150w floods behind the grille, yay or nay? help me decide where to put them

[Dabba]

i want to mount my 150w 6" kc daylighters behind the grill of my m1008. i want to keep it stock looking. so good idea or am i gonna melt the grill. i want the lights to be hidden so...

 

[Dabba]

so, so far the consensus is no, any way to keep em hidden while there not on? i dont want them to be blatanly obvious. Or any way i can keep the grill from melting?

 

[dfl701]

I don't think they will melt the grill. I know lots of guys who have done it. I say do it. I would buy the slimlite though.

 

[rjpastor]

Go for it. What's a little melted plastic??

 

[apache]

My vote says bad idea. I had the old Hi lites on the roof of a truck and they bubbled and burned the paint when they got flipped down a bit. I cannot imagine them not melting your grille if on for any length of time. Also the fact the beam would be blocked by the grill hugely the efficency would be knocked way down.

 

[dfl701]

Yea the output of the light will be hindered but I just don't see it melting the grill. They definitely put out some heat though so I don't know. Why don't you mount them on the bumper or on a push bar type deal? I know you want it to look stock but it's just an option

 

[Dabba]

well because i want them to look stock heh, maybe i can whip up a sort of plug so i can take em on and off the brush guard? and how can i hook them up to test em? what do i need? I mean without setting everything else in the truck up yet, just to turn one on and see how bright it is. just hook one up to a batt?

 

[dfl701]

The 150s have relays but you could sorts do something like that. Just wire it outside the truck and hook it to the battery. I dunno about not using the relay???

 

[apache]

Generally speaking the only thing the relay is ,is another switch. Most of the cheap toggles and rocker switches cant handle the amp load the lights draw,it also eliminates the need for heavy wires all over the vehicle but from the source to the point of use only. Without a relay you would a need a 30+ amp switch which most of the cheapos are under 10 or so. You could test one by hooking directly to the battery pos and neg with some like sized wire used outta the lights themselves which is probably 14 or 12 gauge. Be aware without a fuse if something shorts it will burn wires but for a test it will be fine. Heck,get some aluminum foil and make one of them sun tan deflectors for around your head,put on some welding glasses and get some much needed man made sunshine after a long cold winter LOL.

 

[Dabba]

i was thinking of making removeable mounts for the grillguard with it set up so i can just unplug the lights and remove them and such. i was thinking of mounting them below the headlights, they would block the directionals but would only be there only when im offroading. All the other stuff on the front of the truck blocks me from mounting them elsewhere.. any ideas?

 

[rjpastor]

All kidding aside, there's only one way to be sure - try it and watch to see what happens; although I think I'd just mount them elsewhere.

 

[Chevy305]

I put 2 KC daylighters behind my grill. Mounted them on some angle iron in front of the radiator. Theres a little room between them and grill, and mine usually arent on long enough to create enough heat to even come close to effecting the plastic of the grill. If they are on for a long time its because I'm cruising down a back country road so all the air moving over them also cools them. Also relays are a must. These lights draw ALOT of power. But hey when they're on i can see at least a mile down the road. Check the pics:

 

[Dabba]

nice dude, how long do you keep them on? i would be using it for slow trailriding and on the beach which is slow driving too. I really wanna set up mine like that. how much space do you have between the grill and lights? and whats the wattage?

 

[kicker30]

So is the main concern just the heat from the lights melting the plastic grill? In that case if someone (read: me) were to mount some behind an expanded metal grill there should be no problems other than not wanting to touch the grill after expended use right?

 

[Dabba]

bump for more votes/opinions

 

[chaser0517]

I love Chevy305s mount up.
I wish I could mount mine like that. I have a tubular grill and a grill guard with the tubes that come across the middle so I think I'm outta luck unless I take some of that stuff off or run a light bar. But if I run a light bar, the Blazer won't fit in the garage...
Anyways +1 for Chevy305

 

[chulisohombre]

i have mine mounted behind a metal grille.they are low powered but work real well and dont get too hot.i think they are hella and have a plastic front rock guard on them.so i dont think they will melt your grille either.i dont have them relayed either.just a flip switch for those and the square lights on my outer bumper.

 

[chaser0517]

Sorry, not trying to hijack your thread.
I'm not so much worried about the metal and all, I'm just worried that not much light will shine through and straight out with tube grill and the grill guard...

 

[buefchris]

Yea, I'm with you on this one. It kinda defeats the purpose of the light in the first place

 

[chulisohombre]

looks like using the grill guard,chaser you would be able to just use a light bar mount on that and be fine.then it wouldnt have to be hidden behind the grill.i have diamond cut steel mesh for lack of knowing the exact term for the type it is.it allows almost all the light from the lights to get through.if your grill is prestine i wouldnt want to cut it up to do what i did.i have a few inches of space in between my frill and lights also.if you mounted them up almost against the radiator,i dont see it being too hot from the front to melt anything.