I have a 2003 Screw. I want to install some extra backup lights. Need to find out which wire is the hot going to the backup light. I think there are 5 wires in the bundle.

Also, can you tie extra lights into the backup light sys or do you need relays , fuses , etc.

Thanks for your HELP

Mark Keller

 

This info comes from a 2001 ford wiring diagram I would think 2003 willbe the same. back up ligt whire is a black wire with a pink tracer BK/PK it is protected bya 15 amp fuse. If you have a traler tow package there is a wire in the large coupler for back up lights it is a black with light green tracer BK/LG and yes it does use a relay you could use this just install the relay if you have this option. if not I think I would use a relay these wires are quite light guage.

 

If you have the 7 pin plug, then tap in to the center wire. this is a fused and relayed backup circuit for the trailer and can be used to power lights. i have used this method fot over 2 years with no problem.

 

Here are mine. took 15 mins to install and $20 for the 55w fogs

 

I just done an installation on my 02.
Some info you may be interested in.
If you are wanting to use hi wattage lights, don't try to power them from the original circuit because the power handling capacity is not high enough and will pull down the brighness of the original lamps and not fully powereing all of the lights.
I used 2- 55 watt lamps from a kit.
A fused #10 lead from the battery to the rear, to a 30 amp relay then to the lamps.
The relay is actuated by the back up circuit to cut the power thru to the new lamps.
Now I burn the bark off the trees when I back up at night and all lights work full brighness.
The relay is mounted on the back side of the rear wheel well panel up high and close to the harness to pick up a tap off the black/pink backup lamp lead.
The relay can be changed easy if needed because it has all push-on connections.
.
As an extra, I have additional side marker/turn signal lamps relay operated from the turn signal,leads, and aux yellow fogs added on the driving lite circuit by switch/relay selection to use either one not both.

 

I second this suggestion. While I haven't installed my backup lights YET, I have scoped the work for this project already. If you do have a 7-pin harness, you can easily get this mod up and running w/ minimal work. Looking at the pin-out for the 7-pin plug, there is a +12V lead for the trailer battery charge (12 or 10 Ga wire) and a back-up light pin (thinner gauge wire center pin). Both of these two pins get power from some relays that are installed under the hood fuse box. (the relays should have come w/ the brake controller wiring harness). If you have some lower wattage lights, you can probably power them directly off of the back-up light feed, however if you have a higher power light, it may be best for you to install a relay that triggers on from the back-up light feed and uses the +12V trailer battery charge as the main feed for the lights.

Tony

 

As soon as it stops rainning in Chattanooga I'm gonna mount my lights and try the 7 pin method.

Thanks for everyones coments.

Later, Mark Keller

 

I used the 7-pin method to pick up the back up light wire. Then I mounted one fog light up inside the spare tire through one of the lug nut holes. I turned the spare tire over while I was at it to make the mounting point a little lower and to make the valve stem accessible without having to lower the tire. The light is hidden because it is up inside the spare tire. Due to the angle, it only shines about 6-8 feet behind the truck, but that is all I wanted. I didn't have to use a relay, because just one fog light draws only about 2 amps (55W pair, so 27W each, yields less than 2 amps). Thanks to all the posts for the info to get me started.