Turning on the bed light without the interior light
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Turning on the bed light without the interior light
I have a '96 1500 4x4 Sport, and my bed light won't turn on without first turning on the interior lights. Of course, if I'm in the truck and trying to check something out in my bed, the interior lights immediately cause a reflection that pretty much keeps me from being able to see anything in the bed. So, I want to rig it so that I can turn on the bed light without turning on the interior lights. I'm pretty sure later Rams have this feature already. Has anybody esle ever done this mod? Can I just swap out the switch from a later year? I'd rather not have to start from scratch on this project, so I'm just hoping somebody else has done this already. Thanks.
Mike.
Mike.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 3
From: Bett-neee
RE: Turning on the bed light without the interior light
two options.. just off the top of my head.. youll notice as soon as you dial the switch upwards,, your inside lights come on, and go farther your bed light comes on.. now.. just a theory.. but if you were to take the swtich out .. meter what feed wires go to the inside and cargo lights.. and snip them and just swap them..reconnect.. then this should reverse the order .. so your cargo light will come on first and then your inside lights.. so when you turn the dial to the first detent (notch) the voltage thatused to go to theinside lights first will now be redirrected to the cargo lights.. and the second detent will send voltage that sued to control the cargo light will not run the interior lights...now obviously there will be a difference in draw,, so you may have to play with some fuzes..also..this is just a theory that jumped out my head on the moment.. not sure if it will work flawlessly... id have to test it .. only complication i could see is some models.. some of these circuits run through the CTM (central timing modual, incharge of wiper delay, keyless remote etc etc etc) for the timed and auto shutoff of interior lights and some other things worth a shot thugh
second option thats just off the top of my head
like before..remove the switch and meter out the cargo lamp power wire, cut it there, add wire and relocate it to a aux. switch located wherever of your choice, fed by a 12V (constant would be best i think,, so you dont have to use the key to just get a quick peek in the bed,, or if you were working at night and didnt watnt to leave your keys in the ignition or )
im sure when i go to bed in 10 mins.. 3 other ideas will pop in.. but i wont remember them in the AM.. lol
second option thats just off the top of my head
like before..remove the switch and meter out the cargo lamp power wire, cut it there, add wire and relocate it to a aux. switch located wherever of your choice, fed by a 12V (constant would be best i think,, so you dont have to use the key to just get a quick peek in the bed,, or if you were working at night and didnt watnt to leave your keys in the ignition or )
im sure when i go to bed in 10 mins.. 3 other ideas will pop in.. but i wont remember them in the AM.. lol
Grand Champion
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,704
Likes: 0
From: Warminster, PA
RE: Turning on the bed light without the interior light
ORIGINAL: shott8283
two options.. just off the top of my head.. youll notice as soon as you dial the switch upwards,, your inside lights come on, and go farther your bed light comes on.. now.. just a theory.. but if you were to take the swtich out .. meter what feed wires go to the inside and cargo lights.. and snip them and just swap them..reconnect.. then this should reverse the order .. so your cargo light will come on first and then your inside lights.. so when you turn the dial to the first detent (notch) the voltage thatused to go to theinside lights first will now be redirrected to the cargo lights.. and the second detent will send voltage that sued to control the cargo light will not run the interior lights...now obviously there will be a difference in draw,, so you may have to play with some fuzes..also..this is just a theory that jumped out my head on the moment.. not sure if it will work flawlessly... id have to test it .. only complication i could see is some models.. some of these circuits run through the CTM (central timing modual, incharge of wiper delay, keyless remote etc etc etc) for the timed and auto shutoff of interior lights and some other things worth a shot thugh
second option thats just off the top of my head
like before..remove the switch and meter out the cargo lamp power wire, cut it there, add wire and relocate it to a aux. switch located wherever of your choice, fed by a 12V (constant would be best i think,, so you dont have to use the key to just get a quick peek in the bed,, or if you were working at night and didnt watnt to leave your keys in the ignition or )
im sure when i go to bed in 10 mins.. 3 other ideas will pop in.. but i wont remember them in the AM.. lol
two options.. just off the top of my head.. youll notice as soon as you dial the switch upwards,, your inside lights come on, and go farther your bed light comes on.. now.. just a theory.. but if you were to take the swtich out .. meter what feed wires go to the inside and cargo lights.. and snip them and just swap them..reconnect.. then this should reverse the order .. so your cargo light will come on first and then your inside lights.. so when you turn the dial to the first detent (notch) the voltage thatused to go to theinside lights first will now be redirrected to the cargo lights.. and the second detent will send voltage that sued to control the cargo light will not run the interior lights...now obviously there will be a difference in draw,, so you may have to play with some fuzes..also..this is just a theory that jumped out my head on the moment.. not sure if it will work flawlessly... id have to test it .. only complication i could see is some models.. some of these circuits run through the CTM (central timing modual, incharge of wiper delay, keyless remote etc etc etc) for the timed and auto shutoff of interior lights and some other things worth a shot thugh
second option thats just off the top of my head
like before..remove the switch and meter out the cargo lamp power wire, cut it there, add wire and relocate it to a aux. switch located wherever of your choice, fed by a 12V (constant would be best i think,, so you dont have to use the key to just get a quick peek in the bed,, or if you were working at night and didnt watnt to leave your keys in the ignition or )
im sure when i go to bed in 10 mins.. 3 other ideas will pop in.. but i wont remember them in the AM.. lol
Also if you just ran you own wires up to the light from a power sourch with a switch and connected the power to the positive and negative on the light you know like a whole seperate wiring set up
or the easiest thing you can do is get a flashlight and duct tape it to your roof at a good angle...... your choice