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Is there a way to turn off the under hood lights when the hood is open? They seems to be on some type of position switch, because they turn off at different times. I am charging the battery and it seems counterproductive to have the lights on.
Is there a way to turn off the under hood lights when the hood is open? They seems to be on some type of position switch, because they turn off at different times. I am charging the battery and it seems counterproductive to have the lights on.
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Originally Posted by AftonJay
Is there a way to turn off the under hood lights when the hood is open? They seems to be on some type of position switch, because they turn off at different times. I am charging the battery and it seems counterproductive to have the lights on.
You don't need to have the hood open to charge a battery.
Or
Trace the wires down to plugs
Last edited by Cruisinfanatic; Oct 31, 2020 at 11:09 AM.
The lights use mercury switches in the housing.
You didn't mention a year so I'm not 100% sure all years have it. But on the cars with the later body style, there is a fuse holder behind the left end of the bumper you can pull. There are also connectors in the corners.
You don't need to have the hood open to charge a battery.
Or
Trace the wires down to plugs
This is another one of those should haves for the factory. They should have put a kill switch for the hood lights so when you have the hood open for extended times to work on the engine . But you can just unplug them. They also should have put an external plug for charging for all cars , but you can just "gently" set the hood down on the charging wires ' not latched ". Won't hurt a thing.
Thanks, I was guessing a merc switch. I did gently close the hood but it kept bumping my negative alligator clamp. So I propped the hood with a stick just thought I would ask, I think the fuse is the way to go. It's a 95 by the way.
Good advice here and the under hood fuse is probably the best solution. However several Corvette part vendors sell a "kit" that lets you wire in an under hood micro switch to control the hood lights. MidAmerica Motorworks is one such vendor. Earlier Covettes don't have the fuse of the later C4s so the switch option is best for them.
When charging a C4 lay your wires on the drivers tireand partialy close the hood . Or just run it over the hood weather stripping and lay the hood down gently and do not close completely. This is how i close my 93 when charging all winter.
If it is an early C4, you can run the charger wires out through the gill on the driver side and still completely close the hood. (As long as the wires are small enough.) That is what I do when I put my 85 on the trickle charger.
. It is then trivial to wire up your own disconnect switches that require zero mods to the original wiring; thus the car can be returned to stock in a jiffy.
The connectors that are at the front corners of the engine compartment are bog-standard 2-pin Weatherpack connectors, available on Amazon and many other places (I had these from previous projects). You can also buy standard waterproof switches, I bought these. It is then trivial to wire up your own disconnect switches that require zero mods to the original wiring; thus the car can be returned to stock in a jiffy.
or just take 15 secs and pull the fuse like GM engineers designed it
Hood lights
