Trunk Brightened!

[Heliart]

Things you need:
1) LED strip of some sort.....more LEDs the better....i went with a 48 LEDs (white) strip from eBay...but the last 6 LEDs won't light up because part of the strip was cracked during shipment. (water bottle is there to give you an idea how long the strip is)
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08926.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08927.jpg

2) 2 electrical male connectors
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08925.jpg

3) Double sided tape, a Velcro strip, or some sort of adhesive
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08941.jpg

4) A small pick or small flat head


To be continued....(4 pics per post limit still here?)

[Heliart]

Use item 4) to prop out this light housing
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08932.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08933.jpg

Disconnect the light harness by pressing down the tab
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08934.jpg

Connect the male connectors to your + and - wire of the LED strip
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08935.jpg

Stick the male connectors into the power source harness. Make sure you get the + and - terminals right because LEDs have polarity too.

.....

[Heliart]

Clean the surface with alcohol for better adhesion...I didn't
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08942.jpg

Stick the double sided tape either on the strip itself or the trunk surface. I chose to put the tape on the strip. Now stick the strip on the surface while making sure the strip is centered relative to the trunk. I adhered the strip along the small curve.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08951.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08950.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08949.jpg

...

[Heliart]

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08948.jpg

Stuff the unused portion of the wires in the stock light housing and clip the housing back on....I tucked the harness connector in that hole shown in the pic.
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08954.jpg

Before:
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08931.jpg
weak
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08928.jpg

[Heliart]

so dim my camera didnt even capture the light
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08930.jpg

After! much much brighter!
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08956.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08955.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08957.jpg

[Heliart]

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08960.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08961.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08970.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq58/sunnysiu/Trunk%20LED%20Strip/DSC08969.jpg


Interesting find: the trunk light power will get cut off after a while....I left the trunk open while working this and the light went out after like 10 minutes.

Next LED project: 24 LEDs strip for the glove compartment.

[Runaround]

Interesting solution to the dim trunk. Thanks for the pics and walkthrough.

[CarGuy]

That is freakin cool! Thanks for the DIY! The car must have a battery saver...good to know.

[Heliart]

by the way the pictures look like my LEDs are blue but in person they are actually white....just wanted to point it out so that no one would ask me if I got rice.

[Slyman]

by the way the pictures look like my LEDs are blue but in person they are actually white....just wanted to point it out so that no one would ask me if I got rice.



That is an awesome idea!!! I will probably do this when I get the R/A soon (still on the process and had to get a co-signer which sucked but got one since my father in law is willing <- thanks to him!!) Also I have noticed on your plate states you're from CT. I used to live there most of my life and now residing South Coast MA area. You can PM me whereabouts you're from. I also frequently go to CT anyways since my family still lives in the state.

[Heliart]

I live in the New Haven County....it's good to hear there is another RA owner sorta nearby....hopefully someday there would be enough RA owners that we can organize a New England meet or something

[HiggsRA]

looking great!! going to have to do that myself! :)

a new england meet would be sick this summer