Camper shell wiring step-by-step (Picture Load warning!!)

I worked on this today. This wiring harness helped simplify the wiring for me:

American Technology C90-907
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151398632763?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

My third brake light is now working but I don't have my dome light working yet. I found an old wire running all the way from my battery to the bundle of wires in the tail light assembly. I tried hooking it up to that but the light won't work. I'm not sure it's something with the wire, the bulb, or the dome light assembly I bought. I'll try again with a multimeter.

 

I followed this tutorial today except I did not do the quick disconnect. I can always go back and do this in the wire bundle in the bed.

My ONLY source of confusion was the splicing once I cut the brake light wires. There was zero slack so there was no way to use a wire nut to combine all three in the bundle. I had to cut three additional 3-inch sections of wire to extend one side so I had enough slack to pull the two plus the new tie-in for a total of three wires per splice. I taped the heck out of them afterwards. The important thing is it works!! I just hope it holds up now that there are so many joints that can potentially fail with vibrations.

Also, I bought all white wire then used my paint pens to color the ends.

• 1 striped black
• 1 green/red
• 1 all green

I colored the opposite ends to correspond with my 3rd brake light and dome which were red/whi and red/blk

 

Thanks for posting this! I finally wired the lights to my shell today. Oresund mentions the lack of slack once you get the brake light off and start splicing the brake light wires. I was able to use twist on wire connectors (wire nuts) by cutting the electrical tape and sheath all the way back and then unhooking that specific loom from its tucked in position on the bottom of the light housing. It was tight but it worked.

A few things that have been added and should be said again and some new thoughts:

• I didn't drill a hole for wires, there's plenty of room to slip the wires through. Cleaner install, easier, no brainer.
• I wish that I was able to use my interior light without the lights on. Will be running from batt soon.
• If your LEDs appear dim check your ground! My original plan was to ground with a round terminal and it was loose. My LEDs came on but they were very dim and the interior light was acting wonky. I decided to use a wire connector and tap the existing ground in the brake light wires.
• This is a really easy 30 min project that anyone can do!

 

Yes, for anyone reading and wanting to do this... if you want lights/power in your cap without the key in the ignition, you need to run power from the battery. There's simply no way around this. Knowing this before hand will save you a lot of time trying to find power where there is none.

 

you actually dont need the key in the ignition on mine. i am able to flip on my running lights without the key. you do have to flip the running lights on though.

 

Thanks for this write up! I just set up my lighting according to these instructions yesterday. Funny thing though - I initially plugged in the wiring harnesses backwards. Dome light plugged into 3rd brake light and vice versa. So I switched the dome light on and it would only illuminate when I pushed the brakes.

In any case, I discovered as a result of completing this job that only half of the LED 3rd brake light on my camper shell works. Probably going to replace it at some point as well as set up more lighting in the camper shell connected directly to the battery.

So I have a question: With this set up, does the 3rd brake light stay on when you turn on the headlights, just like the main brake lights, then becomes brighter when you push the brake pedal down OR does the 3rd brake light stay off until you push the brakes? Trying to figure out if that's how it is supposed to work or if it is part of the dysfunction of my 3rd brake light (or the wiring, perhaps).

 

Good write up and I just wired up my new (used) LEER shell today. My inspection is due this month so I had to get the brake light wired up asap.

 

Nicely done.

The only thing that I may have done differently is to put a fuse inline between your power sources and your wiring. Your wiring isn't too bad, but you do have a lot of routing and electrical tape which is notorious for getting hot , dried out and coming undone. If this happens and you have a short on your 3rd brake light, and you have a (less amperage) fuse between your brake light circuit and your circuit, you blow the fuse with out blowing your brake light fuse. Same for the dome light.

 

Very informative, however unless I missed it why are people still ghetto rigging stuff when there are heat shrink connectors and quick connects? #justsayin

I purchased this on eBay https://www.ebay.com/itm/221555840250 , which works perfectly for the 4 pin factory connect on my Leer XR100. They also have built in fuse which is nice, the instructions tell you to wire the internal canopy dome to the interior truck dome which sounds like a hassle though especially since the only time you'd be guaranteed power would be if you turned your interior light on or the door was open, if I understand it correctly. So it seems it would make more sense to just wire it directly to the battery, or better yet a secondary fuse box which all your other wiring should be going through any hooo. I'll try and do a full video and post it in the near future.

