"450X_FTW" (mistermic)
01/11/2016 at 08:18 • Filed to: None
0
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"450X_FTW" (mistermic)
01/11/2016 at 08:18 • Filed to: None | 0
| 7 |
This is the underhood light on my Ram 1500. It has a small weight in it, so when you open the hood, the weight moves, makes contact and the light comes on. Seems simple.
Here’s the problem, the light has come loose from the hood while driving (unknown to myself) and hangs downward. When it hangs down, the weight makes contact and turns on. This drains the battery. Two times now in the past year this has happened where I go to start my truck and the battery is completely dead. Open the hood and I see the light hanging down. Yesterday was the last day, unplugged it and never putting it back in.
BigBlock440
> 450X_FTW
01/11/2016 at 08:40 |
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But that’s pretty shitty. Underhood lights don’t help that much anyway. They’re sorta nice in some circumstances, but petty much unneeded if you just keep a flashlight around. Which you should, regardless if you have an underhood light or not.
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450X_FTW
> BigBlock440
01/11/2016 at 08:42 |
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JB may be the solution. I was looking at how I could zip tie it briefly yesterday but it was about 15 degrees out with 20-30 mph winds so I wasn’t in the mood to finding a perm. solution right away.
JGrabowMSt
> 450X_FTW
01/11/2016 at 08:53 |
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LED replacement?
I don’t even have an underhood light. It sucks. I’m thinking of added a switch and an LED strip so I can check my oil easier after work sometimes. I get lifter tap when it’s low, so at least I have some warning, but I like to know how much needs to go in...
A pogo-stick, obviously.
> JGrabowMSt
01/11/2016 at 08:58 |
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A bright LED strip with a large rocker swittch that you can easily turn on and off with gloves on is an awesome under hood upgrade. I wired one up in my old Titan yeasr ago. Used to make checking oil and fluids easy at night, and also a good warning light if you are ever stuck on the side of the road.
Rainbow
> 450X_FTW
01/11/2016 at 09:02 |
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What the hell. I have a hood light in my Escort and it’s just a bulb. No fancy housing, just a bulb that weighs less than its own wire. And it works perfectly.
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450X_FTW
> JGrabowMSt
01/11/2016 at 09:03 |
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Possible, brightness is fine, just needs a better on/off or mounting solution that doesn’t fail
Urambo Tauro
> 450X_FTW
01/11/2016 at 10:42 |
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I’m having trouble finding the reference, but you reminded me of a funny old story, where dealerships were having trouble with brand-new cars delivered from the factory. (I can’t remember the brand.) About one in seven cars would show up at the dealer with a dead battery. The manufacturer sent out expert technicians to diagnose the widespread issue, but to no avail.
The batteries were good when they left the factory, and despite being dead on arrival at the dealership, they would take and hold a charge afterward. No parasitic drains were found at the factory, nor at the dealers. Eventually, it was discovered that it was always the rearmost vehicle on the car-hauler.
These cars had trunk lamps, activated by a mercury switch, which would send power to the lamp when the trunk was opened. When the car was being transported on the car-carrier, the rearmost ones were parked at an angle, which simulated an open trunk, draining the battery while the vehicle was in transit.