Reversing light upgrade

[davidwf15]

heres my solution for the utterly useless reversing "light" on my 2023 model XC60.... a very slim COB LED strip from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B089ZZCN...roduct_details switched by a transistor
I mounted it on a small aluminium strip under the rear bumper to span the huge and somewhat un-neccesary cut-out left for a tow bar.....why no blanking plate???
The +12V supply taken from the fusebox in the rear wing via an inline 10A fuseholder and the "tee" taken from the rear light cluster with the existing reversing lamp (LOL!) in - in this case yellow with orange stripe
C3 & C4 are for noise immunity and R101 turns the transistor off when reverse is de-selected, being a VMOS power FET it takes ZERO current from the CANBUS system, all housed in a small plastic box
The diode isnt really necessary but ensures total isolation from the car....it's pretty impressive and, I think quite neat and unobtrusive

[piorunz]

Looks amazing, congratulations!

[davidwf15]

its even better in the dark

[davidwf15]

the light bar let in water , got corroded and went black....
I returned it to Amazon and bought this one instead https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZFT4M...t_details&th=1
It's about 4 times brighter, looks better as it fills the whole gap and, so far no water ingress
make sure to use waterproof connectors if you fit a plug & socket

[piorunz]

The new one seems to be rated 150W which is 12.5A at 12V, are you still using 10A fuse on it?

[davidwf15]

haha......you got fooled by the stupidly over-rated Chinese LED rating
..... they are not 150W (!!!!).... the lamp takes just over 3 Amps

I think they get that figure my multiplying the 32 x 3W LED's and adding a bit for luck

rest assured however that they are BRIGHT and give excellent coverage