Adding lights to F250 doors
UPDATE: FYI Before you continue...I modified a set of door lights to fit our Ford. Been enjoying my door lights for a while now, However I just stumbled on couple of vendors now selling a set that are MADE for the 99/07 superduty...err. Cost twice as much, still need to wire unless you have lights but no hacking. Figures...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZV1LDTC
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B462CT8M .. sure would have been easier, oh well. On to my 'custom' hack
Factory 2001 F250, has reflectors on the doors. When removing reflectors to access the hold down screw for door panel your greeted with what is obviously supposed to be a light. Recessed and a hole with 4 square cut outs for a bulb socket.
Not a lot of info here-mostly talking to myself- figuring it out as I go. Changed directions several times.
Every time I've had occasion to remove the door panels, which I did several times adding upholstery to door, it gripes me to no end that neither the bulb socket or wiring is present. Ford even quit making the split clear/red lens so if you added light after the fact all your going to have is red light.
Having recently been in the truck and panels on/off several times I decided to address. Piece of cake except for the lens. Other issue is wiring. While there is constant power available inside door (door locks) which I tapped for recently added USB ports or key on power (power windows) there's not an easy way to time. Some have ran a wire back inside door from dome light (some trucks turn off after awhile). Searching its a black wire with blue stripe, varies located left kick panel but haven't verified. I have power running boards with timed lights so I could run from those. I dont want or am not doing either.
Its the running wire from under dash or sill up behind kick panel and getting thru door loom. Specifically drivers side is a bear, just getting wire to the boot area. Though using a stiff piece of plastic tubing simplifies pushing wire thru the door boot, Lights just not worth it to me. But there is power already there, and ground.
Dawned on me the door ajar/dome light trigger is a ground signal. Meaning running constant power to light, then ground using the door ajar wire lights would only come on when door opened and go off when closed. The addition of power steps is tied into the door ajar switch to trigger steps. I have a switch in line on that trigger wire for steps so I can manually deploy or manually turn off or use auto. Meaning I can simply ground lights piggy backing off the center pole of switch that feeds step trigger( to access the door ajar ground).
For constant power I can also piggy back off hot terminal of USB ports. Simple, no real wiring and all inside of door.
Next is lights. I was going to just add a small socket, use led bulb to address no timer. Low draw.
Getting on line to see what others have done I found no real info. I cant believe Ford would make separate harness that doesn't the include door light wire, unless it wasn't an option on 2000 S/Ds. Regardless I stumbled on LED replacement lights - For Chevy/GM ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09G29GWTR ) . I couldn't find anything for Fords (Now availalbe see top of page). The Chevy lights are close to size of my reflectors, a bit narrower. Decided to order as I can either make a panel to fit reflector hole or, what I'm leaning toward, is mounting the LED light in an other location, keeping reflector.
Whether this will work I dont know. But I went ahead and pre wired, running wires to existing hole. I did end up adding a 3 pin connector under door switch panels to both doors. Mostly to maintain simply unplugging a single connector verse getting to spade terminals to remove door panels. Hot wire feeding USB and light, chassis ground for USB and door ajar ground for light.
Only thing not addressed other than using LEDs is if truck doors left open for extended time the lights will be on. Could simply turn off step switch, could add small rocker switch for lights, could add electronic timers, could if motivated run wires from dome light circuit.
Leaning toward adding a small SPDT switch like I did for steps. Then door lights could be turned off, auto or on.
What I've currently done is tap the wire from existing switch on picture above that says to trigger and run to new lights.
But manual on could lead to problems and I really cant think how that would be useful. if I tap the wire from door ajar terminal; and run to another switch & then to lights Id have completed control on door lights.
.
That's what were not doing. Later. Adding new switch near light but using to select voltage to light.
- Lights arrived..
Nicer than I was expecting. Length is perfect, width is about half of stock reflector..Options I could make panel to replace reflector and mount light in it.
Was thinking mounting above, looks ok. But area is where door pocket and main panel is welded together, cutting would seriously weaken. Looking at it I 'think' I could cut a reflector in half, cut inside the reflector box enough for light and stack both. Whether I can cut cleanly doubtful. So I am going to sacrifice a reflector and see what happens. If it fails then it making a panel to fit.
Wow. Clamped with a small block of wood behind, used 32T hacksaw..didn't break it, line didn't drift too much. What I didn't realize is other half can be used for other door, cool. Lens mounting tabs (half) still in place so they will still set in door slots. That'll work.
Now to cut door. It appears light will overlap reflector which is ok. Not sure how to mount but pretty sure it wont be in a way that will allow easy removal. Only reason would be the screw that is behind to secure door panel. So Ill add an exposed screw just below, delete screw behind lens (and hopefully remember).
