Bed lights wired to cargo lights and switch

[Trapiswp1]

Hey everyone,

New poster here but I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for with search. I’m installing some bed light strips this weekend but have a specific use case for the wiring.

Would it be possible to wire them into the third brake light, so they come on/off whenever the tailgate is opened/closed but also to have a manual switch that would turn them on or off regardless of tailgate status?

I’d like them to function with the cargo light for everyday use, but also be able to turn them on and leave them past the truck’s cargo light timeout while I’m in camp, and I’d like to do this from the bed rather than from the switch in the cab. How would this wiring look?

Thanks

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[micl9]

Its possible
Off the top of my head I would say tap into the cargo lights power (this will limit functionality to when the cargo lights are on). wire 2 switches in parallel, one manual and one pin switch at the tailgate.

Could also tap into the aux power behind the LH rear wheel. wire 2 switchs and 1 relay in parallel, with relay triggered off the cargo lights. But be forewarned the aux power has a timeout that only turns back on with an ign on. But with ForScan this can be extended.
Good Luck - and write it up when you are done!

 

[Trapiswp1]

Its possible
Off the top of my head I would say tap into the cargo lights power (this will limit functionality to when the cargo lights are on). wire 2 switches in parallel, one manual and one pin switch at the tailgate.

Could also tap into the aux power behind the LH rear wheel. wire 2 switchs and 1 relay in parallel, with relay triggered off the cargo lights. But be forewarned the aux power has a timeout that only turns back on with an ign on. But with ForScan this can be extended.
Good Luck - and write it up when you are done!

Would it make sense to wire a 3-position switch (on/off/on) with one side from the battery and the other side tapped in from the cargo light?

Basically so if the switch was in position 1, it would be powered continuously from the battery, position 2 would be disconnected from both (so could be manually switched off) and position 3 would just link it to the cargo light circuit.

I’m thinking for everyday use leave in position 3, then when camping I could turn them on or off anytime.

 

[Tom_C]

Would it make sense to wire a 3-position switch (on/off/on) with one side from the battery and the other side tapped in from the cargo light?

Basically so if the switch was in position 1, it would be powered continuously from the battery, position 2 would be disconnected from both (so could be manually switched off) and position 3 would just link it to the cargo light circuit.

I’m thinking for everyday use leave in position 3, then when camping I could turn them on or off anytime.

That should work for your original question, yes. ON-OFF-Cargo

 

[Stage3Motorsports]

I would also use a relay to provide main power to the lights from the battery and just use the cargo light/switch to trigger the relay, especially being lights in the bed this would avoid shorting out the factory cargo light circuit.

 

[fob63]

Since cargo lights are from the BCM and are FET output then make sure you isolate the two power sources. If you happen to have cargo light output on and then switch to battery power output you can cause problems which at least will blow a fuse. You can use diodes to block anode flow. Use fuse and relay for supplemental power source from battery. Protect you new and existing circuits.

 

[HDEO]

Hey everyone,

New poster here but I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for with search. I’m installing some bed light strips this weekend but have a specific use case for the wiring.

Would it be possible to wire them into the third brake light, so they come on/off whenever the tailgate is opened/closed but also to have a manual switch that would turn them on or off regardless of tailgate status?

I’d like them to function with the cargo light for everyday use, but also be able to turn them on and leave them past the truck’s cargo light timeout while I’m in camp, and I’d like to do this from the bed rather than from the switch in the cab. How would this wiring look?

Thanks

I installed two lights. The Ford Bedlights which are powered directly from the battery and a second light which is powered off the Wolfhaus power plug that I installed in the bed. Another solution would be to disable the auto shutoff on the bed power with Forscan.

 

[Bludrok]

I have a perfect easy solution for this. Give me a moment, I am making a wiring diagram for you now.

You only need 1 5 pin relay, a standard switch and fuse to do it.

 

[Bludrok]

Ok here is the wiring diagram:

Here is what is going on:

First, the cargo light is connected to the normally closed (87a) pin on the relay. So when the switch is not activated, the cargo light will power the bed lights anytime it comes on, which are connected to common (30).

