# Power for lights



## Cond Enterprise (Aug 24, 2013)

I have a 2012 F250 6.2 and want to add some 1300 lumen led lights to the rear to help light the night and was wondering if I can just tap into the factory reverse wire at each taillight?? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Lets hope we got a lot of snow this year!!


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Yes, I'm running Rigid's at 3200.


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## Cond Enterprise (Aug 24, 2013)

Man those Ridgid lights are pricey...I love the flush mount, looks sick! Is the diesel wiring different from the gassers?? I have a buddy who tried to put a set of tractor supply lights on his truck and when he tapped the light at the rear he had no lights..had to run power from battery????


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## rjigto4oje (Oct 27, 2010)

Cond Enterprise;1652578 said:


> Man those Ridgid lights are pricey...I love the flush mount, looks sick! Is the diesel wiring different from the gassers?? I have a buddy who tried to put a set of tractor supply lights on his truck and when he tapped the light at the rear he had no lights..had to run power from battery????


If it has a 7 blade rv plug there is power in there for when you put it in reverse then make a whip that you can unplug when not in use


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Why not just switch them from in the cab that way there on all the time


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

rjigto4oje;1652584 said:


> If it has a 7 blade rv plug there is power in there for when you put it in reverse then make a whip that you can unplug when not in use


I just tapped into the 7 way plug for my back up lights. So I didn't have to make a pigtail. Plus it is so nice when backing up a trailer at night.


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## Cond Enterprise (Aug 24, 2013)

Pics of how you tapped the 7 way plug?? Or how you made a 7 way plug?? I want it to be simple but bullet proof too....


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Buy a 7 pin plug male socket or a pre wired tail, your reverse lights are the center pin, the neutral is in there also, to the left or the right of the detent.

If you want the lights on all the time like half the knukle heads driving around here, power it off the running lights.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Cond Enterprise;1652825 said:


> Pics of how you tapped the 7 way plug?? Or how you made a 7 way plug?? I want it to be simple but bullet proof too....


I pulled the 7 way off my truck, opened it up and added a wire to the center pin. Ran this wire to the positive for the lights and and ground the lights to the mounting bolt for the lights. If you want you can add a second wire to the 7 way for ground. It will be the white wire or marked with a 1.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

If you want to add back up lights you should do this. Use a 30 amp fog light relay. You wire it so : The relay switches the positive power to the lights. You use the positive signal from the back up lights to trigger the relay. You switch the negative leg on the relay trigger so you can turn off the lights when you want. The back up switch on the transmission is not rated for the amp flow of extra lights. You burn it up, it's not pretty to change. I can explain better if you need it. Not a problem. Send me a PM. Been there done it.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

MickiRig1;1652956 said:


> If you want to add back up lights you should do this. Use a 30 amp fog light relay. You wire it so : The relay switches the positive power to the lights. You use the positive signal from the back up lights to trigger the relay. You switch the negative leg on the relay trigger so you can turn off the lights when you want. The back up switch on the transmission is not rated for the amp flow of extra lights. You burn it up, it's not pretty to change. I can explain better if you need it. Not a problem. Send me a PM. Been there done it.


On my F350 the circuits in the 7 way are separate from the trucks lighting. Also LED lights have very low amp draw. Most modern vehicles use reverse switch to power a relay for reverse lights.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

I know the LED's pull low amps. I was attempting to help educate people on the draw backs of using the back up light circuit as a power source. A constant on fog light relay is easy to change. I see a lot of people using the tractor head lights for back up lights.. ( Maybe 120 Watts roughly 10 amps ) Imagine how many times you go into reverse a night plowing. My method you can turn them off. Cut off your back up alarm with the negative line switched too.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

MickiRig1;1653231 said:


> I know the LED's pull low amps. I was attempting to help educate people on the draw backs of using the back up light circuit as a power source. A constant on fog light relay is easy to change. I see a lot of people using the tractor head lights for back up lights.. ( Maybe 120 Watts roughly 10 amps ) Imagine how many times you go into reverse a night plowing. My method you can turn them off. Cut off your back up alarm with the negative line switched too.


I agree with 100% on relay with anything other than LED, especially when tapping into the vehicles actual reverse lights. I was just going off OP's original question.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Not a problem! I try to educate people so they don't make costly mistakes. We are a Brotherhood of snow plow addicts!


