12v Constant in bed

[Edwin]

So I am hooking up some lights on my bed rack to use when we are camping. However I am having issues finding constant 12v power going to the bed. I thought I scored when I saw the trailer hitch had a 12v source but it turns out that it's only on when the truck is running or in accessory mode.

My question is, has anyone found a way to make the 12v source on the trailer hitch constant via Forscan?

If not, what are you all doing to get constant 12v to the bed?

I am not worried about draining the battery, the lights will be on a switch and if I need to run them for an extended amount of time then I will use an SAE plug to connect the switch to a portable 12v battery bank rather than the truck's battery. I just don't want to have the truck in accessory mode whenever I use the lights.

 

[Hush Car Audio]

Take a multimeter to the fuse box and find constant.

 

[Edwin]

Take a multimeter to the fuse box and find constant.

Dur.

That wasn't my question. I am asking if there is a way to "program" the trailer plug's 12v terminal to always be on via Forscan or for suggestions on getting constant power to the bed.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

i thought these new trucks had bed lights? and if so, you could tie into them. im not sure of the bedlight wiring though. you cant change the 12v in the 7 pin trailer plug with forscan. it would have to be an analog wiring job. (constant from the battery, but that defeats the purpose) but most people do run from the battery back. if i were you, i would run a 4ga power back along with about 4-6 wires (18ga) from the engine bay along with it. that way you only have to do it once. you will have wires there if you wanted to add anything else in the future and the 4ga will be sufficient to run just about anything you want. all you would need to do is wire in relays for whatever you are connecting.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

just thought of something...... did you have a fuse and relay that you had to install before towing? the gen 1 had a fuse and relay you had to install before towing. this was for power to the trailer plug. you might be able to find the ignition for that wire and connect it to power. but i dont know how much work it would be. honestly, its pretty easy to get power to the bed

 

[Edwin]

i thought these new trucks had bed lights? and if so, you could tie into them. im not sure of the bedlight wiring though. you cant change the 12v in the 7 pin trailer plug with forscan. it would have to be an analog wiring job. (constant from the battery, but that defeats the purpose) but most people do run from the battery back. if i were you, i would run a 4ga power back along with about 4-6 wires (18ga) from the engine bay along with it. that way you only have to do it once. you will have wires there if you wanted to add anything else in the future and the 4ga will be sufficient to run just about anything you want. all you would need to do is wire in relays for whatever you are connecting.

just thought of something...... did you have a fuse and relay that you had to install before towing? the gen 1 had a fuse and relay you had to install before towing. this was for power to the trailer plug. you might be able to find the ignition for that wire and connect it to power. but i dont know how much work it would be. honestly, its pretty easy to get power to the bed

No, I haven’t had to install any relays or fuses. Just however the truck came. I was just wanting to do the least invasive way of getting power back there.
I will probably end up running a fused cable from the battery to be bed like you mentioned.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

No, I haven’t had to install any relays or fuses. Just however the truck came. I was just wanting to do the least invasive way of getting power back there.
I will probably end up running a fused cable from the battery to be bed like you mentioned.

check the glovebox. see if there is a fuse and relay. if there is, thats for towing and the 7pin plug. the owners manual will tell you where to insert them. gen 2 guys will have to chime in here regarding that though. maybe ford already installed them on the new gen trucks. when i did my truck (and every other raptor that came into my shop) and i needed to run wires to the back, i always ran extra. if you run 4ga, you can run it into a fuse block of some sort. from there you can use (remember the 18ga wires i said to run?) one of the wires either from the block, or to a relay and have as many lights and switches as you want. i have run wires several times on these trucks. if you run into issues, feel free to call or text me. (831) 254-7562. or if you just have questions regaring install or wiring. im always around

 

[Edwin]

check the glovebox. see if there is a fuse and relay. if there is, thats for towing and the 7pin plug. the owners manual will tell you where to insert them. gen 2 guys will have to chime in here regarding that though. maybe ford already installed them on the new gen trucks. when i did my truck (and every other raptor that came into my shop) and i needed to run wires to the back, i always ran extra. if you run 4ga, you can run it into a fuse block of some sort. from there you can use (remember the 18ga wires i said to run?) one of the wires either from the block, or to a relay and have as many lights and switches as you want. i have run wires several times on these trucks. if you run into issues, feel free to call or text me. (831) 254-7562. or if you just have questions regaring install or wiring. im always around

Thanks!

 

[smurfslayer]

I am having issues finding constant 12v power going to the bed. I thought I scored when I saw the trailer hitch had a 12v source but it turns out that it's only on when the truck is running or in accessory mode.

The 2015+(?) at least 2017+ Raps use a ’smart’ sensing trailer power harness, probably controlled by one of the numerous modules on the truck. There isn’t always +12v; as you pointed out it’s only in acc mode or when running and IIRC, with the doors closed. check internet search engines, I had some experience with this wiring in my rear facing B/D squadrons.

That wasn't my question. I am asking if there is a way to "program" the trailer plug's 12v terminal to always be on via Forscan or for suggestions on getting constant power to the bed.

No, you cannot.

i thought these new trucks had bed lights? and if so, you could tie into them

They do, but don’t do this. I tried and got a BCM fault. The bed light wire is the smallest conduit I’ve seen used in a truck, smaller than the speaker wire.

Instead, get power from the battery and as suggested run several leads while doing it. Easier to do it once than screw around trying to find an easier way and end up having to do it the harder way anyway.