Lightning help

[Randomrunner12]

Google and search couldn’t help confirm answer I’m trying to find.

Just recently installed some diesel led Lumex 3156 reverse FC bulbs in my reverse lights. Factory bulb is a 3057 and after much research, the bulbs are interchangeable as the 3157 are a tad longer and much much brighter but use same sockets and pins. 2k compared to 600lumens. This said

can I swap my tail light, brake/turn which are all 3057 to the 3157 bulbs. I understand there will be a greater power draw but being LED versus dual filament halogen I can’t see it being much. My only concern is having a circuit style plug rather than individual wiring and drawing too much power.

or should I look at 3057 LEDs? Any recommendations? Lasfit doesn’t sell them and neither does Diesel leds.

 

[Topzide]

Stay with a 3057 LED bulb. Changing it to a different bulb could result in bubbled taillights or melted sockets. Keep in mind that an LED bulb may not draw as much current but can generate a lot of heat! That's the downside to LEDs. LEDs offer a brighter whiter light to see by and allow factory wiring to handle the current load. Not sure if you'll have a bulb failure message or not. The next thing on the truck to add list is separate reverse spot light to aid the lighting in reverse! The factory lights don't offer much.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Stay with a 3057 LED bulb. Changing it to a different bulb could result in bubbled taillights or melted sockets. Keep in mind that an LED bulb may not draw as much current but can generate a lot of heat! That's the downside to LEDs. LEDs offer a brighter whiter light to see by and allow factory wiring to handle the current load. Not sure if you'll have a bulb failure message or not. The next thing on the truck to add list is separate reverse spot light to aid the lighting in reverse! The factory lights don't offer much.

Thank you. The lights I mentioned above have a built in cooling fan in them to aid in heat dissipation (forgot to mention that) lol.
But yes. I plan to add reverse spot lights as well. Could I just wire those in with a fuse splice to the reverse light harness or the trailer plug white wire?

 

[Randomrunner12]

Stay with a 3057 LED bulb. Changing it to a different bulb could result in bubbled taillights or melted sockets. Keep in mind that an LED bulb may not draw as much current but can generate a lot of heat! That's the downside to LEDs. LEDs offer a brighter whiter light to see by and allow factory wiring to handle the current load. Not sure if you'll have a bulb failure message or not. The next thing on the truck to add list is separate reverse spot light to aid the lighting in reverse! The factory lights don't offer much.

 

[Topzide]

@Randomrunner12, The best way to wire them would be with a relay. Pull a feed from the reverse lights on the trailer plug for a trigger with a fused wire from the battery or an ignition hot circuit. Here's a site that'll help with relay wiring; https://www.the12volt.com/
This is how I'm planning on doing mine. Have a nice small COB LED spots to mount on the trailer hitch with a narrow piece of c channel and a stainless hose clamp. Drill hole for mount bolt and the drill series of holes on side (or mill if you have that) to run hose clamp through. Also allows you to aim lights for a slightly wider pattern! Good luck with addition!

 

[Randomrunner12]

So I’ve got a harness that I can use for spot lights and such with a switch. However I’ve also got my auxbeam 8 gang switch panel from my old truck that I never got around to installing.
Only issue with that is the length of wire I’d have to run from rear of truck to the engine area. The gang switch is fused to the battery and has its own setup. Will likely do this if I can’t get it the way you suggested. Just have to do the math for length of wiring needed plus power draw.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Dodge uses a different pin out on the wedge bulbs. Be sure to look into that.
04-07 use CK sockets
https://www.vleds.com/ck

 

[Topzide]

@Randomrunner12, Just run a piece of 10ga for power to the rear. That's a 30 amp load and the truck length is in the specs for that wire rating. I like the relay option as you don't need to turn on a switch, but you could run a hot wire on switch to the NC terminal to turn rear lights on if needed. That's an option that I was looking at to see if it would be needed. I'm leaning towards that for hooking up a trailer in the dark, along with even loading the truck.

 

[AH64ID]

Definitely run them on a separate switch w/ a relay instead of tied to the reverse lights. You won’t always need them on, and may want them on when you’re not in reverse.

I have a pair of Rigid SRM Diffused backup lights on my truck that draw 16w/bulb. They only need 5A for the pair, so 10ga would be more than enough and what size my Aux Switch wiring is.

I use the lights quite often when I’m not in reverse.

