Budget Friendly Truck Bed Lights - FOR ANY TRUCK!!!! (Coupon code below)

[@gs8716]

Finally someone using the the 12 volt power from the trailer hitch, Sooo much easier...Great job & thank you....

[@RK-kn1ud]

On many trucks where the they 7-pin plug is a factory installed option, the 12v power is usually switched through a relay. Many trucks lose power to that connector when the truck is shut off. Just food for thought.

[@WaterFowler41]

Not 5th gen Rams

[@RK-kn1ud]

@@WaterFowler41 That's excellent then. I figured that considering you didn't mention losing power back there. I'm going to have to jump my relay if I don't want to run a power wire to the tailgate. Since you're in the comments section, I might as well mention that the fuse you installed may be pointless if the circuit is already fused up front. You may have been able to save some effort there.

[@losmarcon]

Among all videos I watched to do this project, yours take the cake, thanks great video.

[@WaterFowler41]

Awesome, glad it helped!

[@nathanbritton1019]

Just wanted to stop back to this video and say thank you! I ordered all the same stuff off your links, and wired everything exactly as you did (on my 2020 Ram). Turned out awesome!

[@WaterFowler41]

That’s great to hear!! Awesome man!

[@artramirez3506]

Informative video. Thanks. Also, glad you used Posi-Taps instead of those cheap pinch taps.

[@Kevsadone]

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@jccorder1]

Nice video. Hope to do this on my new truck when the weather gets better

[@sebrofc]

11:15 sums up my sentiment as well, this kills me that they run wire and space for nearly every feature anyhow, so much easier to do it at build but whatever. Thanks for this great share.

[@mc1339ful]

Great video with clear direction, appreciate you sharing

[@fxzzurita4220]

Thank you sir! Installed the same set up. Looks great!

[@mikescioli6691]

Absolutely wonderful video. I wanted to pull power from somewhere other than the battery/ I thought maybe the tail lights had a constant "hot" wire but couldn't find one. You provided the perfect solution. I didn't know there was a constant hot wire to the trailer harness. Thanks alot!

[@armandox7]

wow those are pretty neat taps! these give me much more confidence in pulling power!

[@steveheisel818]

I finally got around to installing these lights (weather was either too cold or too hot). I should have done it 9 months ago when I bought all of the parts. I have a folding tonneau cover and what a difference it makes over the small light that came with the cover. It was incredibly easy after watching your video. It answered all of the questions I had before taking on this project.

[@tsteinour]

Hey I have a question and I know its a dumb question. I am usually not this incompetent but I am having brain issues with this. When you installed the lights you ran the black wires from the lights down the channel on both sides? Did you have to add wire to those that cane with lights? Also after you tapped into wire on harness and added fuse wire is that when you run the power from fuse up the channel to the switch and then another down to tap the power and the 2 wires from the lights ? Sorry if it's confusing it's been so long ago since I have ran wires and other things in vehicles. Thanks for any info

[@steveheisel818]

@@tsteinour I ran the black light wires down the channel on each side. I connected the positive side of the lights to one side of the switch under the truck close to where I tapped the power. The switch wires were run in the same wire loom as one of the light wires. I do not recall if the light wires were long enough (it was over a year ago). The negative side of each light was attached to a grounded bolt under the truck. The other wire from the switch was attached to the fuse, and the fuse to the power. I hope I cleared things up and didn't make it more confusing.

[@tsteinour]

@Steve Heisel yes ty. If I'm correct I believe I need red wire for the actual switch to run down below I got the same switch he used and it has like 6 inches of wire comming out 2 sides. Thanks for the info.

[@tomm8739]

Can you use the lights and a trailer connected at the same time.

[@WaterFowler41]

Yes

[@mbar3336]

Thanks for the links.

[@WaterFowler41]

No problem!

[@arthurpirozzi6565]

Thank you for your great video. You've convinced me to avoid the RAM OEM bed lights and to use your solution. Questions: the fuse product says they give you 40amp fuses. That is really high amperage. Do you know what the draw is from the lights? Can't be much. I would consider using a much lower amperage fuse. what can you tell us. Thanks again Art

[@WaterFowler41]

5 amp is more than sufficient

[@starmc26]

It's smart to also add a diode, so any issues with your bedlighting or wiring doesn't affect the trailer harness power.

