Idiot Light

[mangus580]

Since my driveway is short, and has a bunch of road frontage (not to mention a 55mph road), I felt it best to mount a Idiot Light on my tractor. Can be thought as me being an idiot in the road, or me trying to avoid idiots on the road, your choice!

I wanted it to be semi protected when the ROPS was up, so it hangs underneath. I extended the mounting forward, to make side visibility better. I have the wires set up appropriately to allow the ROPS to fold down still too, as i need it dropped to fit in the shed.

I have yet to wire it up fully, need to decide on a switch, and find warmer dryer weather to lay underneath to run the wires. (wired to my booster pack to show it working)

[CompactTractorFan]

Looks good!!!

[Don87]

I agree, it looks good. But with the light upside down like that, won't all the blinker fluid run out?

As to a switch, I went to Advance Auto and picked up a 20 or 30 amp toggle switch and wired directly to the battery with an inline fuse. I mounted the switch under the hood to keep it out of the weather, and to keep visiting chidren from turning it on and running my battery dead. Raising the hood to turn it on doesn't bother me, cause I gotta check the oil and antifreeze anyway.

[mangus580]

I have one spot I am considering putting the switch in the dash - It will most likely get wired to the battery via relay, and power feed to the switch from the key.

The hood on this is not 'convenient' enough to hide a switch under there - loader has to be up, and the front 'brush guard' folded down to open the hood.

[Don87]

I have one spot I am considering putting the switch in the dash - It will most likely get wired to the battery via relay, and power feed to the switch from the key.

The hood on this is not 'convenient' enough to hide a switch under there - loader has to be up, and the front 'brush guard' folded down to open the hood.

Understood. Just be sure to purchase a waterproof switch, like they use on boats. It will save you a bunch of headaches in the long run.

[600rider]

I mounted 3 switches on my tractor and just put a rubber cover for the switches to "water proof" them. They just slide on over the toggle and have a molded in nut that screws on over the mounting nut. I got them at TSC and I know that Surplus Center has them also. the one switch is mounted in the dash so no snow or rain gets to it. the other two are mounted on a bracket I fabed up and are exposed to the elements but I have not had any problems to date!

[Egon]

Will the existing rear light circuits have enough capacity for the new light? If so everything you need is already there!

If a dedicated circuit is required use an ordinary outdoor 120/240 volt electrical box with switch clamped to the roll bar. You could run the wires in plastic conduit with the area that must bend covered with the slip on auto type covers or even just a piece of flexible tubing. .

[mangus580]

The new light is supposed to draw 8 amps, so I am not really wanting to add it to existing circuits.

I have found a spot on the dash I can add 1 switch to, I just need to choose and buy said switch, and get the wires to it.

Will the existing rear light circuits have enough capacity for the new light? If so everything you need is already there!

If a dedicated circuit is required use an ordinary outdoor 120/240 volt electrical box with switch clamped to the roll bar. You could run the wires in plastic conduit with the area that must bend covered with the slip on auto type covers or even just a piece of flexible tubing. .

[mangus580]

So I found a switch to use...



And I figure to put it in place of the 'rubber plug' just to the left of the key in this pic...