Cool Air Blower for L175

[buffumjr]

I'm building an accessory package for my L175. It will include a canopy and a front end loader. I buy the loader tomorrow, then there's cutting torch and MIG work to adapt a Ford 703 loader to the L175. Fun.

Part of the canopy, to be built after the loader part, is a blower to keep me cool in the Florida summers. Ebay has a ton of choices, but I need your advice. One blower has one motor and two squirrel cages, but a high current draw. 8.5A. Would that be too high a continuous drain? Does anyone have any experience with this stuff? What worked for you?

 

[CGMKCM]

http://cooltops.com/

 

[buffumjr]

http://cooltops.com/

Wow. Interesting looking idea. BUT They don't say how much.

11 amps. Is that OK? The Kubota alternator is good for 40 amps. I'm going to have 2 LED work light pods at 4 amps each, and maybe a car radio, at 10 amps. Yeah, I guess it would work.

The 8.5 amp dual squirrel cage costs $35 - $60, depending (on what? They don't say). I already have the golf cart roof, so don't need another.

But I DO like how it looks. Thanx.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'm betting the kooltop cost more than the $20 rad fan from the scrappers and the $10 PWM 'speed control' from China....

 

[buffumjr]

I'm betting the kooltop cost more than the $20 rad fan from the scrappers and the $10 PWM 'speed control' from China....

I'm betting you're right. Auto heater fans are ok within a duct system, but I'm betting they're not much in the open, by themselves.

Just for S&G, I'll guess the Kooltop costs $350. Just a guess. Yeah, I'm leaning toward the dual cage fan. Even at $50, it's a better deal. The one amp car fans put out 15-40 cfm. The 8.5 amp dual cage fan puts out 130 cfm.

OOOOOOH!!! A stroke of BRILLIANCE!! Go to the scrap yard, and, for $35, buy a front wheel drive car radiator cooling fan! They're BEASTS at moving air! Thanx for the scrap yard idea! I can make my own Kooltop for $35 plus existing parts! They even come with their own grille system! OOOH!

 

[i7win7]

here's my blower

1 Cool ROPS accessory

Flex-a-Lite model 116 radiator fan 2,215 CFM and 11 amp draw. Stirs up quite a breeze. May help with bugs a night when running lights. Ground speed in reverse slightly faster? :unsure:

www.tractorbynet.com

here's how I power it

Adding electrical devices to tractor

Purpose of post: to provide general ideas to fellow tractor owners wishing to add lights, electric sprayers, even some high current accessories for short term intermittent use (think winches, jump starts). I'll start with the high power preparations. #1 good heavy duty wire, at Walmart you...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[D2Cat]

Isn't that going to be a pretty heavy loader for an L175? Sounds like an interesting project though!

 

[buffumjr]

here's my blower

1 Cool ROPS accessory

Flex-a-Lite model 116 radiator fan 2,215 CFM and 11 amp draw. Stirs up quite a breeze. May help with bugs a night when running lights. Ground speed in reverse slightly faster? :unsure:

www.tractorbynet.com

here's how I power it

Adding electrical devices to tractor

Purpose of post: to provide general ideas to fellow tractor owners wishing to add lights, electric sprayers, even some high current accessories for short term intermittent use (think winches, jump starts). I'll start with the high power preparations. #1 good heavy duty wire, at Walmart you...

www.tractorbynet.com

Thank you! The ROPS mount was what I was considering. Piercing the roof is NEVER a good idea. Ask anyone who has owned a rag top or a sun roof.

(big grin) Fire extinguisher and strobe light? How about a panel with a scrolling message spelled out by LED? Or I could buy, for $45,000, a new, larger tractor with AC, stereo, blower, fire extinguisher, seat belts, GPS, SIRI, internet access, remote engine monitor, power back scratcher/heater/massager, drink cooler, Keurig machine, CB radio, 2 meter radio, hands free cell phone hookup, and a hundred more extras.

Don't got $45K? Awwww.

I WILL do the fire extinguisher, though. That's a great idea. No, no back hoe. Don't need it. Do have a scraper and a box blade, heavily used.

