2017 adding lights could use some advice from some 12 volt electrical gurus

[BarryG]

I hooked the lights on my headache rack (tail, turn, brake and reverse lights)up which I ran through a Curt T-Connector in the trailer harness (you just unplug the 7 way and it fits in between the two plugs and gives you a 4 flat connector I put behind the plug I installed in the bed and then tapped into the reverse light circuit as well for the reverse lights, *lIghts work fine. However I want to add a switch to my reverse lights in my rack so that I can turn them on when ever I want i.e. at night when loading or unloading or for just some ambient light if I am working outside the truck in the dark which seems to happen frequently . I know I can just run another power wire and switch and they will work. However I am concerned about the backfeed through the reverse light circuit in the tailer harness. Is this something I should be worried about and if so is there such a thing as a "one way" electrical gate, that I could install inline on the reverse and or new power wire to the lights? Sorry on the nomenclature I am not very smart when it comes to electrical stuff like that.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[mwilson]

You need a three terminal switch......single throw.

Feed to headache work lights on center terminal. Inbound power from factory back up light feed on upper terminal. Constant 12V fused power on lower terminal.

Switch down.....lights work in reverse as designed.

Switch up.....lights come on no matter what..

Simplest way. You can do it with a relay but this is easiest.

 

[BigPapa]

You could use a diode, the electrical equivalent of a check valve. Put the diode in line from the trailer wiring to the light and then wire your switch up between the light and the diode.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

When I built my rack for my 16, I was too scared to tie into the wiring for my work lights. I installed a Painless fuse block instead. For the brake/turn/running lights, I tied into he OE like you.*

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/255837-Headache-Rack-Build

 

[BarryG]

First all thanks for the info, now I know what to look for.

Like Mikes idea of the switch especially since I would have to put one in anyway and sounds easy enough.

Big Papa your idea of a diode (not that I know what they really are but heard off them) is there a special type I need, certain size etc.
.
JHawes After checking your thread two things first I did the same with my Pro Tech box mounted it differently but same idea it is up off the floor and flush with the top of the bed. I had a neighbor who has a welder weld on some 3"x8" x3/16" tabs onto my headache rack mounts and then I used unistrut to build a cradle similar to yours though mine goes from side to side so there is nothing on the front or rear of the box it is all underneath and on the sides. Though yours is certainly stouter. I wanted the option of removing the toolbox and cradle if necessary without having to remove the entire rack.
Second thing is your lights, my backup lights in the rack are just the 6 inch oval incandescent and 13 years old. I took this rack off my 01 before I sold it then sandblasted it and powder coated it to return it to its original glory. And quite frankly amazed at how well it fit even the rear oem chmsl and cargo lamp are unimpeded perhaps even better than when it was on the 01. In any case my lights aren't anywhere near as bright as what you put in. I may rethink this now and just add another set of work lights or at the very least replace the existing ones with some newer led ovals and use one of the above options, as mine for the most part really just take the dark off and provide just enough light so you can see ok but not well and they don't throw very far.

 

[BigPapa]

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...rch_02400113xp_1122231_917&keyword=02400113xp

Fits in a regular ATM fuse holder.