Anyone of you cretins install a Equipt touch light on your hatch?

[Idaho Savage]

I swear I saw it somewhere but have spent the last 20 minutes searching to no avail. I was reminded last night after fishing that I could use some light in my cargo area and I have an Equipt touch LED that I had previously ordered for my trailer. I'm wondering if you're happy how I should wire it.

Grassyass.

Gratuitous river shot from yesterday afternoon.

 

[cruiserpilot]

LEDLENSOR headlamp. Don't leave home without it.

 

[OSS]

Yep. Get a headlamp. You’ll never need anything else.

 

[Idaho Savage]

Yes, I'm familiar with the headlamp, dudes. This is neither 1987 nor outer Mongolia. I'd just like something permanent affixed to my Land Cruiser, preferably in the rear cargo area.

 

[BurntToast]

Yes, I'm familiar with the headlamp, dudes. This is neither 1987 nor outer Mongolia. I'd just like something permanent affixed to my Land Cruiser, preferably in the rear cargo area.

If it’s permanent, I would want it wired into the car. Maybe you could tap off something back there and mount it to the wiper access plate?

 

[Idaho Savage]

If it’s permanent, I would want it wired into the car. Maybe you could tap off something back there and mount it to the wiper access plate?

Now we're getting somewhere! I hadn't thought about that, thank you. I just need to find an always-hot power source in the hatch that I can tap into.

 

[BurntToast]

Now we're getting somewhere! I hadn't thought about that, thank you. I just need to find an always-hot power source in the hatch that I can tap into.

I’m not sure if there is one, but of the driver side panel there are some relays for the wiper motor and washer. That may be the closest Switched 12v

 

[Idaho Savage]

I’m not sure if there is one, but of the driver side panel there are some relays for the wiper motor and washer. That may be the closest Switched 12v

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Yeah, there must be. Once I get some time next week, I'll explore and report back. Thank you for the idea.

 

[toy_tek]

LED light strip. It shows up like a roll of tape, you cut it to length, install, and it lights up like Vegas. Tap into the rear cargo light power and either use that switch or install a separate one. I got a strip from Amazon for like $12.

 

[Idaho Savage]

LED light strip. It shows up like a roll of tape, you cut it to length, install, and it lights up like Vegas. Tap into the rear cargo light power and either use that switch or install a separate one. I got a strip from Amazon for like $12.

Yeah, used those on my trailer. I have this cool Equipt touch light....might as well use it and not hear slot machines and hookers fighting.

 

[salvage60]

Two small led lights mounted in the hatch and wired to the dome light, bright enough to cook dinner.

 

[OSS]

I don’t know how much light you want , but I installed a bright LED bulb in the original rear cargo lamp fitting and it was plenty bright for camping stuff. Actually too bright for my taste.

 

[zeeklafreek]

Two small led lights mounted in the hatch and wired to the dome light, bright enough to cook dinner.
View attachment 3649766

Cooking dinner outside, in the restaurant parking lot is brilliant way to save moolah!

 

[CruiserTrash]

I did this so I had light to cook on my tailgate when camping. The wiring goes from behind the cargo panel, up the driver’s side d-pillar, through the rubber boot into the hatch, through the inside of the hatch, and out of the hole for the lock. It was a huge time consuming pain running the wiring, but I wanted a clean install.

Inside of these things are stick-on LED strip lights that came on a roll. I soldered some power/ground leads to each, and soldered those to the wires coming through the hatch.

Behind the cargo panel I have a fuse box for positive and a bus bar for grounds (the four screw heads are bolts that are securing that stuff on the back side). I installed the USB charger/voltmeter, and the small toggle switch is for the hatch lighting. The switch ended up take a few hits so I’ve now changed that out for a flush mount push button. All of that is fed by a large 12VDC power cable that’s tapped off the supply for the stock fuse panel. And it has its own fuse up front, just in case the wire run to the back gets compromised.

I’ve thought about offering the lights as a somewhat pre-wired kit, but haven’t because it’s very labor intensive and I don’t think people would go for it. It’s all Amazon stuff anyway.

 

[dbbowen]

I use a stick on led strip on my hatch wired to a switch. It used to be wired to the rear dome light and turned on everytime the hatch opened but it was way way too much light.

For camping, i removed all of my exterior lighting and my wife and i use these headlamps. The light part actually pulls out of the head strap and its magnetic on 3 sides so you can stick it to anything metal and have a light where you want it.

