Led bar and courtesy lights only after ignition on

[renato23]

Been hoping to find this information but doesn't even know where to start looking at.

I'm not an electrician so maybe it's a silly question but I have nowhere else to ask or search.

I recently installed some electrical components to my 25 Ranger:

1. LED bar at front bumper: It's connected directly to the battery and I have a switch next to the steering wheel to turn it ON/OFF but I need it to be ON only when the ignition is turned on, so even if I forget my switch ON it looses power when I remove my key from ignition. I know Raptors have the AUX from factory, any ideas on how to do it with non-raptor models?

2. Courtesy lights on the inside: This one I would like to turn on automatcaly only when my headlights are on because during daylight it's barely visible. Any suggestions on how to do this without cutting any wires and losing my warranty?

I guess the easiest way for both cases are these fuse jumpers. Am I right? How to now witch fuse to use? Thanks

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[GLW]

Been hoping to find this information but doesn't even know where to start looking at.

I'm not an electrician so maybe it's a silly question but I have nowhere else to ask or search.

I recently installed some electrical components to my 25 Ranger:

1. LED bar at front bumper: It's connected directly to the battery and I have a switch next to the steering wheel to turn it ON/OFF but I need it to be ON only when the ignition is turned on, so even if I forget my switch ON it looses power when I remove my key from ignition. I know Raptors have the AUX from factory, any ideas on how to do it with non-raptor models?

2. Courtesy lights on the inside: This one I would like to turn on automatcaly only when my headlights are on because during daylight it's barely visible. Any suggestions on how to do this without cutting any wires and losing my warranty?

I guess the easiest way for both cases are these fuse jumpers. Am I right? How to now witch fuse to use? Thanks

I have a RR and none of my added lights will not operate without the power to the truck turned on. That does not mean the engine has to be running but I do have to have the aux power turned on.
Does that make sense? I may not be fully explaining what I mean.

 

[renato23]

I see. You mean that half way key before the car actually starts, right? In the keyless system it means you press the start button without hiting the brake. Is that what you mean?

It makes sense and that's exactly what I want but since my ranger is not the raptor model that already comes with aux switches, how am I suposed to connect it my lights to this post key state?

 

[GLW]

I see. You mean that half way key before the car actually starts, right? In the keyless system it means you press the start button without hiting the brake. Is that what you mean?

It makes sense and that's exactly what I want but since my ranger is not the raptor model that already comes with aux switches, how am I suposed to connect it my lights to this post key state?

That I don’t know but I bet there are those on this forum that will help.

 

[Sauce]

I may be misunderstanding, but here's what I think you are looking for....

Ive been researching similar functionality and while there may be another way to do it, the simplest method seems to be using an aux distribution box. The Auxbeam is one of the cheapest / simplest. Basically you use a fusetap (like the one you showed in your post) to trigger the distribution box so that it only turns on with keyed ignition. Note that you would still need to hit a power button to actually turn the light on - it wouldn't automatically turn on, but it would automatically turn off once you pull your key though.

If you wanted it to automatically turn on with keyed ignition you need a more sophisticated distribution box like the Garmin Power Switch (there are many others) where you can program the fuses. I think it offers this auto on feature as well as the ability to link lights, or have multiple (2) triggers depending on what you want to trigger the lights.

I don't yet know exactly which fuses are key powered. Someone told me fuses 21 and 22 work, but I was going to double check when I got around to installing.

 

[ShadowDragon24]

behind driver side kick panel, under the bcm and trailer module theres 3 blunt cut wires. a ignition wire(run start) a marker light wire (pos light) and a high beam wire. my high beam and marker wires had the wrong labels on them. my labeled marker was actually my highbeam, and vice versa.

found them in the ford body builder guide.

I did originally fuse taps the under hood fuse box, fuse 92 accessory for my ign power tap and fuse 56?(trailer marker) for my backlighting. then I found the body builder guide.

I am also using a Diode Dynamics D-Switch for my switchbox. can use the mounted button box. or the phone app. the app also allows you a lot of customization for the rgb buttons and the functionality of the channels. it also has a dedicated backlight channel.
you can use it with vehicle running. or off. hook up the ignition trigger and it will automatically turn on and off with the vehicle ignition. but you just press a button and it will turn on even with vehicle off. set up low voltage safety to not flatten your battery. then thr backlight(night mode) trigger wire I have on the marker, so backlighting will automatically come on. then I have 3 more programable wires. one is currently on the high beam wire so my lightbar will come on with my headlights. I have 2 more programable trigger wires left for any funtion I want to. might keep them for turn signal triggers. or use one as a reverse trigger, and the other for what ever.

 

[BigOleOgre]

behind driver side kick panel, under the bcm and trailer module theres 3 blunt cut wires. a ignition wire(run start) a marker light wire (pos light) and a high beam wire. my high beam and marker wires had the wrong labels on them. my labeled marker was actually my highbeam, and vice versa.

found them in the ford body builder guide.

I did originally fuse taps the under hood fuse box, fuse 92 accessory for my ign power tap and fuse 56?(trailer marker) for my backlighting. then I found the body builder guide.

I am also using a Diode Dynamics D-Switch for my switchbox. can use the mounted button box. or the phone app. the app also allows you a lot of customization for the rgb buttons and the functionality of the channels. it also has a dedicated backlight channel.
you can use it with vehicle running. or off. hook up the ignition trigger and it will automatically turn on and off with the vehicle ignition. but you just press a button and it will turn on even with vehicle off. set up low voltage safety to not flatten your battery. then thr backlight(night mode) trigger wire I have on the marker, so backlighting will automatically come on. then I have 3 more programable wires. one is currently on the high beam wire so my lightbar will come on with my headlights. I have 2 more programable trigger wires left for any funtion I want to. might keep them for turn signal triggers. or use one as a reverse trigger, and the other for what ever.

I went a different route than Shadow suggested on my tailgate light bar wiring, just for mainly ease, cost, and laziness on my part, but this man dug in and did the dirty work to find all the lighting/wiring knowledge. This is a well detailed and explained pathway for lighting customization, and will solve alot of headaches.

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