Trunk light LED upgrade

[scott451]

I replaced the very weak trunk light with this 12V led strip from deal extreme:

$10.28 - 12V 75-LED White Light Strip (50cm) - Gadgets & Auto Parts

Total cost: less than $20. It took about an hour to install.

before

After

LED strip on trunk lid

 

[doug]

Very nice.

 

[kgb]

I replaced the very weak trunk light with this 12V led strip from deal extreme:

Total cost: less than $20. It took about an hour to install.

You forgot to give instruction. Any pictures of the intermediate steps? Does that LED strip turn on when the trunk is opened and off when closed? How did you run the wire?

 

[scott451]

You forgot to give instruction. Any pictures of the intermediate steps? Does that LED strip turn on when the trunk is opened and off when closed? How did you run the wire?

Sorry. I don't have any other pics of the install. I ran the wire to the left and then I used electrical tape to attach it to the pneumatic shock. The wire hangs slightly loose for some slack and is attached to a bar to the left of the battery (again with electrical tape). The wire then is routed under the pem and is attached to the the wires next to the trunk latch on the left hand side. I loosened the four screws inside the trunk on the left that attach the trunk to the back of the car. This allowed me to route the wire between the left tail light and the trunk. The wire continues along this route until it reaches the trunk light. I removed the trunk light bulb and connected the two wires to the trunk light bulb contacts.

Since the wire replaces the light bulb in the trunk, the LED light turns on/off when the trunk is opened/closed.

I used heavy duty double sided tape to attach the LED strip to the trunk. I used only electrical tape to attach the wires to the inside lid of the trunk.

 

[tdelta1000]

Dude that is sweet.

 

[W.Petefish]

I just finished doing the upgrade. Pictures were taken, and an Instructable was written.

 

[btown]

Just received my LED strip today and completed the installation just a little while ago. One slight deviation on my installation though. I used two crimp on blade connectors so that I was able to simply unplug the original light module and plug my light in its place (instead of having to mess with the bulb contacts). Thanks Scott for this great mod!

 

[tomsax]

I'd been thinking about doing this for a while, but the last straw was on a recent trip when the trunk was stuffed to the top. We opened the trunk and couldn't even tell there was a light on. What a dumb design. I ordered the light strip the minute we got home.

Like btown, Cathy and I used crimp blade connectors. We used 2" Polyken 510 black gaff tape to secure and obscure the wire, and added a connector near where the wire leaves the trunk lid so it's easy to unplug if we need to remove the trunk lid. The wires run down along the left trunk strut instead of the pneumatic shock.

Now our trunk lights up like a tanning bed. You could sit in the trunk and read a book while wearing sunglasses.

All that light, and yet the strip Scott recommended uses only 350 mA, about the same as the original dim bulb.

Thanks to Scott for the idea and to Mr. Petefish for the Instructable.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

If you don't want to run any wires, the $14.95 3710-CWHP6 from SuperBrightLEDs installs with only a screwdriver. This is no fix for the bad placement of the light fixture itself, but it's much easier and is not at risk of shorting out the 12 V power supply.

Replacing incandescent bulbs with cool LED alternatives?

 

[vfx]

... This is no fix....

Would it allow for both?

 

[tomsax]

Would it allow for both?

The LED strip uses about the same current as the original lamp while the replacement S2K suggests uses about 1/3 of that, so doing both would increase the load on that circuit by about 1/3. That's probably not a big deal. However, if you do the LED strip, you'll have no interest in having a bulb inside the trunk.

This is my mobile charging station test laboratory in action parked in a poorly lit parking garage. Note how my "workstation" is fully illuminated by the trunk lid LED strip. (For you geeks out there, the screen of the oscilloscope is showing the square wave of the station's pilot signal while the car is charging.)

 

[sprediletto]

My trunk light is so bright, I could make shadow puppets on the moon

I purchased a 12 inch 24-LED Light Tube from SuperBrightLeds.com (Product code: LT-24SMD). It's mounted with double-sided tape and powered by 22-guage wire connected to the standard trunk light assembly (also upgraded with LED). The wire is tucked away in the little groove between the layers of CF and covered with black electrical tape until it reaches the left trunk hinge. There, the wire is encased in black tubing and snakes to the left of the PEM and behind the trunk liner to the factory truck light assembly (I find it odd this part is made in Hungry). The entire wiring system is barely noticeable; a friend had trouble differentiating the CF and electrical tape. Thank you to everyone for the ideas and inspiration.

 

[tomsax]

Nice!

 

[sprediletto]

Nice!

Thanks. Your modification is really awesome.

My Ranger thought it might be cool to replace the removable trunk "floor" with frosted plexiglass and illuminate it from below with LED.

 

[doug]

My Ranger thought it might be cool to replace the removable trunk "floor" with frosted plexiglass and illuminate it from below with LED.

Interesting idea, assuming it doesn't affect the storage weight limit.

 

[W.Petefish]

Another idea!!! I may try that.

Although if I do it I'll probably use RGB leds and it be color changing as well for the shows.

 

[VolkerP]

I'll probably use RGB leds and it be color changing as well for the shows.

Green = OK, will accept cargo
Blue = only one more thing, please, nearing limit
Red = Weight limit reached, *gasp*

 

[DaveD]

Although if I do it I'll probably use RGB leds and it be color changing as well for the shows.

If you're gonna do that, use high lumen output LED's, drive them with a circuit that's hooked to the audio system so that the LED's are synced to the music, and also put reflective foil/mylar on the underside of the trunk lid to throw all that light outside when the trunk is open. Instant Party In The Trunk (er, Boot for you Brits)!

 

[W.Petefish]

If you're gonna do that, use high lumen output LED's, drive them with a circuit that's hooked to the audio system so that the LED's are synced to the music, and also put reflective foil/mylar on the underside of the trunk lid to throw all that light outside when the trunk is open. Instant Party In The Trunk (er, Boot for you Brits)!

Better yet a Color Organ. You don't even need to sync the music, you just need an audio input.

Color Organ:

 

[Botbldr45]

Was there a thread that talked about replacing the dome light, trunk light (in existing fixture) and license plate lights with LEDs from SuperBrightLeds or was i dreamimg??
Cant find it amd think i was in the Twilight Zone ......