Re-inventing backup lights

[SilvrSausage]

On my SOB motorhome, I put supplemental reverse lights on the bumper, and in the wheel wells front and rear pointing backward. Really helpful when backing and turning in the dark; I backed it with a 102X16' trailer into a parking slot between rows of cars 1 foot on each side, always late Sunday night.

I had these lights isolated from the halogen reverse lights (I made this setup years ago when the 10w LEDs were a deal at $45 each) using shottkey diodes of sufficient current capacity, so they could be switched on along with the "bright" level of the porchlight. Really handy when making or breaking camp after dark.

Something else I never got around to, but will on my newer SOB, is reverse lights at roof level, for backing into unfamiliar campsites at night. Like George of the Jungle, WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE! I remember backing into a spot with plenty of ground level lighting, including two flashlights at the rear corners of the camp spot. I was able to deftly maneuver around ground level obstacles, then luckily heard light branches brushing against the back of the moho, so I got out and looked carefully to find I was inches from hitting a large limb up there!

On an airstream where you don't want to tamper with the shell, adding discreet white LEDs to the clearance lamps is one possibility, though it won't give the best illumination of approaching tree branches. I was thinking about LEDs on the A/C cover, or an existing vent etc, shining backward at roof level from the middle, rather than the very back, to light up potentially damaging high obstacles likely to be encountered at campsites.

I also had blue LED undercarriage lighting on that motorhome, but that's another thread.