Better reversing lights

[BrianT]

I know that many owners change their rear light clusters for the lexus type and other types for cosmetic reasons but has anyone fitted other reversing lights which actually let you see in the gloom?
I have a particularly difficult driveway, very steep, very narrow and very dark with dark walls and obstacles each side. I am thinking about bolting on some extra reversing lights but would like something tasteful. Any ideas?

[Julesprivate]

Have you replaced the stock bulbs with some LED ones? Look for some SMD LED towers - they are amazingly bright and might be enough for your needs without the need to add extra lighting

[Pink_Floyd]

BrianT said:

Has anyone fitted other reversing lights which actually let you see in the gloom?
I have a particularly difficult driveway, very steep, very narrow and very dark with dark walls and obstacles each side.

I was planning on removing the reflectors and mounting a Reverse light and Fog light in each cluster. Thus giving me 2 reverse lights and 2 fog lights. Only problem that I have not sorted is where to put a new reflector and what shape it should be. I think that you need some to comply with the law.

[Goaty Bill]

You can't fit sensor activated lights in the drive?

That is always guaranteed the most tasteful solution IMO

I would rather modify the house than my car any day.

[Tri2Tri]

Yep. Dot a line of those cheap led solar lights each side up the drive. That would do the trick.

[BrianT]

Thanks for all your comments and advice, really helpful.

Thanks Julesprivate, I will look into these tower lights, I have a couple of them in my pop-up camper, I got them to save the drain on the battery so got the low power ones, I didn’t think about the higher intensity ones for my car.

Thanks also Goaty Bill and Try2Try, I had considered lighting my drive better. I do have one automatic light and could add more but if I could improve the car’s lighting then I wouldn’t need to worry about seeing behind wherever I am.

I used to have a series 3 Sunbeam Alpine and had a Spot light bolted to the rear bumper, it was great. This is obviously not a good look for a Chim.

[Quietlybonkers]

BrianT said:

Thanks for all your comments and advice, really helpful.

Thanks Julesprivate, I will look into these tower lights, I have a couple of them in my pop-up camper, I got them to save the drain on the battery so got the low power ones, I didn’t think about the higher intensity ones for my car.

Thanks also Goaty Bill and Try2Try, I had considered lighting my drive better. I do have one automatic light and could add more but if I could improve the car’s lighting then I wouldn’t need to worry about seeing behind wherever I am.

I used to have a series 3 Sunbeam Alpine and had a Spot light bolted to the rear bumper, it was great. This is obviously not a good look for a Chim.

Just musing.....but some bright white LEDs built into the edges of a number plate mounting and wired to the reversing light would be a possible solution,.....if such a thing existed

[taylormj4]

BrianT said:

I know that many owners change their rear light clusters for the lexus type and other types for cosmetic reasons but has anyone fitted other reversing lights which actually let you see in the gloom?
I have a particularly difficult driveway, very steep, very narrow and very dark with dark walls and obstacles each side. I am thinking about bolting on some extra reversing lights but would like something tasteful. Any ideas?

You're not kidding there Brian. I took a wrong turn in an unlit country lane at night 2 weeks ago and had to reverse out of the narrow track back onto the country lane and between the poor light and the rain-covered not-brilliantly-transparent rear screen, I couldn't see anything of the edges of the road so just had to hope for the best.

[Julesprivate]

I just picked up a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190680405140

They're about the size of a 20p piece and do seem to give quite a bit of light output (I've only had a chance to test them using a 9V PP3 battery so far so at 12V they'd be even better)

In theory you could either fit them down low under the bumper as they're only about the size of a 20p piece or better yet use them to mount the numberplate and wire them to the reversing switch, that way they'd look almost OEM, or certainly not too out of place..

[SILICONEKID340HP]

I thought reversing lights were designed for other drivers to see where your going !not to assist in your reversing ..

[BrianT]

Julesprivate said:

I just picked up a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190680405140

They're about the size of a 20p piece and do seem to give quite a bit of light output (I've only had a chance to test them using a 9V PP3 battery so far so at 12V they'd be even better)

In theory you could either fit them down low under the bumper as they're only about the size of a 20p piece or better yet use them to mount the numberplate and wire them to the reversing switch, that way they'd look almost OEM, or certainly not too out of place..

Joules, I tried the normal LED Tower type of replacement lamp but it was worse than the standard one. Please let me know how you get on with these, if they are much brighter than I will get some. Cheers, Brian