[@bobert5785]

Nicely done.

[@kottmeier]

Looks really good, well done!

[@WaterFowler41]

Thanks!!

[@royj9241]

Will this power tap affect my RV trailer lights?

[@paxtonwheeler98]

I did this and I think I mixed up the wires because now my tail light is out. The brake light works, and the turn signal. I’ve check all the fuses and went down the rabbit hole with that and everything checks out the way it should. It started after I did the bed lights. If I hooked. Up to the wrong wire would that affect my tail light?

[@Jesus-zk3ze]

I followed every step , and the lights look awesome while they are on … the only problem i had is that tye fuse blows up as soon as i turn the switch to OFF mode..? If i have the switch in ON the lights turn on as soon as i install the fuse and if the Switch is in OFF mode the fuse blows up immediately… i am running a 30 amp fuse what did i do wrong?

[@OneWD_CR]

Still run these 1+ years later? Saw you had to take them down after/during install of the new bed cover... interested in your "long term review" of this setup. OEM bedlights are a hassle to install and don't provide relevant amounts of light anyway, looking for better solution and this looks good when they're on, wonder if you still like them.

[@WaterFowler41]

Yup just reinstalled them on my new tonneau cover rails

[@OneWD_CR]

@@WaterFowler41 Cool, I'm thinking I might add a magnetic switch into the mix, but otherwise think I'm going to do exactly this setup. Thanks!

[@chasecampbell460]

@@WaterFowler41 Did you ever do the magnetic switch? I've got BedRug, so can probably hook up either. About to do this whole setup to my 2023 Ram 1500. Man this looks fun. Thanks. Longevity of the lights good? @waterfowler41

[@SultanofSpey]

Nice work man.

[@WaterFowler41]

Thank you sir!

[@chrisnordstrom-4689]

I see that in-line fuse you add described is 40 amp with 10 gauge wire. Is that the right size? I think too big. Thanks for posting the viseo

[@WaterFowler41]

You can probably get away with a smaller fuse for the lights. Also a lot of times Amazon links change so my original one may have been a smaller more suitable fuse but the seller might have updated things.

[@charlesromstadt5308]

So the negative wires are just grounded to the truck bed?

[@WaterFowler41]

No they are grounded to a bolt on the chassis.

[@BlackBoiB1]

Greatly helpful homie

[@WaterFowler41]

Awesome! Good to hear!

[@jimmyr1683]

I love tight applications!

[@stephenmoloney2708]

Great video. what size wire for that fuse did you use and do you have a link for it. I purchased the lights and switch but want to make sure i buy right fuse adapter.

[@WaterFowler41]

I used 14 gauge trailer wire

[@shadaelbullocks77]

@@WaterFowler41 Love your videos man. Quick question(s) before I pull the trigger on buying these parts. I keep seeing mention of fuse. How do the 2 separate light kits connect to the 1 plug. Is that with the additional 14 gauge wire? Where does the fuse fit in regards to the trailer harness connection? I dont see a link for that specifically in the list of parts. Many thanks!

[@WaterFowler41]

After the fuse I split the power to serve each side of the bed lights.

[@shadaelbullocks77]

@@WaterFowler41 is the fuse something already part of the harness or something separate I need to buy. Thanks for fast response! Just watched your video on the kooks cat back which interests me cause I don’t want to cut anything lol

[@WaterFowler41]

@@shadaelbullocks77 you need to buy it separately

[@SongsBuildABit]

Sorry I may have a stupid question. How do you create the electric circuit? Power out from the trail harness (red line), go to a 5 amp fuse, and then the switch, and then 1 led light strap, and then the 2nd led light strap, and then connect to a ground point, right? So these 2 led strap are in series circuit not parallel? And the circuit ended at a ground point but not back to the trail harness? Thank you very much.

[@SongsBuildABit]

Seems I am kind of understand. The ground point on a car is not truly connected to the ground but connected to the car battery negative. That's how it forms a circuit.

