Marker lights on running boards

[DDT]

I am building a set of running boards for my truck, useing 4" x 2" x 1/8" tubbing. Installing 4 LED lights (like under sleeper of a pete) With 1/8" wall I can tap stainless steel 6x32 bolts to hold them in place. So were do I get the power from? I do have cab lights (added when I got truck), could I tap into this wire or is there a better place?

Thanks

DDT

 

[Blakers]

I used the 4-plug trailer outlet that is under the rear end. Just wired to a trailer plug and plugged it into this outlet. I also put 6 red LEDs across the back, under the tailgate.

 

[steved]

I tied into the trailer harness as well, mainly because its fused separately from the trucks running lights.



I also bought a "extension harness" and spliced into that, so I could hook it up permanently and still have access to the 4-way if I ever needed it. I simply filled the connectors with grease, then used black electrical tape to seal the connectors... the splices were soldered and I used heat shrink to seal them.

 

[Jwskj]

My recommendation is a little more complicated, but in the long-run it would be less prone to problems from weather and to the existing truck wiring. Part of the problem with tapping into an existing light circuit with an additional load is that the newer electrical systems 'sense' when additional resistance has been introduced "added" to an existing circuit... or subtracted from an existing circuit as in a burned-out bulb. That's how the system knows and informs you when you have a bulb "out".



If you are wanting to add any lighting, keep it segregated from the factory wiring. Use the factory wiring only to provide an input to a relay that will then power your add-ons using a separate fused power supply from your battery. That goes for any add-ons, from a few marker lights to driving lights, to a winch, or to an air compressor. All of those could really cause some screw-ups to the factory wiring which is primarily designed to handle only what it was designed for with only a small margin of safety.



Whenever you make wiring connections, use waterproof connectors, solder connections whenever possible, and ALWAYS fuse or circuit-protect your wiring to ensure that you won't 'zap' something.



With regard to this particular question about a power source for the running boards... .

Work under the dash to get your signal power for the relay, and run the power source wire from the battery to the relay and the output wires to the running boards through the grommet (carefully drill a hole) in the front of the cab on the drivers side up near the brake cylinder poke-through. After you put all of your wires through the grommet, seal it back up with black silicone caulk. Then go out to your auto supply store and buy some small diameter split wire-loom and use ny-ties to protect and secure the wires. By the way, for each of your electrical installations, run your own ground... don't depend on the vehicle ground to always be there.



You were probably looking for a quick-and-dirty way to do it, and there are ways to cut corners, but sooner or later it will cause you problems... . you get what you pay for.

 

[steved]

If you use the trailer wiring, it is separate of the truck's wiring. It is NO different than hooking up to a trailer. The circuits are fused, and protected.

 

[Jwskj]

First of all, the trailer lighting circuit IS a part of the truck (vehicle) wiring... it just happens to be on a separate circuit.

Sure, the trailer wiring is a possibility, so is tapping into the parking light wire... . it's on a separate circuit as well. I didn't say it wouldn't work, I said that the factory wiring was designed for specific current loads with some margin of design safety, and if you tap into an existing system, you are reducing the remaining design (safety) margin that exists. I say again, you can do what you want, and in a significant majority of the cases it will probably work. But somewhere, sometime, a problem could come up and if you have screwed with the factory wiring system, it's going to be harder to track down, and it's going to cost big $ to resolve. Being your own warranty station doesn't just mean adding a booster chip for more HP.

 

[steved]

Again, hooking into the spare four-way is no different than hooking a trailer up AND there is ZERO tampering with ANY of the truck's wiring.



And to set this straight, the trailer circuit is completely stand-alone of the truck's running lights and designed to be loaded, unlike the truck's running light wiring that is designed for only those bulbs it came from the factory.



Relays are not completely foolproof either... they can short just like any other electronic.



Have a nice day.

 

[Blakers]

The trailer lighting circuit has to be designed to handle just about any reasonable load since one trailer may have nothing more than a couple tail lights, but another may have a hundred marker lights.

I went this route because it was pretty simple and didn't change the load on the truck circuit, plus did not compromise the insulation or cause a place for corrosion to start by cutting into a wire. When I tow I use the big plug anyway, even if I'm just pulling my 2 wheel snowmobile/utility trailer which only has a 4-wire circuit. I use an adapter plug for that.

 

[CDonaldson]

I have considered adding lights that illuminate the step surface when the doors open, I was planning to tap into the wiring/power that is activated by the door switches and also change the interior lightling to LED's. That would effectively eliminate problems associated to what the truck 'thinks' or is programmed to see in current draw and NOT throwthe 'lamp out' warning.



If I was thinking about illuminating full-time running board lights, I would use the trailer wiring like others have said. I used the trailer wiring circuit to power my headache rack lighting, and also used LED lights. LED's really have low current draws, the trailer circuit is an excellent choice for aux running lights and aux stop/turn lighting. This will not kick off the 'bulb out' issues that many people have experienced with the main lighting vrs the aux lighting.



And as was stated above ^^^, good wiring practices are a must.





CD

 

[steved]

LED's really have low current draws, the trailer circuit is an excellent choice for aux running lights and aux stop/turn lighting. This will not kick off the 'bulb out' issues that many people have experienced with the main lighting vrs the aux lighting.



CD

Especially with the turn signal issues that can arise from being overloaded.



Someone made a comment that the turn signal circuit is fused at 15 amps, while the relay is rated at only 15 amps. They recommended replacing the trailer wiring fuses with those of a lower rating.



I took that advice (mainly because I don't have that many trailer lights on any of my trailers), and dropped all my fuses at least five amps.

 

[TCDiesel]

Here's why you may want to re-think wiring into the Auxiliary or trailer circuits. If for some reason you have a short its $$$.

 

[TCDiesel]

And yes Drop from 15amps to 10amps seems to protect enough not to damage the Circuits. the photos are 15amp Fused.

 

[CDonaldson]

You are right TWest, I forgot to mention the TPIM in the 2006 and up trucks. The trailer wiring circuits CAN overload the TPIM, and YES it is a VERY COSTLY repair. The dearlership can flash the truck to a total of 17. 5 amps I believe, but an overload isan overload and WILL smoketest your TPIM.



The design ofthe TPIM isa safety issue,the Feds/DOT should really be brought in to remedy this poor design, it needs a recall and fixed on Dodge's wallet.



I have changed ALL my trailers lighting to LED's and have also put a fuse between each of my truck and trailers circuits AT the trailer to protectmy TPIM.





CD

 

[Blakers]

I forgot to mention the TPIM

What is a TPIM?

 

[steved]

I don't remember what it stands for, but its basically a computer that controls the trailer circuits. I believe it was an 06+ thing, and the earlier models had actual relays to control the turn signals and fuses to protect the circuit. The TIPM is self resetting to a point, then it burns up and I want to remember, about $600 to replace.

 

[Blakers]

Wow! I am glad mine is an 03. I think I will keep this truck as long as I can and then replace it with another one that is no older than 04. 5. The more high tech they get, the more expensive they are to fix. Mine has no cat, no egr, no soot burner.

 

[TCDiesel]

TIPM (Totally Intergrated Power Module) I think. .

 

[DDT]

Does my 04 have a TPIM or just the 2006 and up trucks?

 

[TCDiesel]

Yes 04 has TIPM ,just like the one pictured.

 

[TCDiesel]

Has known as (PDC) Power Distribution Center.