LED Bed Lights With Dash Control Switch

^^^ Glad to help.

 

With your wire diagram you run your switches after your LEDs? (im not that great with wiring). would you be able to draw up a more simplistic (noob) diagram?

 

Great write and pics! + rep!
Coincidentally, got my 16' LED strip in the mail yesterday, too!

 

Does this work?

 

Nice! Thanks!

 

IDK If this works i am asking if this works or not. DO NOT USE UNTILL I know works!

 

Ah, rgr. I'm no expert but it looks good to me. I'd test it myself but I don't have all the parts yet.

 

Actually, looking again quickly, your hot wire may need to go on the outer post vice middle. Again, would depend on the specific switch you have.
I'll shut up now and wait for the experts to chime in.

 

Thasks for you help! I just went to autozone and showed them and they said it looked good.... (they counderstand be wrong) but for my power I am going to "add a fuse" (piggy back off another always powered fuse). What's your thoughts?

 

I think you couldn't find a more qualified cash register jockey to pose questions regarding electrical issues.

 

Lmao.

Alan. Saw your redheaded friend today.

 

Liem, check out this thread

I did a mock up of a circuit that worked very similarly, if not exactly the same way, you were asking about

Here's my diagram (credit to fergyz):

 

Yes this works as long as the magnetic switch is "normally open" when the two parts are together.

 

Good call on the magnetic switch. The circuit looks like it will work.
One of the reason I put my pin switch after the LEDs is that the dome light door switch is wired that way. I think car manufacturers do that to save some wiring. The other reason is the pin switch on my tailgate is shared with the alarm system. When the tailgate is opened and the alarm system is armed, the switch grounds the circuit, and the siren goes off.

 

Subd. I want to put some light strips on my tonneau cover and use a pin switch off of it? or maybe just a basic switch on/off?

 

you could incorporate both options with puting the 3 way switch in the bed area... the only reason not to is if the tailgate can't be opened with the cover in the down position. pin switch would than be the better option in that case. pin switch could be tied in to an aftermarket alarm also.

 

Thanks everybody for your help. Got the bed lights in and working the way I want them to, tailgate down lights on, tailgate up light can be switched on and can switch to tailate down no light!

 

going to do this soon and am wondering what pin switch everyone is using and where to get it. also do the pin switches have one or two connections on them? asking cause from my understanding they need a ground and a hot to operate?