Bed LED Lights
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 133
From: Fort Worth, TX
Bed LED Lights
I purchased a set of Recon LED lights for the bed of my truck that served me very well. I then moved those from my '09 to '11. I just got a '12 and noticed one of the little LEDs finally blew out - so I left it on the old truck and figured I'd just buy a brand new set for this vehicle. Previously I saw that people were using longer strips and I wanted to check in to see what kind of light strips you're using in the bed of your truck. My brother sent me a link to these on Amazon but I thought the ones I saw on here were a little more rigid.
Anyone want to share the brand they are using and how they are connecting them to each other (if you're using connectors instead of soldering).
Anyone want to share the brand they are using and how they are connecting them to each other (if you're using connectors instead of soldering).
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,219
Likes: 387
From: Roanoke, VA
I did this on my cap, but they could be adapted to be mounted under or on the side of the rails. Weatherproof and they dont look like they would break easily.
https://www.f150forum.com/f83/led-be...r-pics-118204/
https://www.f150forum.com/f83/led-be...r-pics-118204/
'11 Lariat EcoBoost 4x4
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 282
Likes: 6
From: Leander, Texas
These look cool. Unfortunately, I'm pretty ignorant about lighting and electronics, especially in vehicles.
A few questions:
1) How do you connect the wiring to the truck?
2) Do you connect them to a separate switch, or have them come on automatically with the headlights?
3) After you cut the length you need, how do you get another positive/negative (red/black) connection like what's shown in photos #4, 5 & 6 of the Amazon listing?
A few questions:
1) How do you connect the wiring to the truck?
2) Do you connect them to a separate switch, or have them come on automatically with the headlights?
3) After you cut the length you need, how do you get another positive/negative (red/black) connection like what's shown in photos #4, 5 & 6 of the Amazon listing?
Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 90
Likes: 2
These look cool. Unfortunately, I'm pretty ignorant about lighting and electronics, especially in vehicles.
A few questions:
1) How do you connect the wiring to the truck?
2) Do you connect them to a separate switch, or have them come on automatically with the headlights?
3) After you cut the length you need, how do you get another positive/negative (red/black) connection like what's shown in photos #4, 5 & 6 of the Amazon listing?
A few questions:
1) How do you connect the wiring to the truck?
2) Do you connect them to a separate switch, or have them come on automatically with the headlights?
3) After you cut the length you need, how do you get another positive/negative (red/black) connection like what's shown in photos #4, 5 & 6 of the Amazon listing?
If I were going to put something like this in my truck, which I might, I would use a normally opened momentary switch that operated with I opened the tailgate. The lights only us a negative and positive wire.
Ground the negative to the truck. Run a small 20ga wire from the battery. I would trill a hold for the switch so when the tailgate is closed, the switch is depressed and the circuit is broken.
You run the power wire from the battery, to the switch, then from the switch to the lights.
Being a momentary switch that is "normally Opened" means when the button on the switch is NOT being pressed, power is flowing.
So, closed tailgate, button is compressed, no power.
Open tailgate, button is NOT being compressed, power.
Easy peasey.