The switch came with the lights. I mounted it just inside the tail gate, high on the side. I have a cover, so no water issues.
I used the same switch but just drilled a hole in the bed behind the driver's side tail light. The bed has a bunch of holes punched in it already so I didn't worry about adding one more and there is lots of room for wires back there. You might try an appropriately sized grommet, o-ring or rubber washer as a spacer. That should give you a little more depth. I usually search the hardware stores when I'm improvising.
I tried to find a switch that fit that hole too but ended up with 19mm which seems to be a standard for round rocker switches. I never was able to find a 1/2 inch switch so I just drilled a new hole in the most convenient place.
Did you buy these yet?
No I didn't. No bed lights yet.
Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of the lights before install. Powered from the 12-volt bed port wires on the harness. I have a switch and the harness power also goes OFF after a while. The cover is closed in this picture.
Fuguang LED Truck Bed Lighting Kit 2PCS 60Inch Magnetic Attraction IP68 5050SMD High Brightness For Cargo Boats,Pickup,SUV
They are magnetic, so "stick" to the iron box.
If i purchase the wiring harness and not the socket assembly , would i technically be able to cut the harness and use the live wiring to tap directly to the lights and switch?I got my $25 bed lights installed this weekend. Thanks to those who contributed to this thread on tapping the 12V bed power supply.
I spliced the wiring harness (part #KB3Z-14A411-A) for the bed 12V socket assembly (part #: 7A2Z-19N236-A) and used crimps with glue and some heavy duty landscape wiring for my pigtail to power the lights. Wired in an 18mm round rocker switch to turn them on/off as needed.
I can confirm, as others have, that the 12V bed socket (and thus my lights) stays powered for an extended period of time after you turn the truck off. The only downside is if you walk up to the truck and it has been turned off, you need to at least hit the ignition button once to fire up the electronics in order for the lights to work. Remote start can solve this problem.
The lights are 1” square and have 3M adhesive on the back. I took the advice of an Amazon reviewer and bought nickel sized round magnets that I attached to the adhesive/lights and then used the magnets to affix the lights to the truck bed. Super easy and the lights are now movable. The lights, 8 total, give off the perfect amount of illumination to let you see what’s going on under your tonneau.
The rocker switch location was my only mild miss on this project. I didn’t want to drill a hole in the bed, so I cut a hole out of one of the rubber oval shaped plugs on the sidewall. All was great until I found that there was not enough depth on the sidewall to accommodate the switch with the wiring harness on the back. It’s really close, but not perfect.
If anyone has ideas for a spacer or bracket setup to give it a perfect finish, please chime in. I probably need about an 1/8” more.
I’m trying to get a 12v constant wire at the rear of my truck for a Putco blade install. D side frame, behind the rear tire their is a black wire with a white stripe and a red wire that is mounted to the frame, just forward of the rear shackle. Is this the power and ground wire? I don’t have bed lights so it’s just capped off.I got my $25 bed lights installed this weekend. Thanks to those who contributed to this thread on tapping the 12V bed power supply.
I spliced the wiring harness (part #KB3Z-14A411-A) for the bed 12V socket assembly (part #: 7A2Z-19N236-A) and used crimps with glue and some heavy duty landscape wiring for my pigtail to power the lights. Wired in an 18mm round rocker switch to turn them on/off as needed.
I can confirm, as others have, that the 12V bed socket (and thus my lights) stays powered for an extended period of time after you turn the truck off. The only downside is if you walk up to the truck and it has been turned off, you need to at least hit the ignition button once to fire up the electronics in order for the lights to work. Remote start can solve this problem.
The lights are 1” square and have 3M adhesive on the back. I took the advice of an Amazon reviewer and bought nickel sized round magnets that I attached to the adhesive/lights and then used the magnets to affix the lights to the truck bed. Super easy and the lights are now movable. The lights, 8 total, give off the perfect amount of illumination to let you see what’s going on under your tonneau.
The rocker switch location was my only mild miss on this project. I didn’t want to drill a hole in the bed, so I cut a hole out of one of the rubber oval shaped plugs on the sidewall. All was great until I found that there was not enough depth on the sidewall to accommodate the switch with the wiring harness on the back. It’s really close, but not perfect.
If anyone has ideas for a spacer or bracket setup to give it a perfect finish, please chime in. I probably need about an 1/8” more.
I should've asked before I ordered ...but how have these been holding up?I got my $25 bed lights installed this weekend. Thanks to those who contributed to this thread on tapping the 12V bed power supply.
I spliced the wiring harness (part #KB3Z-14A411-A) for the bed 12V socket assembly (part #: 7A2Z-19N236-A) and used crimps with glue and some heavy duty landscape wiring for my pigtail to power the lights. Wired in an 18mm round rocker switch to turn them on/off as needed.
I can confirm, as others have, that the 12V bed socket (and thus my lights) stays powered for an extended period of time after you turn the truck off. The only downside is if you walk up to the truck and it has been turned off, you need to at least hit the ignition button once to fire up the electronics in order for the lights to work. Remote start can solve this problem.
The lights are 1” square and have 3M adhesive on the back. I took the advice of an Amazon reviewer and bought nickel sized round magnets that I attached to the adhesive/lights and then used the magnets to affix the lights to the truck bed. Super easy and the lights are now movable. The lights, 8 total, give off the perfect amount of illumination to let you see what’s going on under your tonneau.
The rocker switch location was my only mild miss on this project. I didn’t want to drill a hole in the bed, so I cut a hole out of one of the rubber oval shaped plugs on the sidewall. All was great until I found that there was not enough depth on the sidewall to accommodate the switch with the wiring harness on the back. It’s really close, but not perfect.
If anyone has ideas for a spacer or bracket setup to give it a perfect finish, please chime in. I probably need about an 1/8” more.
