little power, as well as do not ever use t tap crimps or barrel tap crimps or “scotch locks” on cars (or anything) do it right and cut the wire and solder it in or use normal crimp connectors with heat shrink. Yeah they’re easier but they will vibrate from the road and fail and then you get to troubleshoot why none of your lights work.

 

[ScottofKSU]

Well, I AM a big fan of overkill!
Great suggestion on the soldering of wires versus taking shortcuts with the crimp on fittings! Never thought about the impact of vibration... Looks like I have some wiring repairs to revisit on my JK!

 

[Snboarder113]

Soldering is best when you can, but Good crimps are fine. Such as these marine rated ones with built on heat shrink


These are the ones I’m suggesting no one ever uses again. They have a piece of metal that pierces a wire to “tap” into it and are notorious for failing and causing intermittent issues.