The battery box accepts three AAA batteries to provide 4.5v to its female USB connector.
It took some time to unravel the wires, although it was easy enough with patience. You can see that the LEDs come pre-mounted in LEPIN parts, so all the fiddly work has been done. All that’s needed during installation is to replace the appropriate parts of the model with those in the kit.
Installation
Installation instructions consist of a small book containing photos of every step of the process.
They show exactly what parts to remove, to replace, and how to route the wires, and I had no problem following them.
No tools are needed although a pair of tweezers is handy for routing the extremely thin cables.
I didn’t take many photos during installation because I didn’t want to keep moving the model downstairs to my photographic studio, to avoid tangling the wires again. So, here’s a couple of smartphone camera shots.
Here, the front end has been removed and the lights and indicators have been replaced by those in the kit.
Once installation is complete the wires can be tucked away under the chassis. I added a couple of 2×8 plates to keep them in place.
Overall, I think it took me about half an hour.
Without looking very closely you would not know that the lights have been fitted. You can just about see the wires behind the lower lights.
It’s the same at the back. The wires do not impede access to the boot. In fact they are so thin that they fit in the gap between bricks and can be routed between plates on top of each other without having much effect.
You can see here how the 1×2 grey plates behind the lights have a tiny hole drilled on the side to route the wires. That should give some indication of how thin they are!
Once done, you’re left with a handful of parts that have been replaced by those in the kit.
The illuminated model
This kit provides six lights for the front, a strip of LEDs for the interior, and six lights at the back.
Of course on a real vehicle they wouldn’t all be illuminated at once but nevertheless, it looks great.
Verdict
I’m very impressed with the packaging, the quality of the kit and the installation instructions. Purists may be a little upset that some of the replacement parts are not actual LEPIN parts but then neither are the lights and cables so it didn’t bother me.
The illuminated model looks fantastic and it’s great that it’s powered via a USB connector which means you could connect it to, say, your PC at work and display the model on your desk always lit-up.
No doubt the individual components can be purchased separately for less but then you’d be left with a lot of hard work: soldering, drilling, cutting wires to length and so on, which has been done for you already in the kit.
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