Placement of electric plug in truck bed

It's a coincidence that I just saw this post today, because I got a call from the Ford dealer this morning that our new F250 has arrived and he asked about putting the plug in the bed. Since they also sell Northern-lites which is what we're getting (but now there), I asked him to check where the cord was on the camper, and he did and advised that the plug should go in front of the wheel well. I don't understand why the Ford camper package doesn't come with the plug in the bed. Unfortunately, there was a slight problem with the Northern-lite on order for us in Colorado and we now have to wait for another unit which hopefully will arrive by mid-March. We are supposed to put 1,000 miles on the new truck before hauling anyway, so now we won't be rushed.

scout4trout wrote:
I don't understand why the Ford camper package doesn't come with the plug in the bed. .

perhaps it is because not every TC is wired up with the same plug/pin combo...For Example: Lance has its own 6 pin plug with a different wire size for power, it des not mate up with your standard trailer plug.

scout4trout wrote:
It's a coincidence that I just saw this post today, because I got a call from the Ford dealer this morning that our new F250 has arrived and he asked about putting the plug in the bed. Since they also sell Northern-lites which is what we're getting (but now there), I asked him to check where the cord was on the camper, and he did and advised that the plug should go in front of the wheel well. I don't understand why the Ford camper package doesn't come with the plug in the bed. Unfortunately, there was a slight problem with the Northern-lite on order for us in Colorado and we now have to wait for another unit which hopefully will arrive by mid-March. We are supposed to put 1,000 miles on the new truck before hauling anyway, so now we won't be rushed.

Do you know whether the Northern Lite plug type/size is the same size one as the Ford dealer will be putting in? Don't know why it wouldn't be. (Seems from what is said here that the Lance camper plug is different.). Although I don't have access to my truck now, as it is in MT now, and I'm in PA for the winter, I'm pretty sure mine is the standard 7-pin plug, which Ford installed when I bought the truck New in 2011.

My camper came with a cable with one end, that would be the camper end. you can put what ever connector you want on the truck side.

My F 350 , and my 10-2 ( both 2013 ) have same plugs as you will. NL supplies a double female cord that will reach both plugs on your set-up, in bed, and below bumper. As said, I hang cord over the side of bed till I lower TC. With the bump out in the rear it tight's to plug in after lowered but still doable.

Just wondering here , but the Lance I had ,had a small door on the drivers side just in front of the wheel well. Couldnt you just open that door and while laying on the actual camper floor , plug in the wire?
Mine had a long enough wire to plug in the rear bumper plug.Plus i did not have the fifth wheel / TC plug in the box.

a_flyfisher wrote:

Do you know whether the Northern Lite plug type/size is the same size one as the Ford dealer will be putting in?

Just took delivery recently of my 2017 Northern Lite. Ford female sockets (bumper and in-bed) are standard RV 7-pin receptacles on our 2012 Ford F450. The male to male cord provided by Northern Lite reaches both as the dealer plugged ours into the bumper socket when we arrived.
Hope this helps you. Feel free to PM me.

K-mac and CuriousGeorge - thanks to both of you for your replies especially as they relate to Northern Lites specifically. It sounds like it should be okay.

I was thinking today that I might get a couple of those removable 3-M hooks to put on the inside wall of my truck bed to hold the power cord out of the way if I use the plug that's located behind the wheel well. I've used them in my drift boat to hold my fishing net out of the way against the side of my boat and they work great.

If anyone is interested, I just bought a new from dealer 5th wheel harness that plugs into the TWO separate connectors under the bed by the spare tire on a 2016 ford super duty. If you wanted to add a 5th wheel plug to your bed you would cut the side of the bed and install this for a factory plug-in for 5th wheel. You can PM me for any further negotiation.

I wouldn't want to drill new holes or cut into a virgin wiring harness.

Mine plugs into the rear bumper. Bought the camper used and it had a 4' extension that works just fine for me.


Its easy to reach and works great for my 4-pin add-on for my ATV trailer.