attaching christmas lights to your car.

[xmasguy1960]

I have a daunting task to decorate a car for our local parade. anyone have some qick tips on how I attach the lights to the cars exterior.

Thanks

[Dale W]

use reinforced strapping tape. Keep the plugs off the ground. If you use duct tape, it could take the paint off the car (especially if it is a F-150). The strapping tape will hold to your car and will not take the paint off.

/have used this to decorate a truck for a show (in October)

[rollsharley]

Painters Masking Tape works well also. There is both Solar Powered light string sets and Battery Powered light string sets that would work well here!

[ErnieHorning]

If you use duct tape, it could take the paint off the car (especially if it is a F-150).

Myth Busters tested duct tape to see how strong it really was. They sawed the top and most of the body off of a car and then put it all back together, holding it with nothing more than duct tape. Then they drove it around with several high speed turns on an asphalt track, even launching it in the air trying to shake it apart. It completely held together with nothing flapping even the least bit. Tough stuff!

[Darlene Pino]

If you use LED lights and an inverter, you can plug them right into your car power supply (cigarette lighter).

We lit up a whole float using LEDs and Three Gemmy Trees this way and it worked great.

you might look at suction cup hooks for the windows. i don't know if those 3M removable hooks work or not on cars, as I haven't tried it. When we did use tape, the tape was applied under the inside of the wheel wells and undercarriage of the vehicle, but not on the outside of the vehicle.

[rameyg]

Our PT club will be in the local Christmas parade again this year and I have been testing clear suction cups on my cruiser for the past week. All the cup have stayed on except where there is a sharpe radius on the car. Will be using these this year with LED and inverter. Last year used Christmas lights vecro to attach lights under wheel wells amd along bottom of car. Worked find but was a mess removing taped velcro. Picked up the suction cups at Lowes. Pack of 25 for mini lights was $1.97.

To make sure the cup stay attached be sure the car surface is really clean before applying. Any grit under cup will cause it to pop off.

Hope this helps:cool:

[tfischer]

I would think the Command decorators clips (the kind that come with 20 or so in a single package) would work great and not harm the finish at all.

[rameyg]

Sorry about the double post

Edited November 18, 2010 by rameyg

[urthegman]

If you use LED lights and an inverter, you can plug them right into your car power supply (cigarette lighter).

We lit up a whole float using LEDs and Three Gemmy Trees this way and it worked great.

you might look at suction cup hooks for the windows. i don't know if those 3M removable hooks work or not on cars, as I haven't tried it. When we did use tape, the tape was applied under the inside of the wheel wells and undercarriage of the vehicle, but not on the outside of the vehicle.

What kind of inverter would you use? Thanks,George

[rameyg]

You can get a 300 watt inverter or smaller that plugs into cig. lighter. Anything much larger would require you to go directly to the battery post.

[tfischer]

You can get a 300 watt inverter or smaller that plugs into cig. lighter. Anything much larger would require you to go directly to the battery post.

Cig lighters are usually on a 20A fuse. 20A @ 12V is 240W, and that assumes nothing else is on the circuit (usually other accessories and lights are as well). My inverter is rated for 400W if hooked to the battery, but recommends no more then 150W from the cig lighter.

[Darlene Pino]

One can buy these inverters almost any where, such as Walmart inthe automotive section, any automitive supply store, any electronics store, any motorhome supply store

[Pastaboy62]

When I was in high school, 4 years ago, I had a Christmas tree in the bed of my truck. I put LEDs on in it and everything, it was awesome.

[PCguy]

I put Christmas lights on my SUV every year. I have a roof rack and put cable tied to hold it to the rack but then I go down the back of the truck down the back window and down to the bumper and back around. up front I go down the side the front windshield and down the side of the fender next to where the hood opens. on all the glass and metal i use DUCK TAPE...... in Jan. when i remove it I use WD-40 to remove any stickiness the duct tape left then wash the truck after.

I have done this for about 4 years now never a issue and WOW i get all sorts Of comments

BTW i used to use a small 100Watt power inverter pluged into the cig plug but after about 20 minutes the lights would start flashing it wasn't no big enough so now I have I think its a 300watt inverter. and its hard wired to my main power wire coming from the battery. I use a 3 foot drop cord from it to the plug in on the lights on the roof rack. I use normally 2 sets or lights but have used up to 3 before.

Edited November 24, 2010 by PCguy

[urthegman]

Cig lighters are usually on a 20A fuse. 20A @ 12V is 240W, and that assumes nothing else is on the circuit (usually other accessories and lights are as well). My inverter is rated for 400W if hooked to the battery, but recommends no more then 150W from the cig lighter.

So Tim that would be about 1.4 amps?

[ErnieHorning]

150 watts at 12 volts would be 12.5 amps. If the charging system is operating correctly, the voltage would be 13.8 when the engine is running. So 150 watts at 13.8 would be 10.8 amps.

That being said, I believe they mean continuous power. 13.8 volts and 20 amps would be 276 watts. Using the 80% rule you'd be at 220.8 watts. So as long as you averaged 10.8 amps, you could go up to 16 amps for short bursts.

[jlarson]

I decerate my truck every year for christmas. I have a 400 watt inverter I use for power. For the light around the hood I use plastic S hooks for holding the lights in place. When they cross the windows I use 3M Wire tie stickers. For the back of of the truck I have a peice of plywood that I mount all the lights and blow molds on.

Thanks

[Rita D]

For the back of of the truck I have a peice of plywood that I mount all the lights and blow molds on.

OK...now you have to share a few pics of the lights on your truck and especially of the blow molds - LOL!

Edited March 2, 2011 by Rita D

[peppers-palace]

I decerate my truck every year for christmas. I have a 400 watt inverter I use for power. For the light around the hood I use plastic S hooks for holding the lights in place. When they cross the windows I use 3M Wire tie stickers. For the back of of the truck I have a peice of plywood that I mount all the lights and blow molds on.

Thanks

I want to see pics of that setup. I bought magnetic c7 light strings for my roof this past christmas.Each socket has a magnet & was so easy to use.The website I got them from also attached them to a car & took video of the ride.

If you look at my signature link for my christmas lights on the roof you can see my lights.

[jlarson]

I want to see pics of that setup. I bought magnetic c7 light strings for my roof this past christmas.Each socket has a magnet & was so easy to use.The website I got them from also attached them to a car & took video of the ride.

If you look at my signature link for my christmas lights on the roof you can see my lights.

[jlarson]

This is from last year

[peppers-palace]

This is from last year

Now that is awesome! I bet its so much fun riding around in that.

We put lights on our school bus/camper years back & went ride around with a bunch of people to see lights.We used a generator to light it. I also did our golf cart for halloween we used an inverter for that.

[Dougp]

I see you are in Omaha, I'm down in Bellevue.

Welcome to the form. Give me a call sometime.

This is from last year

[Dougp]

Hi John, It was nice meeting you today.

[TwoBits]

Anybody ever try to use a LOR controller on their vehicle?