Cheap DIY Bed Lighting

[GregM]

Nice! How did the whole install turn out? Are you happy with how bright the lights are etc?

Good info in this post. Thanks for your input.

Sponsored

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

I didn't even know this was a thing! Thanks for pointing it out.

My Weller heat gun came with 4 attachments. This small gun is for electronics work and ESD safe.

 

[JimH]

Nice! How did the whole install turn out? Are you happy with how bright the lights are etc?

Very happy with the install. The lights are bright enough - I wired them into the taillight wires, that way if I forget to turn them off, they will go off on their own.

 

[BladeRanger]

Once I put a tonneau cover on the bed of my Ranger, it was impossible to see what was stored back there at night. Here's a video I made that details how I installed a really cheap DIY light kit that works fantastically well:

Wow, this awesome. Thank You for the video, I enjoy watching it.

 

[SILK]

For a cheaper solution that's FAR less elegant and, some would argue, less useful, I bought one of these lights that I've attached via the magnet on the light to the bedside. They're rugged, not bothered by the small amount of water that my tonneau lets in, the battery lasts a while, and they can double as a flashlight in times of need. I'm definitely happy with it, even if it's 1/100th as nice as the video. It's plenty bright for the entire bed, especially at night. I love your solution, @quangdog but some of us are not as handy

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCL81W3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[quangdog]

For a cheaper solution that's FAR less elegant and, some would argue, less useful, I bought one of these lights that I've attached via the magnet on the light to the bedside. They're rugged, not bothered by the small amount of water that my tonneau lets in, the battery lasts a while, and they can double as a flashlight in times of need. I'm definitely happy with it, even if it's 1/100th as nice as the video. It's plenty bright for the entire bed, especially at night. I love your solution, @quangdog but some of us are not as handy

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCL81W3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Looks like a pretty decent solution for those who don't want to crawl around under their truck using their campin' words. Thanks!

 

[KnightRanger]

I bought the led light strips from Amazon
similar to these:
https://www.amazon.com/MICTUNING-Wa...RQ2HVZD9RPB&psc=1&refRID=YGVK2EE7XRQ2HVZD9RPB
They’re around $22, but I have seen them go for as low as $19.95 on prime.

For power, I just tapped into the 12v+ under the d/s bed rail.
This Bed utility plug circuit is ON when key is in ACC (accessory).
Also stays on for awhile shortly after powering off your Ranger.

Tip: Clean the area well with alcohol prep pads first, then let it dry before installing the 3M backed, led strips.

Sponsored