Happy New Year to all of you. I found the 2011 - 14 threads on abysmal reversing illumination and considering that we have two bulbs it is shocking. Surely by now somone has found an appropriate bulb - other than a halogen - that projects powerful light outwards or utilizes the reflector on the estate?

May not help but I've fitted Auxito reversing lights to my Swift and they are excellent ..   much better than halogen OE and I believe they are canbus monitoring friendly

I've driven a number of cars down the years. Most of them had 2x21W reversing lights, and illumination varied from "did the Sun just come up behind me?" to "black cat in a coal mine on a cloudy night". The difference was in the reflector design, which is no help unless you take this as an indication that you won't get better but still legal aftermarket bulbs. (and that's without being clear whether the subject vehicle is a Mercedes as per your data or a Superb 2 as per the forum name).

The reversing lights are to let others know you are reversing.  If the car was supposed to have a 2nd set of Dipped beam headlights that can be activated to the rear they could be fitted by all manufacturers .    If there is nobody else there to see the reversing then putting the rear fog light on can help.  

 

 

 

Edited 2 January, 20224 yr by roottoot

34 minutes ago, roottoot said:

If there is nobody else there to see the reversing then putting the rear fog light on can help. 

Which is exactly what I did when trying to reverse a Au'tin "maestro" into a space in the Thistle Centre in Stirling. I wouldn't have needed the rear fogs in either the previous Cortina V or the subsequent BX.

12 hours ago, CosmoJ said:

Happy New Year to all of you. I found the 2011 - 14 threads on abysmal reversing illumination and considering that we have two bulbs it is shocking. Surely by now somone has found an appropriate bulb - other than a halogen - that projects powerful light outwards or utilizes the reflector on the estate?

Recently installed a pair of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185099563838 in my 63 plate facelift Estate.  Superb estate reversing lights don't appear to be CANbus monitored so can't comment on whether these bulbs are fully CANbus compatible or not if you wanted to use them in other applications but they do work very well as reversing lights.  Gives a bright white illumination which is a great improvement over the dim yellow illumination that the stock halogen bulbs provide.

2 hours ago, skomaz said:

May not help but I've fitted Auxito reversing lights to my Swift and they are excellent ..   much better than halogen OE and I believe they are canbus monitoring friendly

Skomaz, Thank you. I shall look in to this.

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

I've driven a number of cars down the years. Most of them had 2x21W reversing lights, and illumination varied from "did the Sun just come up behind me?" to "black cat in a coal mine on a cloudy night". The difference was in the reflector design, which is no help unless you take this as an indication that you won't get better but still legal aftermarket bulbs. (and that's without being clear whether the subject vehicle is a Mercedes as per your data or a Superb 2 as per the forum name).

Ken, Thank you. The (my) Merc shows as the question upon signing it asked what my favourite car was sui generis. The question is addressing my 2012 Superb in fact. As to the Mercs (1982) reversing lights they are standard but gloriously sufficient to see where one is reversing.

5 minutes ago, CosmoJ said:

The question is addressing my 2012 Superb

Never driven a Superb, but my best guess is that you should use the rear fog light to supplement the standard reversing candles at that rate. See up thread for reasoning.

2 hours ago, roottoot said:

The reversing lights are to let others know you are reversing.  If the car was supposed to have a 2nd set of Dipped beam headlights that can be activated to the rear they could be fitted by all manufacturers .    If there is nobody else there to see the reversing then putting the rear fog light on can help.  

 

 

 

Thank you Roottoot but having owned standard vehicles with acceptable reverse illumination I am determined to persue the alternative bulb route not just to preserve the side of the car but from bringing the carport down on top of it!

29 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Never driven a Superb, but my best guess is that you should use the rear fog light to supplement the standard reversing candles at that rate. See up thread for reasoning.

Good one. I'll give that a crack tonight. Better check if the rear fog works. Never used it.

52 minutes ago, DrCorbyLee said:

Recently installed a pair of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185099563838 in my 63 plate facelift Estate.  Superb estate reversing lights don't appear to be CANbus monitored so can't comment on whether these bulbs are fully CANbus compatible or not if you wanted to use them in other applications but they do work very well as reversing lights.  Gives a bright white illumination which is a great improvement over the dim yellow illumination that the stock halogen bulbs provide.

Dr. Lee. Great. Thank you. I'll look in to this.

@CosmoJI drive ones with all sorts of reversing lights, good and bad for lighting the rear.

Also some now with good reversing cameras.

?

Would a motion activated light at the car port not be a good idea?  They are under £20.

4 minutes ago, CosmoJ said:

Dr. Lee. Great. Thank you. I'll look in to this.

Just been to the web address. Yes, those appear to be a good alternative projecting light ahead of them as well as in to the refkector. Thank you.

1 minute ago, roottoot said:

@CosmoJI drive ones with all sorts of reversing lights, good and bad for lighting the rear.

Also some now with good reversing cameras.

?

Would a motion activated light at the car port not be a good idea?  They are under £20.

Hi again. It's got one and it doesn't fire up until I have passed the oak strut supporting it alas. The sensitivity has to be way down because of badgers, rabbits, foxes and bloody rats. Can't win so bulbs it is. There has veen some real useful suggestions incl. the use of the rear fog.

As @skomaz posted,

You can always do as we did in the 70's and 80's and even now fit a rear spot light / work light.  

 

These days they can be very small LED.s that are discrete.

People that tow commonly have them to help when hitching up. 

On a separate switch and not wired to the reversing lights is a good idea. 

 

Edited 2 January, 20224 yr by roottoot

45 minutes ago, roottoot said:

As @skomaz posted,

You can always do as we did in the 70's and 80's and even now fit a rear spot light / work light.  

 

These days they can be very small LED.s that are discrete.

People that tow commonly have them to help when hitching up. 

On a separate switch and not wired to the reversing lights is a good idea. 

 

Thanks again. I had thought of this but will go the bulb route first as it's less fuss while the aux. lamp will require a relay, the back end voltages being, I understand, low or less than 12v.