Auxiliary Lighting

[gmtinker]

I finally got around to getting my auxiliary lighting on my BX. It gets dark at about 6 pm here now, and I know when the snow finally hits I'll need more than the headlights when using the loader (they are in exactly the most inconvenient place when using said loader . . . .)

I got 3 35W sealed beam tractor lamps and using loom, a couple scrounged connectors from the junk pile at work, a junction block and some sealing-style heat shrink tube and built a full subharness for them. As an automotive tech who hates it when engineers don't consider serviceability, it would be disgraceful to "hack it in."

I opted for a junction block as opposed to inline fuse holders for the lights, but use a large inline fuse holder near the battery post. The harness was snaked along a factory harness to the rear. This put one weather-pak connector at the bottom of the ROPS, so it's easily unclicked if/when the ROPS has to come off for service. The other connector is up top near the lamps. The lamps are held on using NutSerts, which are the cat's meow when it comes to tubing. I put the switches in the dash near the blank hole where the cruise control is on higher up models.

I know, I drilled the ROPS. However, the NutSerts fill and crimp onto the hole, so I'm not worried about structural failure, especially since I painted the bare metal and sealed the lamp bolt threads.

As for the wattage, the factory headlamps are 37.5W each, and I don't turn them on with the loader anyway because they glare on the bucket. 35W @ 12V ~ 3A per bulb, so I'm not too worried.

Worlds different while using the loader now!

 

[gmtinker]

The other pics I couldn't upload with first post

 

[eserv]

Hi Gmtinker
Looks like you have done a nice job! Should work good for you. As for drilling or welding on the rops, it's not that it weakens or compromises it that is the issue it is that you have modified a certified ROPS. That makes it an uncertified Rops. probably no problem for you or anyone else but you have just absolved Kubota of any liability if it did fail! Also you have devalued the tractor because a really conscientious reseller would make it right before they sold it, at your expense re tradein value.
Ed

 

[gmtinker]

Well, I'm not planning to ever sell my toy (er . . . "equipment"), and I'm generally careful not to dump it. That's part of why I bought nearly new, to keep long-term and know where it came from. I wouldn't be suing Kubota if I dumped it anyway, because I can't blame them for my lack of care (even if they are a large corporation and it seems like lots of people think that "It's always someone else's fault").

Sorry, getting off my soapbox now . . .

 

[eserv]

Hi Gmtinker
I am not criticizing you for doing it, I would probably do it myself on a machine I owned! I was just clarifying the issue.
Ed

 

[Ob1kubota]

Good Job electrically and I agree with Ed on the ROPS, you have put the monkey on your back modifying the structure

 

[John C]

I'll have to say that I'm with gmtinker on this! In my opinion he made the tractor more valuable by making it more usable! I also have lights mounted on the Rops only I mainly use my tractor in the woods so I mounted them under the cross bar to protect them from limbs! Most likely the reason Kubota didn't manufacture the rops with light mounts is so they can argue that the rops was compromised and therefore be absolved of any responsibility should a suit arise. cause I guarantee 85 out of 100 tractors have been modified this way! But that's just my opinion!!

 

[aquaforce]

If an owner were concerned with the rops mods then a clamp on style mounting is also an option. Some exist for this exact reason in the equipment world.


Anyway, I like the lighting.
Those results look great in the pic with the lights on. That looks very practical and functional. Good job.

 

[Amishkingpin]

Nice Post - These lights look Great!

I just bought a B7100 and would like to add lights too.

AK

 

[Rust Addict]

Brand new member today, and this is the first login. Signed up for ya'lls support.

If only we all had the skills to think ahead to avoid potential lighting system overload! I have a B6000E and this is the first winter we will work together. In the getting ready for snow I went out to replace one blown 5W bulb. Found some 15W bulbs from the auto parts store that would fit the plugs (overload #1) , and got carried away with a set of automotive 35W fog lamps (overload #2). I may have survived with the overpowered new bulbs, but the wire tap I plugged into the orginal wire harness to switch on and supply the new fog lamps was the wrong plan. The 4 new lights worked for about 20 minutes, until I decided I was going to flash the lights for a car to drive by. Then pop, and some funky smoke smells and I'm left in the dark! I checked all (2) fuses I could find in the system, and they are still good. After some poking around with a multimeter I can not find any power to the light switch. I checked all possible terminals and positions of the key and light switch. Also found that the little horn button that did work now doesn't. We went out for an other snow storm and cleaned up with no lights, no problems really, just blind. Today, not enough charge left to start it up?? Seems I've created a problem bigger than the one I started with. Not sure what to make of it, or how to get it fixed. Any ideas would be great. There isn't much of an elcectical system on these things, although it does appear that removal of the battery may be necessary to access the wire side of the little dash panel.

My first warning to other SUPER LIGHT project plans, opt for an isolated light circuit to feed your lights, and maybe plan on a battery tender to pay back the battery if the system uses more than it makes.

Free advise is better than exhausted ideas!

 

[dusty-t]

Hi Rust addict welcome. Ya Iv'e pretty much maxed out my B8200, I have two halogens on the front of the cab, two regular round aux tractor lights on the back of the cab, I use a power window motor to turn the hood on the blower and a power pedal adjuster to raise and lower the hood, plus I have a wiper on the front and an interior light.I kept the wiring real simple from the battery to an inline fuse then to what ever it is powering. I usually go out to do snow about 2 or 3 in the morning. No traffic. When I come back home sometimes after 4 or five hours I just leave a trickle charger on it and it just plugs into the cig lighter. So far no problems. good luck and keep us posted. Dusty

 

[brokersdad]

So how can a person tell how much he can load on his tractor for lights without going to far?

