Jump to content

Bed Lighting Theorey- Good/Bad?

mrjulian416
 Share

Recommended Posts

mrjulian416 Enthusiast

mrjulian416

Posted
Posted

I'm not enough of an automotive electronics experts to know if this would cause unintended problems...

 

To add a switch in the bed to turn on just an in-bed light, what if:

 

  1. You teed into the 12v+ off the 7-pin trailer connector (always hot),
  2. and ran that 12v+ feed to a toggle switch mounted somewhere handy in the bed (like near the old man handle on my GMC),
  3. then ran the output of the switch into a tee connector with the existing positive feed going to the existing bed light (there by the old man handle).

 

So you flip the toggle switch and basically bypass the dash switch/control and at least put power to the light you've teed into.  No LED strip lights to hang, no holes to cut, but....

 

Does backfeeding the original line to the dash switch cause problems upstream with the dash electronics/etc?  In the good old analog/incandescent world I can't see that this would be a problem.  In the LED, solid-state, op-amp, circuit card, BCM/ECM world I'm not so sure.

 

Thoughts?  And I'm not sure I'm signing up to "try it and report back"... heh.

Limelight Enthusiast

Limelight

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, mrjulian416 said:

I'm not enough of an automotive electronics experts to know if this would cause unintended problems...

 

To add a switch in the bed to turn on just an in-bed light, what if:

 

  1. You teed into the 12v+ off the 7-pin trailer connector (always hot),
  2. and ran that 12v+ feed to a toggle switch mounted somewhere handy in the bed (like near the old man handle on my GMC),
  3. then ran the output of the switch into a tee connector with the existing positive feed going to the existing bed light (there by the old man handle).

 

So you flip the toggle switch and basically bypass the dash switch/control and at least put power to the light you've teed into.  No LED strip lights to hang, no holes to cut, but....

 

Does backfeeding the original line to the dash switch cause problems upstream with the dash electronics/etc?  In the good old analog/incandescent world I can't see that this would be a problem.  In the LED, solid-state, op-amp, circuit card, BCM/ECM world I'm not so sure.

 

Thoughts?  And I'm not sure I'm signing up to "try it and report back"... heh.

I wired mine in with a switch and 12v+ in the bed,  No issues upstream like you describe.  I also wired in a programmable timer I found on Amazon so If I accidentally leave the bed lights on, it'll shut em off after 5 minutes.  If you flick the switch off then on again it resets the timer.  Works great.  Here's a link to the timer- amazing flexible.  You program it on your bench and then install...

10 Amp Mini Timer Time Delay Relay .2 Sec to 400 days 6V 12V 18V. Power On Off Delay, Cycling and Trigger - - Amazon.com

 

Edited by Limelight
Rozz522 Enthusiast

Rozz522

Posted
Posted

I would say for this installation, a cheap inline blocking diode would be cheap insurance. Wire it to the console switch side of the T you are installing in order to allow power flow from the console switch but prevent back-feed. I assume that the different LEDs in the bed are all in parallel so the additional 1.7V drop across the blocking diode shouldn’t be an issue. 

mrjulian416 Enthusiast

mrjulian416

Posted
  • Author
Posted
10 hours ago, Limelight said:

I wired mine in with a switch and 12v+ in the bed,  No issues upstream like you describe.  I also wired in a programmable timer I found on Amazon so If I accidentally leave the bed lights on, it'll shut em off after 5 minutes.  If you flick the switch off then on again it resets the timer.  Works great.  Here's a link to the timer- amazing flexible.  You program it on your bench and then install...

10 Amp Mini Timer Time Delay Relay .2 Sec to 400 days 6V 12V 18V. Power On Off Delay, Cycling and Trigger - - Amazon.com

 

That is a cool idea.  Did you find a good weatherproof switch as well?

 

Rozz, I like the idea of a diode as well... just in case.

Limelight Enthusiast

Limelight

Posted
Posted
On 5/19/2021 at 8:59 AM, mrjulian416 said:

That is a cool idea.  Did you find a good weatherproof switch as well?

 

Rozz, I like the idea of a diode as well... just in case.

I just used a switch I had in the electric project box...

