Hmm … interesting. IMO, keeping them covered saves you the hassle of being stopped and questioned by a “curious” officer. However, you can’t get ticketed for having them on your vehicle.
I mean c’mon, some Jeep Liberty models come with a roof light rack straight out of the assembly plant. Security vehicles have spotlights, similarly, so do tow trucks and buses. Tractors have a pair facing the rear for backing up trailers at night. I’ve seen a guy get ticketed on the 401 for forgetting to turn them off, but not for having them installed. (Obviously commercial vehicle lighting regulations differ slightly.) Also, certain people have strobes that imitate emergency vehicle lighting, which they use for show purposes. There’s no law stating that you can’t have them installed, but there’s one restricting the use of them on public roads.
From what I’ve read and researched, the amount of extra lighting allowed on a vehicle, in my understanding, is free. As long as they’re turned OFF when using public roads. So, I think, as long as you stick by the rule that states "every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle shall carry three lighted lamps in a conspicuous position, one on each side of the front of the vehicle which shall display a white or amber light only, and one on the rear of the vehicle which shall display a red light only", you should be good. The rest should be OFF, and then you could have your vehicle literally covered with them, so that when you do go off-road, onto a public parking lot or driveway, (or when no one is looking), you can become that moving sun light beam.
Nonetheless, I agree, it seems way too vague when you hear stories like Anthony_T’s.