Oh getting ahead of myself, need to verify I can wire lights. Obviously I dont have chevy plugs. Looking at lights connector has two tiny pins. Looks really close to the connectors I used to wire doors. So I popped one apart and sure enough same size.
(On the connectors, just popped off of red guide to expose pin release slot, used a sewing needle to release the female pins. ALL connectors have a means to pull pins. What used https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A6LTK44 )I suppose you could order chevy plugs...
Verify polarity , slip heat shrink over pins slid onto lights. Hmm they dont have polarity?, works either way.
Now to cut up door panel..
On the light. Trimmed 2 small protrusions on one side of lens so it will set flush. On body trimmed 2 small tabs and 2 protruding tits on pin housing i assume these were mounting tabs
Trying to mark what I need to cut on door panel not working. Going to just start hacking and continue till they fit.
Yup cut, cut some more then cut some more.
Kept trimming because the lips shown caused the lens to tilt, it needs to set flush. Once these were trimmed light and lens fit perfect. I used box cutter, dremel, hack saw blade and aluminum file and a small block of wood to clamp lens. But got it. Painfully slow.
Both the top and bottom edge of lens have a raised lip inside the perimeter lip. This caused me all kinds of grief until I realized issue. Passenger it'll be the first thing I cut. That and the raised edge at bottom of door panel needs to be cut down flush. There's also raised lip at top of hole but it gets cut off.
Plugged in wires. Mount the light with a piece of 3M molding tape on left side. Rights side the connector housing holds against panel.
From back side I'm adding few blobs of hot glue. First though is closing large open areas with aluminum tape to keep dust off reflector.
Tried to take pictures with light power but even at 9 volts washes camera out. The red is deep bright red but hardly shows, to the eye appears brighter than the white? At 12+ volts light is intense...maybe too much.
Power supply @12.3 volts shows light draws less than 0.20 amps. Definitely putting a switch on, though simply due to how bright. I may instead of wiring as auto/off/on is wire switch with full voltage on one side and 9 volts on the other using regulator, so auto at 12v/off/9v. Seriously, if out away from city lights getting out of truck likely have to stand a minute while eyes adjust.
At 9 volts camera only shows red but white light is bright enough to see well.
Full voltage about 12.4. Bright. Figured out why the red stays so bright at reduced voltage. Both colors are wired independently to power, red only 9 leds. White has 27 leds.
Worth the effort? Ya I think so, practical? debatable.
And passenger side light installed. I added SPDT switch to both doors. Ended up placing by light, just easier to wire
Wont be played with. Due to how bright lights are wired to feed light full voltage or 9 volt thru regulator. Ground from door ajar goes to directly to lights with a jumper that will ground 9volt regulator. 12v power goes to one side of switch with a jumper that will power 9 volt regulator. From regulator 9 volts feeds other side of switch. So switch determines either 9 volts or full voltage (12V+) and off. I assume I'll set to 9volts.
As I tapped door ajar ground before step switch, door light will come on whether steps on or off when door opened.
IF I were to do over, I'd spend time finding wire for dome light or tapping my timed steps lights. Would have involved running a lot of wire but door lights wouldn't stay on indefinitely if left open.
(Note: later I did end up running wire tapping timed dome light circuit).
1st final wiring.
Simplified. Doesn t need to be as convoluted as what I did. Several ways could be wired. If just red light is ok then simply use a T10 twist in socket for 194 LED or similar, no door hacking.
Final final wiring: well until later and ran wire from dome light circuit for auto shut off if door left open
Once door light wired @9volts red shines but white light barely glows. Can only assume added resistance of wire verse testing at bench. Changing to a 10v regulator decided to keep the 9v (easier) and add selector switch.
So I have full voltage to lights, off, 10 or 9 volts. Super bright, good light or glow.
The 9/10v selector switch is kind of buried, back side of door pocket. Likely never use and set to 10v. Also assume main switch will be set at 10v, only used if for some reason I need extra light though off will be used (unless easy timer could be found).
Amp draw for lights @ full voltage 0.18a @ 10v: 0.089a @ 9v-0.024a. So if both doors open added 0.40 amps draw, 0.178 and 0.048.
- Update:
Stuck a sewing needle in it and measured 12.36 volt with dome light on. Rechecked when dome light timed off and zero volts. So I found the wire to tap so door lights will go off automatically a few minutes if door left open. Loom does continue on to kick panel so I can tap anywhere, under sill or closer behind kick panel and run to door.
What I am going to do is open up door and run wire from door into cab. That's the hard part but I also remember leaving a pull string last time I was in there. If so it shouldn't be 'too' difficult. Then if successful and dont give up tie it into the dome light wire. I assume passenger side doesn't have this power wire, just a trigger that activates the dome light. So Ill run a wire across cab to pass door.
