Hood lamp as a power source?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 311
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From: Arkansas
Hood lamp as a power source?
Installed some LEDs under the hood, and used the hood light connection for powering the lights. Seemed to work OK...but now they are turning on by themselves (these are normally controlled by a remote). I know the hood light was on a timer that turned it off after a while, but is that what is causing them to turn on?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Dyer, IN
Installed some LEDs under the hood, and used the hood light connection for powering the lights. Seemed to work OK...but now they are turning on by themselves (these are normally controlled by a remote). I know the hood light was on a timer that turned it off after a while, but is that what is causing them to turn on?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
Why? I'm not using the hood lamp circuit for anything else (disconnected the hood lamp when I replaced the hood), it's rated for 10 amps and the lighting I'm using is consuming < 3 amps.
Last edited by jhiiidoc; Feb 21, 2011 at 06:52 AM.
Race Director
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From: South Western Ontario
So, you have some kind of electronic module controlling these LED's? What does it do when you apply power to it? It's got to always turn-on in an off state to be any use the way you have it connected.
Peter
Peter
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
By remote, it will cycle thru all modes and turn on and off. As I said, once I shut it off, about 20 min later, it turns back on.
I once thought that the relay for this circuit cut power to the hood light after a certain time had elapsed. Once the circuit was open, it restored power to the circuit so the light would illuminate once the hood was reopened. Could that be what is happening here. When the light is turned off, the circuit resets after a while, then powers on the LEDs?
Last edited by jhiiidoc; Feb 21, 2011 at 01:17 PM.
Race Director
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From: South Western Ontario
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Dyer, IN
.....if you had the schematic for the circuit, you'd understand why.......but it sounds like you know what your doing.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
I have a feeling the yellow wire may need to be switched or grounded....sounds strange, but I just thought those are the only configuations I haven't tried.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Dyer, IN
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
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Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
Race Director
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From: South Western Ontario
Peter
Melting Slicks
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From: Jensen Beach FL
Not so fast. I use the under-hood light to power my under-hood led's. I mounted a manual rocker type switch right beside the under-hood light and removed the stock bulb. The only problem with this is every 20 mins or so the power shuts off. I simply hit my key fob unlock, lock button or open a door to reactivate it. I did not want to run a new wire to a constant hot source but that's me. These electrical systems scare me so I wanted to keep it simple.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
Not entirely...I'm no electrician. I was hoping it would show me the entire circuit thru the relay (I assume it is a relay) that has the timer in it..not that it would matter since if I have to go to the trouble to bypass it, I might as well run a new hot lead...
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: South Western Ontario
Yes, the under hood power feed gets turned on and off. Every time it comes back on your controller acting stupid defaults to the LED on state. Just find another power source that never switches.
Peter
Peter
