Looking to build an LED for underhood/engine bay light, same as flashlights?

Im looking at building a bright floody under the hood LED light fixture. Its going to be mounted to the hood so I dont think thermals would be too big of an issue. But I dont know where to start. Im looking for any and all help on this... I would be powering if with the stock hood lighting wire/fixture. So it would be an always on ( when the hood is opened ) light, so I cant have modes neither. Thanks guys!

I was gonna suggest the Foursevens Preon P0 but if you want it permanently affixed to your hood then maybe you could try some metal glue stuff.

the P0 actually might not be a bad idea with some JB Weld at the base and the P0 is super floody (I'd say it classifies as a 'mule' setup)

What voltage can it be operated on?

So just a replacement bulb ? Or a small track of led's will do? I'm not sure on voltage requirement or water proofing needs but there are strings of led's at homedepot and Rona that might be able to be rigged up for this. There meant for under cabinets, but the samples are working off batteries in the store so the voltage requirement can't be very high.

IlluminationSupply has some automotive lights, there's a four led one that looks pretty awesome
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...ation-Supply-Worklights-Light-Bars-Light-Pods

may be easier to just bolt that in

MrOneEyedBoh said:

Im looking at building a bright floody under the hood LED light fixture. Its going to be mounted to the hood so I dont think thermals would be too big of an issue. But I dont know where to start. Im looking for any and all help on this... I would be powering if with the stock hood lighting wire/fixture. So it would be an always on ( when the hood is opened ) light, so I cant have modes neither. Thanks guys!

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A single super floody light, aimed properly for when the hood is fully open will give you pretty uniform lighting, but will cast shadows everywhere as you move in on anything. A better source for looking at detail would be multiple smaller light sources scattered from one side of the hood to the other, and top to bottom.

Just get a 12V, MR-16 LED light bulb and connect it to your vehicle's electrical supply. Hundreds of choices from 200-500 lumens for $10 or less http://dx.com/c/home-garden-1099/lightings-1045/led-light-bulbs-1072/mr16-1075

There's a reason most automotive shops use fluorescent lighting, with all the dark corners in the engine bay you need light from as many sources, or as wide an angle, as possible. If your really wanting to use high-power LED's my suggestion is (at the very minimum) 4 emitters, one mounted in each corner pointed it.

A flashlight with a magnetic base is so much simpler, just leave it in your glove box wtb some good NiMH LSD's or lithium primaries.

Sources: 10+ years ASE certified, military trained and working on cars since I could walk.

Thanks guys.. I was thinking about maybe first trying to swap out the incandescent bulb with an LED type.

Cereal_Killer said:

There's a reason most automotive shops use fluorescent lighting, with all the dark corners in the engine bay you need light from as many sources, or as wide an angle, as possible. If your really wanting to use high-power LED's my suggestion is (at the very minimum) 4 emitters, one mounted in each corner pointed it.

A flashlight with a magnetic base is so much simpler, just leave it in your glove box wtb some good NiMH LSD's or lithium primaries.

Sources: 10+ years ASE certified, military trained and working on cars since I could walk.

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ah nice info!

MrOneEyedBoh said:

Thanks guys.. I was thinking about maybe first trying to swap out the incandescent bulb with an LED type.

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You can't just swap in a high power LED to the incandescent bulb's socket, it won't light up at all. If you just want it cause its cool there are automotive drop-in bulbs for about every kind of automotive buld, a google search for "LED XXXX" where the x's are the number off the factory bulb will get you that, it won't give off any more light than the stock incan bulb does so dont think your going to be working on anything.

If you wanted to do something custom you'll have to come up with a way to house and heatsink the LED's, a 12v in driver and the best placement, plan on spendin over $50 for just a single high-power LED, that's why I said a light with a magnetic base would be SO MUCH easier and cheaper and really the best way to get LED light under your hood.

Here is my final suggestion for an actual usable LED light source for an engine bay-
Start with one of those 24" T5 fluorescent shop lights they make for hanging on the underside of the hood that either has battery alligator clips or a 12v plug, the kind with the bulb it's self inside a protective outter housing, then get yourself a 24" T5 LED replacement strip and swap that in. That way all the wiring is done for you (the drivers are built into the T5 replacement bulb and run of the original T5's ballast that's built into the shop light.) I would expect total cost to be $70-100 ($25 for the fluro shop light and $60-75 for the T5 LED replacement strip.

Im not trying to be rude, but it doesn't seem like you have the required knowledge to be building custom high power LED's, maybe start with something a little less ambitious-mod a flashlight or build a P60 drop in and as always-STUDY. LED's don't run off a 12v (or any other voltage) input, they require varying voltage and constant current (Ampers) that's what the driver is for, a 12v plug from a incan auto buld isn't going to do anything but blow up a cree if you tried to do that, I doubt it woul even put out light while it was doing it either.

Those cheap plug an play led auto bulbs are low power led's that don't require a heatsink an have a built in resistor as well as a waterproof protective clear encapulant.