Decorating your car with Christmas lights is a fun and festive way to celebrate the holidays. Although decorating a car with lights may seem complicated or cumbersome, it is actually a simple and straightforward process. The tools you will need are readily available at most retailers, and the installation is fast and easy. Just be sure to take recommended safety measures to avoid accidents and serious injuries.
Things You'll Need
- Power inverter
- Christmas lights
- Star washer
Instructions
1. Check with local authorities whether installing Christmas lights on cars is permitted in your area. Local ordinances vary from area to area, and in some places decorating your car with Christmas lights may be considered illegal. This is because the lights might be considered a distraction for others on the road.
2. Buy a suitable inverter for your car. A 12v DC inverter, available at most hardware stores, changes12v DC electricity into 110v AC electricity, supplying usable power to the Christmas lights in the car. In other words, the inverter draws power from the car battery and changes it to a form the lights can use. Be careful not to confuse this device with a converter. A converter will do the opposite, changing 110v AC to 12v DC.
3. Install the inverter. You will need to draw at least 400 watts from the inverter, and therefore cannot use a standard inverter that supports loads of up to 150 watts. Because you are using a heavy duty inverter, you will have to connect it directly to the car battery, and not the lighter adapter as the standard inverter. To install, unscrew the nut from the positive terminal on the battery, and attach the power lead terminal over the bolt securing the terminal to the battery post. Replace the nut.
4. Ground the inverter. Choose a suitable small metal object, such as a screw or bolt, that is in direct contact with the metal body of the car and is near the inverter. Detach the screw or bolt and remove any surface deposits such as grime. Take the ground wire from the inverter, attach its end to a star washer, and slip it underneath the bolt or screw. Replace the screw, making sure the ground wire remains attached.
5. Buy Christmas lights. Once the inverter has been properly installed, you can choose virtually any type of lighting, from low budget standard Christmas lights, to elaborate electronically-controlled lighting that blinks different colors or lights that chase back and forth.
6. String the lights along the inside of your car. Some people prefer to string their lights on the outside of their car. If you choose to do this instead, be sure to string them on the outside of your car in dry weather only. Remove them if the weather forecast calls for rain, sleet, or snow.
7. Attach the lights to the inverter connector. When you string the lights, one end will have the input for power supply. Connect the inverter to the power input for the lights, and move the connecting wires so they are not exposed.
(courtesy of eHow)
