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4 minute read
Engine Bay Work Lights
Compliments of ohjames24 @ www.iwsti.com
9-23-2012
With ~11K miles on the car, I've gotten sick of using an under powered work torch when doing work under the hood. So, I had the idea to fab an LED lighting system for the engine bay specifically for use when doing engine work.
Here's how I did it. It's super easy!
Parts list:
-2x 10W high powered LED's Vollong 10W White High Power Linear COB LED | High Powered | Component LEDs | Super Bright LEDs
-Some 18 Gauge Insulated copper stranded wire
-Solder
-Heat shrink for wire
-Liquid rubber
-Minifuse Tap
-3M Double side foam tape
The two led strips are basically hooked up in parallel and foam taped to the part of the hood shown. It is important to place them there because it is the only part of the hood which is parallel with the ground when it is open.
The wiring is then snaked under the insulating shroud on the hood and run along the driver side hinge. The positive is minifused into where the Audio Amp fuse is with a 10 Amp fuse so that they can be run with the car on or off (with or without a key present) and the negative is grounded to the grounding bolt on the driver side strut tower.
You will need to put a total of 1.5-2 ohms resistor in line to protect the leds from the variable voltage of when the car is on or off. These resistors must be able to handle at least 10W or you might get a smoking hood ><
You will want to splice in a switch somewhere so it's not on all the time killing your battery and you will definitely want to heat shrink EVERY single connection to make it as short proof as possible! The last step is just to tape off then give a quick spritz of LeakSeal or "FlexSeal"(Billy Mays may he rest in peace) over the contacts on the LEDS to make sure they are short proof!
Viola! You have something around 1500 Lumens of white light to make your engine bay bright and workable anytime anywhere - be it in your garage, or in the middle of a breakdown on the side of a dark road!
If You have any questions Post or PM me! I'd be more than happy to help or clarify!
Checking oil in a dark parking lot at night :P
