Auxiliary Power for Work Lights - BX

[RCW]

Guys -

Been looking at your great ideas for work lights. Does the auxiliary wiring to the left of the PTO switch with the lights?

I found them, and the wiring diagram looks like they come off the tail lights.

I'm not smart enough to post the electric diagram!

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

You found them

 

[RCW]

Do they go with the light switch?

Dry fit so far...The light pointing to the back will be added later right behind the other. You might see the hole to mount it.

Not sure yet if it will be round or rectangle light.

 

[bandaidmd]

On my B2620 there hot with the ign switch so your light will need its own separate switch.
That a pretty small wire if your planning to run 4 lights off of it there should be a 20 amp fuse in your fuseholder thats marked aux. You using LED's ?

 

[skeets]

YUP you got em and what I did was to make a bracket and bolt it where the orange triangle goes , the light is out of the way and secured and so far,,, fingers crossed haven't had any trouble with it

 

[BAP]

If you encounter a lot of tree branches, you might want to put them inside the ROPS to protect them.

 

[skeets]

What BAP said,, I put lights on top of the ROPS, and cleaned them off the first trip through the orchard.. I tried them under the top of the ROPS but alas my big head and body got in the way of the lights. SO I take the over head lights off in the summer and put them back on after the mowing season is over and that way I can just use them for plowing snow.. MAYBE a very low profile set of LED lights would work on top of the ROPS covered with something heavy enough to keep them from being pealed off by low hanging branches,, just a thought

 

[RCW]

The ROPS on a BX2360 is narrower and shorter than the BX25D or BX2370.

If I put them inside the ROPS, even at the top, then I'm going to take them out with my head or shoulders. I'm a large guy. On top of the ROPS is out - other stuff will get it there.

With them on the outside right, that's the side of the MMM discharge chute. I tend to hit stuff with the left side of the ROPS when mowing close to stuff.

I really wanted inside top - but no way it was going to work.

Like Skeets - I might have to take them off summers.

 

[DonDC]

You could try turning the bracket 90 degrees an have the light and bracket pointing straight back or straight forward. This would move it away from the branches somewhat and should not interfere with head and shoulders. That is what I did on my tractor. My brackets are just long enough so the back of the light clears the ROPS

 

[bandaidmd]

I have decided to mount mine on top of the loader uprights, don't want the glare of lights behind me and the loader frame only comes off for major service.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[skeets]

The ROPS on the 50 and 60 series is if your a bit on the tall side not much above your head, and the glare from the lights is more of a problem than a help, on the new 70 series the ROPS is higher and foldable so just being higher would help. I have a coupe of ideas for lights on top but I first need to figure out what kinds of lights. Wildfire has the lights that light up the night to be sure ,and I think a low profile LED will be the way to go, and I think something heavy like some aluminum diamond plate for a mounting bracket and cover/guard and a few stout bolts might be the ticket

 

[RCW]

When I get closer to done I'll post some pics. Right now just lack the lights themselves and tidy it all up.

Local hardware store is getting in some plain ol' round sealed beam tractor lights (like the one in the earlier picture) and some rectangle 55w halogens. I made the bracket long enough to take a rectangle if I chose that route.

The hardware store let me borrow the light in the picture to get me started. A small town is a good thing.

I like the idea of rotating the whole thing 90 degrees - that will be a "Plan B" if this is a problem.

 

[RCW]

Switch is set ($8 at NAPA), but need something to make the top end shed water. Just zip ties to fasten - figure it better if it breaks away than break altogether.

The "switch box" is just a PVC 1/2" conduit fitting with rubber gasket cover. $2.83 at Lowes. The lights are 12V, so not too concerned about it being sealed.

Will bring conduit into the bottom of the fitting, etc.

I checked the length of the brackets to the out-board of the ROPS. They are about the same as the outside of the yellow cautions on the BX2360. You'd have to try to hit them when walking by the tractor. When using the tractor, the yellow caution lights would be at risk too, if you got close to something.

Now, tree limbs don't have the same discretion when driving through them......

 

[RCW]

The ROPS on the 50 and 60 series is if your a bit on the tall side not much above your head, and the glare from the lights is more of a problem than a help, on the new 70 series the ROPS is higher and foldable so just being higher would help. I have a coupe of ideas for lights on top but I first need to figure out what kinds of lights. Wildfire has the lights that light up the night to be sure ,and I think a low profile LED will be the way to go, and I think something heavy like some aluminum diamond plate for a mounting bracket and cover/guard and a few stout bolts might be the ticket

Skeets -

With a 60 Series, I fill the WHOLE ROPS. That's why I put them outside the ROPS. But I know sometimes I break stuff.

I'm leaning toward the old style sealed beams for my work lights. For $20, they are replaced. Replacement sealed beam bulbs are now about $15 at the store, but at least you can get them quickly if the bulb blows.

They have some 55W halogens for about $20, but I'm not sure about the heat they produce in the rain/snow, etc. Those bulbs can be replaced as well.

The one in the picture was made in China ($17), and you can't replace the bulb. The owner of the store let me take it just to dry-fit. I made the bracket so it would take the round tractor light or the rectangle halogen - 3x5 or 4x6.

LED's are expensive, so I'm staying away from them for now for the tractor. Since I break stuff, a $20 loss is much better than $150.

 

[skeets]

RCW I can relate to braking stuff,, I made a bracket out of an old street sign I ahhh found laying by the road and bought 2, 55w halogen driving lights switch and fuse included at wally world for like 25 bucks I think, they are the oblong ones a bit lower then the round ones, and mounted them on top of the ROPS, like you I pretty much fill the ROPS as well, they sit on just about the outside edges I think like 18 or 20 inches apart. Though I do like the idea of mounting them on the side or the ROPS almost as high and a bit more out of the way from low stuff.

 

[RCW]

Skeets - finding the steel in the road was a great find. I looked around my place one morning looking for something to make a bracket out of.

Had to break down and spend $10 for a 4 foot piece of 1 1/4" angle. Now I have almost 3 feet left over.

I had an old can of Kubota Orange paint in the garage - left over from some project - never had a Kubota until this spring.

 

[RCW]

Skeets -

Got 'er done. Might want to think something similar for your 2360. I really like the position - but haven't tried in the dark yet. I don't think the lights will interfere with vision.

Lights are 55w halogens. $14 each at my local hardware store.

If you can see them, there are two large grain bins in the background, to the right of my kids' van. For scale reference, next to a bin there is a white Ford tandem axle truck with aluminum grain box that you can see between the trees.

Three brothers are picking corn on 1,500 acres and will fill both in the next month or so. They bought an old feed mill in town and make livestock feed. Also sell kernel corn this time of year to our New Jersey seasonal hunting residents for deer.

They made an ingenious wood-fired drier for the picked corn between the bins. Takes about a pickup load of firewood at a time. They also made their own wood processor to feed it.

The guys are real workers. They milk about 100 head as well.

As with many farmers, they are great neighbors.

 

[RCW]

Guys -

Figured out a way to shed some water off the top of the switch.

Won't be water tight, but its 12v.

Its a rubber adapter for a dishwasher fitting ($2 at Lowes). Used the pipe clamps for something else, and had to slit both connections so they fit.

All tied with zip-ties, just like the mount of the switch box itself.

 

[85Hokie]

i like those chains!
I got my other set of lights on now......come on snow!

 

[RCW]

i like those chains!
I got my other set of lights on now......come on snow!

Hokie - thanks - got them from my local hardware store while back. Pretty heavy 2-link, fit great.

I saw your lights, and really like the outcome!

Nice job!