Bed cap lighting/accessories

Aaronmaff · Nov 29, 2016

Hey first post here!

I have a 2016 Ram 1500 hemi, quad cab.
I'm looking to get a bed cap soon, although I've never been that fond of the look, I need the additional room. I have soft folding tonneau cover right now.

Anyway I'd like to have more lighting inside the cap as well as the possibility for additional electrical accessories and I was thinking of adding a small ATV/marine-sized battery inside the cap to run additional accessories when my truck is off without draining my battery.

I was thinking of hooking my main battery to the smaller battery so I can run my truck to charge it. Possibly with a switch to cut the power between the two batteries when my truck is off so I don't drain my main?

I'm no electrician but I have done some basic wiring, I installed lights under the rail in my bed because of the tonneau cover and have installed interior and exterior lights on past trucks.

Any thoughts or ideas? Definitely any important do's and don'ts when wiring something like this or if it's even plausible. Thanks!

adrianp89 · Nov 29, 2016

Something like this would probably work well for the application:

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Battery-Isolator-Switch-Caravan/dp/B00FL5L5JO

Just need to run a power line to front battery, and can ground the battery to the frame. Just keep everything clean and out of the way of water.

crash68 · Nov 29, 2016

As for the more lighting if/when you get you a cap:

I used LED tape lights from superbrightleds.com and added a switch off of the power for the existing light in the cap.

Aaronmaff · Dec 1, 2016

adrianp89 said:
Something like this would probably work well for the application:

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Battery-Isolator-Switch-Caravan/dp/B00FL5L5JO

Just need to run a power line to front battery, and can ground the battery to the frame. Just keep everything clean and out of the way of water.

Thanks for the advice! So when that switch is in the "Both" position my truck running will charge the secondary battery?

adrianp89 · Dec 1, 2016

Yes it will.

anotherjoe · Dec 10, 2016

crash68 said:
As for the more lighting if/when you get you a cap:

I used LED tape lights from superbrightleds.com and added a switch off of the power for the existing light in the cap.

That looks bright, do you recall which strip you bought from superbrightleds.com?

crash68 · Dec 10, 2016

anotherjoe said:
That looks bright, do you recall which strip you bought from superbrightleds.com?

These should be the ones: WFLS-NW300-WHT
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...with-18-smds-per-ft-1-chip-smd-led-3528/1466/
They are the 3528 LED SMDs rated for automotive use and IP65 waterproof.
Even though the 5050 LED SMDs are brighter, the 3528s light up the back like daylight. I used the same ones under the sides in the bed of my buddies truck for lighting under his tonneau cover/fifth wheel.

Mbrigh3 · May 8, 2019

crash68 said:
These should be the ones: WFLS-NW300-WHT
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...with-18-smds-per-ft-1-chip-smd-led-3528/1466/
They are the 3528 LED SMDs rated for automotive use and IP65 waterproof.
Even though the 5050 LED SMDs are brighter, the 3528s light up the back like daylight. I used the same ones under the sides in the bed of my buddies truck for lighting under his tonneau cover/fifth wheel.

Hey what did you tap into and where ? I am about to this to my truck Just trying to figure out the easiest spot to get the 12v

crash68 · May 8, 2019

Mbrigh3 said:
Hey what did you tap into and where ? I am about to this to my truck Just trying to figure out the easiest spot to get the 12v

In my truck's cap there was already a fuse block for existing light. It is tapped off of the +12V from trailer 7 pin. I used the same +12V from the trailer 7 pin in my buddies 2500 for the under bed rail lighting. I did add a small 2" x 3" enclosure with a 5 amp fuse and an On/Off switch for the LEDs(see Pic).
Clean the surface really good with isopropyl alcohol (I always have 99.9% pure electronics cleaner) rubbing alcohol. The LED strips have been on both trucks for at least 3 years with no issues of peeling off.

Mbrigh3 · May 8, 2019

I wonder how I can tap in... I dont have a cap.

crash68 · May 9, 2019

I stripped off some of the insulation and soldered to the truck wiring without cutting them. Then sealed the connections with liquid "electrical tape" and then wrapped the all the wires back up with regular electrical tape.
If you don't want to tap directly into the wires going to the back of the plug, buy one of these:
CURT 56584 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007EA6WQU/
This will give wiring hook up for a tailgate LED bar w/reverse if you were thinking of adding one also.

mikegrook · May 13, 2019

Aaronmaff said:
Hey first post here!

I have a 2016 Ram 1500 hemi, quad cab.
I'm looking to get a bed cap soon, although I've never been that fond of the look, I need the additional room. I have soft folding tonneau cover right now.

Anyway I'd like to have more lighting inside the cap as well as the possibility for additional electrical accessories and I was thinking of adding a small ATV/marine-sized battery inside the cap to run additional accessories when my truck is off without draining my battery.

I was thinking of hooking my main battery to the smaller battery so I can run my truck to charge it. Possibly with a switch to cut the power between the two batteries when my truck is off so I don't drain my main?

I'm no electrician but I have done some basic wiring, I installed lights under the rail in my bed because of the tonneau cover and have installed interior and exterior lights on past trucks.

Any thoughts or ideas? Definitely any important do's and don'ts when wiring something like this or if it's even plausible. Thanks!

Why run a smaller battery, You are describing a very similar setup as to what I am running. I am actually running a full size marine battery in the back that I run a 12v camping fridge with. It charges from the main when the truck is running but is isolated when the vehicle is off. Be sure to use a solid state isolator as there is minimal voltage or current loss. When I am camping for extended periods I have a solar panel. I sit on the roof to keep the 2nd battery going. When wiring be sure to use the proper gauge wiring as well as fuses in between.

Bed cap lighting/accessories

Aaronmaff

Junior Member

adrianp89

Senior Member

crash68

ACME product engineer

Aaronmaff

Junior Member

adrianp89

Senior Member

anotherjoe

Junior Member

crash68

ACME product engineer

Mbrigh3

IG: Stormtrooper_5.7

crash68

ACME product engineer

Mbrigh3

IG: Stormtrooper_5.7

crash68

ACME product engineer

mikegrook

Member

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