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

MickiRig1;1653231 said:


> I know the LED's pull low amps. I was attempting to help educate people on the draw backs of using the back up light circuit as a power source. A constant on fog light relay is easy to change. I see a lot of people using the tractor head lights for back up lights.. ( Maybe 120 Watts roughly 10 amps ) Imagine how many times you go into reverse a night plowing. My method you can turn them off. Cut off your back up alarm with the negative line switched too.


I follow clearly what you are saying and I agree with you but without getting in to a pissing match, I disagree also.

There isn't a "switch" , there is TCM that controls the transmission that is very expensive to replace. It sends many signals to many place as well as receives. It collects all kinds of info, that is what's triggers the light indicator, reverse camera, reverse aid, revesre lights among some of its functions. Sounds like a lot already, right? Some off these functions are already ran off relays, this include the back up lights. So the question is if the back up lamps are already on a relay, why add another one for one amp draw?

I will leave the trailer tow package alone for now. That's almost a stand alone.

The OP asked a very detailed question about something very so specific, we as a group like pose answers that aren't answers but like to twist the conversations so the are answers.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Cond Enterprise;1652578 said:


> Man those Ridgid lights are pricey...I love the flush mount, looks sick! Is the diesel wiring different from the gassers?? I have a buddy who tried to put a set of tractor supply lights on his truck and when he tapped the light at the rear he had no lights..had to run power from battery????


I should also note these are my only reverse lights. The factory clears have strobes in place of back up lamps.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

MickiRig1;1652956 said:


> If you want to add back up lights you should do this. Use a 30 amp fog light relay. You wire it so : The relay switches the positive power to the lights. You use the positive signal from the back up lights to trigger the relay. You switch the negative leg on the relay trigger so you can turn off the lights when you want. The back up switch on the transmission is not rated for the amp flow of extra lights. You burn it up, it's not pretty to change. I can explain better if you need it. Not a problem. Send me a PM. Been there done it.


I did some very similar when I had these a few years


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

Scotch locks are never a good idea. No matter how well you try to seal them it doesn't last. You would be better to solder and heat shrink. Plain di electric grease don't do much.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

I hear that, on all my long term hook ups I seal up nice and tight..... I trade them in every 40-45k or year- year and a half. Here is last years set up.






the 2011 got abuse too....lol


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

I'll say heat shrink butt connectors all day long


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## Cond Enterprise (Aug 24, 2013)

I appreciate all the responses, I'm not a fan of having a cord in my 7 way plug as if its not snowing I would be pulling a snowmobile trailer and need the plug. I love Olddogs set up but Rigids are not in the budget. If I pull the 7 way apart and tap into it wouldn't I have the same issue as scotch blocks?? I need to get 10 years out of this truck and need something that is reliable for that time frame. I wouldn't want them to be on unless I was backing up so no other switch is needed. Still kinda lost....


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Cut the wires at the 7 pin, heat shrink butt step down connectors, and your done


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

The right thing to do is make the connect in the cab. I actually have a made up harness That consists of the strobe cables, back up feed to the radio/camera, brake lights on backrack, work lights. I move that from truck to truck. On my 13, the wiring was a little different so tap the sockets for the reverse lights. I was in a hurry at the time.


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## Mitragorz (Oct 11, 2013)

Cond Enterprise;1653813 said:


> I'm not a fan of having a cord in my 7 way plug as if its not snowing I would be pulling a snowmobile trailer and need the plug.


Well if you're pulling a trailer, you wouldn't need the extra back-up lights, right? All you'd see is the trailer anyway... And a bright one!

Take out light plug, insert trailer plug.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Mitragorz;1653866 said:


> Well if you're pulling a trailer, you wouldn't need the extra back-up lights, right? All you'd see is the trailer anyway... And a bright one!
> 
> Take out light plug, insert trailer plug.


