***Moderators, please feel free to move this to a more appropriate section if you wish - I wasn't sure where to start posting it***

Before my beloved Yeti goes off to a new owner on Tuesday I thought I should get my ass in gear and post the how-to for the boot light upgrade I did. I know you can buy upgraded LED replacement lamps for the standard one, but they are still limited such that the light only comes from the left side of the boot. If you want a more even lighting (particularly when the boot is full) them I think my solution is better.

The beauty of this is you don't need to cut or drill any holes in the trim apart from one for a cable tie on the underside of the parcel shelf. Also, by using a plug and socket you can easily remove the back shelf for larger loads.

Caveat: This requires a degree of electrical knowledge, a gentle touch and soldering skills. Don't come crying to me if you break anything. Furthermore, the instructions are like those for Meccano, whilst I have not added any miss-information, there is a reliance on you to work out every little step.

You will need:

2m of self adhesive LED strip light. I bought mine in a 5m reel from here: http://www.citipower.co/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_58_63&products_id=99

a male and female inline power socket such as Maplin part HH62S & JK21N or similar - ensure the cable inlets will fit the cable you use.

approx 60cm of 2 core flex (I used a bit of spare .75mmsq mains cable, but it doesn't need to be this heavy)

General tool kit and soldering stuff

Read in conjunction with the photos below:

Step 1: Solder the SOCKET onto one end of the cable. Ensure you note which pole is each polarity.

Step 2: Thread the cable through the seatbelt entry on the port (left) side of the vehicle, back towards the rear and out of the existing boot light aperture - a trusty coat hanger can help with this.

Step 3: Remove the existing boot light lens from the existing plug. Make a mental note/ drawing of how the metal contacts fit within the clear plastic lens. You need to very carefully disassemble this to remove the contacts that mate with the plug. The -ve side is easy, but the +ve side has an inline diode. The Diode wires are just a push fit and can be easily removed and refitted with some small long nose pliers. Once you have removed the two metal contacts you need to solder the end of the wire you fitted in step 2 to them. Remember to get the polarity right - whilst the standard filament lamp doesn't care, the LEDs do. Reassemble the light lens once soldered. If you try and solder with the contacts in place you are likely to melt the plastic.

Step 4: Remove the back shelf. Measure two lengths of the self adhesive LED strip so the fit neatly inside the channels across the centre of the underside of the shelf. Note the LED strip that I specified can be cut every 6cm. Study the markings on it and make sure you cut in the right place.

Step 5: Prepare 3 ends of the LED strips - one for the plug to draw power off the car, and the other two to join the two strips together with a short length of wire. You can cut it with a knife onto a wooden block or with wire snips, then remove the clear rubber layer to reveal the copper pads below.

Step 6: Solder the plug with a short length of wire to one end of the strip LED and a short length of wire to allow the 2nd stip to double back on the first. OBSERVE polarity!

Step 7: Test the LED works by plugging into the wire assembled in step 3. If it doesn't work, check polarity and solder joints on the LED strip - the copper contacts are quite small.

Step 8: Stick the LED strip light to the channels

Step 9: Drill 2 small holes in the underside of the shelf to pass a small cable tie though and hold the power plug in place. Use the edge of the thicker part of the shelf but take care not to drill thought the top surface.

Step 10: Reassemble everything and prepare to be enlightened every time you open the boot.

Regarding the electrical load of the LEDs. I measured the whole 5m drawing about 2.5A, so 2m adds a negligible load on the vehicle and wasn't enough to upset any of the vehicle computers monitoring the lighting.

Photos to explain the above thus:

Power cable exiting from Seat Belt aperture.

Wires soldered to existing boot light contacts:

LED strip light in place. Remaining strip light shown too - use this to add lighting to your wardrobes, under kitchen cupboards etc.

Power plug fitted and held with cable tie:

Jumper wire on oposite end to power plug. The wire I used was a bit too heavy really, but its all I had at the time. You can clearly see the cut points on the LED strip and the copper contacts to solder too. Remove the rubber cover with a sharp knife to reveal the copper pads.

The finished result - yes, I know the boot is very tidy

Hope you like it - I am going to miss it in my new Yeti and it will be the first upgrade I do. I have left the upgrade in the Yeti I am trading in, so as long as Gordon Lamb in Derby doesn't remove it, someone else can benefit from the extra light.

Nice job.

You're not keeping it?

I reckon it would only take 10 mins to remove the connector from the OE light and swap the parcel shelf over, leaving the one from your new car in your trade in.

Unless the old one is worn and wouldn't look too nice in your new car?

Hello,

Nah, bored of the Yeti SE... moving onto something new... Yeti L&K 170bhp collecting tomorrow evening! Actually the PCP is up so its time to renew it.

I did contemplate swapping it over to the new car, but I have plans for a mk2 revision of this modification so will fit it to the new one once I get time. For the cost of a new set of plug and socket and my time its not worth it.

Simon

Ok Simon.

I see where you're going with this...

Multicoloured LEDs flashing in time to the Colombus

Ok Simon.

I see where you're going with this...

Multicoloured LEDs flashing in time to the Colombus

Yes of course, why ever not?