Replaced the broken headlights on my B5100 with LED work lights.

[Dave_eng]

Hi Dave -

I checked the wiring diagram when I replaced the regulator last year. The lights clearly work on DC - and they work w/ the tractor off (and the switch on, of course), so they're running on DC from the battery.

The owner's manual has the wiring diagram; here's a link: https://www.kubotabooks.com/AutoIndex/index.php?dir=Tractor Owners Manuals/&file=B5100-B6100-B7100 Owners Manual.pdf

- Bart

Thanks Bart.
I have yet to figure out which Kubota's run AC headlights. Ones that do have 3 wire dynamos.
Here is a picture of a 3 wire dynamo.

There is an old discussion on the subject of this thread.
3 wire

It really does not matter has you have a simple system and your new lights work as they should.

Dave

 

[Lencho]

Thanks for the photo Bart’s. I’d like to not have

Sure...

Here's a view w/ the hood tipped down, so you can see the loader pump. The lights are bolted to a 11.75" long x 1.5" wide piece of 1/4" aluminum plate, which is in turn bolted to the edge of the radiator hood opening. I was concerned it might be too flexible, but it's nice and stiff - no need for a brace.

I used the original wiring light switch; you can see the brown wire there. I'll add some adhesive zip tie clips when I pick up my wiring suppplies from CA soon. In the mean time, this works.

- Bart

View attachment 75378

Thanks for the extra photos. It looks solid. I’d like to not have the bolts show from the front but all else looks great.

 

[barts]

I’d like to not have the bolts show from the front but all else looks great.

Yup... that would look better, esp. close up. Some flat black paint to match the radiator grille would help as well. I considered hanging the lights off the plate, but that would involve fasteners showing on the top of the hood, which seems worse to me. Another approach would be a large L' bracket with 3.75" diameter holes that bolts to the original headlight mounting bolts.

Such refinements will have to wait until the shop is built and my tools moved up from CA.

- Bart

 

[barts]

Thanks Bart.
I have yet to figure out which Kubota's run AC headlights. Ones that do have 3 wire dynamos.
Here is a picture of a 3 wire dynamo.
View attachment 75410

There is an old discussion on the subject of this thread.
3 wire

It really does not matter has you have a simple system and your new lights work as they should.

Dave

This is just like my B5100's dynamo - the regulator (behind the dashboard) rectifies the three phase AC waveform to DC, and 'wastes' whatever isn't needed to ground - hence the heat sinks I replaced mine last year and enjoy having the tractor keep itself charged. Some dirt bikes w/o batteries ran their headlights on AC. Since diesels need glow plugs to start and have to charge the battery, there's not much reason to run the headlights on AC.