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Residual glow on LED bed lights when off

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by kilarabit, Sep 25, 2020.

  1. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:07 AM
    #1
    kilarabit

    kilarabit [OP] New Member

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    Leveled (3/1 fabtech coilover kit) RCI aluminum front skid plate 2019 LED Tundra Headlight Conversion Stillen RAM front CAI Tundra Pro - color match grille and bulge Color matched endcaps (front and rear) Color matched door handles Kenwood DNX996XR headunit 12" JL sub behind rear seat 4 hertz 6.5" speakers/tweeters in doors 2 Kenwood tweeters in dash Front camera install LED Bedlight (always on with button on/off) VLED puddle lights in side mirrors ALL LED interior light changeover Red Footwell lighting on all seats Wireless charger in center console armrest
    I just did the install described in this post (easy to do with an amazing write up)

    https://www.tundras.com/threads/diy-led-bed-lights-w-timer.18222/

    I did everything outlined except for the timer, and instead of leaving the fuse that is installed stock on the led lightning kit I took that off and wired an inline 5A blade fuse at the battery.

    So with this setup (also has 10A push button to turn the lights on and off while the truck isn’t powered on) when the truck is off AND the lights are turned off, there is still a residual glow coming from the LED light strips in he truck bed.

    I can’t figure out why it is still having this afterglow.

    With the lights wired straight to the battery with a 5A fuse, is this the best way to do this? Or should I wire it to a different area for an always on (constant power supply) so I can use the lights when the truck is off? (I.e. a fuse area in the fuse box or tap into a always on wire?)
     
  2. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:26 AM
    #2
    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

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    Where'd you run the ground?
     
  3. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:29 AM
    #3
    kilarabit

    kilarabit [OP] New Member

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    Leveled (3/1 fabtech coilover kit) RCI aluminum front skid plate 2019 LED Tundra Headlight Conversion Stillen RAM front CAI Tundra Pro - color match grille and bulge Color matched endcaps (front and rear) Color matched door handles Kenwood DNX996XR headunit 12" JL sub behind rear seat 4 hertz 6.5" speakers/tweeters in doors 2 Kenwood tweeters in dash Front camera install LED Bedlight (always on with button on/off) VLED puddle lights in side mirrors ALL LED interior light changeover Red Footwell lighting on all seats Wireless charger in center console armrest
    I attached it to a bolt that was on the bed panel support (this attaches to a metal support which is then bolted directly to the bed panel of the truck.

    Everything is working fine except for this glow, so I thought the ground was decent?
     
    831Tun[QUOTED] likes this.
  4. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:40 AM
    #4
    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

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    You might try running it directly to the battery. Just remove it from it's present spot and use a jumper directly to the battery to test.
     
  5. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:43 AM
    #5
    kilarabit

    kilarabit [OP] New Member

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    you mean to the negative side of the battery?

    I have the power run all the way from the battery, so running a negative would mean i have to cut open the entire loom i made and taped shut, so if there's an alternative to that I would be ALL ears. I did this same install on my buddy's truck (grounded to the frame) and he has no glow. So not too sure running the ground to the battery would do much?
     
  6. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:58 AM
    #6
    HulkSmurf14

    HulkSmurf14 ...Weighted Average...

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    Tastefully enhanced...
    I used the bed panel as my ground and ran another thicker wire with a Posi-Loc in-line towards the battery...tho, not right on it...that should help with more grounds...

    Edit: Be sure to completely cover the switch connections so those don't rub on any metal! That took me a bit to do but either use the liquid electrical tape or high-quality 3M electrical tape as it seems to hold and conform to edges and the connections better...food for thought.
     
  7. Sep 25, 2020 at 7:58 AM
    #7
    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

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    I suggest the the jumper so you can test w/o molesting your harness. The issue you have is, I believe, either the ground or the switch. I almost never ground to the frame. I've got tons of auxiliary wiring and have found over the years that 90% of issues are directly related to ground. Therefore, I always run my grounds to a bus block near the battery that's connected directly to the neg. terminal of the battery.
     
    1lowlife likes this.
  8. Sep 25, 2020 at 8:14 AM
    #8
    kilarabit

    kilarabit [OP] New Member

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    2016 Tundra TRD Limited - Super White
    Leveled (3/1 fabtech coilover kit) RCI aluminum front skid plate 2019 LED Tundra Headlight Conversion Stillen RAM front CAI Tundra Pro - color match grille and bulge Color matched endcaps (front and rear) Color matched door handles Kenwood DNX996XR headunit 12" JL sub behind rear seat 4 hertz 6.5" speakers/tweeters in doors 2 Kenwood tweeters in dash Front camera install LED Bedlight (always on with button on/off) VLED puddle lights in side mirrors ALL LED interior light changeover Red Footwell lighting on all seats Wireless charger in center console armrest
    So I used this switch:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QKY892P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    So the connections are all covered by the plastic where the switch connects to the wiring harness. To make it where the light on the switch is on (so i can see it in the dark) I wired (I believe) Red to #3 blue, Black to #4 blue and then connected the two yellow wires together (they are 'normal closed pin') --> didn't know if these were just supposed to be capped or wired together so this may be the reason too. The red/blue, black/blue bundles are then wired to the +/- of the led lights, then to the battery and black grounded.

    Apart from this, any metal that could possibly be exposed has been covered with shrink wrap or tape (or both because Maine weather is no joke). So apart from the two yellow wires being together, and the ground the ONLY other possible solution I can think of is that the inline fuse I have at the battery is a 5A, and the switch is rated as a 10A.

    I can definitely move the ground pretty easily so I will try that first when i get back from my trip this weekend, but wouldn't mind your thoughts on if any of these other troubleshooting spots would be the culprit.

    Thanks again.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2020
    HulkSmurf14[QUOTED] likes this.
  9. Sep 25, 2020 at 8:17 AM
    #9
    kilarabit

    kilarabit [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2019
    Member:
    #34263
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2016 Tundra TRD Limited - Super White
    Leveled (3/1 fabtech coilover kit) RCI aluminum front skid plate 2019 LED Tundra Headlight Conversion Stillen RAM front CAI Tundra Pro - color match grille and bulge Color matched endcaps (front and rear) Color matched door handles Kenwood DNX996XR headunit 12" JL sub behind rear seat 4 hertz 6.5" speakers/tweeters in doors 2 Kenwood tweeters in dash Front camera install LED Bedlight (always on with button on/off) VLED puddle lights in side mirrors ALL LED interior light changeover Red Footwell lighting on all seats Wireless charger in center console armrest
    AHHHHHH gotcha, in my head I read that different. :(

    Per the switch (I replied to @HulkSmurf14 with how the 10A switch is wired "So the connections are all covered by the plastic where the switch connects to the wiring harness. To make it where the light on the switch is on (so i can see it in the dark) I wired (I believe) Red to #3 blue, Black to #4 blue and then connected the two yellow wires together (they are 'normal closed pin') --> didn't know if these were just supposed to be capped or wired together so this may be the reason too." The red/blue, black/blue bundles are then wired to the +/- of the led lights, then to the battery and black grounded.)

    So I don't know if that sound right but with that wiring setup it is working other than the glow.

    But I will try relocating the ground and seeing if that helps the issue (could be because the connection is (technically) on the bumper that it's losing some of the ground)

    Thanks for any further insight on this!
     
    HulkSmurf14 likes this.

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