dsmcurse
10+ Year Contributor
- 969
- 13
- Aug 14, 2009
-
Pasco,
Washington
hey guys, i thought id share with you all the under hood service light that i have rigged on my car. ive seen a few cars that come stock with a underhood light but the light it self is so whimpy that its like basically useless. but after seeing a few cars thar come stock with a underhood light i got the idea to add one on my DSM, but actually have it functional.
the light i chose is a LED strip lighting type off stuff that comes in like a hundred foot roll and you can basically cut it where ever you want to make it any length of lighting you want. this strip lighting comes with a official track peice that could be purchased also for holding the light. and the track comes with nice end caps you can put on the ends of the track to make it nice.
i did not use the mounting track and just chose to zip tie it on. works just fine like this because the mounting track would not be curve to the shape of the hood. i mounted the light in a position that when the hood is closed it will not be ruined from the hotness of the turbo header. the light is mounted so when hood closes it rests above the intake manni.
i had several differant options as far as how to have it turn on. i could of used the factory car alarm hood sensor and made the light turn on automatically every time hood is popped. i thought having this light on everytime hood is open wasnt needed so i rigged it through a rocker switch that i installed in the fire wall.
the wiring of it was super easy. i fed the switch power and ground from my starter post. this post is always 12v hot so what the hell right? also sending the ground from the starter was easy. directly from the power source i have the juice go through a fuse holder. this LED lighting has almost no draw, its crazy. the fuse inside is like a 2amp or 3amp. light could be on all night and it would have no effect on battery. i also have quick connect bullet style conectors at the hinge point so when heavy work is done on the car and hood is removed the light simpily unplugs easy style.
this underhood light works tremendously well at pure dark time. after a big 'ol 33psi powerpull on the highway and you maybe pull off and pop the hood to check stuff out this light is so awsome! times when emergancy roadside changes have had to be made i was so glad i put forth the little effort required to have a functional underhood light. it sure beats the cell phone trick...
the light i chose is a LED strip lighting type off stuff that comes in like a hundred foot roll and you can basically cut it where ever you want to make it any length of lighting you want. this strip lighting comes with a official track peice that could be purchased also for holding the light. and the track comes with nice end caps you can put on the ends of the track to make it nice.
i did not use the mounting track and just chose to zip tie it on. works just fine like this because the mounting track would not be curve to the shape of the hood. i mounted the light in a position that when the hood is closed it will not be ruined from the hotness of the turbo header. the light is mounted so when hood closes it rests above the intake manni.
i had several differant options as far as how to have it turn on. i could of used the factory car alarm hood sensor and made the light turn on automatically every time hood is popped. i thought having this light on everytime hood is open wasnt needed so i rigged it through a rocker switch that i installed in the fire wall.
the wiring of it was super easy. i fed the switch power and ground from my starter post. this post is always 12v hot so what the hell right? also sending the ground from the starter was easy. directly from the power source i have the juice go through a fuse holder. this LED lighting has almost no draw, its crazy. the fuse inside is like a 2amp or 3amp. light could be on all night and it would have no effect on battery. i also have quick connect bullet style conectors at the hinge point so when heavy work is done on the car and hood is removed the light simpily unplugs easy style.
this underhood light works tremendously well at pure dark time. after a big 'ol 33psi powerpull on the highway and you maybe pull off and pop the hood to check stuff out this light is so awsome! times when emergancy roadside changes have had to be made i was so glad i put forth the little effort required to have a functional underhood light. it sure beats the cell phone trick...