Ordered LED strips

cwakefld · Apr 13, 2012

Well, I ordered 5 of the cheap LED strips from eBay. I want to put a few in the bed on a switch to use as a kind of cargo light. I think I am also going to put one or two on a different switch in the toolbox. Has anyone done this? Any thoughts?

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Zachohs · Apr 13, 2012

I thought about one time and almost had it done before the stupid relays made me mad, I had wired it up to the cargo light, in the third brake light, so when I unlocked my truck or turned on the cargo light all the bed lights and the toolbox lights would come one. but sadly, I got too fed up with it at the time

GhostRam94 · Apr 13, 2012

there has been many who have, i wish i could but i haul 2 much stuff in my bed and i think it would get messed up or stolen eventually

cwakefld · Apr 13, 2012

I intend to put the strips up under the rails hopefully so they won't even be seen. I want the switched so I can turn them on and off when I want. I also would like to wire them to a constant so I can turn them on without the truck running. But I am a little afraid of it draining my battery.

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Stangshcky12 · Apr 13, 2012

I put some in my dads and have a bunch waiting to be put in my girlfriends truck
They both use their beds and haul often as well
For my dads 11 big horn i just taped into the 12v acces. on the 7 pin hitch plug, quick spliced a mini blade fuse holder in and ran it up through the stake post to a waterproof switch in his bedliner (found here: 12VDC ON/OFF Switches Specifications) The sitch is very low profile and seems pretty durable
From the switch I ran 4 10" cheap ebay strips in parrallel and double sided taped them to the side of the bed

I thought about taping into the cargo lights but this way seems the simplest and most convenient
Pretty much the same plan for my girlfriends truck only I have 2-2ft strips for the bed rails and a 4ft strip for inside the lid of the toolbox

Stangshcky12 · Apr 13, 2012

O and I wouldnt worry to much about draining the battery
I tested them with a multimeter and the 4ft strip pulled 0.1 mA

BlackedOutHemi · Apr 13, 2012

I've left my halos on for hours before on accident. LEDs draw such little power there's not much of a worry. the bed rail lights are a good idea and I can't wait to do it.

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GhostRam94 · Apr 13, 2012

hmm now yall make me want to do it......

rennaissanceman · Apr 13, 2012

I really should get around to getting one in my toolbox. I wouldn't be worried about the battery, I used more battery by having the door open when I was wiring my switches in than the led strips use.

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cwakefld · Apr 13, 2012

That is exactly what I want to do! Thank you for the pictures.

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Stangshcky12 · Apr 13, 2012

The funny part is the switch cost almost as much as the lights and the wire and fuse holder about tripled the price haha
Switch-$4.95
Lights-$6.00 for all 4
40ft 16g wire(overkill)--$8.00
Fuse holder with 5 amp fuse-$3.50
plus what ever a pack of quick splice cost lol

GhostRam94 · Apr 13, 2012

that was about right wehen i did mine behind the grille and at the bottom of the door.

and i have left my grille led strips(18 inch strips) on overnight before and went out and the truck started up no problem so i wouldnt be worried about the draining of ther battery. mine was probably on for 10 hours

Ordered LED strips

cwakefld

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Zachohs

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GhostRam94

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cwakefld

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Stangshcky12

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Stangshcky12

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BlackedOutHemi

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GhostRam94

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rennaissanceman

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cwakefld

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Stangshcky12

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GhostRam94

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