Bed rail LED lights in the box

[RobinChris]

Added LED lights under the bed rail with a toggle switch utilizing a factory hole leading into the stake post hole, had to drill it a little bigger for my switch.  Used the post hole for my wiring, fuse, etc...  covers for the post holes coming soon, tonneau comes Monday.

[Pappy300]

Hello, Your light job looks great. Im in the process of doing something very similar. Mind of I ask which lights you used and how/what power source you used? I mounted LED strip lights under the bed rails and spliced the wires into the cargo lights. When I turn on the cargo lights the LED strip lights and stock LED bed lights flash 3 times and then turn off. Any help you could send my way would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[RobinChris]

29 minutes ago, Pappy300 said:

Hello, Your light job looks great. Im in the process of doing something very similar. Mind of I ask which lights you used and how/what power source you used? I mounted LED strip lights under the bed rails and spliced the wires into the cargo lights. When I turn on the cargo lights the LED strip lights and stock LED bed lights flash 3 times and then turn off. Any help you could send my way would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

I ran power straight from the battery to the back of the truck and used a toggle switch in one of the stock holes in the side that goes into the side stake post, that's where I ran the wires and fused them. The led lights are just a generic set of lights that I found at my local parts store on clearance.

[BloodRedSkies737]

Pretty rad! 

[RobinChris]

10 minutes ago, BloodRedSkies737 said:

Pretty rad! 

I had thought about running them from the stock lights, but I wanted independent control for when I am loading stuff inside, didnt want to have to bother with having to go inside and flip the switch...   I ran a heavier gauge primary wire to the back, incase I need other power options back there, I can run to a fuse block and pull power to indpendent sources.  I have a small tidy tank with an electric pump that I may put back in too, so im prepared... 

[sealberta]

1 hour ago, Pappy300 said:

Hello, Your light job looks great. Im in the process of doing something very similar. Mind of I ask which lights you used and how/what power source you used? I mounted LED strip lights under the bed rails and spliced the wires into the cargo lights. When I turn on the cargo lights the LED strip lights and stock LED bed lights flash 3 times and then turn off. Any help you could send my way would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Can't tie directly into the cargo light wiring, there isn't enough voltage to that wire to power everything.  You will need to use a relay and use the existing cargo light power as your trigger.

[Pappy300]

Is that why the strip lights and the stock box lights flash 3 times and then turn off? Any idea where I can find the correct relay? 

[Pappy300]

I read in a different thread that using a diode might solve my problem, any idea if thats true or not?

[Rjr1995]

On 3/23/2021 at 8:52 PM, Pappy300 said:

I read in a different thread that using a diode might solve my problem, any idea if thats true or not?

did this work?