Tap into Rear Cargo Light

[RAton]

I want to tap into the rear cargo light of my 2006 mega cab. I want the light inside my Leer cap to come on with the cargo switch. I have the cap on already so I can't get to the light to see the wire color. Wire diagram shows a white / tan running up the A-piller. When I tested it with meter it was the brake light. Anyone know if the cargo light wire runs up the A-piller, what color it is, or is there a better way to do this?



Thanks,

Rob

 

[mgonske]

I can't help with your specific detailed question, but I had the same idea for my '03, although I did it with the cap off.



In my case, I just tapped the switched wire inside the light housing, and brought it out between the body and lens. I then used a little silicone to glue down the (black) wire along the edge of the rear window gasket, and brought it down between the cab & bed, where I then routed it through the existing knockout in the front of the bed (and behind my bedrug). You can just barely see where the wire comes off the corner of the window gasket in the attached photo (sorry, it's the only one I had handy in my reader's rigs gallery that shows it)--it's virtually invisible where it's tucked along the edge of the gasket.



Remember that the cargo light uses a switched ground, so you'll need to supply a separate hot source for the light in the shell (ideally, with a DPDT, center-off switch so you can switch the shell lights on from the back, off altogether, or slaved to the cargo light).





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[RAton]

Thanks for the Info. Do you remember what the wire color was?



Rob

 

[CStraface]

I tapped into my cargo light for my shell as well. I went under the bed, then up throught the bottom of the cab and up the pillar. Ran into a road blcok there (couldn't figure out the color for the cargo light. Same problem you are having) so I just pulled the headliner and found the cargo wire that way. Works great! I love it!

 

[Bob4x4]

I want to tap into the rear cargo light of my 2006 mega cab. I want the light inside my Leer cap to come on with the cargo switch. I have the cap on already so I can't get to the light to see the wire color. Wire diagram shows a white / tan running up the A-piller. When I tested it with meter it was the brake light. Anyone know if the cargo light wire runs up the A-piller, what color it is, or is there a better way to do this?



Thanks,

Rob

See if this helps

C201 - LT GRAY (I/P SIDE) CAV CIRCUIT

1 A310 16RD/LB (EXCEPT BASE)

2 Z13 18BK/WT

3 L50 18WT/TN

4 Z964 18BK (EXCEPT BASE)

5 A919 20RD (EXCEPT BASE)

6 F21 20PK/DG

7 L14 20WT/TN

8 -

9 M20 20YL/LB

10 D54 20WT (EXCEPT BASE)

11 D55 20WT/OR (EXCEPT BASE)

12 M288 20YL/GY

13 -

14 -



You want the l14 ckt... ..... yes both the stop light and cargo lamp same color and same gauge



Bob

 

[RAton]

Why is it always hot??????

Wire L14 is Wt/Red I traced it all the way back to the cargo light. When I hook it up to the voltometer it is hot using either ground on the plug. How does the light know not to come on until the switch is on if there is always power going to it. I'm lost on this new technology.



Help. #@$%!

 

[CBrahs]

RAton,

Did you have any of the doors open when you tested? My cargo light comes on when the doors are open.

 

[RAton]

Double checked and found that my cargo light doesn't come on with the interior lights. I would think a switched ground but it was hot with both grounds on the plug.



Any other sugestions, Please.



Rob

 

[Mrudolph]

I removed the Light ,ran 2 wires out, 1 for the brake, 1 for the dome light. When opening the camper shell I hit the unlock door switch on my key fob and have light in the camper.

 

[RAton]

Found Answer

Since I don't want to just go tapping into wires without understanding why, I was hesitant to just do it, especially with live voltage always on the wire. I talked to a neighbor down the street that has an 06 with a hemi and asked him if he would check at the light for me. He happened to be a mechanic and told me not to confuse voltage with amperage. So I got a 12 volt tester that has a light bulb in it and found that it only came on when the cargo switch was on.



So in conclusion here is what I found; the wire to the cargo light is white/brown up to the plug on the a-pillar then turns to white/red back to the cargo light both are L14 on connector C201. There is always 11. 8 volts on the wire. It goes up to 12. 6 when the cargo switch/unlock button on key fob is hit. I guess this must be part of the diagnostics built into the truck. I tapped into the wh/br ran a wire back to the shell interior light, black wire to ground, now it works with key fob and cargo switch, very nice.



Hope all this helps someone out in the future.



Rob

 

[ABarry]

I have this exact truck and Leer shell and was looking to do this. I also have the shell on already. Thanks for doing the leg work on this. "L14 on connector C201" I'am not sure about this where is this???

 

[RAton]

Take the cover off the A-Pillar on driver side and look for the wire colors as described in previous posts. Run your wire out firewall and into bed, connect to hot for cap light, connect a ground and you are done. Good luck

 

[ABarry]

Thanks for the help

 

[crispyboy]

Could one of you smarter than me guys help me figure out which wire to tap into so the lights come on when the door is opened? Thanks

 

[RAton]

I installed the AMP steps on my 2006 and my Dad's 2012 and there is a different wire for each door on the vehicle. Checkout Amp's website and see if they have a wiring diagram for their product on a 2009 Ram, that will give you directions as to the easiest place to find the wires are and their colors.

Good Luck

 

[Bob4x4]

The door ajar is ckts g75 20 gauge violet wire as I recall the others are also violet with different color tracers

 

[crispyboy]

Bob4x4,
Is there a wire I could look for where I could specifically tie into the overhead lights? I assume I would need to get into the wiring above the headliner.
If I found this particular wire would it be better to trigger a relay? I am currently using two 12" LED light strips on a switch in the bed.
Thank you

 

[Bob4x4]

You will find all the door ajar wires going to the back of the cluster. They can be accessed down where your drivers feet. The lights are controlled by the cluster so that will be the safest place to get the appropriate trigger. I would always use relays when using any computer controlled circuits. They won't appreciate any extra current flow

 

[BIGNASTY]

Save time!! Save trouble seems like when you start tapping into wire's that is a forever problem area. Under my shell put 3 of these one on each side and one in the back on the big door super bright and last for ever they are LED and take no power.



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