Warning: Undercar lights and a lowered PT

[CREWZIN]

Bet you all thought that I'd put my new Plasmaglow lights on my lowered PT and smashed the heck out of them....no such luck.

But, Think of it this way. Shine a flashlight onto the ground..nice big circle lighting up the ground...right. Now, move that same flashlight down to about 6 inches from the ground. Light kinda get really small and the surrounding area doesn't get lit up. That's exactly what happens with the nice purple Plasmaglow LED lights that I added to my PT. It's so darn close to the ground the 50 inch tubes on the sides can hardly be seen until you walk twenty feet away and look under the car. The back and front lights aren't too bad but the purple glow only extends out about a foot from the car. Oh well, live and learn.

Buy the way..there great lights...they flash, chase, run around, blink and even dance to music.

[quicksilverdon]

You'll just have to go to air suspension! Wire it to the light switch, so when you turn the lights on, it raises the PT![|)]

[NickTheFish]

Try adding a diffusion layer over the tube to spread the glow. Most any translucent material could probably be used to good effect.

You might try a piece of prismatic plastic used for light fixture covers in suspended ceilings. You could cut some strips & zip tie (or glue) in place.

Just a thought ...

[turbojim]

Hi CREWZIN,
I've been interested in adding neons myself ... maybe as soon as this summer. Still have to find out what the legal issues are here in CT.

Did you do the install yourself or have it done for you? How long did that particular kit take to install? Is it something that I could do from ramps as I don't really have access to a lift or a pit?

Also what exactly are the legalities in your area? I drive to both the Pinellas Park and Vero Beach areas every year or two to visit relatives.

[CREWZIN]

quote:Originally posted by NickTheFish

Try adding a diffusion layer over the tube to spread the glow. Most any translucent material could probably be used to good effect.
Just a thought ...

Nick,

Funny you shoud mention that. I just spent the afernoon under the car on both sides. I bought a long piece of thin flexable dryer vent and cut it into strips long enough to cover the entire length of the LED tubes. I also bought a package of chrome tape and coverd the strips so it's almost like a mirror. I put the strips in back of the LED tubes to disfuse any light that wasn't pointing down. Hopefully, when it gets dark tonight, I'll see a difference.

[CREWZIN]

First of all...the diffusers worked! I know this is hard to see but it's the glow from the lights showing the rear and drivers side of the car inside my garage.



Turbo Jim. Yes it's probably something that you yourself can do but I paid to have it done. Cost me $75. I did some of the wiring myself by taking off the center console and adding the lighted on/off switch and running the wires so the shop could just attach the computer control right up to it. Neons are a lot easier as they hook up to each other and you only have one wire. The Plasmaglow each have their own wire that has to run up front and attached to a block and then the block has a ribbon type of wire that has to run to the computer control. The lighted switch runs to both the computer and the fuse block.

I DO NOT intend to run these light anywhere except at a show or parade so I'm not worried about legalities. They won't be on when I'm driving.

[turbojim]

... I DO NOT intend to run these light anywhere except at a show or parade so I'm not worried about legalities. They won't be on when I'm driving.
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Thanks CREWZIN. I thought I read somewhere recently that there are states (perhaps VA is one) that require any undercarriage lights to be covered as well as off when driving on publics roads. I didn't know if FL was one of them. I, too, have no intention of driving with them on.

When I said I was thinking about neons I am including the computer sequenced lights as well. Yours seem well worth the money and they're nowhere near the $800 for the 2-million-color computer-controlled high-end stuff.

Thanks again. I'm still encouraged.

[yobiebs]

Crewzin,

I ran into similar situation with the blue LED's that i installed in my interior just a few weeks. I didn't want a ton of light, but I expected to get a bit more than the concentrated light in a few spots.

So perhaps I'll try what you did and see if that works to help add just a little bit more.

What material did you use as the diffuser?


Thanks for the info!!!

[CREWZIN]

yobiebs,

What I did might not work in the interior. I went to Home Depot and got two 36" tin dryer extension tubes. The kind that are really thin material and split down the middle. I cut 4 1/2" strips from both tubes which gave me 4 strips of 4 1/2 X 36". I then covered the strips with chrome tape that I got from Auto Zone. The chrome acts almost like a mirror. I slid 2 strips behind each LED light bar with the chrome side facing the ground so it would catch any light that was going anywhere but down. Hope that explains it well enough. I'd go out an take a picture but the PT is in the shop having the front bumper painted.