I tapped the dome light wire under door sill and ran up to left kick panel where wire from left door will connect. Solder a branch lead to it to run to right kick panel. As this hot wire runs full width of cab added an inline fuse.
Though this feeds door lights to time out power, door wiring controls the door lights, or what Im trying to say is this dome light wire before it goes into doors is indepentant of door lights. So different project but I can later add under dash/footwell lights that are activated by opening doors or turning on dash dome light switch (dome light bulb is removed). Probably mentioned but I hate automatic way too bright overhead dome lights. If we need light truck has manual map lights.
That's the plan
Yup I had left a pull string so got wire pulled from door into cab without to much pain. Solder to added dome light lead behind left kick panel. Does mean I'll need to change the auxiliary door 3 pin connector to 4 pin for the extra wire. Minor. Remove power tap currently tied to USB port and connect to connector pin with new dome light feed. The selectable voltage to light will still function. I am leaving the ground tied to door ajar so door light will only come on if door open and not if dome light turned on from inside.
- And it all turned to pooh.
Online info stated sometimes bad ground or other connection inside of dome light or 3rd brake light ( there all intertwined) can cause issue so with all other options exhausted figured cant hurt to look. All looked good, just not turning off. Checked all the other light function map light cargo and 3rd brake. Umm 3rd brake is not working? Checked my switches were on (I have manual override switch to disable 3rd brake and cargo bed lights due to camper).
Put a pole depressing the brake pedal and started testing light & wires. I have power every where except coming out of after market 3rd brake light flasher. Its basically spliced in on power wire, so I cut, touched the leads together and brake light comes on.
The only thing I can determine is when I shorted pins in door it must have sent power thru ground to flasher and smoked it and sending constant ground. I dont really know how or why though. Flasher cut out everything works including timed dome light turn off so I except as fixed. Unbelievable. Disaster resolved
- Back on track
Unplug door light from USB charger 12v hot, but instead of soldering to new dome light pin (Yellow) on connector I added male and female spades. If I have other issue with the dome light circuit I can plug door light back into constant power.
Absolutely final wiring
Door light powered by timed door light circuit
Moved fuse to before connector ( had it been would have saved few hours of grief), add fuse to dome circuit. And working, I have door light with optional voltage input, can manually turn off and power thru timed dome light circuit that auto turns off if I leave door open.
I will note I have an insulator under one end of dome light bulb because I hate it and dont use. Removed for this install I reinstalled. Reason mentioned is once wiring done I opened door to wait for new light to go off with dome light timer. It didn't, like 15 minuets later. I switched light to full voltage and it went off. I had light on glow setting (drawing 0.024 amps) I guess so little power drain would take forever before timer shut off, though I dont really know how it works.
As mentioned by the time I got working 4 hours later I was burnt, do the passenger side tomorrow. Maybe take pictures (I may add inline fuse first or at least pull fuse for door locks. :)
- Passenger side
Dome light wire feed I am running under top of carpet at firewall, up kick panel into door. Hokey but snaking thru dash- its already a mess. Plus it would be nice to have foot well lights and this would be easy to tap later.
Cool auto door lights with auto off if dooes left open.
- 2 days later
Closed door and reopen, light came on normally at all settings. Let it time out but the red leds are faintly glowing when 12v selected.
Got meter out and the dome light feed is showing about 7+ volts. Not enough to get thru 10/9v regulators but 12v selected enough to power light dimly. So the timed dome light circuit isnt fully shutting down?
Put bulb back in dome light, doors open all lights on, 15 minuets later shut off. No power metered anywhere. Close passenger door, lights come back on....chasing my tail at this point..
II think Ill replace small relay in fuse box, on order, likely not help but eliminate, it does get warm. Since I dont use the dome light, new door lights are turned off (no ground) when door closed only issue is when door left open and timed out the small of power trickling thru. Course I could manually turn off door lights-defeating whole purpose of rewiring to use dome light circuit. Decide this is issue with truck and not added lights. Ignoring for moment, if doors to be left open long term I'll turn off lights but the power drain is minimal.
UPDATE changed the relay and circuit does shut off, so the relay had failed. However if either power switch flicked with doors open and lights timed out, lights will come back on? I think issue might be regulator grounds tied to the door ajar ground. Then again it may be any change on dome light circuit resets timer. Something is triggering? However if I stop playing with it everthing works as desired. Opening doors the door light comes on, doors closed they go off, if left open they time out and go off. I can manually disable or set how bright door lights are.
Last comment is the LEDS at night are bright, even set at 10v glaringly so. Set to 9v can still see to get into truck without being blinded. Daytime when I set up appears as glow but doesn't matter (red LEDS Do show). These specifically were added for night use.
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