LED rope lights under the hood; problems?

[84 C20]

So I'm sitting here daydreaming about scraping grime and dirt off of parts and pieces. In my mind, I'm on a creeper under the engine spraying cleaner on things but it's dark. So I use a shop light but it's hot and I worry about setting a fire while under the truck. Now I'm poking around in the engine bay but it's overcast and hard to see things because there's little ambient light. Magnetic lights are ok but they aren't always in a good spot. Flashlights are good but they require a paw or mouth to hold on target and sometimes I need that paw or mouth to hold tools or spark plugs or similar things. What to do, what to do.....then it hit me. What about attaching something like LED rope lights under the hood to illuminate the entire bay. Put enough LED's up and you get a huge light source so the shadows won't be harsh and lots will be lit. And if they work there why not in the channel of the frame to light up things under the truck. No flashlights to hold or roll over.


I have an active imagination.



This led me to wonder why this isn't a "thing"; would melting be a problem? it's not like they pull a large amount of juice or weigh a lot. Anyone want to put their 2 cents in?

 

[84 C20]

OR

i could have used 3 seconds to Google "under hood led lights" and found, literally, a plethora of options....

sooooooooo, nevermind.

 

[theblindchicken]

I stuck a couple of the COB led strips right at the front of the hood. Right about the inside edge of the radiator support. Just two of them were certainly bright enough to check basic things and being high enough to not have a glaring light in your face. Put a switch right next to my underhood fuse box that was super easy to reach. Got a pack of em off ebay, but here's a link for a different seller with the same product.

https://www.12vmonster.com/products...tube-solar-12-volt-or-24-volt-full-waterproof

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[Jrgunn5150]

It is indeed, a thing as you have found lol.

 

[smoothandlow84]

I have blue led strip lights under my hood on both sides, up against the firewall under the fan shroud....along the sides by the saddle tanks and even a strip between the tailgate and the rollpan...its more for show obviously than anything else when the truck is parked at night for display.

leds obviousl draw very little power AND dont give off the heat of normal incandescents. I have never had any problems with tyem other than all of the attention they bring to the chrome under the hood.

 

[Battlac40]

I have blue led strip lights under my hood on both sides, up against the firewall under the fan shroud....along the sides by the saddle tanks and even a strip between the tailgate and the rollpan...its more for show obviously than anything else when the truck is parked at night for display.

leds obviousl draw very little power AND dont give off the heat of normal incandescents. I have never had any problems with tyem other than all of the attention they bring to the chrome under the hood.

We Like Pictures!

 

[78C10BigTen]

I stuck a couple of the COB led strips right at the front of the hood. Right about the inside edge of the radiator support. Just two of them were certainly bright enough to check basic things and being high enough to not have a glaring light in your face. Put a switch right next to my underhood fuse box that was super easy to reach. Got a pack of em off ebay, but here's a link for a different seller with the same product.

https://www.12vmonster.com/products...tube-solar-12-volt-or-24-volt-full-waterproof

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Im really liking your idea and i like how theyre cheap! Good advise

 

[smoothandlow84]

We Like Pictures!

Okay...ya pulled my arm II will post some pics tonight for the full effect

 

[theblindchicken]

Im really liking your idea and i like how theyre cheap! Good advise

I'll see if I have a photo of em from way back.

Two was pretty good, four would be a ton better. Also think i'll put some at the very back of the hood to help eliminate shadows in the engine bay.

 

[theblindchicken]

@78c10bigten

dug through my build thread real quick and found this shot. It doesn't really show the brightness of them, but moreso the placement of the COB strips.

 

[smoothandlow84]

My underhood accent lights as well as on the sides

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[smoothandlow84]

Along the sides...

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[smoothandlow84]

And under the tailgate between the rollpan and bottom of tailgate. Not functional other than for sitting at shows

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[theblindchicken]

@84 C20 @78c10bigten

i think these photos may be slightly overexposed for the actual lighting.. been a while since I took them. But the two COB lights make it easy to work under the hood without a flashlight.

The on/off switch for them is the green rocker switch on the aux fuse box panel on the driver side fender.

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[Iowan]

It'd be cool if you used blacklights under the hood and then did a whole bunch of coloring. If its a used truck and no cleaning has been done to the interior.....don't take a black light in the cab.....70s-80s where CRAZY!!!