Camper top light help

2011FPKP4X2 · #1 03-24-2012, 07:19 PM

i recently picked up a camper top cheap on craigslist and wanted to add a light to it. i picked up a cheap indoor/outdoor dome light with a off/on switch at oreilly. i'm wanting to know what would be the best way to wire it up

FireRanger · #2 03-24-2012, 07:34 PM

There is no battery power in the back to tap into. So you have two choices...

1) Run a wire to the battery and put a switch inside the camper top to turn the light on/off.

2) Run the wire to the dome light [+] wire. That way the light comes on any time you open a door or turn on the dome light.

2011FPKP4X2 · #3 03-24-2012, 07:50 PM

well the light i got already a push switch on it. heres what i did earlier and you can tell me what i did wrong. i ran the [-] wire and grounded it behind the tail light. ran the [+] strait to the battery. the light was very dim and the wire started to smoke at the battery. so did i hook it up wrong, or maybe wrong gauge wire? ( i used 18g).

jayboy1015 · #4 03-24-2012, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011FPKP4X2

well the light i got already a push switch on it. heres what i did earlier and you can tell me what i did wrong. i ran the [-] wire and grounded it behind the tail light. ran the [+] strait to the battery. the light was very dim and the wire started to smoke at the battery. so did i hook it up wrong, or maybe wrong gauge wire? ( i used 18g).

I'm not a pro, but that should have worked fine. I would do what fireranger says. - splice it in with the dome light or with the bed cargo light built in with the third brake light (ideally the 3rd brake light should be disconnected anyways so I doesn't reflect back into the cab). So you can take the plug from the brake light, use it to power the brake light on the camper shell and disconnect the cargo light wire and run to your new light.

Jayboy -Sent from my iPhone using FRF App

FireRanger · #5 03-24-2012, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011FPKP4X2

...and the wire started to smoke at the battery. so did i hook it up wrong...

Here's a hint. The only thing smoke is supposed to come out of on your truck is the tailpipe. Anywhere else, something is not right.

Also a great example of why you need to use a fuse.

jayboy1015 · #6 03-24-2012, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireRanger

Here's a hint. The only thing smoke is supposed to come out of on your truck is the tailpipe. Anywhere else, something is not right.

Also a great example of why you need to use a fuse.

Lol. True facts. I actually had a whole wire burn up on my first wiring job on my first car when I was 16 from not using fuses.

Jayboy -Sent from my iPhone using FRF App

1 SIK RANGER · #7 03-24-2012, 11:34 PM

My buddy almost killed me from not using a fuse. We were doing air bags on his truck and we had everything done and when i went to tighten the bed bolts it shorted a wire which in turn opened the valve and if the jack stand had not been there the frame would have fallen right across my chest. Ok maybe not killed me, but it would have hurt like hell!

With the wires, it should have worked just fine, but obviously something was not right with something. You could have accidentally wired the light in backwards.

And honestly with LED's these days i would just get a battery powered led light, they are bright and no wiring required!

2011FPKP4X2 · #8 03-24-2012, 11:47 PM

Well stupid me never even thought of putting a fuse on it lol. Any idea on what amp fuse i should get? Or maybe it would best thing to do to tap into the dome light since i don't have cargo lights.

FireRanger · #9 03-25-2012, 06:48 AM

You need to find the problem that caused it to overload and smoke too. You have something shorted to ground.

2011FPKP4X2 · #10 03-25-2012, 07:26 AM

Im thinking im going to run a new wire under the truck just to make sure its not pinched or something