next Ranger project;

i installed the super duty cargo flood light which is a big help unloading the gear i carry over the top of my tonneau cover. but unloading the bed at night, (under the cover) is a dark task, i do this frequently, and the gear stretches the full bed length.

I want to wire in marine LED strips (i just picked them up) under the rails towards the middle of the bed. I want them to come on with along with the dome light which coincides with the cargo flood as well.

the plan is this...
tap into the dome light power wire at the fuse panel. run the wire out of the cab by means of the floor pass through on the passenger side (i havent found or seen this yet but ive read that its there).

run the wire back to power the lights...

right now im not sure how im going to get from the cab up into the bed, (i do have a bed liner).

is there a pass through where i can bring the wire into the inside part of the bed? i have about 100' of 16g wire on hand if i need to take the scenic route instead of drilling holes through the bed...

if i have to drill a hole to pass the wire into the bed, i'll probably have to install a grommet which would mean another trip to the supply store :-/

 

Run it all the way back to the taillight and come up through there.Any hole you Might have to drill can be hidden up high.

 

Hooking up to the STD cargo light will turn on the light when you don't need them, add a switch.

 

i want the inside bed floods to come on when the cab doors are open or when i 'force' the flood light on. if i install a switch, im most likely to forget about it. keep them in the dome circuit will give me 'dead battery' protection and power them only while im actively loading and unloading, i usually keep a door ajar for that.

i'll will take a look at coming up behind the tail lights, thanks for the tip!

i'll post back progress :) thanks guys

 

You are right but I was talking about a sw near the tailgate but still in the loading light circuit !

Just thkg out loud...

 

ahhh, good point, keeping them off for day to day stuff. good idea indeed! sorry coffee hadnt kicked in yet...

 

I didn't mention the sw location but the idea was there.

If the lighting is the LED type then any low amp sw will do... You culd also use the sw on the ground side to get the same effect.

Post some pics when done, I may do the same thing.

 

Ugh, this is going to be a pain in the crank...
Easy but tedious.
I finally got under the truck today and got a better look. I'm going to need a ton of wire and wire loom casing.
I'm going to come from the fuse panel. Across. through the firewall at the drivers side grommet, then out down and back. The wire will need a huge run of plastic tubing if I'm going to run it exposed down the chassis, to the tail lamp, up and in.

I might just drill through the bed floor, wall, install a grommet and go through there someplace more forward.

Just running it back and up into the bed is going to be a pain :-/

This project might be demoted to a rainy day job...

I have all the materials, 100' of 16g, two marine white LED strips, and the taps. But I'll need to pick up a long span of that plastic wire loom stuff to run it back inside of. If I do it sloppy it won't take long for the NJ NY VT winter salt and rocks to bang it up and then the wires gonna short out my dome circuit :(

 

Complicated... All depends.
Pickup the wire gong to the cargo lights inside the cab under the rug, then out thru the wire feed-thru under the drivers seat, then along the frame to the bed.
Go up between the outer panel and the inner panel of the bed.
Drill a hole for a grommet as high as possible on one side then splice to the other side.


Don't forget to add the switch to shut them off at the tail gate.

Luck...

 

^^ you sir read my mind

 

Thinking more on the wiring...
Run the main power wire to the rear of the bed, then up between the walls to a sw.
Run two wires from the sw to the light strips.

The sw, use something protected and waterproof.

 

not complicated, just a pain in the rear...
this is a good way to go about it. i need to get the loom and a grommet. i'll go against the chassis back, then up between the bed wall, high and in. then splice to go to both sides under the rail.

i might leave the switch out, im undecided. the LEDs are such low draw. i have a bed liner and tonneau cover, neither of which i feel like removing for the install...

 

I installed some a while back. Everybody that sees them!!

https://www.ranger-forums.com/general-ford-ranger-discussion-15/installed-some-under-bed-rail-lights-120647/

Wayne

 

Wayne,
can you be specific about the wire run? did you run it inside a loom? where did you come up and through?

 

thru the bed then up thru the grommet in the cab floor. up the pillar or back wall to dome light. look around your truck and learn a away.

 

Why not put it on a limit switch that activates when you open / close tailgate ? if your going through all this it would be easier.

And don't use the black loom crap outside , use a pvc hose or rubber hose. That loom crap gets nasty with the northern salts and stuff..

 

thats an even better idea. to use a plunger type switch at the tailgate. but where am i going to tap power from? can i pull power from the tow wires at the hitch?

 

That sounds like a good idea.

Wiring will be the same just the sw and mounting will chg.

Don't forget the pictures !

 

can i get a power source from the trailer wiring harness at the hitch that'll work when the engine is off? or am i still running back from the cab with the power?

 

Z7What I have been looking for that thread but forgot who did it! I want to do this!

 

If you picked up from the trailer plug wiring would have to have the lights on to get power tothe bed lights.
If you use the cargo lights wirng you will need the cargo lights on with the switch pr with the door opening.
If you run a fused wire from the battery to a switch by the tailgate (either a toggle or a pressure sw) then the lights will have power all the time and IMHO I think that is what would be the best bet; on when either the gate is open or the sw it thrown.

 

I will post a link tonight to the ebay ad to show what I bought.

I ran the wires down the frame rail and through a gromment in the floor board right near the kick panel on the passenger side. I think just tapped it into the doom like wire in the fuse panel in the kick panel.

Wayne

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Car-W...item1e66b9f69a

Wayne

 

im a little jammed up and need some help...
the wire at my dome light where the bulb is, is a dark green (like a hunter green) it has a blue stripe.

im looking at the harnesses at the fuse panel and i CANNOT find this wire!

i want to just put a wire tap on it.

why cant i find this thing?!
u guys have any ideas of places i can find this wire to tap it conveniently?
i looked under the drivers side dash, removed center console and checked around there, im coming up empty handed here.

 

Wirelessly posted

Just tap it