LED Redux. – Project:Keira

After over 3 years since the original install, my left side Utilitrack LED strip was acting up, sometimes lighting up as expected and sometimes not – so I figured it was time to replace the LED strips. I ordered a new roll of LED light strip… and since I had time over the weekend I decided to fix the Utilitrack LEDs. When I did the first Utilitrack LED install I used the plugs included with the LEDs. The plugs ended up being the point of failure – and since there’s really no reason for me to have to unplug the LED strips, I decided to hardwire the LEDs direct. First I had to remove the old LED strips:

White strips turned yellow after 3+ years. Tail lamps taken out to access the LED wiring.

New LED strip roll, 16′ for a whole $9 shipped from Amazon.com.

Measured out for the correct length – 47″, almost exactly on one of the cut lines on the LED strips.

To ensure no connection issues, I soldered wires directly to the LED strip.

Heat shrink installed to protect the connections.

This was the cause of the problem – the snap-on plugs included with the original LED strips.

Soldered and heat shrink installed = super reliable connections.

Quick test before installing the LED strips onto the Utilitracks.

All good again. Just a quick recap – these LEDs are wired into the cargo lamp harness behind the rear seats. This is so the bed LEDs will go on whenever the cargo lamps were on.

Thanks, Pal