That would depend on where the lights are mounted. Mine are under the bumper and make backing up a trailer at night much easier.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Cond Enterprise;1652530 said:


> I have a 2012 F250 6.2 and want to add some 1300 lumen led lights to the rear to help light the night and was wondering if I can just tap into the factory reverse wire at each taillight?? :


I would not suggest that unless you add a relay and draw power out of the factory tow package but it's simple to tie into the trailer package



1olddogtwo;1653254 said:


> There isn't a "switch" , there is TCM that controls the transmission that is very expensive to replace. It sends many signals to many place as well as receives. It collects all kinds of info, that is what's triggers the light indicator, reverse camera, reverse aid, revesre lights among some of its functions. Sounds like a lot already, right? Some off these functions are already ran off relays, this include the back up lights. So the question is if the back up lamps are already on a relay, why add another one for one amp draw?


Because the computer could not like that extra draw, One amp or not the computer could see it as a short, overload, etc. and since there is already a "extra" reverse light curcuit (the tow package) why not make use of it.




Mickirig1 said:


> If you want to add back up lights you should do this. Use a 30 amp fog light relay. You wire it so : The relay switches the positive power to the lights. You use the positive signal from the back up lights to trigger the relay. You switch the negative leg on the relay trigger so you can turn off the lights when you want. The back up switch on the transmission is not rated for the amp flow of extra lights. You burn it up, it's not pretty to change. I can explain better if you need it. Not a problem. Send me a PM. Been there done it.




Why do you insist on making it more complicated than need be???? Simply mount the lights and grab the power out of the tow package, after all the designers provided it for just this purpose (that is powering another set of reverse lights.) I've done this to many vehicles without issue.

Simple matter to tie in to the trailer tow package. Cut the reverse feed, use a low temperature solder heat shrink crimp connector to tie the three wires together. The system is already right there for you to use, has its own relay and fuse. It will not effect your ability to use the trailer plug for towing even if your trailer has reverse lights.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Think about, its already a relay system therefore the computer never sees the draw.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

1olddogtwo;1653889 said:


> Think about, its already a relay system therefore the computer never sees the draw.


Relays are used to allow lesser control loads (i.e. headlights, turn signials, etc.) or change between two differant circuits (i.e. boss snowplow headlights,) and save on materials cost and labor. Their(the relays) draw is monitered very closely. Why designers include aftermarket equipment power points.

Makes no sense to not use the designers designated power outputs, it's like splicing a set of headphones onto speakers instead of plugging into the headphone jack.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

basher;1653942 said:


> Relays are used to allow lesser control loads (i.e. headlights, turn signials, etc.) or change between two differant circuits (i.e. boss snowplow headlights,) and save on materials cost and labor. Their(the relays) draw is monitered very closely. Why designers include aftermarket equipment power points.
> 
> Makes no sense to not use the designers designated power outputs, it's like splicing a set of headphones onto speakers instead of plugging into the headphone jack.


Hello.....isn't the trailer tow Connected to the TCM also?

This is my 3rd 6.7 since May 2010. Never once had I had a problem with connecting to the truck side. I usually do it in the cab. I am well aware of the sensitivity of these newer vehicles in electronics, my DPF is in my garage,I can't afford my truck going down and having to bring into Ford cross the country anywhere. I do my research before any connections are made to the vehicle. If Ford doesn't have a problem, why do you? Besides the reverse/stop/turn, everything else is ran off upfitters or my 8 position relay pack.

I do disaster work, its not uncommon for me to be driving in to deep water, sometimes salt as the case with Super Storm Sandy in New York.

Here u are talking about splicing into the "aftermarket" point.

I understand and respect your opinion most of the time, this time not some much. I will continue to work of experience.

And for what its worth, I'm pulling LESS amps then the factory reverse lights on the same circuit.


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## DuramaxLML-42 (Jan 8, 2011)

Hey Pat, how long did it take you to do the flush mounts on your rear bumper. Im looking to do the same thing.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

taking my sweet time couple years ago....2 hours?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Yea he wasn't on the clock so it was a fast install. Bahabaha


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

later today I will prove why my way is better when I'm on a computer not my phone


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## DuramaxLML-42 (Jan 8, 2011)

Hahahaha. Think you could lend me a hand good buddy? Or atleast some good pointers?


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## DuramaxLML-42 (Jan 8, 2011)

dieselss;1653978 said:


> Yea he wasn't on the clock so it was a fast install. Bahabaha


:laughing: thats a low blow! Poor old dog...


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

LMAO. True. Least for me


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