[@WaterFowler41]

The power feed runs from my trailer harness, through a fuse then it splits to each side of my bed to feed the led strips. The strips are in parallel. Each led strip has a found wire that I ran to a frame bolt under the truck.

[@SongsBuildABit]

@@WaterFowler41 Thank you very much!

[@nykbob]

Then in this explanation the switch is placed between the fuse and the split to the two LED strips. Is this correct?

[@kpeteet]

Did you disconnect you battery before connecting to the trailer wiring harness.

[@WaterFowler41]

Nope it was a hot tap

[@hadenough9495]

How would I wire it to the stock bed lights?

[@ihatemonix]

I tried to add these exact lights he used. When I try and turn them on all the lights flash and then go out. Pushing the on/off button does nothing. Then if I restart the truck they will flash and then go out again. This is the new lights and the factory bed lights. I have tried eliminating the factory/mopar bed lights by not splicing them back in, but the same thing happens. Is there anywhere else I can tap into that will have the bed lights come on just like the factory/Mopar bed lights? These LEDs I am trying to add in are not pulling any type of crazy load, and it's not blowing a fuse at all or I would need to replace them.

[@sirAval0n]

Does this trailer hitch power is always on? What happens if You forget to switch the bed light? Will it finally drain Your battery?

[@WaterFowler41]

It’ll take a long time for LEDs to drain the battery. It’s just life leaving your map light on.

[@tad1056]

Do you have a drawing you can supply on how the wiring goes. I know you showed us but a little pic would be awesome. Thanks

[@WaterFowler41]

Check out the video description I added a quick drawing.

[@cannon2695]

I went to tap into my trailer plug harness but all I could get was power from a gray wire that has power when I turn the key or use the fob. The red wire had no power at all. Is there something that needs to be connected under the hood first for the wire to have constant power? Thanks

[@WaterFowler41]

I would check and see if the trailer circuits have power. In my old f150 I had to add a fuse in the fuse panel under the hood to energize the trailer harness.

[@cannon2695]

@@WaterFowler41 Thanks for the reply. I did check the fuse and I cannot tell if that fuse is blown or not. Looking at a diagram and it looks like I may have tapped the tail light/parking light wire. I will try to replace the fuse tomorrow and see if anything changes.

[@cannon2695]

@@WaterFowler41 Update: I got under there the next day and all of a sudden I had power to the green and red wire at the trailer plug so maybe unseating and reinserting the fuse did something. Posi tapped that wire with a fuse and led lights are working with a switch like a champ. Thanks for the input and video!

[@michaelesposito1372]

Sorry not very familiar with wiring. What type of wire did you use to extend the power and ground wires off the LEDs?

[@WaterFowler41]

I use 14 gauge wire. You can get rolls of it from Menards.

[@coryorgan4775]

I guess I am still cornfused... Im not an electrical person. I have read the other comments, but still need help lol. Ok, so you have posi-tapped the red wire going too the trailer harness to the fuse holder. The other side of that fuse holder goes to the switch correct? I am cornfused what to do with the lights power. I am guessing extend those connections and connect together some how to the other side of the switch?

[@WaterFowler41]

I just added a wiring diagram to the video description. That shows how the fuse and switch are wired to the lights.

[@coryorgan4775]

@@WaterFowler41 Too easy. Thanks so much. Just over analyze things as usual lol.

[@WaterFowler41]

Yeah don’t overthink it!

[@robertjohnson957]

Folks should know that some trailer 12v power supplies only work with the ignition on.

[@WaterFowler41]

multimeter is great tool to have on hand!

[@armandobautista8275]

where can I buy this light kit?

[@WaterFowler41]

Links in the description

[@peterbarlow8912]

Those won’t tie down a bundle of 2x’s. The eyes down near the floor are the most useful anchors. Straps run nearly horizontal don’t hold down much. The steeper the strap angle the more downforce

[@WaterFowler41]

This is a truck bed lighting video.

[@peterbarlow8912]

@@WaterFowler41 sorry looks like my feed jumped to the next unselected video and my comment ended up under yours. I just carry led flashlights. My 8 foot bed is all about cargo utility.

[@yunusbuffins5729]

Am I the only one wondering why there are dislikes on this video?!?!?