License plate lights

[hvann]

I know that this has been addressed a few times but I thought I would share my installation.
I purchased two 12V plate lights and wired them in series. I soldered the connections instead of cutting and splicing. I did not cut the feed wire I bared a small area of the tail light wire and wrapped the wire from the plate lights around it and then soldered it. I grounded the lights to one of the bracket attachment screws. I would have liked to used heat shrink on the splices put I didn’t have any so I just taped them. One of the down falls of a series installation is if one bulb burns out neither bulb will work and I will have to experiment to see which bulb is burnt. I mounted the lights on the guard/reflector bracket that is located on the back side of the driver’s side tail light. I mounted the license plate on the rubber part of the mud flap. By mounting the plate to the rubber I know that I stand a chance of losing my plate if I allow the rubber to get dry rotted so I will keep a close eye on that situation.
Total cost was around $7 and bulbs are readily available.

Van

 

[Sumoman]

Unless you add a redundant set of lights for another 7, then when one set goes out you still have the other working.

Great idea. Now as LEO I would not pull over a deuce, because seriously up until a few months ago I did not realize SO many people owned them.. but now your all mine.... MUH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Sorry got carried away. No actually I never even thought about this, and if I am going to be driving it on the road it only makes sense I'd have to obey the same minor traffic laws Of course if I stay in town I could ignore them right?

 

[Militoy]

Your installation looks like it's very clean and functional. The plates on several of my trucks are mounted similarly to yours - over the mud flaps - so I might copy your idea. I probably will avoid the series lamp connection though, and just use 28V S.C. bayonet lamps. The dual-filament BA15S base military ones like the 623, 1251, 1683, 1691 etc. are readily available at many auto/truck parts dealers. I usually buy mine from pinball machine parts dealers. They typically run only $0.40-$1.00 per bulb - and since just about all the military 28V bulbs are used in various pinball machine models, they're usually in stock.

 

[sgtrisk]

Antique plates

I wonder if Antique Vehicle plates are supposed to be illuminated? I opted for the AV instead of a standard truck. It seemed like a good idea at the time!

 

[ida34]

In Michigan vehicles with antique plates and not originally equipped with a plate light are exempt. Your results in other states may vary. If anyone wants the actual law pm me.

 

[neilhendrix]

Thats a good idea and app. Are they required on your vehicle?

 

[hvann]

Thats a good idea and app. Are they required on your vehicle?

According to everyone I talked to they are. My truck isn't registered as an antique so I'm sure they are needed on my truck. And the way I see it the fewer reasons I can give for the law to pull me over that faster I will get there.
Van

 

[kc5mzd]

I set mine up kinda like yours. I drilled 2 holes in the metal part of the mud flap instead of the rubber. Mud flaps are made of a very durable rubber I wouldn't worry about rotting if I were you.
Great job on the wiring and mounting the lights I used look a lot like the ones you used. I got them at Advance Auto Parts. I mounted them above the plate. The way mine are mounted they don't light up the plate very well, but they did pass inspection. I like the way you mounted yours a lot better - next time I will try it.
On one of my trucks the '70 there was an extra set of wires that weren't used just inside the frame where the harness separates for the rear lights. It turns on and off with the lights so I just used it. I have a '68 that doesn't have the wire and I had to splice into the pigtail that comes out of the light.

 

[wdbtchr]

The problem with mounting the plates on the mud flap in my case of an M51A2 is that if you dump a load and forget to pull forward before you drop the bed it'll rip them suckers off. Go ahead ask me how I know. My flaps are mounted on hooks made from chain, if I'm going to be hauling a lot I take them off temporarily. Around town I'm not much on plublic roads. I'm located at 40th and Plum, forty miles out and plum in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Bill W]

Went and added a tag light on my deuce.
When I was on Eriks Mil surplus site ordering my clutch parts I found this light and figured what the heck Licence Plate Light, 1-60151

I went and installed it today
I did have to change out the ends on the tail light and tag light to female connectors so they would work with the connector I had but that wasn't to aggravating to do being I had the mil crimping tool for the end connectors.
Next come the running lights

 

[quickfarms]

Technically if the truck is used commercially it is required to have the current dot required lights. If the truck is not registered for commercial use then if is only required to the lights that it was built with. If you start adding lights on a non commercial truck then you are on a slippery slope to dot compliance.

 

[Bill W]

Technically if the truck is used commercially it is required to have the current dot required lights. If the truck is not registered for commercial use then if is only required to the lights that it was built with. If you start adding lights on a non commercial truck then you are on a slippery slope to dot compliance.

I disagree
I've been told by more then one LEO that when it comes to driving a vehicle at night that they will/have issued citations for improper lighting and told the driver to "Tell it to the judge" as they don't want to hear it, so right or wrong for the sake of saftey I have no problems putting on running lights just like deuces deployed in Germany were required to have.

 

[quickfarms]

I disagree
I've been told by more then one LEO that when it comes to driving a vehicle at night that they will/have issued citations for improper lighting and told the driver to "Tell it to the judge" as they don't want to hear it, so right or wrong for the sake of saftey I have no problems putting on running lights just like deuces deployed in Germany were required to have.

How is a license plate light a safety issue?

Due they ticket tractors for not having a rear plate?

 

[rosco]

Full lighting is required here. So are two license plate lights/one license! I have two on Medusa (LEDs), but only one on the bolster. Required or not, I believe in "seeing, and be seen"! I put the out-rigger lights on the bolster on the corners. Guess I'm stretching things, when the tongue is extended. LEDs sure simplifies the voltage problem.

 

[Bill W]

How is a license plate light a safety issue?

Due they ticket tractors for not having a rear plate?

I was talking about running lights, and yes they will ticket a tractor for not having a rear plate if their weight class calls for one to be there instead of up front ( varies by State ). For a time in Fla I had to have the plate up front on my fuel truck but the weight class got rewritten and later I had to move it to the back.

As far as tag light goes, thats just to keep officer "New guy" from finding something trivial to ticket.

 

[swbradley1]

I think quickfarms meant farm tractor. Having a plate or plate light isn't a safety issue because neither does anything to make anyone safer.

This is one of those threads that makes me glad I'm Ohio. No plates on truck and therefore not lights for the non-required plates. We get to spray paint the tag number on the front and back of the truck somewhere.

 

[Bill W]

Ahhh
my bad, I thought we were talking about liciensed/tagged motor vehicles not farm equipt
No a farm tractor does not need a tag but its covered under States farm act and only travels on rural roads but you are required ( in Fla ) to have a slow moving vehicle triangle/reflector on the back or risk getting a ticket

 

[steelandcanvas]

I did have to change out the ends on the tail light and tag light to female connectors so they would work with the connector I had but that wasn't to agravating to do being I had the mil crimping tool for the end connectors. Next come the running lights

Nice job Bill! No splicing, soldering or taping. Using the correct Mil-Spec connectors really makes for a nice, clean job.