I keep the tonneau cover on so it's fairly protected.  I always coat my connections with dielectric grease and marine heatshrink so everything else is solid.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Another JR
      Remote Start Noise 2024 2500 HD Gas

      By Another JR · Posted

      Oil pump noise was discussed before.  I will try to remember to record a remote start later this morning. 
    • Chuck FB
      MPG at 600 miles

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      There are probably a few threads talking about fuel mileage but this one seemed to fit the stats I have seen based on my typical local driven route but with different outcomes based on different seasons/temperatures. I have a few hundred pounds of items that consistently ride on the truck at all times such as a bak flip cover, rubber bed mat, tools and extra fuel so I would be something over 8100 lb without me in the truck. All these examples are based on a 100 mile round trip to a town plus running around town so maybe 110 to 120 miles in total for a trip. Using regular fuel and I assume it always has some ethanol in it but don't know the percentage they blend in. Also speed wise I am going at 62 mph and non aggressive driving although less speed yet if its crappy winter condition roads. I am going by an initial reset of the computer generated fuel use numbers averaged over a couple of thousand miles or so for each weather/season so they may be more optimistic then actual hand calculated numbers. Basically this is painting a picture of doing the same drive but seasonal conditions and temperature being the major variable to the end result. Oh and although I am in Alberta Canada, I am converting it to miles per US gallon so there is no confusion.    So winter time it gets cold here, no real surprise there and the roads can be clear at times but also often have packed rough snow or are are driving through loose snow ( they do a poor job of plowing the highways ) and yes this includes the extra idle engine time due to trying not to freeze ones butt off. 12.7 mpg is what I was getting during the winter months on average.    Then during the spring when it was around the freezing point and the highways are clear of snow, I was getting around 14.25 mpg.   Summer time, I have been getting around 15.15 on average but certainly some of the trips showed quite a bit better fuel mileage, so much depended on how much or little I had driven around town and number of engine restarts after sitting for a while at each location. But stating a best fuel mileage trip to town pretending that is what the truck gets on average is fooling ones self for sure !.      As I said in a different post, I had driven a 645 mile trip over a couple of days stint to a different destination then these other daily to town examples above, and was done during the summer with nice weather and not bucking a head wind, also keeping at 62 mph and its a rolling landscape type highway drive ( this isn't southern Alberta or Saskatchewan flat lands ) Hand calculated fuel mileage in this case though and it came out to 17.65
    • Chris80s
      Factory front brake rotors...defect?

      By Chris80s · Posted

      On my wife's 2020 Blazer (~69000 miles), we started to notice the brakes pulsating at faster speeds. Typically around town you don't notice anything, but highway/interstate driving you will notice it. I decided to pull of the front tires and look at the brakes. I figured with the milage, the pads should be wearing out to their life span, but they actually looked decent. Still with "meat" on them. One pad has a ridge wearing in it, and that same rotor is showing the ridge too. That's not the concerning part...the other rotor appears to have a raised bump on it!  The picture make it look like a pimple! Very odd and strange! NOTE: These are the factory brakes and rotors.   I'm attaching pictures of the front brakes and what they look like ate ~69000 miles.
    • BCGM
      Remote Start Noise 2024 2500 HD Gas

      By BCGM · Posted

      2024 Chevrolet 2500 HD Custom 6.6 Gas Canadian built Truck  I tried to search for my previous thread on this topic but cant find it so my apoligies  for starting another one    #1   Since we have owned our truck purchased new it has this strange noise after using the remote start function  you press the remote start and you hear it start but right at the end of it starting it almost seems like it wants to start again after the truck is running .   There is no gap in time it is right at the end of the start . Almost sounds like when you have started a car/truck and its running and then you try and start it again and you get that grinding noise ,sort of     #2  You can only hear this if you are standing outside of the truck and near the truck  you cant hear it when you start the truck from inside  the cab . So it may very well be happening when starting the truck that way as in normally    #3   This only happens when it is started after sitting . For how long I don't know but it happens after sitting overnight for sure and it wont do it if you stop the engine after starting and then start it again  I have had it in to the Dealership before concerning this but they did not have the truck  when it was cold to hear it . Now its back in the Dealership left it overnight so they could possibly hear the problem . They said they tried and nothing happened . Well they did not know what they were listening for . I started the truck remotely and BINGO it makes the noise . Oh that sounds weird they say . We need to look into it ! I have left for this week at the Dealership    Does your 2024 2500 HD gas do this ?  Any of you fellas care to take the time and trouble to film this operation from a cold start  so I can hear what your sound like  Really  would like to know if this is anormal sound  Thank You Fellas !!
    • Slow
      2026 Z71 Forward and Rear Park Assist help

      By Slow · Posted

      2026 Z71.  The other day I was backing a trailer into the barn.  The alarm was going off just because the trailer was in the field of the warning sensors when you get too close to something.  For some reason now the warning alarm doesn't work anymore.  It used to go off when I was just normally backing my truck into garage.  I still have the guidelines in the back up camera.  Is there a button or something to push to turn the sound/Alarm on and off?  I have the touch screen in this truck.  There isn't a "P" on the dash except for the parking brake.  I can't find anything in the touch screen under settings or vehicle.  Thank you in advance.  

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...