More backup light idea...stupid/dangerous?

That would be very unnecessarily dangerous, especially if any mechanics or emergency responders ever deal with the vehicle.

Stick with the 12V system. All of the car's energy, including the 12V, comes from the very same source anyway. The 12V system is vastly safer to tap in to, and parts are much more readily available.

BTW, that big unit isn't the 'Regen Brake Battery', it is the high voltage traction battery. But note that the little 12V battery is also mounted in back, you don't really have to go to the front to tap in to it. Though that would be better to go front so that you can reach a switched section, to prevent unintentionally draining the 12V when the car is off.

 

[Redacted by Moderator]

 

There is no such thing as a Regen Battery.
If you are talking about the hybrid battery, it is something like 135 volts and generally shouldn't be messed with.

But you are making this MUCH too hard. YOu just bridge you extra LEDs onto the wires that already serve the existing backup light. Done.

P.S. Don't make them TOO bright and aim them slightly down.
If you find out what kind of bulb the backup has in it now, you might be able to just get a brighter bulb.....with a bit of searching around.

 

Finding 200 volt DC lights will be nearly impossible. (200 VOLT LIGHT BULBS, 200V, 200 VOLT, 200V BULBS, 200 VOLT BULBS, 200 VOLT LAMPS, 200 VOLTS, 200 VOLT LIGHTS, 200 VOLT INDICATOR LIGHTS)

All these are 12 volt automotive lights and can be used with or in place of your reverse lights.
These would need a hole cut into the bumper or body for each.
amazon.com/dp/B01M5KCV3N?psc=1
These only need a bolt hole, and are aimable
amazon.com/dp/B00OB826QI?psc=1
amazon.com/Light-Northpole-Lights-Driving-Off-road/dp/B01EJWB62U

 

just put leds... theyre super bright especially at night time

 

From that, I got the impression the OP thinks there's one 12 volt battery "up front" (there isn't, in a Gen 3), and the one you can see in the rear corner is somehow the "Regen. Brake battery." Nope, that's just the only 12 volt battery there is in the Gen 3.

But as another poster suggested, no need to overcomplicate. Unless the current needed for the new LEDs will be substantial, it should be no problem to feed them from the circuit to the existing backup lights. That circuit is already fused for safety, and if the new LEDs draw too much, nothing will happen but blowing the fuse.

Adding anything sourced from the battery itself also requires adding a fuse for safety, properly sized to the new wiring added, and a relay; someone specializing in electrical work is best for that.

-Chap

 

http://www.mass.gov/courts/docs/lawlib/500-599cmr/540cmr22.pdf
22.7 is the relevant code, it references this

eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations

I read a lot of that, it mandates minimum brightness, but not maximum brightness that I saw. Assuming your existing backup lights still work, you meet all this having to do with placement. [I am not a lawyer, and I am not YOUR lawyer]

 

I replaced the stock reverse light bulbs with super bright 5000K LEDs and am very happy. Get projector type LEDs. I've also replaced the turn signal bulbs with LEDs and replaced the flasher unit.

Another mod I am thinking about doing is swapping both the turn signal and backup lights in the back with dual color switchback LEDs. Both the turn signal and the backup light wires would be run to each housing. In turn signal mode both switchback LEDs on that side would flash yellow. In reverse all four LEDs in the back would be solid white.

I've converted my front turn signal bulbs to daytime running light / turn signal combinations with switchback LEDs. I just ran an extra wire from the parking light (which is also LED now) down to the turn signal housing and run with the parking lights on all the time. They turn off automatically when the car is off and the driver's side door is opened.

LEDs require a lot less power, so power consumption and fuses are not a problem when replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs.

 

You need to be careful with generalizations like that.
A vehicle with FULL CAN buss implementation may not like having the bulbs changed out with anything that is much different.
I don't KNOW if that applies to later generation Prii but it might.

 

The easy, no splice way to do this is to buy one of these plug-in wiring harnesses:

 

Then, adding something like this is just plug and play:

 

U need to talk to @Dylan Doxey about his LED reverse light mod :lol:


iPhone ?

 

With just a little bit of Dremel creativity, I modded a pair of these OPT7 LEDs to fit in the reverse light socket:

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VNBDWPK/

Seriously bright man!​

Some more details here ...
www.priuschat.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-ur-gen-iii-prius-today.112616/page-593#post-2357448

 

I used these for the back up lights (2 cars), it really makes a difference at night. 5k color. Plug n play.



1000LM 5K WHITE HIGH OUTPUT 21 LED BACK-UP LIGHT 7440

 

Has anyone tried the dual color turn signal bulbs as NavyLCDR suggested?
Would something like this give any extra light in the region where you look when you are reversing?
2X T20 42Smd 2835 Led Light Car White Amber Switch Back Drl Fog Lamp With Cable | eBay (I hate the extra resistors, but getting a rid of them might be challenging while maintaining failure indication).
I have Prius v, and there is a fog light on the drivers side, so that's where I'd like to have more light. Sometimes I just turn the rear fog light on, to see something, but it would be nice to have white light that you do not have to turn on manually..

 

Now I invested for dark autumn nights Bought these:
Canbus Switchback 28-SMD LED Kit For Toyota Prius Front Signal Lights / DRL 748966189888 | eBay

Turn signals are a little bit brighter than the default. About reverse light I have not yet proper experience, but it looks good and promising.
Reverse light stays off in case turn signal is active.

Turn signal video (if I managed to get it right):

Turn signal LED by Jarkko posted Sep 15, 2018 at 10:21 PM

Reverse light LED function (upper) with tungsten (lower):