Homemade telescoping rear work/scene/chase light.

Hey guys. I made this telescoping scene light up about a year ago from Amazon components, a couple trips to home depot and an extra Hi-lift jack mounting bracket I had lying in my garage. After a year of service, helping me set up camp in the dark and pack up tools at the end of a longer than expected work day, I figured I show it off and post a couple of the things I used if anyone wants to copy it.

The pictures are here:

https://imgur.com/gallery/EXbUsMH

I wanted something that telescoped up and would swivel where I wanted it so I looked through amazon and found this RV antenna mount that looked like I could use it. I cut off the bottom bracket and didn't use the middle one.

Tube here:

$35 Able Signal Telescope Telescoping Antenna Mast Mount 59" Length 1.1" Diameter fits wa2608, Model:, Electronic Store

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EQFCTC6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then I took apart a curly 12v socket extender to run up the middle and replaced the ends with 2 pin waterproof DT connectors, all my accessories are DT connected so I can take them apart where I want.

curly wire here:

$10 Cigarette Lighter Extension Cord 12V Car Charger Socket Power Plug Cable 18AWG - UL Listed Extra Long (12 Ft Uncoiled / 2.5 Ft Coiled)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077ZM1X9M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

after that, I ran to home depot and picked up some U bolts. I drilled what I think is a Hi-Lift jack mount bracket to accept the u-bolts, but I'm guessing almost any bedrail accessory mount bracket could work.

While at home depot, I found rubber feet for chair legs that fit perfectly on the outside of the top of the tube and the inside of the bottom tube. These were inserted mostly to protect the cable from rubbing or being cut by the bare aluminium tube of the light pole. A hole was drilled in both with a unibit so I could get the cable and connector through.

The bracket on top is just another U bolt around the top and a couple holes drilled into a bracket that came with the light to make it work

Then, I just connected up the wire to the cheapest amazon flood light, wired it into my truck's tacoma pros fuse box on a relay and popped another button labeled 'rear light'. The wire is shielded and run along a loom and connects up to another homemade loom for other accessories, and even though I don't have pictures of that, it's a pretty clean wiring job that I'm proud of.

All in I think I spent around 100 bucks with the trip to home depot and a roll of cable shielding that I had to pick up. It's been totally worth it and although the 'scene light' itself might not be the cleanest production look, I don't think it's too hokey to look out of place on the truck. The wiring is solid, and the thing has come in useful more than a few times, so it's staying on.

Thanks, hope you enjoyed.

 

That’s pretty cool! I was thinking of something similar with my light but with magnets to where I can just stick it on the roof pointing where I need it.

 

I really like this!

Too bad I have the stock cover on the back of mine.......

 

Very nice! I was looking at these

Uboway Outdoor Lamp Telescopic Fishing Rod Lamp with IR Remote for Camping, Fishing, Travelling, Party 12V

https://www.amazon.com/UBOWAY-Outdoor-Telescopic-Fishing-Travelling/dp/B0757FGB2H

But I'm not keen on how cheap they look.

I like your version better

 

That thing does have the advantage of getting up really high. My light is probably only around 10 feet off ground level.