Trying to cheat- need your help! ...Rear Aux. backup Lights

[NWA_Dave]

Okay guys, forgive me if the following questions are noob-ish...

2000 4Runner Limited
I'm mounting some aux. backup lights on my rear bumper. They're 55 watt halogens, so we're talking a total of 110 watts.

I don't want them to be manually controlled, just want them to come on automatically only, when I shift into reverse.

Being lazy, and wanting to take the easiest way out, I do not want to run wires from up front. So here's what I'm thinking. I looked in my owner's manual, it shows the total allowable load for the rear cig lighter power outlet to be 120 watts. So, do you see any reason that I couldn't/shouldn't connect a relay to the stock backup light wire (for the trigger) and the cig power adapter (for the juice to feed the new lights)?

Another question/possibility: The stock backup lights will no longer be used as backup lights, I've done a tail light redout, and they will be used now for turn sigs. So, is there any reason not to just connect the 55 watt lights to the stock wiring, skipping the relay/power outlet option outlined above? The wires that feed rear cig lighter (120 watts remember) outlet don't appear to be any beefier than the wires that feed the stock backup lights.

From looking up the specs of the stock backup bulbs vs. the 55 watt halogen, the stock bulbs are 25 watts and draw 1.95 amps each. The 55 watt halogens draw 4.5 amps each.

 

[revenantdead]

from the amperage numbers alone it sounds like you're gonna fry fuses all day if you use the stock wiring with stock rated fuse.
the cigarette lighter option is gonna be close to total rate as well.
i know it's what you're trying to avoid but the safest way to do this is to run the wire. i wouldn't use anything smaller than 14 ga. for that either. but that's just me.

 

[sTraTz]

I just did the Aux lights, and ran the wire. Save yourself from problems later and do it properly. Took the extra half hour and a few bucks, not a big deal.

 

[Royisme]

To start, I wouldn't touch the stock reverse lights. Your new ones would make bad things happen there, and here's a link in why I'm not into lazy wiring. Copart

Being lazy, and wanting to take the easiest way out, I do not want to run wires from up front. So here's what I'm thinking. I looked in my owner's manual, it shows the total allowable load for the rear cig lighter power outlet to be 120 watts. So, do you see any reason that I couldn't/shouldn't connect a relay to the stock backup light wire (for the trigger) and the cig power adapter (for the juice to feed the new lights)?

While you could probably get away with doing this tactic, I just don't see it as the best long term solution. If you really want to have power back there to source from, I think you would be best served by installing something like this first: Painless Performance: CirKit Boss®™ Auxiliary Fuse Block/7 Circuits

 

[NWA_Dave]

Thanks, guys...I'm heading out to Advance now.