Rechargeable Magnetic Headlamp And Task Light | Milwaukee Tool

The MILWAUKEE® Rechargeable Magnetic Headlamp and Task Light easily detaches from the strap holster to be mounted for hands-free task lighting.

www.milwaukeetool.com

For campsite lighting I just use this flashlight on flood setting and this one light is more than enough to light up an entire campsite. Especailly if you have those little headlamps. I normally throw a HD12.0 battery in it and it lasts for a few days just leaving it on all night until i go to sleep. Im sure there are other lights like this if you dont use milwaukee batteries, but i carry M18 tools and chainsaw with me when i camp so its nice that everything uses the same batteries.

M18™ Search Light | Milwaukee Tool

MILWAUKEE® M18™ Search Light delivers 1,250 Lumens of TRUEVIEW™ High Definition Output with 4 output modes. The high-quality LEDs never need to be replaced

www.milwaukeetool.com

This is midnight in moab. All of that light is from that one Milwaukee Search light on flood

 

[Idaho Savage]

I use a stick on led strip on my hatch wired to a switch. It used to be wired to the rear dome light and turned on everytime the hatch opened but it was way way too much light.

For camping, i removed all of my exterior lighting and my wife and i use these headlamps. The light part actually pulls out of the head strap and its magnetic on 3 sides so you can stick it to anything metal and have a light where you want it.

Rechargeable Magnetic Headlamp And Task Light | Milwaukee Tool

The MILWAUKEE® Rechargeable Magnetic Headlamp and Task Light easily detaches from the strap holster to be mounted for hands-free task lighting.

www.milwaukeetool.com

For campsite lighting I just use this flashlight on flood setting and this one light is more than enough to light up an entire campsite. Especailly if you have those little headlamps. I normally throw a HD12.0 battery in it and it lasts for a few days just leaving it on all night until i go to sleep. Im sure there are other lights like this if you dont use milwaukee batteries, but i carry M18 tools and chainsaw with me when i camp so its nice that everything uses the same batteries.

M18™ Search Light | Milwaukee Tool

MILWAUKEE® M18™ Search Light delivers 1,250 Lumens of TRUEVIEW™ High Definition Output with 4 output modes. The high-quality LEDs never need to be replaced

www.milwaukeetool.com

This is midnight in moab. All of that light is from that one Milwaukee Search light on flood

Ok, those headlamps are genius. While I am loathe to admit it, we have come full circle back to a headlamp and those look like a great solution.

 

[Idaho Savage]

I did this so I had light to cook on my tailgate when camping. The wiring goes from behind the cargo panel, up the driver’s side d-pillar, through the rubber boot into the hatch, through the inside of the hatch, and out of the hole for the lock. It was a huge time consuming pain running the wiring, but I wanted a clean install.

Inside of these things are stick-on LED strip lights that came on a roll. I soldered some power/ground leads to each, and soldered those to the wires coming through the hatch.
View attachment 3654268

View attachment 3654269

Behind the cargo panel I have a fuse box for positive and a bus bar for grounds (the four screw heads are bolts that are securing that stuff on the back side). I installed the USB charger/voltmeter, and the small toggle switch is for the hatch lighting. The switch ended up take a few hits so I’ve now changed that out for a flush mount push button. All of that is fed by a large 12VDC power cable that’s tapped off the supply for the stock fuse panel. And it has its own fuse up front, just in case the wire run to the back gets compromised.

I’ve thought about offering the lights as a somewhat pre-wired kit, but haven’t because it’s very labor intensive and I don’t think people would go for it. It’s all Amazon stuff anyway.
View attachment 3654270

While I'm a big fan of overbuilding things, I think this morebthan I need. I think I'll likely wire the National Luna touch LED in place of the cargo dome, then use @dbbowen s Milwaukee headlamps because I am a red tool guy and it's really simple.

Thank you all!

 

[dbbowen]

Yeah I think the days of adding a ton of area lights to the outside of the truck are over with how far battery powered lights have come

 

[Thechief86]

Yes, I'm familiar with the headlamp, dudes. This is neither 1987 nor outer Mongolia. I'd just like something permanent affixed to my Land Cruiser, preferably in the rear cargo area.

I really love the harbor freight magnetic rechargeable LED work lights. I put one on the corners of my hatch and set up camp and make dinner with great lighting, and the batteries last for a whole camping trip and can be stuck in other spots if needed.
All that being said, having a good LED light attached to the hatch permanently and wires into the truck would be way cool. You'll have to run power back from the front, so I'd also incorporate some USB charging ports nearby as well.