Electrical question for adding LED lights

[Borgf15]

I bought my MX with the factory kubota LED kit (see pic, shows one side but it's the same on both sides). I would like to add some rear facing LEDs as well and the dealer told me I can simply tie these into the factory LEDs on each side and they will operate off the same switch. Here's the additional set I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IY3YLCI

My question is if the dealer is in fact correct that I can cut the wire to each of the factory lights and tie in the add ons. If so, would I simply connect the reds together and the blacks together on each side? Also, he said the circuit can handle another set of LEDs. Just want to make 100% sure before messing with it. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[KbotaL185DT]

Are the ones your looking at tying into front facing? Cause if that’s the case you will have front and rear lights on together. You would have to wire in another switch to make them independent from the fronts. Also yes that circuit should be able to handle the extra rear lights.

 

[85Hokie]

My question is if the dealer is in fact correct that I can cut the wire to each of the factory lights and tie in the add ons.

I idea of "cutting factory wires" really should NOT BE a good idea!

If you wish to add MORE lights then add more circuits - and add them separately, that way the original is "factory" and the add ons are not tied in with them.

Adding another circuit may take a bit more time and energy - but it is easily done and fused separately too.

I would place inline a relay - this is wired to the battery and the switch can be wired so that it can be hot all the time or ONLY when the key is on.

 

[Borgf15]

Yes, the lights would work off the same switch, and turn on and off together--exactly what I want.

I misspoke slightly, the wiring is not factory, it is what the dealer put on when they installed the kubota light kit. I'm not an electrical guy, where would this relay go, on the wire leading to the lights?

 

[ranger danger]

If you have little electrical experience then youtube is your friend. Its not hard but, it MUST be done right especially with today's new electronically controlled machines.

 

[NHSleddog]

If you are not sure what to do with the red and black wires, figure that out first and skip the relay.

 

[Fordtech86]

I would also recommend wiring the rear lights separately. I have front light bar, forward facing rops lights and rear facing rops lights and all switched independently of each other, they are not always needed at the same time.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Well the imporant question that needs to be answered is can the existing switch and wiring handle the extra 4 amps of current ,your 2 additonal lights will add ?
You'll have to find that out BEFORE you 'snip and solder'. One clue would be the fuse that controls the power. Easy enough to pop it out, install DC ammeter where it was and see what the actual current draw is.
Say the orginal fuse is rated for 10 amps, the actual draw is 7 amps. Adding the new lights would blow the fuse (4+7 > 10). While some would just toss a 15A fuse in, the WIRING won't handle the additonal amps. It might, then again, it could also overheat,catch on fire and destroy your tractor.
Somewhere ,in some manual or documentation, will be th ecurrent ratings for the switch and wires. Might take some investigating BUT better safe than sorry.

 

[85Hokie]

As I mentioned before .......

Run NEW stuff - NEVER tie into old, why? WELL - JAY explained it well.........
When the sht goes south and fuses blow - one will wish they ran something from scratch - the cost is very small and IF a mistake is made - ONLY THAT circuit is affected, not the factory wiring.

To wire a relay - buy the kit, watch some youtube an go to town - really rather easy - the hardest part??? RUNNING the wires nicely and mounting the switch!

 

[NHSleddog]

EVERY factory connection on the tractor is a "splice" into the electrical system, and they are all fuse or relay protected. It is usually the "home brews" that are left out hanging without proper protection.

Adding another home run to the battery and relay is no big deal to a lot of people, to some (like the ones that don't know the difference in the wiring) it is a big deal and can cause a lot of damage to the electrical systems running home runs wrong.

Taking the factory bullet plug at the light apart, putting that into a bullet splitter and plugging another light into it is NO BIG DEAL. If you plug any of the thousands of led work lights out there it will probably work wonderfully. If you try to put a 10000watt light on it it will just blow the fuse, no big deal. Also Kubota leaves an "accessory" plug sitting at the back of many tractor models, I know my B2650 has one.


Full disclosure - I added the home run to a relay and then to a switch block so I can run my fan and lights separately .

 

[Borgf15]

Thanks for the responses. The existing front facing LEDs are hooked into the spare accessory circuit under the right wheel well. from there it goes to the switch, which then has a wire going to each LED on each side of the ROPS. It's the E1176 LED light kit. Not sure the amp draw of these lights, does anyone know?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I Googled 'E1176 LED' and went to 6 hits... ZERO info on current(Amps) and all had obscene prices... $170-$360. Maybe they're 'pretty', but NO way I'd buy them without full disclosure as to actual current drawn(even 'Watts would help), as well as 'colour'( *K).
I've got 2 , 34W LED units on my BX23S, draw about 2.5 amps each, light up the road and then some. Paid about $30 for 4 of them.

To see actual current drawn, put an ammeter in series with them.

 

[B737]

I also went the relay route

B2601 Lighting Project

finally wrapped up my lighting project for the 2601. Originally I wanted to simply use the Aux Light circuit in the back until I realized they used 20ga wire, and it is a 5 amp circuit. My lights are 2 amps each. Normally, only one pair will be in use at a time (and possibly the 1 amp beacon)...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[aaluck]

Thanks for the responses. The existing front facing LEDs are hooked into the spare accessory circuit under the right wheel well. from there it goes to the switch, which then has a wire going to each LED on each side of the ROPS. It's the E1176 LED light kit. Not sure the amp draw of these lights, does anyone know?

Your new lights are 3 amps each according to the answers in the comments. So it looks like everything together will be about 11 amps.

Like most above I personally prefer to run new. However, if the amps are okay and you want them all of the same switch just tap in and be done.

 

[Jchonline]

I bought my MX with the factory kubota LED kit (see pic, shows one side but it's the same on both sides). I would like to add some rear facing LEDs as well and the dealer told me I can simply tie these into the factory LEDs on each side and they will operate off the same switch. Here's the additional set I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IY3YLCI

My question is if the dealer is in fact correct that I can cut the wire to each of the factory lights and tie in the add ons. If so, would I simply connect the reds together and the blacks together on each side? Also, he said the circuit can handle another set of LEDs. Just want to make 100% sure before messing with it. Thanks in advance for any help.

View attachment 63477

I cut my factory halogens, kept the connectors and soldered them onto LEDs. The LEDs are far more energy efficient so you can easily put 3x the LEDs as a halogen. I doubled mine (front and side) and pull lower Watts than the singles.