Added rear lights and engine won't stay on!

[Lagonia]

Hinomoto 239D tractor.

I added rear light to my tractor yesterday. 55W (watts) each. First thing that happened is that it blew the 10A fuse. I replaced it with a 20A fuse and the lights started working. The interesting part was that while the engine is running, when you turn on the lights now, the engine dies slowly within 45 to 60 seconds and becomes very hard to start (ambient temperature about 40 - 45F). You turn off the lights and the engine starts and runs fine...

This is the weirdest thing! I know the alternators on tractors do not put out much amperage out but would adding 110 watts worth of lighting cause a problem such as this. If so, why?



Thanx.

 

[grsthegreat]

Hinomoto 239D tractor.

I added rear light to my tractor yesterday. 55W (watts) each. First thing that happened is that it blew the 10A fuse. I replaced it with a 20A fuse and the lights started working. The interesting part was that while the engine is running, when you turn on the lights now, the engine dies slowly within 45 to 60 seconds and becomes very hard to start (ambient temperature about 40 - 45F). You turn off the lights and the engine starts and runs fine...

This is the weirdest thing! I know the alternators on tractors do not put out much amperage out but would adding 110 watts worth of lighting cause a problem such as this. If so, why?



Thanx.

first off, just swapping out a fuse to a higher amperage fuse is asking for trouble. The existing fuse is sized to the wire.

at 12 volts, 110 watts of light / 12 volts = 9.2 amps added to your load. I dont know what sized alternator you have, but i suspect that you are taxing the unit to the max, such that theres no power to run the tractor.

also, your battery may be near its end of life....so no reserve power.

If you simply increase the fuse size, the wires may melt BEFORE the fuse blows.

If you truly have issues with not enough power, i suggest your a great canidate for the LED area lights that others are trying on this site. They take WAY less power to operate.

 

[k0ua]

Just in case you want another opinion, I will back up Grsthegreat 100% on all statements. You are really looking for trouble when you start putting in bigger fuses.

James K0UA

 

[mostly_gas]

+1 on the bigger fuse. Grsthegreat pretty much covered everything

 

[Lagonia]

Yep, get it on the fuse, no problem. Why would a diesel engine need electricity to run? By definition, there are no spark plugs and no need for electricity for a diesel engine to run (once it starts of course) assuming the glow plugs have done their job in warming the diesel to get the engine started.

So, why would an insufficient amperage cause the engine to die? That is the question.

Thanx!
Steve H.

 

[mostly_gas]

If your tractor is a key off, ie turn the key off and the tractor dies, there is a solenoid to kill the fuel to the tractor. As a guess as the voltage drops the solenoid won't stay fully open the engine starves for fuel. Put a voltmeter on the circuit with the engine running with and without lights on. If the alternator is keeping pace voltage should be about 14V. If it drops much ie .5 volts or more you need to change something and fix your problem.

 

[Lagonia]

Yes! That makes a lot of sense. I bet anything, that is it. I shall try and post back.

Thanx!

S.