Interior courtesy lamps?

[Chillidoggy]

I managed to discover why my front bonnet courtesy lamp wasn't working yesterday, it was due to the connections not being plugged in. But the lamp holder itself was also broken, possibly by a combination of heat form the bulb, and old age.

 

From my research, they're a GM item probably from a  Vauxhall Chevette, although I'm not 100% sure, but the design looks.......well.......crap, really.

 

Car courtesy lamps never seem bright enough to me. They're more like having a glow-worm in a bottle than a proper lamp. So I thought about replacing them with some similar-sized LED units, maybe adding one inside the rear deck over the engine, and wondered if anyone here had either done this, or thought about doing it?

[Bibs]

There are a few threads on here about it Ian with recommended replacements etc. I think there may even be a guide on LEW.

[CarBuff]

If you go too bright, you will be bothered by the shadows at night.

 

 

IMO... best to remove and forget about it. My '88 doesn't have ANY courtesy lamps in the front or rear boots, and that is a benefit in the winter when the hatch is open with the battery hooked up to a Maintainer.

 

If it's light you want, Velcro an LED flashlight to the bulkhead for use when you want to act like the Lucas Factory Rep.   <--- You know, the guy with the flashlight.     

[nigeninja]

Paul Matty said to me to leave the bonnet and boot switches disconnect/unplugged because he reckon they often left the lights on when the bonnet/boot was closed.

[Chillidoggy]

Well, that says to me that Paul Matty's a prat, then!

[Sparky]

Ah, but that's only the case after you have observed thusly.

[Chillidoggy]

Who is Paul Matty, anyway? It's occurred to me that I've just called a complete stranger a prat.

[Bibs]

http://www.paulmattysportscars.co.uk/home.aspx

 

One of the most respected used Lotus sales companies and independent workshops in the world. Been around for 40 odd years.

[Chillidoggy]

40-odd years, you say? Pffff! You'd have thought he'd have been able to set up interior light switches properly by now!

[Bibs]

[mdw]

I have 2 led lights from a Ring drl kit I picked up cheap from Car Builder Solutions odds and sods bin, £5 I think.  They are wired direct via a fuse from the battery and the main pics of the engine were taken in total darkness. Along with a small led torch I should have enough light to do what ever I can  by the road side.  There is also a high level led brake light hidden up there and unless you lay on  your back on the engine it is all invisible (apart from when its turned on obviously).  The switch is on a small trimmed bracket I made on the boot lip.

Nothing in the front.

[Chillidoggy]

Now we're talking, I like that idea. Overhead lights in the rear deck would be much more useful than the two in the boot, which, if you have any luggage in there, would be obscured. I also like the idea of them being switched, because they're not required in daylight.

I shall do some thinking.

[mdw]

There is a small box section that  I drilled and fitted rivnuts to then pulled the wires through to it.  The 2 drls and the brake light are all invisible from the cabin as well. I did think of powering them through  one of the struts but they didn't illuminate enough so had to add the separate cable.

[sailorbob]

Paul Matty is actually correct for some Esprits; the boot lights are wired to be on whenever the side lights are on.

[Chillidoggy]

Thinking some more about a direct live feed switched from the battery for boot lights, I've gone off that idea because I can just see me leaving them on, hence battery will drain.

Might be better to put an "on/off" switch in the circuit that's triggered by the courtesy light switch, so the lights come on when the deck is opened, but can be switched off if required rather than having to be being switched on. That way they still extinguish if the rear deck is closed, and cannot be left switched on. If you open the rear deck and the switch is in the off position, you then switch them on, and it matters not if the switch is left on.

If you see what I mean.

[mdw]

I see what you mean but my main reason for wiring as it is was that short of a dead battery I will have lights over the engine area even if there is a problem elsewhere in the electrics .  Wont be much use for sorting most electrics problems however but that's what the AA is for.

[Chillidoggy]

I'm not suggesting you change your system Malcolm, I'm just thinking aloud. I do that a lot.

[mdw]

No worries,  lots of different ideas  are always useful , as the saying goes sometimes you cant see the  wood for the trees and ive been there a number of times on this car!!