Otherwise thanks for the posts, never hurts to see other methods as it makes you consider things you didn't.

 

Nice job. Great pix. I am wondering how to do this thing on m 2003 Taco Double Cab. I have a trailer hitch brake wiring fro my jumping jack tent.trailer - so I would prefer to tap into that for the brake light and maybe dome light as well. So if anybody has done something similar it would be very helpful.

110V plugs sound awesome and would be a wonderful addition!!

 

Hey guys thanks for all the detailed info on this thread, really helpful.

I have a SnugTop GB Sport on mine that the canopy dealer forntunately wired the 3rd brake light with a quick disconnect. But my canopy light is a battery powered LED one that is not very bright and I keep forgetting to turn it off since it's not all that bright. Seems like as much as the shell cost this thing should like up like the sun!

Anyways, I'm planning to run a direct line to the battery as most of you suggest and add some bigger LEDs. But with the direct line to the battery I don't want to forget or have my wife forget to turn the dome lights off after leaving. Has anyone figured out or tried using a plunger switch on the canopy side of glass lift gate so the lights come on just like an interior light in the cab?

I'm searching for plunger switches but haven't found the right one yet. Wondering if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks

 

Subd for future use!

 

I wired my Alu-Cab canopy brake light and dome light to my 3rd Gen today. I couldn't find a post that referenced the 3rd Gen wiring as it is different than the 2nd Gen. Wire colors were as follows:
GREEN = DOME
BLUE = BRAKE LIGHT
WHITE = GROUND

I spliced into the white to ground both the dome and brake light. Both lights are LEDs and have minimal draw, so I didn't wire-in fuses for each. If anyone has input on using a separate ground or recommendation on fusing the dome and brake lights I'm all ears. With my set-up, the dome only works when running lights or ignition are on. In the future, I may run constant power (from cargo bed 12v panel install) to the dome with a low-voltage cut-off to prevent draining the battery if the dome was left-on.

Another option for an anytime dome light option are b

$19 RXWLKJ Stick-on Anywhere Portable Little Light Wireless LED Under Cabinet Lights 10-LED Motion Sensor Activated Night Light Build in Rechargeable Battery Magnetic Tap Lights for Closet, Cabinet

attery powered LED lights from Amazon.

 

Nice write up, I will be doing this to my camper this weekend. Only thing I will add is a switch on the hood prop I got on Amazon.com

$20 Valterra Diamond Group 52479 Automatic On/Off Switch

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P6N0BKU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_VqV.AbKQP0H6Z

So I don't have to worry about leaving the light on during night deliveries.

 

Here it is installed and how it works.
https://youtu.be/aTd9pbbrt7U

 

Worked perfect! Thanks for the directions.

 

I just used these instructions and I got great results. I didn’t have to do any drilling. On the3rd gens there is a small gap on the floor of the bed right behind the metal beam by the tailgate leading to the brake light. I routed my wires to the light through the gap.

 

So stoked for my new topper. Great info here!

 

Im not knocking the previous methods used but I can’t imagine completely cutting the factory wires to the taillight! Why wouldn’t you use a Posi-Tap made by Posi-Lock to simply tap the brake light hot and run the ground to the body ground behind the tail light for the 3rd brake light.

As for the LED Dome, the only way is to run a dedicated hot from the battery so you can add additional LED strips too. I would think the ground at taillights would also work for grounding the low draw.

My camper shell has been ordered for a couple of weeks now so I will be instructing the installer on how I want the new camper wired. I have 3rd brake light, dome LED, and keyless remote that will have to be wired. I’m already looking for separate connectors to isolate each connection.

I’ll post pics when I get it installed.

 

no one else thinks using wire nuts & pliers crimps a little shaky?