Adding a light to my Cab, wiring harness questions

[V8BoatBuilder]

2000 4cyl long bed.

I'm looking to add a set of dome lights to my cap, and also a 3rd brake light, basically "repeat" the 3rd brake light/bed light assembly on the rear of the cab.

Is there a place, besides the bed light/3rd brake light to tap into the wiring harness, say, near the tailgate? Someone must have done this before.

 

[Tbars4]

...a trick for doing this is to pull your drivers side tail light...you can attach to the brake wire for the third brake light and also, you can attach to your tail lamp for the for the running lites, for the power for the dome lights...this will work so you won't leave the cap lights on...

...if you want the dome lights on their own power you would then have to pull a new fused wire from the battery..good luck on your ranger project...

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Drivers side taillight... will pull her off tomorrow.

You don't know the color of the brake-only light, do you, or is it really obvious? This truck has the brake/turn single lamp combo tails.

 

[rwenzing]

The dome light operated by the door ajar switches is black/light blue. You can find the wire above the dome or under the dash at the relay box to the right of the column.

The dome map light circuit will give you a constant power source if you want to have the cap light operated by a switch independent of the cab door ajar switches. It is light green/orange and is also available at the dome or relay box.

[Note: both of the above circuits go dead about 20 minutes after the key is off and all cab doors have been shut (Battery Saver Circuit).]

The cap CHMSL could be powered from the dark green at the cab CHMSL. You can also pick it up brake light power at the light green wire at the 8-pin connector at end of the driver side frame rail. (with 2000-up Ranger, you don't want to tap the brake lamp circuit at either tail because it is also the blinker. If you did it that way, the cap CHMSL would flash with the turn signal on that side.)

 

[Tbars4]

.. i would probe it...i learned a long time ago that ford uses various colored wires on their electrical...better safe than sorry...

...rwenzig is our local ranger wiring expert..

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Thanks for the tips Bob... That'll save me lots of multi-meter time tomorrow!

I'm going to wire the cap lights (12v fluorescents!) to a three position switch (on-off-on) for auto with the interior dome light, off, or constant from the battery. Switch will be in the cap, near the tailgate. I'm also wiring a 30A cigarette lighter outlet to power an inverter, compressor, whatnot.