Bed light only?
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,547
Likes: 6
From: MA
If you are willing to do all that work, why not just wire up a separate light that is fused and switchable? Leave all the stock wiring alone if you can.... will only lead to problems down the line.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 6
From: Ketchikan, AK.
if you decide to do this, be sure to add a resistor in the wiring as well....otherwise an extra switch would also power the interior lights as they are now...... seems like a lot of work for this... is there any particular reason for this?
New User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Have you thought about adding a switch to the dome light so it can be turned off? Then you are not blinded because just the floor and Bed areas are lit. I know that would be only a partial fit to your plan.
Not to hijack the thread or anything but I am trying to go the other way. I want to be able to turn on the interior lights without turning on the bed lighting.I am hoping there is enough room for a switch inside behind the lamp.
Fresh home from the dealership so I have not started tearing things apart yet. She says I have to give it a couple weeks before I modify anything on my new baby.
Not to hijack the thread or anything but I am trying to go the other way. I want to be able to turn on the interior lights without turning on the bed lighting.I am hoping there is enough room for a switch inside behind the lamp.
Fresh home from the dealership so I have not started tearing things apart yet. She says I have to give it a couple weeks before I modify anything on my new baby.
Trending Topics
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
From: Mandeville, La
Originally Posted by mattd17
if you decide to do this, be sure to add a resistor in the wiring as well....otherwise an extra switch would also power the interior lights as they are now...... seems like a lot of work for this... is there any particular reason for this?
A diode, specifically a rectification diode will prevent current flow in one direction. In a nutshell they usually come with a grey strip. Point the grey stripe to the ground and current will flow. Sometime you have to visualize the ground on the other side of your load (light or electric motor), but it is the same principal. If you do not want to backfeed the circuit, you put the secondary switched circuit on the side with the grey strip and it will not feed backwards. You can use them to keep power from backfeeding into a factory circuit which is a sound idea.
Radio shack still sells these and they have a 3 amp version. A 2 pack of them are only a couple of bucks.