LED bed light options under the tonneau cover

So let me start off saying I don't have the truck in front of me right now so I am just brainstorming until my GF gets back with it. We are headed to LA this coming weekend to pickup our rock sliders while we are there I was trying to buy an oem tonneau cover setup but that may not work out and we may end up with a soft folding one like the tyger or gator tri-fold. Either way, as many threads in the past have noted, there won't be any light under the cover. Since I have already ordered the PnL kit we are pretty much committing to the tonneau cover as well. I started looking at options for lighting

XKGlow bed lighting kit - I like this style but not using switches if it needs to be hardwired.

$69 2nd Gen White Truck Bed Tool Box Light Kit with Auto-Off Delay Switch 4pc 12" Tubes

https://www.amazon.com/WHITE-Truck-...rd_wg=jO8nz&psc=1&refRID=1R1BB1TAMEJVCPGW2MC7

Truxedo battery powered kit - least permanent easiest to revert to stock and install

$63 Truxedo Truck Luggage B-Light Battery Powered 36" Under Rail Truck Bed Lighting System All Vehicles

https://www.amazon.com/TruXedo-1705...r1&keywords=tacoma+battery+powered+bed+lights

Southeast Toyota kit - I like this design but I'm not a fan of cutting into factory harnesses if it can be avoided. Ideally if someone made something that looked like this and was stick on and battery powered i would probably just order those because I would prefer a lazy install.

2015 - 2016 Tundra Tacoma LED OEM SET Cargo Bed Lighting 00016-34089

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SWXZPT8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_FuaKybVVQ9S0V


I feel these all have there own strengths and weaknesses but what I am kind of surprised about is at quick glance no one appears to be making them using a door pin that contacts the tailgate. In theory couldn't you just run 12vdc+ from the battery and put a door pin switch to ground and then hook them up to 12vdc stick on weatherproof rope light? I feel like this is a sub $20 project all in and I have to be missing something. It's one of those "I'm not finding what i want so maybe I'll just do something similar on my own" situations.

My other thought is to do the same thing but rather than use a door pin use a latching relay off the wires i am already running for the PnL kit that way unlock turns them on and lock turns them off.

There has to be an option made that does this already i feel like i just overlooked it.

 

not too offend anyone but i can do something fairly similar to that for ~$10 minus the wireless.

didn't see the pin kit part until now, that's basically what I'm looking for but about 2 times more than i want to pay lol. I know DIY is always going to be cheaper than a pre-made product but yeah under $50 is what i feel to be reasonable. These look like slight over kill to me. I don't want the sun living under the tonneau cover, just some light so i can see my stuff lol

 

@mattgecko, I have his lights and love them. Easy to install and work great.

 

This is literally where i was at about 2hrs ago, then i decided to go "all fancy" lol

 

I bought 16ft 5050 led strip.. wire..switch and fuse off ebay. I dint pay much more than $20.
For the prices in these "kits" id rather Build my own "kit".

 

Does anyone have access to a wire schematic I'm curious if I can just order that oem kit 00016-34089 or a cheap strip kit and tie it in on the passenger side harness somewhere while I'm doing the pop and lock. Those strip kits start around $5 so it's way more cost effective thats for sure

 

Taco Dane used to sell kits and that's what I have and it's very well built,I've been out of the loop for awhile so idk if he is still around.