NOTE: I did this on a Jeep, but this applies to ANY vehicle with a rear hatch or cargo area that needs lighting. You'll need wire cutters etc and some basic skills, but anyone can do this.
I had looked at other pre-made light strips... wrong for me in so many ways. I even contacted some outfits with my concerns and specs but there seemed to be no interest in making what I wanted.
So I made my own. So can you!
Mine had to be white and red LED’s, and the white light needed to be pleasant. Not the damn bluish 6K interrogation light like some are selling as a “kit” on FleaBay.
I wanted something with RGB (deleting the G and B) at about 3.5K to 4K. And a simple 3 way switch.
Off to Super Bright LED’s I went... here are the parts and PN’s from superbrightLEDs.com that you will need to copy this setup:
Here’s the lights I ordered.
This was easy on the Jeep JL because there is an OEM 12v constant hot cigarette plug in the cargo area so I used this as a power supply, deleted it and relocated it in the form a Blue Sea 4.8 amp dual USB right next to the Blue Sea power port that runs the Engel. Charging a tablet on a 1 amp USB sucks, so this should fix that. I also tapped into this source for the LED strip.
12 ga wiring (after I took this photo I realized I wasn’t happy with 16 ga so I rebuilt it in 12 ga), copious heat shrink and marine grade terminals.
On the lighting, I hid the switch where it will be out of the way, with no chance of inadvertent activation or dead battery. No LED light on the switch itself, just a basic on/off switch. Total parasitic draw of the two Blue Sea ports and this switch is around 2 mA. Acceptable given the huge benefits.
Back inside the rear driver’s side panel, wiring is 100% squared away. I added spade terminals inline in case I ever want to take the top off. Several colors of heat shrink tubing denote the LED strip’s OEM brown to my black extension to hot wire from the light strip. Red and white are for their corresponding light switches. Blue is common ground which activates the lights. I use orange zip ties as bread crumbs, they identify anything I’ve added. Everything is armored and chafe proof...
I also ordered a nice extrusion from them to mount the light for a finished look. And a small 3 position switch. These lights are triggered off the ground so that made wiring them a snap. Switch in it’s discrete location just inside the hatch.
Red or white lighting now available at the rear tailgate area for cooking etc. Finis.
I had looked at other pre-made light strips... wrong for me in so many ways. I even contacted some outfits with my concerns and specs but there seemed to be no interest in making what I wanted.
So I made my own. So can you!
Mine had to be white and red LED’s, and the white light needed to be pleasant. Not the damn bluish 6K interrogation light like some are selling as a “kit” on FleaBay.
I wanted something with RGB (deleting the G and B) at about 3.5K to 4K. And a simple 3 way switch.
Off to Super Bright LED’s I went... here are the parts and PN’s from superbrightLEDs.com that you will need to copy this setup:
Here’s the lights I ordered.
This was easy on the Jeep JL because there is an OEM 12v constant hot cigarette plug in the cargo area so I used this as a power supply, deleted it and relocated it in the form a Blue Sea 4.8 amp dual USB right next to the Blue Sea power port that runs the Engel. Charging a tablet on a 1 amp USB sucks, so this should fix that. I also tapped into this source for the LED strip.
12 ga wiring (after I took this photo I realized I wasn’t happy with 16 ga so I rebuilt it in 12 ga), copious heat shrink and marine grade terminals.
On the lighting, I hid the switch where it will be out of the way, with no chance of inadvertent activation or dead battery. No LED light on the switch itself, just a basic on/off switch. Total parasitic draw of the two Blue Sea ports and this switch is around 2 mA. Acceptable given the huge benefits.
Back inside the rear driver’s side panel, wiring is 100% squared away. I added spade terminals inline in case I ever want to take the top off. Several colors of heat shrink tubing denote the LED strip’s OEM brown to my black extension to hot wire from the light strip. Red and white are for their corresponding light switches. Blue is common ground which activates the lights. I use orange zip ties as bread crumbs, they identify anything I’ve added. Everything is armored and chafe proof...
I also ordered a nice extrusion from them to mount the light for a finished look. And a small 3 position switch. These lights are triggered off the ground so that made wiring them a snap. Switch in it’s discrete location just inside the hatch.
Red or white lighting now available at the rear tailgate area for cooking etc. Finis.
