i am putting some led cubes in my bumper and was wondering about how i should hook the lights up to come on when the truck is in reverse. (how to run the wires)

2010 f150 FX2

 

Are you running them to a selectable switch?
Or are you just wanting them to come on when in reverse only?
You can gain power & signal from the grey wire in the center of the 7pin trailer harness. That's if you're not running a switch.

A switch will have a relay and power from the battery.

 

so is that grey wire power for reverse or is there something else i have to do?
in other words is that the wire for when i put in it reverse the lights will turn on?

 

That gray wire is dedicated for reverse and has it's own fuse, 15 amps, if my memory is correct. As long as your LEDs pull less than 15 when powered then you can exclusively run them off that center wire for power and signal. If their draw is more than 15 then you'll need a dedicated power source, a relay and then use the gray wire as the signal.

 

Without knowing any specifics about your lights I would guess they'll probably draw between 3-6 amps...you can wire them directly from the 7 pin receiver if you don't want to have any kind of control with an independent switch. As MCDavis said, the power wire for the lights would go to the center wire in the 7 pin receiver (I think it's actually gray with a brown tracer, not just gray) and your other wire from the lights should just go to a ground on the frame.

 

I'm interested in this as well. I see alot of people running reverse lights to a switch. I just want to know if it's possible to have them connected only to the reverse wiring.

 

Yes, as MCDavis and I have both said, as long as the current draw from the lights does not exceed the current rating of the light circuit for the trailer back-up lights.

 

I do believe you're right...gray with brown tracer.

Mine are on a 3 way switch, with direct power, through a relay with reverse signal processing. I have ON, OFF or AUTO choices through the switch which I really like. Gives me the option of them never coming on (OFF) coming on when I select the reverse gear (AUTO) and finally the option to turn them on whenever I damn well please (ON). This comes in handy when the ricer crowd or the Minis like to pull up to me at lights so closely that I can hardly make out their roof line. Flick of the switch and hello 1400lumens!

 

I have mine wired the same way. I believe we think a lot alike.

 

That's very possible!
I'm running the SRMs from Rigid and their wiring harness. It was REALLY easy to wire. The most difficult part was getting my meat cleaver hands up around the frame between the bed and fuel tank to get the zipties, etc in place. Drilling holes into the shackle mounts was fun though.