Christmas spirit (and lights)

[cperez]

The fam and I are going to visit family in Michigan this weekend and returning home on Christmas Eve. I figured I'd have some fun and string some Christmas lights on the Landy. It turned out even better than I had hoped and I was even able to somewhat follow the shape of our alpine roofline for a few extra style points. Maybe we'll get some waves from others traveling on the Night Before Christmas.

I went with regular LED AC-powered strings (14.4 total watts) which go into an inverter on the power port in the cargo area. The inverter is a Foval with the following specs:

Total Power: 150W
Input: DC 12V/40A
AC Output: 110V
USB Output1-2: DC 5V/3.1A

My wife may be using a similar inverter on one of the other ports for her laptop. Since I've never had this setup before I'm thinking I should get a small set of fuses just in case. Any recommendations or will any basic assortment do the job?

Thanks and happy holidays to all! (and more photos on instagram @sinjinthelandy)

 

[PaulLR3]

Wow, that looks fantastic! Better than a wreath or bow on the front grill.
Safe travels & Merry Christmas!

 

[cperez]

Thanks, it's tough to get a really crisp nighttime shot with an iPhone and no tripod, but I was smiling in my garage as I finished the green strip first and realized how cool it was going to look. I got 24' strings of each color and that length was perfect with 2' of plug section dropping down into the cargo area. I used these simple black 3M clips that should be very easy to remove after the holidays.

http://a.co/imNaw5x

Now I just need to dig out that Santa hat to complete the look while I'm on the OH and PA Turnpikes!

** ** **!

 

[mbw]

Just keep in mind that its not technically legal to display red lights in front. Not sure about the green.

 

[cperez]

Just keep in mind that its not technically legal to display red lights in front. Not sure about the green.

Right, that crossed my mind as I was spitballing the idea. At a certain point I decided that I would go for forgiveness instead of permission especially since it will be Christmas Eve. But it's always possible I'll get pulled over by a stickler and will have to pull the plug (literally) on the scheme. Hope not!

 

[toddjb122]

Great idea! I have a similar setup on my mountain bike currently (doing a lot of group night rides this winter). Target has these strings of battery powered LED light strings that work very well. I think you'd need several of them, though, to get the effect you did with the inverter and lights you already had on hand. Plus, yours come on automatically whenever you start the car. Bonus!


On an unrelated note, you thinking of getting a roof rack? When I broke the roof glass on my new LR4, the Independent mechanic told me they fix a lot of broken moon roofs from when people hit that GPS antenna in parking garages. A roof rack is a nice shield to prevent that.

 

[Pfunk951]

Well done sir!! I went with white LEDs wrapped in garland- here's a couple of pics.. Happy Holidays!!

View attachment 20171223_171339.jpg

 

[ncburch22]

Well done sir!! I went with white LEDs wrapped in garland- here's a couple of pics.. Happy Holidays!!

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Holy cow. Digging the sticker setup. I plan on doing similar when I cross places I’ve wheeled off the list

 

[cperez]

Update: Drove 1K miles with these babies lit up; I passed and was passed by numerous state troopers and never had an issue. I noticed that for whatever reason, the green lights seemed to pop more than the red ones so maybe that didn't trigger their ticketing reflex!

I did have one clip come loose while driving down the highway. It was on one of the front corners so it had a bit more tension on it than the others. It was simple to pull over and pop on a new clip which I had thoughtfully tossed in the glove box before leaving.

@toddjb122 -- Yes it was cool to have them turn off and on when I entered the vehicle or unlocked/locked it with the key fob. In fact I went to an early morning holiday b'fast with my workout group the day before we left. I parked under a window and was able to show off my lights from inside the house using my fob.

No immediate plans to get a rack. I'm probably going to spend on some new tires to replace the Conti's before any other mods. Even if I know I have the clearance, I always hit access mode whenever I go into a parking garage!

@Pfunk951 -- Digging the garland and white LEDs! That's the spirit. Did you go with a battery pack or onboard power?

I didn't get nearly as many beeps as I thought I would on the highway but am still glad I did this seasonal mod. Fellow parishioners at Mass this morning did show some love. During our drive, I noticed a car and said to my wife "oh look at that person, they put a small, UN-lit wreath on their grill." This earned me some side-eye from my wife who scolded me for trying to troll others and acting superior during the holidays, LOL.

Merry Christmas Day 2017, everyone. I gave the Landy a chilly Christmas Day carwash today. I came back inside when I noticed the water icing up as I tried to wipe it down with a synthetic chamois...

 

[remember5]

That is awesome, I've seen a couple of other vehicles with lights on their roof racks this season and you've inspired me, so maybe next year... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!