LED strip light as main trunk light

[vavavroom]

The Mini comes with only one small incandescent bulb as trunk light. Even a super-bright LED replacement would not have been sufficient for proper lighting. I installed an 18 (3-chip) 5050 SMD LED strip light. I weatherproofed the strip light with resin that I dyed red so I could tell where I had applied the resin. I used 0.75mm² (18-19 AWG) copper wires, braided nylon sleeves to protect the wires, shrink tubing, spade connectors, an inline fuse holder (2A), I crimped and soldered the spade connectors. I could modify the OE trunk light to tap into positive and negative. Nice and bright.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I was hoping this post was going to be about an super bright LED light bar that pops out of your trunk when you have a vehicle with poorly aimed LED headlights behind you.

 

[FT92]

really does light it up, good job

 

[vavavroom]

really does light it up, good job

I've been using this particular brand and model strip light for years on several vehicles. I have not had a single LED fail. I usually don't make recommendations but if anybody cares to know this is an iJDMTOY 18-SMD-5050 LED Strip Light (xenon white) from amazon.com. It costs about $10. There are likely brighter strip lights but I find this one perfectly suited for even a good-size trunk.

 

[Leo99]

I installed an LED strip in my Carmy's trunk. That one little bulb it comes with doesn't cut it. Plug and play installation. First one was defective (DOA) but the second one has been going strong for over 6 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009K6IW00/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[vavavroom]

I installed an LED strip in my Carmy's trunk. That one little bulb it comes with doesn't cut it. Plug and play installation. First one was defective (DOA) but the second one has been going strong for over 6 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009K6IW00/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the light I used. The things I didn't like was the undersize wiring and the lack of a fuse. I soldered thicker wires to the terminals at the end of the strip and slipped shrink tubing over the last quarter inch of the strip light to make the wiring connection more durable. I slipped a braided nylon sleeve over the wiring and tucked the wiring behind the trunk trim. The Mini runs even courtesy lights through the DME and I didn't want to deal with potential issues. That's why I kept the incandescent bulb . I may try an errorproof 194 type LED later. I could bend two prongs on the OE bulb holder and they fit male spade connectors perfectly.

The picture turned out a bit fuzzy.


The red stuff is the resin I added for increasing water resistance. I have done this before on electronic components that routinely get wet and I know this method works.