DIY: Adding the 12V Power Outlet Option in the Bed

Sarge104

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Anyone want to share the specs on these screws so the rest aren’t paying 30 bucks when they can go to the hardware store and get them and the clips for like $5?
I'm assuming that they can be 1/4-20's Au-Ve-Co Number on the U-Nut is 10050.
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dmeyer302

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I'm assuming that they can be 1/4-20's Au-Ve-Co Number on the U-Nut is 10050.
Oh please don't put standard hardware on it. Any auto parts store should be able to sell you M6 clips and screws.
 

Sarge104

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Oh please don't put standard hardware on it. Any auto parts store should be able to sell you M6 clips and screws.
Considering I have the au-ve-co book in front of me I need to know a reach on the U-nut. For the U-nut #6 with a 3/8"reach part # is 10064. My ranger is with my wife atm so I cannot check myself.
 

Psykostevo

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Hot @ all times. But controlled via the BCM so if battery voltage drops below threshold it will shut it down.

There is most likely a PID for it in the BCM. On my 17 Escape I was able to change the power port state using Forscan (Hot at all times or Hot with ign on). Have yet to poke around the trucks modules.
I saw some stuff in the BCM related to 75% state of charge. Not sure if that’s the right answer.
 

V1KT3R

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I didn't want to put any holes in my bed, and I have a drop in bed liner so I just rerouted the wires around instead of through. I think there is enough room to mount the socket in the bed liner itself under the access hole for tye downs.

20190721_094747.jpg


20190721_094827.jpg

You may run into the issue of those wires shorting out where your tailgate hits them.
 


BB78410

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Is there an easy way to make this hot at all times so it can be used for camping?
 

Don B.

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Got mine installed today. It fit right below my Swing Case bracket. Very pleased.
We'll use it for whitewater raft inflating.
 

JKing1024

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I am thinking of doing this, and connecting my bed light LEDs to it. Does anyone know what fuse this is tied to?
 

Robert Jones

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I was just about to buy the parts for this mod and then I got to thinking. Sure enough, I'm not the first to come up with the idea to tap into the trailer harness. I'm putting 7-pin connector on this weekend so I'm now thinking of getting this add-on:
https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/HM47675.html

That'll save some time and money and it's a no-drill.
 

Don B.

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I didn't tap into the trailer harness.
There is a dedicated harness available for this.
 

JKing1024

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I am really glad I found this thread. It’s exactly what I wanted. I got the harness and plug installed, and I went to Home Depot for #10-24 bolts and speed nuts. The Lowes #10 speed nuts weren’t long enough to reach the holes, and (very oddly) the #10 nuts wouldn’t take a #10 bolt (I think they were mispackaged #8’s).

This is the nut: https://www.homedepot.com/p/10-24-in-Plain-Steel-Type-U-Speed-Nut-800068/204276062
And this allen bolt: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...teel-Socket-Cap-Screw-2-Pack-805238/204274250

Nuts and bolts were about $6 total, which is less than the dealer wanted to charge me for a single nut or bolt! (Dealer prices were outrageous at about $8 each).

I did mod the harness a little, to hard-wire in my bed lights (I picked the Nilight TR-05 LED strips). Back where the harness plugs in under the truck I pulled the wires out of the loom tubing, cut them, crimped in the wires for the bed lights, shrink-wrapped the connections, then put them back into the loom and re-wrapped it all back up with electrical tape.

Here are some pictures under the truck: first is just showing the plug underneath in the upper right, and where I went back about 6” to splice in the bed light harness (the skinny black wire goes up to the light switch). You can see the backside of the 12v outlet in the truck bed in the lower left.
D3CCB888-0E9F-4948-BC33-BCC620542D46.jpeg


I ran the wire with the switch up to the bed outlet and then used a Dremel to notch out a small hole between the bed and the outlet for the wire. Then I used double-sided tape to stick it to the bed right next to the outlet.

