Howdy folks!

I hope you got your shoes off, feet up and your favorite beverage in hand because I'm about to show my ignorance and don't want to upset anyone.

I have a 1990 F150 with the 5 liter and 5 speed. It is stock, nothing modified or added. The backup lights work - they come on when in reverse - but they don't put out enough light. I tried replacing the bulbs, but no joy there.

I'm thinking that I could put a couple or 4 LED 'bars' under the read bumper (or maybe inside it with a cutout for the LEDs) and wire them into the backup light leads that are stock. But . . . my guess is that the LEDs do not operate off 12 VDC. Am I right? If so, what will I need to step the power down from 12 VDC to the 5 V or so that LEDs seem to like? If I'm wrong about the power and the LEDs can use 12 VDC, what's the best way to go about making the tap into the existing wiring harness?

While we're on the subject, let me ask about the LED headlight bulb replacements. Do they work with 12 VDC as a plug and play replacement for the old bulbs? Old guys like me (75+) who haven't kept up need help.

TIA
rh

 

you can wire them individually or to any light circuit you want. hell you can wire them to the horn if you would like just make sure you use a relay no matter how you wire them. the power (+) lead of whatever circuit you want to tap into would go to the switch terminal on the relay. They do run off of 12V systems the relay is to keep the high AMP pull from the rest of the electrical system and blowing fuses or melting the small wires.

 

Missed the last part, Head lights are plug and play.

 

I have the trailer tow wiring harness so I wired mine to that. I have no trailers with backup lights so the load is no problem. LEDs draw very little current anyway. I installed two LED 'cubes' under the rear bumper but not hanging down and behind the trailer receiver so they are protected. You can buy them in spot, flood and diffused. For backup lights I went with diffused.
Here is a link to the product made by Rigid:
https://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting?f[0]=field_product_family%3a5

Not the cheapest around but reliable and a good warranty.

As for the headlights, be careful. A replacement LED 'bulb' may not work well in an enclosure made for a filament type bulb. Generally the problem is that light is not controlled properly and oncoming traffic are blinded. So chose wisely.

 

Please dont put led's in the headlights... you're going to cause lots of glare to oncoming traffic.

 

Thanks, Gentlemen!!!

I've ordered the LED units for backup lighting with a wiring harness that controls amperage.

I'll leave the headlamps alone for now, or maybe try halogens. I've polished the covers twice now but still the lights are not as bright as I'd like.

Thanks again!!
rh

 

You can also add light bars to 'supplement' your headlights.......there are some that are SAE/DOT approved and some that are offroad only. Just as a thought for you as another option.
Rigid Industries (along with a number of others) make some really good (although fairly pricey) LED lights for numerous applications including SAE/DOT options.


....hard to get SAE/DOT options for cheap but some of the cheaper options are great as 'high beams'.

 

I have the Duallys wired with relay to come on with the high beams.