-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Improved Trunk lighting - Is there demand?
- Thread starter pete8314
- Start date
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
You can subscribe to this thread. Just use the "thread tools" option near the top of the page, and then subscribe.
The notifications seem really hit and miss these days; I barely get any notifications (they're not going to junk). An alternative is to sign up for my newsletter; at best I manage to get a handful of these out each year, so don't worry, you won't be bombarded
OK, here's a few side-by-side shots of the production candidate lamps vs. OEM. In all cases, the photos are totally untouched, and were shot with the camera on full manual (ISO1600/F2.8) in a totally dark garage. The last picture shows a spudger, which makes popping the lamps out a breeze, will probably include something like this in the kit. I'm done with testing, so now I have to work on packaging while the factory gets tooled up. Right now I'm probably just going with the 4 LED versions (as shown in all the photos); the cost difference between 3 & 4 is minimal, and the overall cost will be better as I'll be ordering just a single type. I need to decide on how these will be bundled, I'm thinking:
Option 1: Frunk & Trunk (4 lamps)
Option 2: Puddles, Frunk and Trunk (8 lamps)
Option 3: Front foot-wells, Frunk, Trunk and Puddles (10 lamps)
The rear foot-well lights take some effort to get to, so they don't qualify as 'plug n play' in my book, but if needed then Option 1 & 2 will provide the right amount of lamps.
Option 1: Frunk & Trunk (4 lamps)
Option 2: Puddles, Frunk and Trunk (8 lamps)
Option 3: Front foot-wells, Frunk, Trunk and Puddles (10 lamps)
The rear foot-well lights take some effort to get to, so they don't qualify as 'plug n play' in my book, but if needed then Option 1 & 2 will provide the right amount of lamps.
gizmoboy
Member
That looks like an impressive improvement, Pete!
Do you have instructions to install further up-thread? I saw some discussion but not enough details for someone who doesn't already know what to do. (May well have missed them though.)
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
The lights look great! I'm looking forward to ordering some.
The most popular survey response was from people who said they would try the lights out, starting with the trunk lights. So you may want to consider having a low cost option of just two lights , for people who are interested in only the trunk lighting. To keep the packaging simple, you could eliminate the packaging of eight. Anyone who wants eight for the puddles, frunk, and trunk could either purchase two sets of four, or a set of ten, and have a couple of spares.
Just my thoughts, but you did ask, and you did survey. I think you may miss out on some potential sales if four is the smallest quantity people can purchase.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
Ah, I was thinking it was two and two. Three in the trunk makes things a bit more difficult.
They're a like-for-like replacement, all the bulbs just pop out easily (kudos to Tesla), you just need a fingernail (or the spudger) to release the clip on the power plug, then put the new lamp on, and push back into the opening. I'll have full instructions when they're available for sale, but it's really easy. I've had some practice obviously, but I know I can switch out the 3 in the truck in less than 90 seconds, as that's when my camera times out and loses all the manual settings
Gizmotoy
Active Member
Looks great, Pete. I'll probably grab 8 as soon as they're available.They're a like-for-like replacement, all the bulbs just pop out easily (kudos to Tesla), you just need a fingernail (or the spudger) to release the clip on the power plug, then put the new lamp on, and push back into the opening. I'll have full instructions when they're available for sale, but it's really easy. I've had some practice obviously, but I know I can switch out the 3 in the truck in less than 90 seconds, as that's when my camera times out and loses all the manual settings
Any ideas what those of use with a single light in the trunk (on the hatch) can do? I'd like to move up to three lights because it's pitch dark in there, and I believe I have the wiring, but I certainly don't have the lenses I need or existing bulbs to remove. Do you know if there's a Tesla part we can order?
Cyclone
Cyclonic Member ((.oO))
The wiring and cutouts for the extra two lights in the trunk are in all cars, so once you buy the lights, there is no extra parts needed. You will need to pull back the carpeting in the trunk to get to the wiring and pull it to the spot you will need to plug the lights into, but you won't need to buy anything else.
- - - Updated - - -
I would most likely do the frunk. I installed strip lighting under both sides of the parcel shelf mount already (wired in, no batteries), so I would just get the smaller pack. When you said puddle, I pictured the footwell lights in the car. Where are the puddle lights on the outside you are referring to? The ones on the door handle?
Gizmotoy
Active Member
So to be clear, these aren't "bulb replacements" (LEDs that fit into the stock OEM housing/lenses), but rather a replacement housing that uses the OEM wiring harness connector? That's substantially more impressive, and definitely secured a purchase. Thanks for the clarification.
Cyclone
Cyclonic Member ((.oO))
Indeed it is. The casing pops out of the slot and there is a two-wire bundle to a proprietary connector. Pete's design is replacing the entire housing and the bulb's side of the connector, so you literally just unplug Tesla's light and plug in Pete's. Very elegant.
Cyclone
Cyclonic Member ((.oO))
It shouldn't. That is not connected to the CAN bus and the Model S has a control circuit for those lights to prevent overload (artsci found that one out the "hard" way - disconnecting the added load restored functionality). Worst case scenario, you simply swap the lights back for factory before taking the car into service. But I doubt it would be a problem even then as non-CAN bus control circuitry is very simplistic and shouldn't really do harm.
Similar threads