BD0536E3-DC15-45D2-96BB-35E481DAD18F.jpeg

It took me about 6 hours, to drill the holes, figure out the speed nuts first got wouldn’t work and go get new ones, then run and zip-tie all the bed-light wires, splice them into the power outlet’s harness, test it, and clean up and add some more zip-ties so the wires couldn’t bounce around.

I think using this harness is soooo much better then taping into the trailer harness or running wires up to the battery. It’s not affecting any existing (preinstalled) harness, it’s not stand-alone with a potential unmanaged power drain on the battery, and if I screw it up or want to change the lights, I just get a new $35 wire harness that’s easy to get to and fix or modify.
 

Snorebaby

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I am really glad I found this thread. It’s exactly what I wanted. I got the harness and plug installed, and I went to Home Depot for #10-24 bolts and speed nuts. The Lowes #10 speed nuts weren’t long enough to reach the holes, and (very oddly) the #10 nuts wouldn’t take a #10 bolt (I think they were mispackaged #8’s).

This is the nut: https://www.homedepot.com/p/10-24-in-Plain-Steel-Type-U-Speed-Nut-800068/204276062
And this allen bolt: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...teel-Socket-Cap-Screw-2-Pack-805238/204274250

Nuts and bolts were about $6 total, which is less than the dealer wanted to charge me for a single nut or bolt! (Dealer prices were outrageous at about $8 each).

I did mod the harness a little, to hard-wire in my bed lights (I picked the Nilight TR-05 LED strips). Back where the harness plugs in under the truck I pulled the wires out of the loom tubing, cut them, crimped in the wires for the bed lights, shrink-wrapped the connections, then put them back into the loom and re-wrapped it all back up with electrical tape.

Here are some pictures under the truck: first is just showing the plug underneath in the upper right, and where I went back about 6” to splice in the bed light harness (the skinny black wire goes up to the light switch). You can see the backside of the 12v outlet in the truck bed in the lower left.
D3CCB888-0E9F-4948-BC33-BCC620542D46.jpeg


I ran the wire with the switch up to the bed outlet and then used a Dremel to notch out a small hole between the bed and the outlet for the wire. Then I used double-sided tape to stick it to the bed right next to the outlet.

BD0536E3-DC15-45D2-96BB-35E481DAD18F.jpeg

It took me about 6 hours, to drill the holes, figure out the speed nuts first got wouldn’t work and go get new ones, then run and zip-tie all the bed-light wires, splice them into the power outlet’s harness, test it, and clean up and add some more zip-ties so the wires couldn’t bounce around.

I think using this harness is soooo much better then taping into the trailer harness or running wires up to the battery. It’s not affecting any existing (preinstalled) harness, it’s not stand-alone with a potential unmanaged power drain on the battery, and if I screw it up or want to change the lights, I just get a new $35 wire harness that’s easy to get to and fix or modify.
Doesn't the power get disconnected to the outlet harness after a couple of hours unless you use it? Would the lights draw enough to trigger the power for the harness? Just curious as I want to install bed lights and want to use the outlet harness as my power source.
 

JKing1024

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Nilight got back to me and said my bed lights pull a max of 72w (6 amps). I’m sure that’s enough for the truck to notice and monitor .
 

Dr. Zaius

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I was just about to buy the parts for this mod and then I got to thinking. Sure enough, I'm not the first to come up with the idea to tap into the trailer harness. I'm putting 7-pin connector on this weekend so I'm now thinking of getting this add-on:
https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/HM47675.html

That'll save some time and money and it's a no-drill.
I tried one of those and the Smart Tow does not provide power if there's not a trailer attached.

YMMV but mine was the Reese Towpower 78119 and it didn't work at all.

I'd love to know if one does work.
 

SamoanMike

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Got mine installed today. It fit right below my Swing Case bracket. Very pleased.
We'll use it for whitewater raft inflating.
Is this the swing storage case that Ford is offering? I ask since I bought the case without realizing that the 12v is in the way so I now have to remove it and find another place to install.
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