 

[dusty-t]

you probably have a 40 amp alternator which should be lots for aux lights with some t spare. How do you figure it out. Damfino I'll let one of the smart guys tell you . dusty

 

[Rust Addict]

Anyone know how many Amps the B6000 makes, and how many are left over for added devices? Any idea's on how can I test my alternator in the tractor to test if it is good? I'm not sure that it is still making power? At the moment we are living on a battery charger.

 

[Greg]

I wouldn't be suing Kubota if I dumped it anyway, because I can't blame them for my lack of care (even if they are a large corporation and it seems like lots of people think that "It's always someone else's fault").

Unfortunately, it's when a bad accident occurs that the most law suits are initiated. It's easy to say now that, "I won't sue", but it's another story when you are paralyzed and unable to work or care for your family. Some times a law suit is the only option. No reason to compromise the ROPS when there are perfectly viable options.

That being said, when I do get the ROPS for my tractor, and I do build a lighting system, it may all be mounted ahead of time by welding to steel plates, and then adding those plates to the ROPS via epoxy or sikaflex. Either of which can be removed will a heat gun. I will be doing quite a bit of work in the woods, so I am also considering a break away system that allows it to be easily knocked of the ROPS without any damage to the light or the brackets. This works well because you can pull them off in a flash and simply turn them around when you need more light in the back.

 

[Rust Addict]

The service manual for a B6000E says the dynamo should crank out a hefty 90W, and 60W with the standard 15W bulbs at "night time". Book says the fuel pump draw is 0.8amps, so should leave around 50W to power any added lights. (Stock bulbs are confirmed at 15W each on the B6000E.) Still need to test the generator, rectifier, and test for shorts in the system. No idea what's gone bad at this point.



I like the roll bars, sure does make for a nice place to mount the extra lights. My little machine does look goofy with them mounted on the rear fenders, and functionally not as effective for sure. I can't see what all the fuss has been about with drilling 2 holes into a roll bar. It those little holes make the difference between catastrophic failure in a roll over, you probably needed to be wearing seat belt!
Both of which (bars and belts) are relatively modern safety features, and were not standard equipment on the little B6000E.

 

[brokersdad]

Unfortunately, it's when a bad accident occurs that the most law suits are initiated. It's easy to say now that, "I won't sue", but it's another story when you are paralyzed and unable to work or care for your family. Some times a law suit is the only option. No reason to compromise the ROPS when there are perfectly viable options.

That being said, when I do get the ROPS for my tractor, and I do build a lighting system, it may all be mounted ahead of time by welding to steel plates, and then adding those plates to the ROPS via epoxy or sikaflex. Either of which can be removed will a heat gun. I will be doing quite a bit of work in the woods, so I am also considering a break away system that allows it to be easily knocked of the ROPS without any damage to the light or the brackets. This works well because you can pull them off in a flash and simply turn them around when you need more light in the back.

Not trying to be an a** here but have to comment on this. So if I roll my tractor and get hurt bad or paralyzed, why should a big company pay for something I caused to happen, just because they have more money then I do ?

 

[Greg]

Not trying to be an a** here but have to comment on this. So if I roll my tractor and get hurt bad or paralyzed, why should a big company pay for something I caused to happen, just because they have more money then I do ?

It's not what I'm implying at all, I'm on the same page with you on this except for the fact that I don't see a reason do drill the ROPS.

Most of us, the sane, descent and commonsensical wouldn't sue because of something we did wrong. Yet, sometimes people find them selves in situations. You just never know. Maybe you have no health insurance, or it's lapsed and bam, your on life support because you crushed your trachea in a roll over and your wife has already drained your bank account because of it. Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures and things we swore we would never do, we end up doing.

It can be even more simple than that, suppose you are in a simple roll over that should have left only a few bruises, but the ROPS fails and you break your back. Even if the failure had nothing to do with your 1/8" hole, you have no recourse.

 

[GSDGUY]

On the subject of knowing how much you can load your electrical system. There are some very basic formulas you can use.
P = power in watts
E = voltage
I = amperes
R = resistance
To figure total watts available when voltage and current are known, E x I = P
so if you have a 20 amp alternator producing approx 13.5 volts 20 x 13.5 = 270 you have about 270 watts to work with keeping in mind that your battery needs charging after every start. here are some other formulas P = E x I E = P/I E = I x R I = E/R I = P/E

 

[gmtinker]

According to a Kubota parts catalog at Coleman Equipment, the "dynamo" is apparently a 14A unit:

http://www.colemanequip.com/ModelParts.asp?ModelID=227&pc=32173

So if "nominal" voltage is 12V x 14A = 168W, but I'm not sure what actual system charging voltage should be on one of those units. On automotive applications it's ~13.8-14.3V, so you'd be maxing out ~200W at full tilt with a fully charged battery. Heck, my fairly-new model BX only has a 15A alternator, so I'm careful not to overload it.

If you had a buddy or shop with a carbon pile load tester, you could take a base reading of your battery, start the tractor, run it at a decent rpm with the amp clamp around the alternator lead and load the electrical system down to match the original tractor-off battery voltage it should show you what the alternator can put out (we do it all the time on trucks and cars, it's called an AVR charging test).

One final note about the liability stuff - I did what I saw to be acceptable on my own piece of equipment and I have assumed the liability for my machine on that part. I know that. Others can mount their lights and accessories as they wish, and in ways that meet their needs. I in no way intended for an argument about liability in a technical area where we all just share notes on what works for us in our situations. I just wanted to share my idea, mostly the electrical and wiring information, because I saw others interested in doing something similar.

One way or another, OTT is still one of my daily surfing stops; I love to learn from everyone else about what they're doing with their machines!