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Modified underhood light

jbmoose

jbmoose

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Alburtis, PA
Soldered mini rocker to metal band inside light (all metal pieces are easily removed)
Jeep020.jpg

This shows the cut-out in the light housing for the switch, metal band installed, and the crapload of plastic I had to remove from the inside. Note the bent power tab on the switch. I soldered that directly to the incoming power source
Jeep021.jpg

Ready to put the cover on
Jeep022.jpg

Plug it in and try it out..................
Jeep023.jpg

Jeep024.jpg


Shazam! It works. I mean, of course it does. There ya go. I don't have the time or ambition to put a pic of every step up here, but be creative. I was thinking of a cab switch, which would alleviate switch-in-housing clearance issues, but this is more convenient.Also, I didn't hook up the ground because I could give a sh1t if the switch lights up. This isn't a hella cool horsepower rock-crushing ball-squeezing spit-on-granny type of upgrade, I guess. Just functional. Lemme know what you guys think.
Jeep026.jpg


EDIT: IT WAS 2 AM AND I HAD VICODIN
 
Hmmm.... I was just thinking about the best way to go about doing something like this today. Does your switch turn it on, or prevent it from turning on? I haven't opened mine up lately, but I seem to recall there being a mercury switch in there that I'm not seeing in your pictures.

I want to wire up a switch that would prevent mine from coming on. I hate having to pop the light off the bracket (to prevent the battery from draining) whenever I'm working in the engine compartment for an extended period of time.

Looks clean though. Nice work!
 
Cool idea!
Fyrfytr...ever consider replacing the bulb with LED? Then you really never need to worry about draining the battery. I got an LED bulb that worked in there from superbrightleds.com.
 
That looks good. My 91 just has a bare bulb with a mercury switch and I've been thinking about replacing it with something better. I'd like to put batteries and a charger in the housing too if possible, maybe a magnetic base so it can be moved around. When can you have that done?
 
VERY nice! Especially while playing Dr House...

My only worry would be forgetting it turned on, closing the hood, and coming back to a dead battery.

EDIT: my plan is to install one of my old OEM fog lights under there with a switch, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. The stock light was very dim and not much use. I did buy a nice LED work light at Home Depot for 20 bucks though that I keep clipped to my center console, and it came with a cigarette lighter charger cable, so I may not even bother.
 
ACDelco AC886 12V Magnetic Work Light

41-2AL%2BIfrL._SS400_.jpg


I have one of these in my gearbag for emergencies, but I might grab another and just hardwire it underhood with an inline switch.

90's GM trucks had a similar light underhood light to the early style XJ underhood light, but the cord retracted manually via a hand crank which eliminated the tempermental spring-retraction of the XJ light.

I like your mod, btw. Simple solution to the problem.
 
Might be able to fennagle something similar using the original switch in conjunction so it shuts off when you close the hood(cause i WILL leave the damn thing on by accident!). Thats great for when the hood is up for long periods of time.
 
that'd be pretty easy, just put your switch in series with the original one. Turning it off will force the light to turn off, turning it on will leave it the same as factory behavior.
 
Very good idea OP, thanks for the pics.

Tonytj said:
Cool idea!
Fyrfytr...ever consider replacing the bulb with LED? Then you really never need to worry about draining the battery. I got an LED bulb that worked in there from superbrightleds.com.
Click to expand...

My XJ has been missing the under hood light since I bought it. I have been thinking of wiring up a couple LED's to a door pin switch and then have an override switch also (in case the hood is open for an extended period of time and I don't want the lights on). Using this or something similar waterproof LED's
 
Tonytj said:
Cool idea!
Fyrfytr...ever consider replacing the bulb with LED? Then you really never need to worry about draining the battery. I got an LED bulb that worked in there from superbrightleds.com.
Click to expand...

You know, that would also solve the problem of killing bulbs every time the under hood light gets splashed with water...

Still would be curious to see if there's enough room in the housing to fit a rocker switch and keep the mercury switch. Murphy's law definitely has something in it about leaving the under hood light on if you override the factory switch. Especially since I've gotten used to just shutting the hood without thinking about it for all these years. I was planning on just putting the switch in-line on the wire leading to the light, but the built in rocker just has a lot more cool factor to it. :cool:
 
whats with people who cant remember to turn off the light? thats the 2nd post about it =\

is it that hard?
i have a similarly mounted light, ive never had a problem... but then again im not retarded...

it's a light... on a switch... do you leave your bedroom light on all the time?
 
Yup. I even occasionally fall asleep with it on, though that's more a factor of working/staying up reading till obscene hours of the morning :roflmao:
 
interesting idea, good work but honestly its not that hard to unplug it....

mine is actually unplugged all the time, if i need light for some odd reason like (well i can't actually think of any time ive actually needed that light) but i can still plug it in anytime.
 
neat.. but i wouldnt give up my underhood light.. I have a mint condition OEM retractable.. Wonder if i can do an LED in it?
 
I'm sure you can- there a variety of LEDs for just about every bulb type now. An "array" type might be very well suited for that kind of thing
 
I am very particular about clean installs. I can not stand sloppy messy installations. The simple fact is I just put on a Clayton 4.5" kit and I'm in one of those mindsets where everything needs to be funked with. This light was laying on my workbench for the last 3 months because I was tired of the bulb burning out from parking on a steep uphill grade. I've also recently added a Teraflex SYE, JCR Stage 2 rear bumper, JCR lower qtr guards, Bushwhackers, 33-12.50 BFG KM2's, and welded in rocker replacement skids. I almost feel like I'm neglecting a kid or something when I'm not out in the garage lately.One totally unrelated item: I did the ZJ rear disc conversion awhile back, and one thing that no one addresses is the length of the wheel studs. I am running 16" TJ Rubicon Moab wheels, and after I did the discs, I found that I only had about 4 threads of lugnut. I read alot of different write-ups, and not one mentions using ZJ wheels studs. The ZJ ones are longer and now it's more like 9-10 threads.
 
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