Underhood Lighting
 

Rats ate my underhood insulation so I thought it would be a good time to install some LED lighting that I always wanted. After a lot of thought I decided light strips on the support ribs would work best. I did the mod about a year ago and the lights are still holding tight through the heat of summer and freezing winter.

I cleaned the hood with brake cleaner followed by isopropyl alcohol. I installed the lights with the power wires at the top of the hood. There I spliced them to longer wires that I ran down the inside of the support the bottom of the hood. I used a hood insulation retainer to support the wires at the top of the hood.

I cut off the "mercury switch"/light socket. I connected the hot wire to the LED power wire. The ground wire from the light socket I just taped back. The negative wires from the LED lights I ran forward to the front of the truck and tied into the pin switch from my alarm. The lights go on and off with the opening and closing of the hood and the LED lights are a vast improvement over the stock light bulb for night time engine inspections.

Paul
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b46b5d0e0d.jpg
These are the lights I used.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...89d20a49b8.jpg
Installed lights.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...1abbd13049.jpg
Shot of lights at dusk.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...c568d2842c.jpg
To show engine compartment ilumiillumin.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...13a90e8ce0.jpg
Pin switch used to complete ground connection.

Looks good with a lot of light output. where did you buy them and how much?

My son got them for me from his job for me. They retailed for around $10 each at that time. He just told me they are hard to find and that your best bet is to check with trailer suppliers who carry Tuff-Tow products.

Paul

Is the OEM wiring thick enough gauge based on the draw from the LED strips?

Did you happen to note the amperage draw from the strips?

I don't remember the amperage draw but it is less than the factory bulb. I have not experienced any problems in the time that I have had the lights, and I have my hood open quite a bit keeping an eye on the rats/squirrels. Also, by using the factory hot wire the lights still time out after roughly 20 minutes if you happen to walk away too long with the hood open. Not scientific, but the power wire never gets warm like most wires will do if they are flowing to many amps. I'm confident there is not a problem.

Paul

Cool, thanks for the information and opinion on the lights. I know the OEM light is pretty worthless.

Great, another improvement project to add to the list!

Lights look great, thanks for sharing.

Looks great. Have him get a bunch more and sell them for twenty!

That is a great idea. I especially like using the pin switch.
LED strips are not hard to come by these days. Trailer supply stores/sites, computer modding sites, maybe even your local hardware store. Obviously if varying quality...

What about wrenching in the daytime?

Silverhks, those are my thoughts about LED light strips also that's why I didn't think much about it when I posted. I was planning on just checking Amazon or eBay but when I told my son about my idea he said he would get me lights from work. That's the only reason I used the brand that I did.

timmyboy76, the lights do also add illumination during the day. Here are 2 pictures I took in March to give you an idea. Hope this is what you were referring to.

Paul

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b562eb0a4a.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...5deb95e8dc.jpg
Background gives you an idea of how much daylight there was.

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Ya man, killer idea. Was thinking(i should stop) if there was a way to turn them off during working hoursvif it was more of an eyesore..apparently not:-X22...whats that oil fill cap? Mine have holes

That's an aluminum cap from Dieselpro. Mine was full of holes also. I've been looking for a couple years for just the right looking cap and found that one about the beginning of summer and now I see Riff Raff has them along with degass bottle caps and fuel bowl lids.


Paul