When you press the switch it will change from the normally closed contact (87a) to the normally open contact (87 - connected to battery through fuse) which will power your bed lights but not the cargo light since that contact is now open.

The side of the switch that is connected to the fuse needs to also be connected to the normally open contact on the relay. This can be done at the switch, or anywhere between the switch and the fuse (your choice).

Note: If you want the cargo light to come on with the bed lights, you would need to use diodes. Just be sure your bed lights are adequate and it is a non issue.




I am not sure how your electric skills are, so please let me know if you need me to explain further.

 

[micl9]

Ok here is the wiring diagram:

Here is what is going on:

First, the cargo light is connected to the normally closed (87a) pin on the relay. So when the switch is not activated, the cargo light will power the bed lights anytime it comes on, which are connected to common (30).

When you press the switch it will change from the normally closed contact (87a) to the normally open contact (87 - connected to battery through fuse) which will power your bed lights but not the cargo light since that contact is now open.

The side of the switch that is connected to the fuse needs to also be connected to the normally open contact on the relay. This can be done at the switch, or anywhere between the switch and the fuse (your choice).

Note: If you want the cargo light to come on with the bed lights, you would need to use diodes. Just be sure your bed lights are adequate and it is a non issue.




I am not sure how your electric skills are, so please let me know if you need me to explain further.

Damn another Mod! This would eliminate the drawback of tapping into the Aux power as the cargo lights come on when you unlock the truck with the remote!
I already have cargo lights using the Wolf House Y harness, all I need is the relay. But will have to cut up my pretty harness!
I know the cargo light wires come up the LH side under the door sills, so no need to hack in around the cargo light itself. Just need a good place to breach the cab.

Thanks!

 

[Bludrok]

Damn another Mod! This would eliminate the drawback of tapping into the Aux power as the cargo lights come on when you unlock the truck with the remote!
I already have cargo lights using the Wolf House Y harness, all I need is the relay. But will have to cut up my pretty harness!
I know the cargo light wires come up the LH side under the door sills, so no need to hack in around the cargo light itself. Just need a good place to breach the cab.

Thanks!

Oh, I am right there with you. As I thought about this, I was like oh damn.....gonna have to do this for my truck. I love this setup. ?

 

[micl9]

Oh, I am right there with you. As I thought about this, I was like oh damn.....gonna have to do this for my truck. I love this setup. ?

I even have a water tight relay and socket already!

 

[Trapiswp1]

Well, I got the bed lights and 12v socket wired today using the diagram from @Bludrok.

Marine-grade socket/switch assembly from Amazon, Wolf Haus harness with pigtail for bed lights, and Nilight LED strips all went in nicely.

The 12v and USB ports power off with bed power timeout, and bed lights are switchable but also come on/off with cargo lights using a relay. So far, everything seems to be working as expected.

For now, I mounted the socket assembly directly into the drop-in Bedliner but drilled and secured all sockets into the bed, so everything is nice and secure.

At first I was planning to use the factory 12v outlet, but got quoted $200ish for all parts from my ford dealership, so went this route instead and got lights, harness, and socket assembly for $100ish.

 

[micl9]

@Trapiswp1
Where did you pass through the cargo light wire out of the cab?

 

[fob63]

@Trapiswp1
Where did you pass through the cargo light wire out of the cab?

When I did mine last year. I went through the rubber plug underneath by driver rear door closes to pillar. Drilled a small opening up in channel , then connected to rear cargo signal wire. ran the split loom along frame with factory harness to rear taillight. I added grommet to the drilled hole on the inside to secure split loom and sealed the opening underneath on the rubber plug. I had also ran a fused aux. power from battery so as to add a remote FOB transmitter/receiver with timer circuit, so I can turn it on/off if cab doors were closed. I posted some pics last year on some of it. Again blocking diodes were used to suppress transient voltage across FET output. Thee diagram above will work but I suggest diodes in circuits.

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