Quick Car Show Question?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 21
From: Denville NJ
Quick Car Show Question?
What's the best way to turn all the power off on my '01 Z so open hood / doors / trunk don't drain the battery? Is there a built in timer that already does this or do the lights stay on forever? Thanks for any help and tips on what I can do. Show season in the Norteast is quickly approaching and i want to be as ready as possible 
Have a Great Week 
Have a Great Week
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 21
From: Denville NJ
Thanks for the reply. I'm aware of the timer when all is shut. I'm asking what happens if you leave the hood and trunk open, do the lights stay on indefinately or is there another timer? If no other timer, I may have to buy a battery kill switch.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 12,413
Likes: 501
From: Rio Rancho NM
There is one even if left open I believe it's 15mins
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,912
Likes: 46
From: Severn Maryland
MD Events Coordinator
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
Cruise-In X Veteran
CI-X Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
The lights will shut off after 10-15 minutes (I never actually timed it) with the hood & trunk open; however, the timer will start all over if you open the doors after the lights shut off.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 21
From: Denville NJ
That's what I used to do on my '86, simply unpluged the leads to the underhood lights. I'm just not sure how many other lights go on when the hood is opened. If I unscrew the hood lamp, do the other lamps stay on and for how long. I guess I'll have to use the trial and error method until I figure it out. thanks for you reply.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,746
Likes: 24,681
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Your car has a timer built into the courtesy and other lights to where after 15 minutes they will automatically shut off when the car is not running. Works very well to keep the battery from being discharged.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 53
From: Warrington Pa.
Just try this at home, open hood and doors and hatch. Have a beer and clean two wheels...Look up and you'll see that ALL the lights are now off. Now close the hood, open the hood..... have an other beer clean the remaining two wheels look up again....Lights out. I didn't want you to waist time just sitting there staring at your watch, Oh your wheels look great
Now close the hood, open the hood..... have an other beer clean the remaining two wheels look up again....Lights out. I didn't want you to waist time just sitting there staring at your watch, Oh your wheels look great
Last edited by Bill Vett; Mar 30, 2010 at 05:22 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 33
From: GRAYSLAKE IL
Oldtimer
St. Jude Donor '13
The lights will go out because of the timer however, if you open the door, trunk after the lights go off it starts all over again. I disconnect the hood lite for shows. You can find the connection on the passengers side under the headlight bucket or there abouts...
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,816
Likes: 16
From: Anchorage Alaska
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
As far as the underhood light goes, I just unclip the wire that runs to it. It's located near the right side headlight, down by the radiator shroud. Blue clip, very easy to unsnap.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,912
Likes: 46
From: Severn Maryland
MD Events Coordinator
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
Cruise-In X Veteran
CI-X Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Just try this at home, open hood and doors and hatch. Have a beer and clean two wheels...Look up and you'll see that ALL the lights are now off. Now close the hood, open the hood..... have an other beer clean the remaining two wheels look up again....Lights out. I didn't want you to waist time just sitting there staring at your watch, Oh your wheels look great
Now close the hood, open the hood..... have an other beer clean the remaining two wheels look up again....Lights out. I didn't want you to waist time just sitting there staring at your watch, Oh your wheels look great
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 818
Likes: 7
From: Senecaville Ohio
I show all the time. Timers will shut all hood, trunk, door, and interior lights down after 10 minutes or so. If you open anything, it will start over. I do it all day at the car show. Never a problem though. My husband made me these door props we painted MSG for shows. It will actually shut the door lights off because a screw hits the right spot to make it think it is shut. Oh, I like the beer idea on cleaning. Although, at the shows, can't have it. Bummer. Makes losing easier on you...
Laurie
Laurie
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
From: Orange County, CA
In addition to the above suggestions of just letting the time shut off the lights, you could also replace the existing interior lights with LED lights that draw a fraction of the power of the regular lights. Even if LED lights were left on all day, it probably would not be much of an issue.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Glen Cove New York