A quick and cheap underbonnet LED strip for dark night visibility

Article Date: 02/06/19

No, this isn't one of the those weird "Max Power / Boy Racer" style LED strips that go inside the Bonnet to make your car look like a UFO taking off, I'm not having a mid-life crisis.

This is fitted purely to keep my car functional. It's purposes is so that when I'm opening my bonnet I get perfectly clear visibility during the night times with crystal clear white light. Rather than holding a torch, I get both hands free to work on my car. This isnt just for repairs, it's just for the basics like filling oil, checking oil, filling screenwash etc. Why should I bother hunting around for somewhere to look at my engine bay when it's dark, when I can simply install an LED strip to make things brighter

I don't consider this a modification to the car, although I'm sure some insurers would. It simply adds a function to the car which makes it better and more efficient. It adds no real value

PICS TO BE ADDED!

TOOLS NEEDED

• LED Strip
• Microswitch
• Inline Power Switch

HOW TO FIT

1. Disconnect the battery negative cable
2. Install the LED strip around the bonnet of the car, making sure it's orientated correctly
3. Install the negative wire to chassis earth
4. Install the positive wire to the microswitch and inline power switch, run this thorugh the battery terminal positive
   • This part is an extra step, it means when the bonnet opens, it only puts the lights on when the micro switch is shorted. You can use the power switch so you only need to use it during night times rather than daytimes, depends on how much it bothers you.