- Joined
- Apr 3, 2013
- Posts
- 602
- Reaction score
- 98
- Ram Year
- 2013
- Engine
- 5.7L
This isn't quite finished. It got dark before I could clean everything up and actually mount the lighting. But here is my $40 solution to clean bed lighting that comes on with the cargo lamp. I used some RGB 5050 LEDs (50 LEDs per meter). It's a 5m roll. I then used an RF controller, with redundant controls on the box. I imagine the remote will become lost or damaged. It also has a power loss memory, which is perfect for this application. Every time power is cut and then turned back on, it will power back on in the same mode it was in when it lost power.
First I made a pass-through harness for the cargo lamp. This allows me to tap its signal without cutting the factory harness:
I wrapped the second connector in foam tape, so there wouldn't be any rattling.
I thought I would be able to power the LEDs from here, but this truck is too smart. It detected a load difference and turned off the cargo lamps right away. So, I just wired up a relay and made another pass-through harness under the driver's seat, where I pulled power going to the back seat cigarette lighter.
As you can see, I haven't mounted the lights in the bed of the truck yet. But they do work and they're pretty bright. I opted for the RGB 5050 lights, since they're about the same price. But I think it will stay on white 99% of the time.
2013 Ram RGB 5050 LED Bed Lights - YouTube
First I made a pass-through harness for the cargo lamp. This allows me to tap its signal without cutting the factory harness:
I wrapped the second connector in foam tape, so there wouldn't be any rattling.
I thought I would be able to power the LEDs from here, but this truck is too smart. It detected a load difference and turned off the cargo lamps right away. So, I just wired up a relay and made another pass-through harness under the driver's seat, where I pulled power going to the back seat cigarette lighter.
As you can see, I haven't mounted the lights in the bed of the truck yet. But they do work and they're pretty bright. I opted for the RGB 5050 lights, since they're about the same price. But I think it will stay on white 99% of the time.
2013 Ram RGB 5050 LED Bed Lights - YouTube
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