Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

What should be the proper operation of the backup light? Only work when parking lights/head lights on? Mine currently work anytime when put in reverse

thks

David

Kind of depends on how and when installed.

If the lights were installed by a dealer the mechanic could choose to follow or ignore any of the factory suggestions. He could choose to connect the power wire at a more convenient to reach point which might be powered from a different place or manner than the factory suggestion or any other way he or the customer felt would be satisfactory.

Original Clipper drawings and the few prewar cars with drawings showing a reverse light has the power coming from the auxiliary fuse on the headlight switch so lights are powered all the time. That sounds like the way your car is wired. Drawback to that choice is the transmission can't be left in reverse when parked as many of us were taught to do.

On the 22-23 series cars they had the power coming from the tail light terminal on the headlight switch so in that configuration reverse light will only be available when the headlight switch is on in either position. The lights are protected by the built in headlight switch circuit breaker.

51 and later models have the power coming from an auxiliary breaker which is powered from the ignition switch so on those cars reverse lights will be available any time the ign switch is on.

You could change yours to be powdered by either of those later methods if the always on is a problem. There is no auxiliary breaker in a 47 so you would need to add an inline fuse if you want to get power from any point powered directly from the ignition switch. The ignition switch GA terminal is hard to reach in models made thru 50 so the battery feed terminal on the fuel gauge was often suggested by Packard as a more convenient to reach accessory power source location.

thanks Howard-

David