wiring question. trying to avoid running another wire from bed to battery.

Whats up guys & gals (and everything in-between)

So I'am totally new to wiring stuff (still learning) and I had a question about an idea I had to save myself from running an additional wire from my bed rack all the way to the front battery. I just wanted to verify if its a good idea with people more knowledgeable than I.

So, I have a fused 12v wire coming from the battery to my bed lights- Can I tap this wire to a relay Im thinking of attaching somewhere behind the taillights?
My plan is to attach 2 light pods to my rack, and have the wiring, relay, & ground all connected behind the taillight. (where my bed light wiring already is)
*simple diagram attached to show my plan.

or should I just quit being a lazy bitch & run its own separate 12v fused wire to the battery? since I need to run a wire up there anyways to a switch on my dash.

or any ideas to why it might not be a good idea?

 

is the wire that is run large enough to support all the load being on at one time

that is the question you need to find out

 

The cleanest way is run 1 larger fused cable to the rear, to an auxiliary fuse panel. Then run your bed wiring projects off that rather than tapping off wiring here and there.

the way you want to do it isn’t wrong, but it’s cleaner to do it off a dedicated panel where you can easily fuse each accessory.

 

You can wire it the way you have drawn the diagram IF the power draw can be supported by the wire gauge.
It can be cleaner to basically make a little power hub in the rear especially IF you want to add more in the future.

If the +12v fused power in the diagram is on a switch then you will need to power on the bed lights then the pods.

Assuming the light pods are rated in watts:

watts=volts x amps

Example:
pods
40watts* = 12v x amps
Therefore amps = 3.3amp

*40 watts total (20 watts each)

Bed lights
20watts = 12v x amps
Therefore amps= 1.6 amps

3.3+1.6 = 4.9amps

Safety factor of 1.5
4.9 x 1.5 = 7.3amps

**Google DC stranded wire gauge table**

wire gauge needs to be 14awg or thicker

 

Thank you guys. I spaced out & didn’t even consider the wire gauge as a factor!

 

OP, you have a fused circuit which may not even be "used". Towing Battery Charger circuit.

Tap the juice, place inline fuse, run to relay (pins 30 & 86) then to added lamps. Send wire from relay pin 85 (Coil) to dash switch. Switch to ground.