Bed lights w/hidden tailgate trigger

I have an access cab so I don’t have a cargo light switch nor do I want one. I ordered the OEM bed lights and triggered them off a mercury switch in the tailgate.
Mount switch to 10mm in tail gate

I was installing tailgate actuator at the same time so I opened the loom and ran wires through the grommets that came with the actuator.

Run the two wires from the mercury switch to the driver side bed light location.

I hooked my 10ga power directly to the battery. I used 10ga in case I needed it for something in the future. I also ran two additional wires for future stuff.

I used a 7.5 amp fuse to protect the wire.

I ran the 10ga through the firewall.

I then ran it and additional wires through the grommet under the drivers seat.

I ran all the wires in the same loom alongside the factory loom. I stopped at the factory ground on the frame in the drivers rear fender and hooked up my 10ga ground there and ran it along with the other loomed wires up to the drives side bed light.

Run a pair of wires over to the passenger side bed light.

On the drivers side hook all your power wires together. Hook your ground from the frame to one of the wires from the mercury switch. Hook the other wire from the mercury switch to the bed light grounds. Adjust mercury switch to your liking. Keep in mind you don’t want it triggering going up hills. Hope this helps some poor soul having to use their cargo light switch for bed lights.

 

So disco light in the bed when road is unimproved...

 

Mercury switch eh? Crafty! What's the rating on one of them bad boys?

 

If you trigger them while driving you have bigger problems than disco lights.

 

It’s only 5 amp. If you need something bigger just use the mercury switch to trigger a relay.

 

I don't, the road will...bounce bounce...boogie wonderland...

 

how do you think that switch will hold up to vibration and general wear and tear from driving around?

 

They last a really long time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one go bad and I’ve been using them for 30yrs. We use them for hood triggers for alarms and remote start.

 

That's a good idea. I went the easy route I have an LED light in my bed cap, but I bought two smaller battery powered LED light bars that have light and motion sensors or can be turned on/off with a switch on the light. I used industrial Velcro to attach to the cap carpet above each side windoor. Now if I open either windoor, back window or tailgate, and its dark out, they come on. The only issue I have had with my setup is I had an empty box sliding around in my bed one morning and it made the lights come on a couple of times on my commute. It is nice having the lights turn on automatically when accessing things from the back in the dark w/out having to go toggle a switch in the cab or even in the bed cap roof.

 

For you guys looking for a lighting solution without any hassle I used the Matt Gecko LED kit in the bed and it’s been amazing. Super easy install and very reliable so far. I have his engine bay kit as well but haven’t installed.

 

Cool. I have only seen them in things like thermostats and angle safety switches, they looked fragile to me.

 

Amazing what this covid 19 thing has produced.

 

I did something similar but used a magnetic switch. The switch closes/activates when the magnet is pulled from it (opening tailgate) and opens/deactivate when the tailgate is closed.

$20 Magnetic Switch, Standard Packaging,Black

https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Ele...eywords=magnetic+switch&qid=1612189828&sr=8-5

 

Curious any 12 volts available from hitch light connector ?

$6.36
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Magnetic-S...normally-Close-Door-Alarm-Window-Car-Security

 

It's a neat idea, although I don't understand why you were opposed to installing an OEM Cargo Light switch in the dash?

FWIW The stock Mercury Switch (I'm assuming that's what it was) failed on my '17 F-550 causing the hood light to stay on all the time. Either that or it didn't like the angle the truck sits at when it's backed-in to it's spot next to my garage (the front of the truck points-down at ~5 Degrees).

 

Mine is a 2021 and it only had ignition. I know 2nd gens had 12v. You could do a jumper at the relay and get 12v back there if you don’t have it but I felt better just running one. Had to run wires anyway for the rear puddle lights I did. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/useful-puddle-lights.703630/

 

I considered that but wanted everything hidden so not to be knocked off. I move firewood around my property and it’s a switch destroyer. Probably fine and a better route for some.

 

Access cabs don’t have a cargo switch and even if it did I like not having to do an extra maneuver to have lights when getting something out of the bed. My bed cover should be in next week. That’s what I’m really needing them for. I’m sure most would be find with the switch though. Different strokes.

 

That is actually what happened and I've been to lazy to figure out a solution so I don't knock it off.