Puddle light wire?

chuckworkb · January 23, 2019

Thanks for the info, it was very informative. Those DL3 Mirrors are pricey, so that will have to go on the back burner for now.

I feel like crap now that I realize have a lower trim truck with the SLE. Story of my life.

Grjfer · January 23, 2019

I add running board lights recently and wired them to the puddle lamp circuit with a little information help from @TinkeringFox and @pgamboa. They turned out perfect, and really light up the steps. I had previously done this mod on my 2015 Sierra using a very inexpensive ebay light that I tied to the dome light circuit. I like the puddle lamp circuit better for this purpose.

This is my 2018 Sierra.

This was the 2015 Sierra.

Darmichar · January 24, 2019

5 hours ago, Grjfer said:

I add running board lights recently and wired them to the puddle lamp circuit with a little information help from @TinkeringFox and @pgamboa. They turned out perfect, and really light up the steps. I had previously done this mod on my 2015 Sierra using a very inexpensive ebay light that I tied to the dome light circuit. I like the puddle lamp circuit better for this purpose.

This is my 2018 Sierra.

This was the 2015 Sierra.

*Removed the pics so I don't spam the thread*

Would you happen to have a link for the lights you used? Perhaps pictures of the routing you used for the wiring? I'm wanting to make this the next mod I do n my truck and am just starting to research it. This thread is helping me tremendously.

Grjfer · January 24, 2019

@Darmichar here are the lights I used https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JUE9OLM/ref=twister_B07BWSJ9KY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1. I cut out the installed switch and soldered the positive and negative leads of the switch together. I ran the power lead from the lights through the parking brake grommet under the drivers side floor. Under the carpet up to the BCM and tapped the puddle lamp wire. The ground wire for the lights I just ran to a frame ground in the same area of the Pbrake grommet.

Crazyjoker77 · January 24, 2019

1 hour ago, Grjfer said:

@Darmichar here are the lights I used https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JUE9OLM/ref=twister_B07BWSJ9KY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1. I cut out the installed switch and soldered the positive and negative leads of the switch together. I ran the power lead from the lights through the parking brake grommet under the drivers side floor. Under the carpet up to the BCM and tapped the puddle lamp wire. The ground wire for the lights I just ran to a frame ground in the same area of the Pbrake grommet.

Where and how did you mount the actual light strips?

Also assuming you tapped into just the puddle light wire with no diode mods, any chance you could see if the puddle light circuit still functions when the locator lights option is off in the settings. I don't like my reverse light and hids coming on every time I unlock the truck.

Darmichar · January 24, 2019

6 hours ago, Grjfer said:

@Darmichar here are the lights I used https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JUE9OLM/ref=twister_B07BWSJ9KY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1. I cut out the installed switch and soldered the positive and negative leads of the switch together. I ran the power lead from the lights through the parking brake grommet under the drivers side floor. Under the carpet up to the BCM and tapped the puddle lamp wire. The ground wire for the lights I just ran to a frame ground in the same area of the Pbrake grommet.

Thank you @Grjfer, That makes perfect sense and probably just saved me a lot of research.

Grjfer · January 24, 2019

@Crazyjoker77 light strips are mounted to the lower rocker panels as close to the running board mounts as I could get them. They use the same 3M tape as vent shades and hood protectors have. No diod mod associated with the puddle lamps. I do have the cargo/reverse light diod mod.

With locator off the which is how I have mine, the puddle lamp circuit is active, as well as the reverse lights. No headlight though.

Darmichar · January 24, 2019

1 hour ago, Grjfer said:

@Crazyjoker77 light strips are mounted to the lower rocker panels as close to the running board mounts as I could get them. They use the same 3M tape as vent shades and hood protectors have. No diod mod associated with the puddle lamps. I do have the cargo/reverse light diod mod.

With locator off the which is how I have mine, the puddle lamp circuit is active, as well as the reverse lights. No headlight though.

When you tap the puddle light circuit, do these lights come on instantly, or do they fade on like the interior lights do?

Edited January 24, 2019 by Darmichar

Grjfer · January 24, 2019

1 minute ago, Darmichar said:

When you tap the puddle light circuit, do these lights come on instantly, or do they fade on like the interior lights do?

Good question. I will have to see next time they come on.

fatkid24 · January 25, 2019

I’d love to see more pictures of your trucks with this done. I haven’t decided if I’ll do a “rock light” style light below each door or do a strip under both doors. Load up those pics boys!

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Grjfer · January 25, 2019

Another of mine.

r1mechanic · January 25, 2019

When you tap the puddle light circuit, do these lights come on instantly, or do they fade on like the interior lights do?

Just got to in on this thread and would like to do rock lights. Would you tell me where to tap into the puddle lights? Can that circuit handle the load of four rock lights?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

EpicLT · February 14, 2019

On 1/24/2019 at 12:09 PM, Grjfer said:

@Crazyjoker77 light strips are mounted to the lower rocker panels as close to the running board mounts as I could get them. They use the same 3M tape as vent shades and hood protectors have. No diod mod associated with the puddle lamps. I do have the cargo/reverse light diod mod.

With locator off the which is how I have mine, the puddle lamp circuit is active, as well as the reverse lights. No headlight though.

How did you get your reverse lights to come on with vehicle locator lights off? I want my reverse lights to come on but not the HIDs, but if I turn off locator lights, the reverse lights don't light up.

Grjfer · February 14, 2019

2 minutes ago, EpicLT said:

How did you get your reverse lights to come on with vehicle locator lights off? I want my reverse lights to come on but not the HIDs, but if I turn off locator lights, the reverse lights don't light up.

I ment to update this. I forgot I had turned the locator function on. So after turning it off, no lights come on till I open the door. Then it's only the dome, puddle, and my running board lights.

EpicLT · February 14, 2019

31 minutes ago, Grjfer said:

I ment to update this. I forgot I had turned the locator function on. So after turning it off, no lights come on till I open the door. Then it's only the dome, puddle, and my running board lights.

dang that sucks, lol. I was hoping the puddles would run independently of locator lights like i was reading here. Because it seemed like they would not but I was getting my hopes up