LED strip under hood

OK, let me start off by saying that I'm not really knowledgeable when it comes to these things.

So I want to add an LED strip to the underside of my hood. In other words, when I open up my hood, the LED will shine into my engine bay..kinda like a flashlight if for whatever reason I need to look inside at night. I want the light to turn only if the hood is open and off when hood is closed

I have a 2009 Toyota Camry SE V6. I have Viper 5701 installed with hood pin. Now, can I tape the wire into the hood pin and be done? If so, how would I go about connecting the wires and which wires?

Are there any other suggestions on how to accomplish this? I prefer not to install a switch for ON/OFF. Also, which LED strip is preferred for such an application?

Thanks in advance.

Do you have a stock under the hood light in there all ready? You could hook into that.

byte wrote:

Do you have a stock under the hood light in there all ready? You could hook into that.

There is no stock light in the hood/engine bay. Thats the purpose of me putting one in. They still have those in some cars?

Anyone else?

I believe the Viper pin switches normally go to GROUND when opened ...
You will have to verify this with a test meter, or test light .
If thats the case then you can connect the light thru a fuse to the battery (or any other convenient source under the hood , Then tie the - to the hood pin switch , open the hood and the - goes to ground , light comes on Close hood ground goes away light goes off

Other way could be a mercury tilt switch , align it so it makes when the hood is up (in either the +/- line)
Or you can use a magnetic reed switch NC with a magnet attached to the hood when you raise the hood light comes on (in either the +/- line)

dcemureviews wrote:

I have a 2009 Toyota Camry SE V6. I have Viper 5701 installed with hood pin. Now, can I tape the wire into the hood pin and be done? If so, how would I go about connecting the wires and which wires? Are there any other suggestions on how to accomplish this? I prefer not to install a switch for ON/OFF. Also, which LED strip is preferred for such an application? Thanks in advance.

Sure you can,as with most aftermarket alarm hood pin switches,they simply work by completing the ground,in turn triggering the alarm.There should be a single wire attached underneath that pin switch,you can use as your ground on your hood light.As for powering your underhood light,you can usually find a fused constant 12volt power source,located on the factory distribution block.By powering your underhood light as I've described,it will come on/off whenever you open and close your hood.

WHOOPS! I was too slow.lol
edit:I stopped and was on the phone in the middle of writing that.

take pics of your hood, and engine bay

Funny, I JUST did this last night!

GhettoNinja06 wrote:

Funny, I JUST did this last night!

What Oz product is that you have under your hood?

cold cathodes

Those were the cold cathodes but it should be just as bright if not brighter with the PB LED strip.

those do put off alot of light

bad venge wrote:

I believe the Viper pin switches normally go to GROUND when opened ... You will have to verify this with a test meter, or test light . If thats the case then you can connect the light thru a fuse to the battery (or any other convenient source under the hood , Then tie the - to the hood pin switch , open the hood and the - goes to ground , light comes on Close hood ground goes away light goes off Other way could be a mercury tilt switch , align it so it makes when the hood is up (in either the +/- line) Or you can use a magnetic reed switch NC with a magnet attached to the hood when you raise the hood light comes on (in either the +/- line)

Thanks. I'll have to look into what this mercury tilt and magnetic reed switch is.

Tat2Dragons wrote:

Sure you can,as with most aftermarket alarm hood pin switches,they simply work by completing the ground,in turn triggering the alarm.There should be a single wire attached underneath that pin switch,you can use as your ground on your hood light.As for powering your underhood light,you can usually find a fused constant 12volt power source,located on the factory distribution block.By powering your underhood light as I've described,it will come on/off whenever you open and close your hood. 8) WHOOPS! I was too slow.lol edit:I stopped and was on the phone in the middle of writing that.

Thanks. Can I also power from the batter itself or its best to connect from fuse box?

JSewell wrote:

take pics of your hood, and engine bay

Hoodpin is not pictured but its below the battery. Its been raining cats and dogs here none stop for the past 2 weeks and more for the next 5 days.

Here are some other shots

Here, you can see the hoodpin. Its on the plastic cover below the batter. Above the battery (is airbox with K&N stick on it) and to the right of the battery (closest to fender) is one of the fuse box)

GhettoNinja06 wrote:

Funny, I JUST did this last night!

Nice. How did you connect it?

Why cathodes? I'm probably going with LED due to durability and weather resistant considering the engine bay gets dirty.

dcemureviews wrote:

Thanks. Can I also power from the batter itself or its best to connect from fuse box?

Your welcome and sure you can,I just personally like the cleaner look,when it's not going directly to the battery.