Hello All!

I just bought this Wednesday! 2005 F-250 Super Duty. It's my first diesel and I love it. I originally had a Sport Trac, so driving this thing is a HUGE difference.



I do have a question though. I'm about to hook up some backup lights like I had installed on my Sport Trac. I'm wanting to hook them up directly to the battery and put a switch on the dash somewhere.

Two questions though:

1. Where is the easiest place to come into the cab from the outside to put the switch?

2. Where can I hook up these lights to the battery? I didn't see any "accessory" spots on the battery. I found the below pics and I could hook into those if they would work, but I'm not sure what they go to. Does anyone know?





Thanks for the help!

 

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

First off, if you are connecting a set of reverse lights, why not tap them into the factory reverse (white) lights? Would be super easy, clean, and would not require a switch, they would come on when the truck is put into reverse.

There are a few entrance holes in the cab, one is located under the carpet in the driver side firewall. There is a grommet that can be cut to run wires. The wires pictured go to nothing. They are pre-wired from Ford for this exact reason. You can wire an accessory to one of the outside wires, then run hot into the corresponding inside wire. Again though, wiring to the reverse lights would be the easiest solution, and I will be happy to help you with this if you want.
Again, welcome to the forums and to the Super Duty line... great looking rig you got there!

 

Thanks for the welcome!

From doing them before, I know that connecting them to the reverse lights would be easier, but I'd rather have control of when they come on. They are great hooking up trailers and whatnot, so I'd rather have the switch.

I'm glad there is a grommet under the carpet, that will be easy to go thru. So how would you suggest I wire these if I want a switch?

 

Looks like you might have a Lariat truck? Do you have the "outfitter switch" option? Four switches on the lower dash to the left of climate controls. That would make it very easy.

 

I have the Lariat, but I do not have the switches unfortunately.

 

Your best bet is to run it off a switched source, i.e. ignition switch or headlight switch instead of directly off the battery. Drop the inspection panel located under the steering wheel and find the wire that runs hot when the ignition is on. For my 2003, it is a thick (14G or so) yellow wire. If you want to run the power off the headlights (i.e. only will allow the lights to be switched on) then you can tap into the headlight switch. If you want to run the power at any time the truck is turned on, connect it to the ignition witch wire.
Find your source of 12+, then run a fused wire into a switch. From there, run a wire out of the switch and connect it to one of the bare wires you saw in the driver side engine compartment. Locate the wire on the other end, and run a wire off that end under the chassis and to the reverse lights. Then connect the negative wire coming off the lights to a common ground, and you are set!

 

You could add the outfitter switches and this would give you control of those four wires you have in the photo WITH the key on. There is info in the tech folder on adding these switches. If you wire a switch direct to the battery make sure you fuse it AT the battery.

 

Awesome! Thanks! Do you have any idea where the the other end of the wire is under the chassis from those wires in the drivers side engine compartment?

 

Thanks, I'll check that out!

 

Bought some lights, hopefully gonna do this tomorrow!

 

Where are the lights going? Do you have a 7-pin trailer plug? I run my headache rack and the backup lights on my drawbar off that, the center of a RV 7-pin plug should have reverse lights. That way you don't cut into the factory wiring or add any load to the factory circuit. Or if you want to be able to run them not in reverse, you used the 12v hot (I think that should work) and have a switch in the cab to turn them on and off, that's only a few more feet of wire for the switch. If the hot doesn't work, tap into the running light pin, so to turn them on you just flip the running lights on, and have the line switched in the cab.

 

mcsd,

The wires in your photo are for accessories which you can safely use for your project. You will find the other end of each wire inside the cab.

I forget the years, but earlier Super Duties have the wires accessible inside the cab. They are generally easily seen if look under the dash where they enter through the access hole/grommet.
On newer Super Duties I believe you'll find the wires inside the drivers side kick panel. Pop off the kick panel and you should find them.

I think the official name for these wires are "pass through wires"

Rick...

Edit:
That was odd. When I made this post there were no replies showing to the OP's post. Now I see several. That was strange or maybe it's time to lay off the crack.

 

get'er done! gonna do same thing, just switched dont need them comming on automatic for me!

 

Be careful using the pass-through wires. They are only about 18-16 ga wire, which is not enough for most lights. Consider using a relay.

Second, for an '05 and up, a nice DIY upgrade is to add the upfitter switches (not outfitter). Here is a page I wrote when I did mine:
Installing Upfitter Switches - Ford 2005-2007 Superduty

 

One thing I did on my Ram was a combination of both. Mounted relay in the back for the lights, added three-way switch in the cab. Normal position of the switch had the lights come on automatically when put truck in reverse, middle position was off and down position was 100% manual on. Best of all worlds. I did that just in case the cops/staties/inspectors had an issue with the lights...

Adding a set to the new (to me) F350 this weekend.