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craigc
Well-Known Member
Thanks. My project in a couple of weeks is to do this too. Going to use the magnetic switch on tailgate like another post showed. I am leaning towards first just tap into the cigarette plug in the bed and use forscan to increase the power time to 18 hours. But probably will end up going all way to battery too so it’s always live. Just looks like a pain running the wire all the way up.
craigc
Well-Known Member
Ok, so I added bed lights, and am marginally happy with it. I followed the youtube post that is on this thread: https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/thre...n-when-i-open-the-tailgate.11013/#post-228555, but it has some caveats.
I purchased all the items presented in the video, but would change a few things:
1) the tape he listed there is utterly useless. Instead I used the zip tie "squares" that came with the loom: https://a.co/d/1DR3t2z
2) The tape lights from the video are good, but too bright (meaning the amperage is unnecessarily high. The tailgate magnetic switch gets very hot to the touch and thus not really good for those lights. Get set with a lot less LEDs and it'll be better. I'm concerned the thin wires for the magnet switch are also too small a gauge.
3) The push button switch is perfect and works very well. I drilled a hole in the plastic panel by the power outlet.
Now, after all this, and considering the high amperage of the LED strips, I am probably not going to be trusting the tailgate magnets to hold (if it falls off, then the lights stay on until the battery dies since I ended up tapping directly to the battery). so I'll probably be using it with the button pressed instead of relying on the tailgate closing to turn them off. The only thing i'm not sure is how much drain that red LED in the switch has, as it will be on 24/7. This could easily be disconnected in the future and just not have a light.
FYI I tapped a ground on a nut behind the tail light. There are other spots you could potentially tap the ground under the bed rail. running power to the front wasn't hard but did take a little patience snaking it up to the battery.
Here are some pics.
I purchased all the items presented in the video, but would change a few things:
1) the tape he listed there is utterly useless. Instead I used the zip tie "squares" that came with the loom: https://a.co/d/1DR3t2z
2) The tape lights from the video are good, but too bright (meaning the amperage is unnecessarily high. The tailgate magnetic switch gets very hot to the touch and thus not really good for those lights. Get set with a lot less LEDs and it'll be better. I'm concerned the thin wires for the magnet switch are also too small a gauge.
3) The push button switch is perfect and works very well. I drilled a hole in the plastic panel by the power outlet.
Now, after all this, and considering the high amperage of the LED strips, I am probably not going to be trusting the tailgate magnets to hold (if it falls off, then the lights stay on until the battery dies since I ended up tapping directly to the battery). so I'll probably be using it with the button pressed instead of relying on the tailgate closing to turn them off. The only thing i'm not sure is how much drain that red LED in the switch has, as it will be on 24/7. This could easily be disconnected in the future and just not have a light.
FYI I tapped a ground on a nut behind the tail light. There are other spots you could potentially tap the ground under the bed rail. running power to the front wasn't hard but did take a little patience snaking it up to the battery.
Here are some pics.
craigc
Well-Known Member
Ford Accessories. https://www.ford.com/product/bed-mat-for-50-bed-p2823730671
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