Help! Third brake light on truck topper for 2014 ram 1500

[juliana]

Hi all -

UPdate!! I did it!!!! DONE!!! With an hour and a half left before my annual inspection **** I wasn’t grounding it with a strong enough sauce, so I ended up grounding it to the frame works beautifully, if anyone ever needs help please let me know


Update help! So I found a fourth wire that was buried and of course that was the other one I needed so now I know for sure I have the two correct wires for my third brake light, however when connected to my CHMSL and grounded it does not light up with 12.8 V lightbulbs, I bought two pairs of lightbulbs one are around 12 wattage and are around 17 wattage - my question is what the **** am I doing wrong, when I hook up the truck shell wires to my battery charger it turns on no problem, BUT is clicking on and off - when I hooked up to my truck it doesn’t turn on at all, so I know the shell works, my question is why does it only work with the battery? And why is the battery cutting on and off? Are the lightbulbs too hot? I bought what looked like the same exact lightbulbs from the store, but I don’t know the original wattage because it is from 1995 and there’s just no way to tell.


I have a 2014 ram 1500 which I just bought a truck shell for a need to wire in the third brake light. I cannot for the life of me online figure out how to do this - The only thing I could potentially guess at this point with all my research is I have to drop the spare tire, find the purple and white CHMSL there, connect my new wire, run it through The break light, up to my shell wire and then ground it?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated - I am a novice at all this! I only just replaced my headlight without a mechanic but with the help of YouTube.

update: I got under my truck and I do not see any wire, I spent a good amount of time searching I’m thinking I need to drop the spare.. basically I was under the driver side rear corner, to the middle, checking all around, I have attached photos, no extra wire or purple and white wire anywhere.

update: FOUND THE WIRE!!! will try to hook it all up tonight! For anyone that might have the same issue as me it was really hidden wrapped around the wiring FYI

 

[rixter99]

This is from another thread...May not have to drop spare tire...

"I believe is a Wht/Purple wire located about where the receiver mounts to the frame on the driver's side. That where I found mine(it a 1500 though), your should be in the similar area."

 

[crash68]

your correct about the pur/why wire but you shouldn't have to drop the spare, the wiring harness runs next to it. Your also correct about having to run a ground back down to the frame or metal part of the truck.

 

[juliana]

Thanks all who responded!

 

[juliana]

update: I got under my truck and I do not see any wire, I spent a good amount of time searching I’m thinking I need to drop the spare.. basically I was under the driver side rear corner, to the middle, checking all around, I have attached photos, no extra wire or purple and white wire anywhere.

Thanks all!

 

[juliana]

Update!! I found it! It was really hidden but I watched a few more YouTube videos and pretty much Knew the spot it would be if it was there, super disguised!!

 

[jr27236]

OP, you replaced the entire cab on the truck? If so, they stripped all the wire from it?

 

[juliana]

I just bought a truck shell for my 2014 ram, 4th gen, the topper is for a 3rd gen so it’s a little off but it has three wires (3rd break light and dome light) and I found the CMHSL and spliced into it - now I’m having trouble finding which wires are which - which do I ground, I have a black and red and and a black/red coming off the cap

 

[juliana]

Update help! So I found a fourth wire that was buried and of course that was the other one I needed so now I know for sure I have the two correct wires for my third brake light, however when connected to my CHMSL and grounded it does not light up with 12.8 V lightbulbs, I bought two pairs of lightbulbs one are around 12 wattage and are around 17 wattage - my question is what the **** am I doing wrong, when I hook up the truck shell wires to my battery charger it turns on no problem, BUT is clicking on and off - when I hooked up to my truck it doesn’t turn on at all, so I know the shell works, my question is why does it only work with the battery? And why is the battery cutting on and off? Are the lightbulbs too hot? I bought what looked like the same exact lightbulbs from the store, but I don’t know the original wattage because it is from 1995 and there’s just no way to tell.

 

[juliana]

UPdate!! I did it I wasn’t grounding it with a strong enough sauce, so I ended up grounding it to the frame works beautifully, if anyone ever needs help please let me know

 

[PBTex]

I’m still trying to find that white/purple brake light wire on a 2022 Ram 1500. Is it at the 3-way intersection of those bundled wires? Did you have to remove all the electrical tape and open up the twist conduit to find it?

 

[PBTex]

Wow I just found it. No way to see it. You just have to go by feel. Driver side rear fender in the back. No need to drop the spare to find it.