Install Automatic LED Trunk Light On 2008 Gold Wing

[@rolandtobiasz]

Great job. Just wondering if the switch shorts during riding due to vibration or bumps on road and if you have had any problems with the switch since it was installed.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

No, the way the switch is angled, it will only come on when the trunk is opened. Vibration or bumps will not turn it on, and if it did, it would immediately turn off again, because of the angle.

[@robinwoodworth522]

Nice work. Thank you for having the foresight to tilt the mercury switch properly and to cover the LED strips with mylar tape.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you! I try to think of real things that can happen and try to come up with solutions. The install has been on for a little over 4 months now, and I haven't had a single problem with it so far.

[@auctionmaestro]

Well done! I have a 2002 GL1800 and was looking for a simple solution to getting a trunk light into there. This will do it. Great weekend project and I already have all the parts except the mercury switch. Thanks for showing it in good detail.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

You're welcome. I really enjoyed this project and thought someone else might like it as well, so I spent the time to document it.

[@albertifergan6506]

Thank you, do you know the size of the actual tilt switch? (The part inside the clear tube) is it 5mm? Also what size fuse did you use? Thanks, great job.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

I do not know the size of the actual switch, but it should not matter at all. It just has to make contact, and the current is very low. That mercury switch came as an assembled unit, so I saw no reason to take it apart. The mounting bracket with a screw hole was perfect for my application, that's the reason I used it in the first place. I used a 5 amp fuse, but a 3 amp would be fine also.

[@albertifergan6506]

Thank you, much appreciated.

[@waray-warayvibes]

sending love and support from Philippines 💗💗💗

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you! I am so happy you enjoyed it. I appreciate you stopping by to watch.

[@shinysideupmoto]

Question for you - when the trunk is fully open isn't the lid too far back to provide the right angle for the lights to point down into the trunk itself. Looking at the video its almost like the led's would point backwards to the rear of the bike rather than down.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

No, actually they are mounted near the very rear of the top, which is not flat, but sloped so that when the trunk is closed, the LEDs actually point back into the trunk. When the trunk is fully opened, the LEDs point pretty much straight down, just slightly toward the rear. BUT the LEDs do not have a straight beam of light like a flashlight, but instead have a very wide angle of light. Also, they are so bright that they will light up all the trunk. Thanks for watching.

[@shinysideupmoto]

Thanks again - do you happen to have the exact part numbers for the LED's, Mercury balance switch and any other parts you used for the installation ?

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

This is the part for the switch: www.mobilistics11.mybigcommerce.com/mercury-tilt-switch/ The LED lights are: LE 16.4 FT Flexible Light Strip SMD 2835 LEDs 12VDC The double sided tape is Scotch Extremely Strong Tape. They have at least 2 different widths. The one I used is about 1 1/2 inches wide by 60" long. These parts are all shown on the video, except it does not show a part number for the tilt switch. If you look at the link above, there is no part number for this part shown, it is just a description. Thanks for watching!

[@shinysideupmoto]

THANK YOU so much !!!

[@shinysideupmoto]

One other question - and yes its taken me a year to install ! In the initial part of the video you say that they can be situated down the sides (left and right) of the trunk, but then at the end you just have one strip in the lid - what did you end up doing please ?

[@markkinsler4333]

They still sell mercury switches???

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Yes they do, but the ones I have found are low current and only have a tiny amount of mercury in them.

[@Capt.jonymangiri]

Great job...

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you, my friend. I hope you found some useful information. Thank you for stopping by to watch and comment.

[@grider2010]

Great instructional video. Thanks for sharing! Ride Safely!

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you! I am happy you enjoyed it.

[@KCostelloe]

Nice clean job!

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you! It really does light up the trunk at night.

[@shakazulu2815]

Great video

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you, my new friend. Glad you enjoyed it. I hope you found some useful information. Thank you for stopping by to watch and comment.

[@TM15R]

GREAT JOB !!

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

Thank you! It has been several months now since I installed these, and the sticky tape that I used has survived some very cold weather as well as some temperatures over 100 degrees F. with no problems so far.

[@michael3080]

very nice good tips also I want to add to my 1500.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

If the Gl1500 has an inner trunk liner like the GL1800, the switch setup would probably work as well on it.

[@MicoGhostTheOldCodger]

My 1500 does NOT have a trunk Liner, BUT it looks like the switch could be mounted to one of the protrusions near the top backrest part of the inside.