Constant 12v near tailgate?

Alright guys, I'm wiring in some "driving lights" as dome lights in my canopy... Making up the wiring harness right now, and wondering if there's a constant + somewhere near the tailgate. If not, then I'll just run up to my battery.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

Yup that is mine. TRD Sport with the tow package.

 

how bout tapping off the trailer wiring, I'm pretty sure there is +12V in that harness.

Or even more fun, tap off the 110VAC from the inverter plug and wire up some AC lights

 

In you application, depending on how powerful the lights

i would just run directly to the battery

with the appropiate fuse in line with the switch.

 

Yeah I'm thinking that may be the safest. I'll probably end up doing that. I'm out on a call right now though so can't work on it... My truck is sitting in the bay at the station haha. Booo!

 

Running it to the battery sounds like the easiest to me!

 

x2..I wouldn't tap into the bed outlet since its only rated at 400W, that would limit that outlet for other plug-in devices. Tapping into taillights may overload it and blow the fuse.

 

Roger that guys. I'll run it to the battery.

 

I almost ran my reverse lights to the battery but I couldn't figure out a good path. I just wired it into the trailer harness.

I was afraid that a bare 14 gauge wire running along the frame could wear away and cause a short.

Care to show us how you did it?

 

I'll run it to the battery with some wire loom, tuck it up above the frame and zip tie it. I'll take a couple pics in a sec here. It's nothing special really, just two little cheap "driving lights" from Princess Auto, mounted at the top-rear of my canopy.

 

Okay, so... I got fed up trying to figure out the best way to run the power back from the battery annnnd I'm giving up... for now...

Can anyone who wired up switched backup lights, chime in?

EDIT

Is this correct? Has anyone used the constant hot on the trailer wiring? They're 55w lights, according to the box, and since I wont be towing a trailer...yet... I'm sure drawing from the trailer harness would be fine...?

 

Update:
The black wire on our trailer harnesses is 12v+ switched. Only comes on with the key turned to "ON".

Damn... so much for that idea... I guess it's time to run power from the battery... ughhh this is going to suck.

 

Isn't the red hot all the time? I think you have everything you need right there.

 

Not from what I read on trailer wiring diagrams. They said that black was 12v, which is it, but switched 12v.

I decided to man up and run it to the battery.

Fucking disgusting.

When Toyota undercoated it... they did it with a rubberized undercoat. It hasn't fully set up, 6 weeks later. I have rubberized tar shit all over me. In my hair, on my clothes... thankfully I had nitrile gloves on... Gross.

Shower time, then bed, then finish wiring tomorrow.

 

I don't doubt it is switched. But I bet it's switched with a relay. Relays can be removed and jumpered if you can find the relay. Then, constant power and game on.

 

Don't be such a Thornton and run it to the battery .

 

Might want to put in a 12v outlet or 2 while you are pulling wire.

 

Yea even if the trailer harness had a constant hot IDK if i'd mess with it just to be safe. Smart move running a new wire, dont forget about wire loom to protect it. I did the same for bed lights and decided to throw in a 12 outlet in one of the cubbys

 

The whole time running the wire, I was thinking to myself... "I should be running a heavier gauge, and making 12v plug back there...."

I didn't. Blah.

 

It's the BATT CHG relay in the fuse box under the hood.

I could not find unswitched 12 Volts anywhere behind the cab of a 2nd Gen Tacoma. I checked the 2006 and 2010 EWDs when I was wiring the light in my topper.