When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a 2019 F350. Installed a camper shell on it and decided to add some more lighting to the back. Truck has factory bed lights installed when built. I added two single row 60" led light strips and tapped them into the current bed lights so they would work off the factory switch. All seemed to be working as intended. After buttoning everything back up and starting the truck the lights instantly turned off. Once they turn off there is no turning them back on from either cab switch or bed switch. Turned the truck off and into Full ACC power and they would come on from either the cab switch and the bed switch, but would turn off after 20-30 seconds. If no ACC on then they will come on and instantly turn off. Sometimes with full ACC power they will stay on several minutes. Is this something with the BCM or something that can be changed in FORSCAN. Any one else have this issue or just run the lights directly to battery with their own switch? Thanks for any help.
I added LED rock pod lights to my camper shell. I spliced the new lights to the oem bed lights from underneath the truck on the drivers side where the oem bed light harness is. Power is from the white wire (shown with yellow probe for voltage meter), then I used a common ground back to the frame. No issues working with the bed lights or the switch, comes on with bed button, goes off after 10 minutes. I ran my high mount stop light and cap lights to a 4 pole plug so I can easily remove and install cap as needed. Philip.
Yeah I tapped the same wire just directly off the back of each bed light. I grounded out to the ground on the light as well seemed to work fine, obviously not. May need to try running dedicated ground first. Thanks
The truck is in control. You can wire anything you want and if your power comes from the battery and is more than the truck says you can use it will shut it down. Been there. Even the up fitter switches will do it.
I added 2 small led lights in my bed and yes it must matter cause in about 20 seconds they would turn off. I used the factory switches.
The computer measures the battery all the time. Additional amp draw that it didn't authorize it sees as a threat to the battery
My new 21 has factory bed lights and they stay on.
I’ve got the same issue. Wired LEd strip lights into my tool boxes on my deck, positive and negative off the driver side light connection rather than the factory light.
it acts the same as yours.
Turns off when truck running, or cannot turn on when truck running.
off or acc no issues turning on or off.
lemme know if you figure it out!
Originally Posted by AtlGsp
Yeah I tapped the same wire just directly off the back of each bed light. I grounded out to the ground on the light as well seemed to work fine, obviously not. May need to try running dedicated ground first. Thanks
If a computer is monitoring your current consumption with each load applied as zoomeroo mentions, you can tap the same wires as the bed lights but use a relay controlling power from the battery. Keeps the functionality of the built in switches but doesn't wig out the computer.
