...for car shows or extended times with the hood up???

Used to be a weather pack &/or accessible fuse on the C4 & C5 to allow one to do this easily.

How do you do it on a C6, besides just let the battery run-down protection time-out???

I didn't see any kind of connector on the wiring at first glance...

 

It will shut off in 15 or 20 minuets. That's not enough time to run down the battery. I removed the bulb so the mercury switch never unintentionally turns it on. One member installed a switch near the fixture.

 

Unplug it, it's in the same place as the C4/C5. Folks have been doing that since at least the C4 days.

Tom

 

Shuts off on its own.

 

The switch is very easy to install and costs $2.00 at Radio Shack.The wires going to the light have no slack,so you will need to add a segment to each cut end(about 3-4")of the red wire to take the strain off the connections.The switch is mounted in the lower left corner of the hood liner flat that surrounds the light and when installed looks as if it has always been there.The hole for the switch is best cut with a sharp gasket punch after removing the liner,flipping it over and supporting the liner on a block of wood.For those who have installed a PriortyStart you have probably noticed that there is enough draw from this light to trip the unit after a couple of minutes of working under the hood,so it is nice to be able to leave it off but have the option to use it for short periods if needed or while the engine is running.

 

Blackmark, thanks for the info. You're right about the PriorityStart unit being tripped by the hood light.

 

I just removed the bulb, wrapped it with a small bit of padding paper and stuck it in the ashtray. When you think about it, when do you ever really need a factory type tiny underhood light? If you need to do any work under the hood at night, you will need more than just that small underhood light anyway. I carry two flashlights in the car, a small one in the glovebox, and a larger one in the rear compartment.

Plus, if you happen to have an issue with your car battery or electrical system, that underhood light may not even function anyway.

If you have the time, a switch on the underhood light would be a neat thing, but if you are lazy like me, it takes two seconds to just pop the bulb out. Just make sure the bulb has been OFF for a few minutes before you go to remove it... gets VERY hot.

To turn the bulb off to remove it: As mentioned above in another post, you can just leave the hood open for over 20 minutes and the bulb should go off on it's own... let it cool, then remove it. Will not hurt the battery, especially if you do it just one time.

The good thing about removing the bulb as opposed to unplugging the wire connection to the light is that IF by chance you feel you need the underhood light in an emergency situation, it is super easy and quick to just pop the bulb back in. Trying to reconnect the wire plug can potentially be a little more tricky, especially if in the dark, in the rain, etc, etc.

 

Looked at this in a little more detail today (I was at the track while trying to figure this out at first). Found the connector, but thought it was a relay until I tracked it down a little more and got some light on it.

The connector is down almost too low beside the radiator to easily reach and disconnect (also the weatherpack has a release on it also that can be tricky until you study it a bit).

 

Would it be possible to unscrew the bulb but leave it inside the plastic cover/lens? Wouldn't need to worry about losing it. Just be careful not to drop/break it when opening the lens to reinstall.

 

Bingo, unscrew the bulb and wrap the threads and tip with teflon tape or some non conducting material and thread back in.

 

Actualy, I'm hoping there is room to just leave it loose inside the lens. That way we don't need to worry about the teflon tape stretching the socket, removing the tape if we need to use the light, etc.

 

I was noticing that the weatherpack connector can be pulled apart just enough to turn off the light without having to completely disconnect it, making re-connection somewhat simplier.