 

[bucktail]

Are you sure you have a 40 amp alternator? My L1500 has 15 and it's supposed to be similar to the 175 I suppose that some of them have been upgraded.

 

[buffumjr]

Are you sure you have a 40 amp alternator? My L1500 has 15 and it's supposed to be similar to the 175 I suppose that some of them have been upgraded.

dbelectfical.com item AND0212

Going by the ads. Some are 25, some are 40. Label is gone on mine. How would I tell?

 

[bucktail]

Beats me. I had mine tested cause my charging light wouldn't go out. It was the regulator but the bearings were bad so I had it rebuilt anyway. Kind of wish I had converted it .

 

[buffumjr]

$42 for a 35A unit. Worth it. Ebay 184433961341 May do that, myself, except I'd have to destroy the plastic plug to get it out.

 

[buffumjr]

Bummer. I find connectors of the right shape, but only two wire connectors. Need 3 wires. I could use solderless connectors, but I'd rather have a factory type connector. Anyone have a source?

 

[Dave_eng]

dbelectfical.com item AND0212

Going by the ads. Some are 25, some are 40. Label is gone on mine. How would I tell?

I have the original sales brochure for the L175 and no alternator charging spec is provided.

The WSM says 10 amps which I believe.

Unless you know your alternator was replaced along with much heavier output wiring, then unwise to think you have greater than 10 amps output.

Higher output alternators typically have internal voltage regulators and the original regulator is not used.

How to tell or measure output? What do you have to work with. A battery load tester could be used to see the load where the alternator could not keep battery voltage stable and high.

Dave

 

[buffumjr]

10 AMPS!! That's INSANE! That's barely enough to service the lamps!

I'll have to rethink this. I don't want to rewire the whole tractor.

 

[Dave_eng]

10 AMPS!! That's INSANE! That's barely enough to service the lamps!

I'll have to rethink this. I don't want to rewire the whole tractor.

There are many small one wire alternators being sold for under $100.
These are easy to install and have strong output without overloading the current V belt.

Alternator

This one with 40 amp output is small making it easy to fit where current unit is.
One wire setup is easy to install. Downside is no warning light but volt meter can be installed to show you what is happening.

You run one wire from the alternator output to the battery cable on the starter and abandon all the other alternator and regulator wiring.

Dave

 

[buffumjr]

Youtube has such wonderful stuff. Found a way to measure the output of my current alternator; a simple volt meter. 14.2+ V means it's handling it. Under that means it's not. Keep adding load until the voltage drops to the 14.1- point. You can add lights, compressor, even radios, if you know the amp draw of each. Once you have the voltage drop, you add up the draw, and that's your output limit. You then remove your test rig. I'll do that, today.

Thanks Dave_eng. Will try that if I have to.

 

[ctfjr]

Good luck with your project buffumjr, it sounds like it will keep you out of trouble for a couple of days
One comment on the loads you posted above. Unless you actually measured 4 amps on those led lights I would be skeptical that really draw that much. Every led light I've used measures less than 1/2 the draw that one would expect by their 'wattage rating' - usually about 30% of it. I wouldn't expect a car radio to draw 10 amps - seems like a lot unless you are putting a serious amp on it so the neighbors can hear it too
There are some smaller loads you haven't mentioned like the running lights. If they are still filament type there may be an amp or two there.

Good luck!

 

[buffumjr]

I'm not talking about single LEDs. I'm talking about arrays of LEDs in a pod, often used for work lights, backup lights, etc. There, I'm just going by what the seller published. If it's far less than planned, so much the better. The car radio had a 10A fuse on it. The 9 inch radiator fan is 11A, the dual cage fan id 8A, or so the sellers say. They wouldn't lie ............ would they?

 

[buffumjr]

Just found out about my Harbor Freight 150lb 12v compressor. 30A draw. Ideal test. The compressor connects to the battery, not the cigarette lighter. Will do, today.

My multimeter, from a pawn shop, has a non contact amp loop. Just put it around the B wire from the alternator, and measure the amps. OR, I can use the DC volts function, and just measure the voltage drop, OR

with a home made shunt!

GO Youtube!