Another bed switch/lighting scenario question!

I know there are tons of different variations on this but I'm having a hard time deciphering each scenario as they are all slightly different that what I'm trying to do. I just need a little assistance determining if my idea will work and an explanation from some of you guru's on how to set it up correctly.

I'm planning to run a 16' led strip around the bed of my LB, up under the rail so it's hidden from site in the daytime. I'd like to have TWO lighted "independent" rocker switches, one in the cab and one in bed. Both switches are "on/off" with the "on" option being lighted so I know if I have them on from the cab. I'd like to do the same with the rear bed switch except in reverse. So in other words I'd like the bed switch to be lit up when "off" so I can find it in the dark and turn the lights on. My main question is how to wire them up so that they work independently from one another. In other words if I turn the lights on in the cab, they come on regardless of the switch position in the bed and vice versa?? Possible?

I've read a few posts which were helpful, yet somewhat confusing at the same time due to variations in setups. I've reviewed Larryde09's "Electronics Basics and Reference" which was a very nice refresher. From that I figured out what the basic supplies would be but I just want to make sure I can wire this up correctly per the law of electronics. (This is my first wiring job obviously).

Figured maybe some of you guys who do or have done wiring wouldn't mind helping a newb out and would probably enjoy the challenge of setting up this job correctly. Thanks very much for any and all help and info.

 

The switches are easy.
Basic 3-way.... the switches need to be a SPDT. Power to the center terminal in the cab, top and bottom terminals go to the top and bottom terminals in the bed, center terminal in the bed goes to the lights.

The problem is what you want to do with the indicators.
You would have to run the cab light in parallel off of the bed lights, meaning another wire would need to go back to the cab.
You can not do this with a regular lighted switch, since they light up based on one of the outputs, and the output will reverse when the opposite switch is actuated.

The bed light, you can do with a 5-pin fog light relay (4-pin is common, and won't work). Wire pins 85 and 86 across the bed lights. Pin 30 goes to a power source, and pin 87a goes to the indicator light.

The problem you're going to have is the indicator draining your battery. LEDs don't draw much, but they'll still kill your battery over time.


Personally, I'd forget about the indicator in the bed and just run an indicator on the dash.
I hope you have a shell or tonneau so someone doesn't reach in and turn the lights on when you're parked.... only drawback to having a separate switch in the bed.
If not, one way around this would be to use a SPDT Center-Off switch ( ON-OFF-ON ) in the cab. In the "off" position, it will completely kill power to the bed mounted switch and disable the system.

 

Thanks Rich, definitely a lot of great points to think about. Yea I'm going to add a tonneau cover but not for a little while so the "jackass turning on the lights" thing is surely a concern.

I guess another option would be to just do a basic "hidden" small switch in one of the cubbies. At least I could find it easily, yet it would be out-of-site of walker by's.

So if I understand correctly from other post's, if I do an "indicated" switch up front and a basic switch on the back, they will still be able to be flipped on or off independently of each other right? In other words, they can be flipped independently but there is no defined "on or off" set positions correct? It would all depend on which switches were flipped in what position?

 

Same as a 3-way switch on a hallway, but you can't use an OTC lighted switch because of the routing of the wiring.

Each switch will independently turn the lights on and off. You can turn them on from the cab and off from the bed, or vice-verse, unless you have the cab switch set to the "anti doofus OFF" center position, which disarms the whole thing.

You can't use a lighted switch because the illumination comes off of the switched legs. As you can see in the drawing, the bed switch is actually controlling which leg needs power to be the "on" leg... the indicator must be connected to the output of the bed switch, since of the two wires between switches, the "hot" wire will flip-flop.

And like a hallway light, "up" is not always "on".

 

Got it. Thanks for the effort and time spent explaining it me. I got all jarbled thinking about it last night but after sleeping on it and refocusing on it today with your notes, I see what would work and what wouldn't work.

I clearly have some decisions to make. Thanks again bud!!

 

I hate wiring. I just put a 16 ft roll in like you want to yesterday. Way way way brighter then I was expecting. I just have one lighted switch in the cab. Wanted to do two, just like your trying to do, but that stuff just makes my brain hurt. Good luck

 

LOL!

As bad as it is on cars... what puts food on the table is doing wiring on traffic signals.
Doesn't sound too bad. That's what I thought when I got into it.

Ever see 1-1/2" conduit that's been buried since 1935 and is rusted down to 3/4"... boxes full of spiders and whatever has run off from the sidewalk... and the boss wants you to rewire the intersection and nothing will move?

 

Yea that's a little insane. Sometimes folks don't realize the amount of work that goes into components like that. Doesn't sound like fun.......at all.