Need help with bed light installation

Hi all,

I'm in need of some technical help! I spent the whole day getting my bed lights installed and wired, but at the end of the day, something is wrong and isn't working properly.

I followed Tullie D's electrical diagram for the most part (see attached). I did, however, attach my RED 2 to my dash light via add-a-circuit. Which the CH4x4 doesn't light up as well.

These are the components I used:

$23 AUTUNEER 60" LED Truck Bed Lights, 2PCS White Truck Bed LED Strip Light Kit, Waterproof Truck Bed Lighting Bar Switch Fuse Splitter Cable for RV SUV Vans Cargo Boats, Auto Lights Strip

Autuneer LED lights

$24 BEST CONNECTIONS 12 Gauge Automotive Primary Wire Bundle (100ft Each, Red & Black) | Ideal for Car Audio, Automotive, and Trailer | Durable Primary/Remote, Power/Ground Electrical Wiring

Wire 12 gauge

120 PCS Factory-Sale Heat Shrink Connector Kit - Electrical Insulated Wire Terminals Crimp Ring Butt Spade Marine Waterproof Automotive

Heat shrink

$20 Absolute USA 2 In-line ATC Fuse Holder, 2 Relay RLS125 12 VCD Automotive Relay SPDT 30/40A and 2 SRS105 12 VDC 5-Pin Relay Socket

Absolute relay
CH4x4 push switch

Using a multimeter, I can verify that the relay is working. Despite that, the CH4x4 is not lighting up and does not work when I press the button. I'm not sure how to trouble shoot this or even where to start troubleshooting. If anyone has any ideas that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Did you test to.see if you have power at the switch?

 

Hey Rd62, thanks for responding. I just used my multimeter, I'm getting no power at the switch despite having power at the relay? (My wire attaching to blue on relay is heat shrinked to the same junction as the wire going to my green on the CH4x4).

 

Looks like its wired correctly according to the diagram (though I'd tie red 2 into a dash illumination circuit). Have you checked your connections where you tied switch power into the feed off the battery and where that is tied into the switch harness?

 

I ended up cutting the cord that attaches to my green. I can verify that the power source is working via my multimeter.

I actually did stray from the original diagram and used an add-a-circuit to attach my Red 2 to my dash lights (tail light). Nothing will illuminate. I'm no engineer but I'm hoping that it's the CH4x4. I just contacted them to see if they can help out.

 

You got a different switch you can hook up to verify? If not, I'd hit the Autoparts store and pick one up just to trouble shoot.

 

Sadly I don't. Everything is also shrink wrapped so I'd prefer not to take all my hard work apart too. However, if that's the easiest way to troubleshoot, I'm all ears.

 

Well, it's pretty basic. If you have power to the switch and not to the relay then either the switch is bad or you have a poor connection between it and the relay. I hear ya on not wanting to mess with the shrink wrap, etc but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I'm just speaking for me, but I'd try another switch to verify.

 

Thank you! I plan on going that direction first - trying a new switch.

 

Hey caribe, I should've clarified. Instead of following the diagram, I attempted to attach my RED 2 to my dash lights via add-a-circuit. Even with my headlights on, it didn't illuminate the CH4x4 switch.

 

Which fuse did you specifically tapped for the "add-a-circuit"?

 

On the add a circuit did you use two fuses of the same amperage in it?

 

Nope - original "tail light" was 7.5amp. I used 3amp for my add-a-circuit.

 

The "tail light".

 

Get 2 7.5A fuses and make sure they are both in the add a circuit.

 

Maybe the switch is bad...

 

Relay actuation juice is less than .5 amps, why would matching the tapped circuit require same fuse amps?

 

In case others want to add to TAIL circuit, the PANEL is in parallel with TAIL using same TAIL relay.

 

I'm no electrician. What I can tell you is that last weekend when installing my ARB fridge monitor I placed one fuse in the tap and left the other spot blank and wouldn't get juice to the monitor. When I added a second fuse, it worked.