New Bed LED strip lighting. Cheap and easy mod!

[Maverick88]

Did you ever get a reasonable answer to your question about how the lights are connected? If not, the lighting strips specifically for truck beds include the extra wiring. You run those connecting wires under the rear bumper. Included directions.

I didn’t! I tried to document it but failed due to the tight spaces. I eventually connected both sides of the lights by using the wheel well space. You need something to fish the wires down. Wire works. The holes are big enough to drop the connector through.


Nilight - TR-05 2PCS 60 Inch 180... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KXR799K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

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[gear1975]

I finally did my bed LED strip light upgrade. Love it!

Here I am picking up a 10' PVC pipe for a makeshift snowboard jibbing rail. You can see the lights in this pic a bit.

 

[dcs12345]

I finally did my bed LED strip light upgrade. Love it!




Here I am picking up a 10' PVC pipe for a makeshift snowboard jibbing rail. You can see the lights in this pic a bit.

Nice. Where did you mount the switch?

 

[gear1975]

Nice. Where did you mount the switch?

I put it with some double sided tape just above the left side access panel. Not sure if it'll live there forever, but working fine so far.

 

[Dad]

I didn’t! I tried to document it but failed due to the tight spaces. I eventually connected both sides of the lights by using the wheel well space. You need something to fish the wires down. Wire works. The holes are big enough to drop the connector through.


Nilight - TR-05 2PCS 60 Inch 180... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KXR799K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

You did it the correct way. It's a nice feature to have especially with the darker days.

 

[vcpayne]

Did you have any issue with applying the double-stick tape to the spray-in bedliner. Looks like you've had them in close to a year. They're still sticking well?

 

[Barracuda340]

I did the same. I used the switch that the light kit came with for now. I plan to eliminate the switch, and use a mercury switch inside the tailgate so they turn on when you open the tailgate and off when you close it. I can easily run the wires into the tailgate with the back up camera and lock solenoid wires.

 

[Hillbilly]

Here is mine.
Bed is Rhino Lined black

 

[Dad]

I did the same. I used the switch that the light kit came with for now. I plan to eliminate the switch, and use a mercury switch inside the tailgate so they turn on when you open the tailgate and off when you close it. I can easily run the wires into the tailgate with the back up camera and lock solenoid wires.

My bed strip lights are controlled using the OEM switch as part of the lux package, but I do like your idea of the mercury switch so the lights come on automatically.
Please keep us posted on your hardware selections and install.

 

[BradnChristine]

Wow! Apologies for missing your reply from what . . . 6 months ago? Thank you. You are correct, I do appreciate having the entire bed lit up especially during the darker days of winter. Someone here thought of adding a 'mercury' type switch so the lights come on automatically when the tailgate is opened. I'm thinking a motion detector coupled with an existing switch would do the same mainly because I'm not sure what he meant by a mercury switch. LOL.

https://www.amazon.com/Midzooparts-Mercury-Switch-Sensor-Unidirectional/dp/B09P47DY3C
You mount the switch so that the mercury inside does NOT close the circuit between he two wires UNTIL the tailgate is brought down and the switch is is a position 90 degrees from the mount...and the mercury flows to connect the two wires. Kinda cool solution, but I am just going to connect new LED strips to the light switch that is in the bed with the inverter.

 

[Dad]

https://www.amazon.com/Midzooparts-Mercury-Switch-Sensor-Unidirectional/dp/B09P47DY3C
You mount the switch so that the mercury inside does NOT close the circuit between he two wires UNTIL the tailgate is brought down and the switch is is a position 90 degrees from the mount...and the mercury flows to connect the two wires. Kinda cool solution, but I am just going to connect new LED strips to the light switch that is in the bed with the inverter.

Thanks. Of course, I was aware of how mercury can open or close a circuit . . .older house thermometers used it, but I wasn't sure how one could adapt one for use on the tailgate, until you posted. Interesting, but I think I would prefer the motion detection design. I'll have to research that. No doubt, Amazon has something. (Shaking my head about how shopping has dramatically changed in the last decade. Just amazing!)

Look what I found! (patting myself on the back . . . that's allowed, right?)

https://www.amazon.com/12V-24V-Moti...t+motion+detection+switch,aps,155&sr=8-8&th=1

 

[Barracuda340]

I used a coat hanger I bent straight to fish all the wires inside the bed behind the taillights so no wires are seen. I dropped the spare tire and routed everything underneath and neatly ziptied it up. My truck build thread I have all the pix of how I routed it.

 

[RDRahn]

Mine was in the glove box. Check there.

As I recall, mine was under the back seat.

 

[RDRahn]

https://www.amazon.com/Midzooparts-Mercury-Switch-Sensor-Unidirectional/dp/B09P47DY3C
You mount the switch so that the mercury inside does NOT close the circuit between he two wires UNTIL the tailgate is brought down and the switch is is a position 90 degrees from the mount...and the mercury flows to connect the two wires. Kinda cool solution, but I am just going to connect new LED strips to the light switch that is in the bed with the inverter.

If you are considering Mercury switch, this magnetic option might be better... Directed Electronics 8600 Micro Magnetic Switch (amazon.com)

 

[BradnChristine]

If you are considering Mercury switch, this magnetic option might be better... Directed Electronics 8600 Micro Magnetic Switch (amazon.com)

My plan is to just add an LED strip to the light circuit in the rear of the bed that goes on whenever that existing LED light comes on...either by the manual switch or automatic with the cargo lights. Maybe about a 2 foot length mounted to the cleat rail.

I took the rails and bedliner out to get to the 4 bolts holding in the LED and Inverter plug cover (because you can't get at the bolts with the modular panel installed). When I had it apart, I popped the LED light fixture out into the bed area and ran a wire up through the top for the LED strip. Then I put it back together as I wait for wire taps to arrive. Funny, there is a black wire and a black wire with a white stripe going to the existing LED. The white stripe wire was the negative.

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