Hello,

I have some general electronics knowledge but need some help with this situation. I'm trying to add some reverse lights on a UTV. Unfortunately the manufacture did not install a powered connector to the rear of the vehicle for reverse lights. I found the wiring diagram for the UTV and think I might have a solution but needing to find out what kind of switch, relay, connector, etc... that I need.

Please see the attached photo. When the machine is in reverse(R), it looks like the Red/Yel and Blu/Whit wires are hot. I should be able to tap into these wires, run them to some type of device that when dual separate inlets are hot, it will provide a single hot outlet? I should be able to then run the hot outlet line to the rear of the vehicle and have power to lights only when the machine is in reverse?

This device would have to keep the dual inlets separate though. If inlet 1 is hot but not inlet 2, or vise versa, it cannot let power back feed into inlet 2 or the computer would constantly think the machine is in reverse. This devise also cannot allow outlet 3 to be hot if only one of the inlets is hot. Otherwise the outlet would be hot, no matter what gear the machine is in with the exception of park(P).

Thanks for your help!

 

I don’t understand. When the car is in reverse, the backup lights are powered, when it is not in reverse, they are not powered. Why would the single wire going to the backup lights not serve your purpose?

 

I don’t understand. When the car is in reverse, the backup lights are powered, when it is not in reverse, they are not powered. Why would the single wire going to the backup lights not serve your purpose?

Sorry I should have explained a little bit better. The UTV does not have any reverse lights or a plug for them. That is what I want to add. They only wires I can find on the wiring diagram that are hot only while the UTV is in reverse are the wires at the gear selector switch shown in the diagram. The solid orange wires in the diagram are not actually there. The solid orange wires and the black box with the 1,2,3 are what I'd would like to add in order to run reverse lights.

 

This is a piece of cake .......

Be careful, some Cube-Relays contain a Diode connected to the Coil.
Check the Wiring-Diagram printed on the Relay, if it contains a Diode,
the Diode's "arrow" must point to 12-Volts, NOT GROUND.

These Generic-Cube-Relays are available in any Auto-Parts-Store.
You can use a 4-Pin, or a 5-Pin style Relay, the 5-Pin-Relays may cost slightly more.

The only other part required is a Fuse-Holder and a ~10-Amp-Fuse to go with it.

Do not connect directly to Battery-Power or it may kill the Battery during storage.
Ignition-Power-Only.

This setup assumes that the Switch shown is supplied by ~12-Volts, and is not a "Switched-Ground" arrangement.
"Black" seems to be "Common" at the Switch, and could be a Ground.
Please supply the entire Schematic-Diagram.
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.
.

 

This is a piece of cake .......

Be careful, some Cube-Relays contain a Diode connected to the Coil.
Check the Wiring-Diagram printed on the Relay, if it contains a Diode,
the Diode's "arrow" must point to 12-Volts, NOT GROUND.

These Generic-Cube-Relays are available in any Auto-Parts-Store.
You can use a 4-Pin, or a 5-Pin style Relay, the 5-Pin-Relays may cost slightly more.

The only other part required is a Fuse-Holder and a ~10-Amp-Fuse to go with it.

Do not connect directly to Battery-Power or it may kill the Battery during storage.
Ignition-Power-Only.

This setup assumes that the Switch shown is supplied by ~12-Volts, and is not a "Switched-Ground" arrangement.
"Black" seems to be "Common" at the Switch, and could be a Ground.
Please supply the entire Schematic-Diagram.
.
.
.
View attachment 312440
.

LowQCab thank you! The entire diagram is in a large PDF. Let me extract just that page and upload it but the black wire at the gear selector switch DOES go to ground. I'm assuming this changes your above drawing?

 

This is a piece of cake .......

Be careful, some Cube-Relays contain a Diode connected to the Coil.
Check the Wiring-Diagram printed on the Relay, if it contains a Diode,
the Diode's "arrow" must point to 12-Volts, NOT GROUND.

These Generic-Cube-Relays are available in any Auto-Parts-Store.
You can use a 4-Pin, or a 5-Pin style Relay, the 5-Pin-Relays may cost slightly more.

The only other part required is a Fuse-Holder and a ~10-Amp-Fuse to go with it.

Do not connect directly to Battery-Power or it may kill the Battery during storage.
Ignition-Power-Only.

This setup assumes that the Switch shown is supplied by ~12-Volts, and is not a "Switched-Ground" arrangement.
"Black" seems to be "Common" at the Switch, and could be a Ground.
Please supply the entire Schematic-Diagram.
.
.
.
View attachment 312440
.

Attached is the full wiring diagram.

 

Yes, all 4 Switch-Outputs are "Switched-Grounds",
this changes the Schematic.

Remember that if your relays contain a Diode-Symbol,
the arrow must point to Positive-Voltage, NOT Ground.

Here is the revised Schematic ............
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.
.

.

 

Yes, all 4 Switch-Outputs are "Switched-Grounds",
this changes the Schematic.

Remember that if your relays contain a Diode-Symbol,
the arrow must point to Positive-Voltage, NOT Ground.

Here is the revised Schematic ............
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.
.
View attachment 312448
.

Thank you so much! I appreciate the info. Last question, is there an advantage or disadvantage to using a relay with a diode? I can get both relays in the attachment at the local auto parts store. Just wasn't for sure what purpose the diode served. Thanks again!

 

The diode prevent back EMF. When a coil is de-energized, the magnetic field collapses and produces a reverse voltage spike. In some electronics, that reverse voltage can damage components. The diode clips off the reverse voltage to a minimum value (usually 0.6-0.7V) to prevent the pulse from reaching other components connected to the same +ve source, or the control line to the relay.
You can add your own diode, any 1N4000 series diode will do.

 

As long as You are clear on how to insure the correct polarity of the Diode,
a Diode is usually good insurance against causing problems elsewhere.

A just to throw some extra confusion into the mix,
some Relays come with a Resistor instead of a Diode.
Of course the Resistor can be wired with any Polarity,
but it doesn't provide as much "Spike-Suppression" as a Diode will.
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OK, the solution is different and simple. The red/yel wire is only tied to the black wire, which is the battery negative, common ground, in reverse and park. So you need to connect the backup light between a circuit feed that is only powered when the engine is running, and the red/yel wire. No relay required. BUT the backup light will be on also with the engine running in "park" as well as in reverse.
But there is even a simpler fix, which is to connect to the reverse alarm wires, BLU/GRY and BK, connector #30. That is fed from the reverse relay contacts and will not require a battery voltage connection. All it took was following the drawing to see where the control module outputs went. That one went to the reverse relay. By far the simplest scheme.

 

I should'a studied the Schematic a little closer,
but I just wasn't up to abusing myself that much at the time.

Great catch !!!
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I should'a studied the Schematic a little closer,
but I just wasn't up to abusing myself that much at the time.

Great catch !!!
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I do have LOTS of practice reading the drawings and schematics.. For two years I was responsible for the testing of all the electrical wires on the Gm U-Van at the CPC Tarrytown plant. Lots of practice looking very closely at circuits and what they do.
ALSO, I was able to zoom that drawing up about 8X or 10X, and that made it simpler to read.
Of course there is the question: Does this UTV even have a backup relay and warning device??

 

Lots of practice, but it doesn't mean that I enjoy it particularly ..........
( 2004 GMC Sonoma )
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I got to know the folks on the line at the U-VAN plant in Tarry Town. But I knew I had been there too many times when the counter lady at the airport there knew my name as I walked up. She asked if I had been there all week, like all the previous times. I replied "yes", and "Thanks for the friendly service."