 

[Topzide]

@AH64ID, Using a relay is the best way to run them. Use the relay with a feed from the reverse lights to trip relay so that you get them with reverse automatically. Then you can run a fused switch to the NC terminal for lighting when not in reverse. Best of both worlds! This is similar to a setup for my trailer, I have a reverse beeper on the trailer so people hopefully pay attention to a trailer moving! Have a switch box on trailer to turn off around house to not bother neighbors when hooking up at weird hours! Also acts as an alarm for trailer the second they hook 7 pin into it! The 12v wire goes to the beeper for a steady tone! Sealed box with sealed switches and covers hidden in the frame of trailer to where I know where it its. Switches and relays can be great tools when wiring our trucks! Just passing on an idea to maybe help someone else our jump start an idea!

 

[AH64ID]

@AH64ID, Using a relay is the best way to run them. Use the relay with a feed from the reverse lights to trip relay so that you get them with reverse automatically. Then you can run a fused switch to the NC terminal for lighting when not in reverse. Best of both worlds! This is similar to a setup for my trailer, I have a reverse beeper on the trailer so people hopefully pay attention to a trailer moving! Have a switch box on trailer to turn off around house to not bother neighbors when hooking up at weird hours! Also acts as an alarm for trailer the second they hook 7 pin into it! The 12v wire goes to the beeper for a steady tone! Sealed box with sealed switches and covers hidden in the frame of trailer to where I know where it its. Switches and relays can be great tools when wiring our trucks! Just passing on an idea to maybe help someone else our jump start an idea!

I originally wanted to wire them to be automatic when in reverse but I’m very glad I didn’t. There are plenty of times I don’t want my aux reverse lights to come on when I’m in revere, actually most the time I’m in reverse. They are just too bright for use where anyone is behind you (day or night). That’s why I don’t recommend them being wired to the reverse light circuit. Use them only when needed.

 

[CVR222NV]

I have two Rigid flush mounted diffused LED back up lights on my flatbed that really lights things up out back. I have them wired into my Switch Pro. Great for hooking/unhooking, loading 4 wheelers and other things, as well as setting up camp in the dark. Way too bright for on road use. I like the idea of having them when I need them.

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

I just read the title, and thought his truck was struck by "Lightning". Me, I just keep the OEM on mine. On my Jeep, I replaced the backup bulbs with LED, because the OEM ones were so pathetic. If you decide on some LED, research them, because you might not have enough room, to let the air circulate, with our sealed tail lights. Headlights are no big deal, my aftermarket LED headlights work just fine.

 

[Randomrunner12]

I just read the title, and thought his truck was struck by "Lightning". Me, I just keep the OEM on mine. On my Jeep, I replaced the backup bulbs with LED, because the OEM ones were so pathetic. If you decide on some LED, research them, because you might not have enough room, to let the air circulate, with our sealed tail lights. Headlights are no big deal, my aftermarket LED headlights work just fine.

Hahahahah that’s my bad. Too late now but it’ll be a good laugh.

 

[Topzide]

@Randomrunner12, When I first saw it, I thought you were wanting a F-150 Lightning! I'm sure that spell check got you or the text to speech. Anyhow, it'll get people to look!

 

[Randomrunner12]

@Randomrunner12, When I first saw it, I thought you were wanting a F-150 Lightning! I'm sure that spell check got you or the text to speech. Anyhow, it'll get people to look!

spell check got me lol. And then after I saw it I was like whatever lol. IVE GONE TO FAR NOW LOL

 

[Topzide]

@Randomrunner12, Good to see that people can still laugh at there mistakes in this upside down world we live in today! Spell check has bit me a lot in texts to the DW! Sometimes it has come to wanting to sleep in the doghouse then try to explain what you were trying to say! Good laugh and a gotta thread. Hope the ideas have help you with a plan. I pulled out my stuff to put together so that when things cool down some, will look to have on the truck before the longer nights arrive. Plan on having them point more down than out. Only need to see objects for backing the truck out to about 8' and then gentle light past there for other needs. The best mod was using 3/4" LEDs in the back of car trailer were I used white-red-white-red-white-red-white on the rear. Red for the over 80" id and the white for a reverse light that helps me see the end of the trailer at night when backing. Now thinking of using a double throw switch on the reverse lights on truck so that they can be turned on when needed and turn off the auto feature from being in reverse. Have plenty of micro switches and relays. Love using the micro switches since they take up little space on the dash.

 

[Randomrunner12]

@Topzide, That's why I am installing that AUXBEAM panel. Its an 8 gang fused switch that connects to the battery VIA 2GA wiring, but also has an ACC on power wire that connects to the fuse panel. Then I can install any extra's that I want and control them in the cab with just the one panel and not have to run dozens of wires through the firewall. My plan with some of y'alls advice is to run some 10ga wiring from the reverse lights to the gang panel and then I can have both on when I want rather than every time I reverse. I also plan to install some pods on the hood corners for off-roading and trailing.