[Titleist]

Anyone tapped into cargo lights when adding your bed lights. I want them to function like my Sierra did, when cargo light switch is activated. I just don't know the easiest place to tap cargo light wire?

 

[walshie]

Anyone tapped into cargo lights when adding your bed lights. I want them to function like my Sierra did, when cargo light switch is activated. I just don't know the easiest place to tap cargo light wire?

If you have a 16+, there is a pigtail behind driver's side taillight controlled by the bed light switch.

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[Titleist]

If you have a 16+, there is a pigtail behind driver's side taillight controlled by the bed light switch.

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Interesting. Yeah I have a 17, so hopefully it's there. Are there any pics of the pigtail on the web?

Thanks

 

[csufsnwbrdr]

Interesting. Yeah I have a 17, so hopefully it's there. Are there any pics of the pigtail on the web?

Thanks

Just did it on my '18 this weekend. Prior post is correct, should be a connection point under the driver-side tail light that works off the same switch for the cargo lights. Easiest to see if you slide under the truck and it'll be up higher than you'd think. Can't really see it if you pull the tail lights (which I'd recommend anyways, just makes fishing the wires easier). My '16 had two small wires about 2-3" long coming out of the end of the connector, my '18 just had a dead-plug in the connector. Follow the tail-light harness up to the tail light and you'll find it. Easiest to remove the connector if you take it off the truck mounting (like a little gray barbed insert). Slide the gray tab back, push down and pull it out! If you've had the truck a while, wear safety glasses, I was amazed at the crap that fell off it even on the new one!

Bit of forewarning on two things..... First, putting the GM light package on (about $135 on Amazon amazingly) you'll have to break off two tabs on the underside of the plastic cap rails for the lights to go into place properly. Second, the lights are a B&%#@ to install.... Find the SMALLEST ratchet you can and an open end wrench. Oh and DO NOT connect them, but DO run the wires first. The driver-side wire runs behind the light itself then you loop it to plug it in. Check them before you screw them in though, I had a bad one out of the box on the '16 and well... that leads back to part 2). Easiest was to get the screws started by hand once you pop the clips in but that's good for MAYBE a turn or two as you can't get a grip on the screw head because of the sliding washer on it. Then its open-end wrench 1/4 turn at a time until you can somehow get the ratchet in it. Takes maybe an hour for the full install.

I'd be curious if anyone else has tied in the LED light strips to that same connector with a self-made harness. probably give you more light but it's still decent when it's pitch black out and you've got nothing else!

 

[KMW]

There's a whole thread on here somewhere on bed lights with pictures of the pigtail and everything.

I did mine with some LED strip lights. I pulled the taillight for access, unplugged the pigtail, soldered/shrink-wrapped they pigtail to the harness I made, and plugged out back in. Works great!

Probably have $15 into it and an hour of my time.

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[Fasted58]

This thread is relevant to my interests. I loaded the bed after midnight a few days ago and the cargo light was pretty useless especially w/ the hard tonneau folded up against the cab back. Yea, I want LED bed lights now.

 

[hyperv6]

The 17 has it as my Denali came with the lights and that is were they tied them in.

 

[pltctycanyon]

just use battery operated magnetic or stick anywhere leds cheap and available everywhere

 

[bnemmie]

I did this mod with a self made harness. Spliced some waterproof connectors into the factory pigtail:



And used some VHB tape to attach some water proof LED strips to the underside of the bedrails:



The result is nice even light bright as hell and costs a fraction of that the OEM system would have:



Very pleased with the result. The circuit is tied into the factory system so it's fused and timed properly with the factory bed light switch. Plus I added a couple lights under the back bumper to act as backup/reverse lights.

 

[rustynut2]

I did it to my 17 base model. The pigtail was hidden but saw the 2 wires that went nowhere easy enough, just trace them back a bit and plug the factory wire kit in.

 

[wjmorris26]

I did this mod with a self made harness. Spliced some waterproof connectors into the factory pigtail:



And used some VHB tape to attach some water proof LED strips to the underside of the bedrails:



The result is nice even light bright as hell and costs a fraction of that the OEM system would have:



Very pleased with the result. The circuit is tied into the factory system so it's fused and timed properly with the factory bed light switch. Plus I added a couple lights under the back bumper to act as backup/reverse lights.

Very nice! do you have a write up on your install? Didn't find one.

I am mainly interest in the connectors you used to splice into the pig tail and those LED strips, those are really bright!

Thanks!

 

[Titleist]

Ok, so I found the pigtail. Thanks to you folks! It's under the driver side taillight( I didn't remove light). I bought a led bed kit at wall Mart for $20. It comes with 8 rectangle led lights (4 per side). I hooked into the pigtail and whole process took about 30 minutes. I'll give it a try tonight, but they seem pretty bright.

 

[ocelot]

Do you have a link for those LED strips by chance?

I did this mod with a self made harness. Spliced some waterproof connectors into the factory pigtail:



And used some VHB tape to attach some water proof LED strips to the underside of the bedrails:



The result is nice even light bright as hell and costs a fraction of that the OEM system would have:



Very pleased with the result. The circuit is tied into the factory system so it's fused and timed properly with the factory bed light switch. Plus I added a couple lights under the back bumper to act as backup/reverse lights.

 

[maxwell_hau5_caffy]

I wrote a how to on this for my '16.

http://coloradofans.com/forums/385-...-oem-led-bed-lighting-enhancment-16-rado.html

 

[bnemmie]

Very nice! do you have a write up on your install? Didn't find one.

I am mainly interest in the connectors you used to splice into the pig tail and those LED strips, those are really bright!

Thanks!

Do you have a link for those LED strips by chance?

Glad you like them. I diddnt do a write up but I posted about them here: http://coloradofans.com/forums/201-...331201-bed-lighting-addressable-rgb-rope.html

My post start at #11. There should be current links to the waterproof connectors and the 5050 LED Strips.

Its not much of a build, but if you have any other questions let me know.

 

[Z71CYBER]

so for those of us with a 15 without the pigtail gift, where do we splice in, at the trailer hitch harness?

 

[GeneT]

so for those of us with a 15 without the pigtail gift, where do we splice in, at the trailer hitch harness?

If you want to operate it with the cargo light switch it's a little complicated but I believe a member posted how he did it.
I have a '16 but didn't want to use the cargo light switch so I tapped into the trailer wiring.

 

[ocelot]

Glad you like them. I diddnt do a write up but I posted about them here: http://coloradofans.com/forums/201-...331201-bed-lighting-addressable-rgb-rope.html

My post start at #11. There should be current links to the waterproof connectors and the 5050 LED Strips.

Its not much of a build, but if you have any other questions let me know.

In that thread there is talk of wiring both ends of the LED strip... did you wire both ends of the strip or just 1 end? Thanks

 

[bnemmie]

In that thread there is talk of wiring both ends of the LED strip... did you wire both ends of the strip or just 1 end? Thanks

Just to one end. I did three separate plugs into the factory pigtail. One for each side of the bed lights. That way if one side dies, I can swap out just that side. The third plug is for the work/reverse lights I hung off the back bumper.

 

[MV10]

Where/how are you guys running the wires so they stay put under the rail?

I've only taken a quick look but I didn't see anything that looked too convenient (openings for the almighty zip-tie).