I just bought a used 2015 F350 crewcab XLT, I as under it looking to see where running boards would attach and seen it looks like a 2 wire pigtail with a female connector close to that area where mounts would be, it is on both sides in same place, is that for lighted running boards or power running boards?

 

Auto retractable boards

 

Your description sounds correct. Connectors are on the outsides of the frame rails. towards the rear of the cab, about 6 inches forward of the rear cab mounts. There are small waterproof plugs in the ends.

Mine were live, so I wired them up to LED running board lights. They are on the same circuit with the cab lights. They power up whenever the door is opened, or unlocked with the key fob. They dim to off when the cabin lights time out as well.

These connectors are part of a lighting circuit. I don't believe they'd provide enough power for running board motors. You could use them to trigger a relay to run retractable running boards; to open or close them, but you wouldn't be able to directly power the running board motors off of them - the lamp dimming function would mess up the operation of the motors

 

That's good, I am glad they power up when opening the door, now I have a reason to add lighted boards or just lights under cab

 

But the LED running board add on lights stay on when the headlights come on at dark, correct?

 

No they don't operate with the headlights. If they're wired into the pre-existing connectors under the cab - they go on & off with the dome lights.

To have side running lights that operate with the headlights, you'd have to splice into a wire for one of the parking lights, or tap into the trailer lights circuit on the towing wiring harness

 

Does anyone know what to call the connection or where to buy a plug to connect to those wires. Looking at adding lights that are not from ford down there and would like to set up as plug and play.

 

Amazon sells a Ford compatible speaker connector that fits:

I cut off the other ends and soldered the wires into my new harness. I shrink-tubed it all, and added lots of Di-electric grease inside the connector. So far no issues with corrosion.

Finally got it to let me add pictures. (Cell phones are not good for low-light shots.)

 

Another question then. What color was the wire as I am adding inside foot well lights on D & P side and want them to work with the dome lights like your setup. Looking for the wiring inside the cab if possible. Thanks.

 

I don't have a wiring diagram for the cab. ("Juststrokin" may be able to look it up?) You could hook up your foot well lights to the same line as the running board lights - you'd just have to feed it back into the cab.

Using those same connectors, I also have it wired up for my Bed Lights. I can click my key fob, and light up my bed for 30 seconds, or it stays on as long as the door is open. It's also tied into an upfitter switch (with some blocking diodes), so I can turn on the bed lights separately from cab lights - unfortunately, I need to keep the key in the ignition to provide power to the upfitters.

 

Unfortunately the 2016 LKR's don't come with the running board lights, like my '06 did. Hence the need for wire color.