Will ROPS provide ground for aux lights?

[Buckgnarly]

I wound up using a point below the the ROPS. Also made two brackets to mount the lights. No driling, welding, and no pics!.....yet. Wife has the laptop on trip, have a bunch of stuff already done but no way to post yet.

 

[The kid]

Do what you want, I drilled a 1/4 hole in mine to run the hot wire inside the ROPS, welded a mount for the light and grounded to the ROPS. Why run a wire somewhere else to ground to the frame If a small hole will ruin it it's not worth having.

Agreed.

 

[NHmitch]

'probably'.. but why rely upon a painted surface to carry electricity.. if you are running 1 wire.. run 2.. dedicated grounds make for brighter lights and longer bulb life..

I agree, that is the best way to go, and will ensure a very good ground. Bulbs can be expensive, so you want a good ground.

 

[Texan4Life]

You can always test it was a multimeter. You could use ohms and/or continuity. one probe on the rops (scratch though paint of course) the other on a known good ground or neg battery post. Should have little to no resistance and have a nice solid beep for continuity.

 

[Soundguy]

don't trust the beep. different meters allow different ohms levels and still call it continuity. you don't want 10 ohms extra in a lighting circuit.

paint is an insulator..

 

[Frankdozer]

My 1984 John Deere 455D track Loader is factory grounded via the ROPS. It only has the positive wire to the lights and horn.................

 

[Jay4200]

Your ROPS is bolted directly to the tractor chassis - mine bolts to the rear end. It is the best ground you can get - WAY better than a wire.

JayC

 

[Soundguy]

you do realize it is possible to paint 2 surfaces and bolt them together and not have conductance. seen it with a starter that grounds thru the mounting flange...

and to be honest. you DO want painted surfaces. paint doesn't rust.

While relying on chassis grounds are generally ok, and in most cases work. they are by no menas 'better' than 100% dedicated wireing.. besides.. copper conducts better than cast iron.. or painted cast iron..

 

[crazyal]

If you do use your ROPS for a ground you can always attach a simple grounding wire to the bottom of the ROPS going to chassis to avoid having to rely on the ROPS bolts.

 

[radioman]

Problem is using the rops is just like trailer wiring. It works great the first few years and over time the frame ground just finicky stuff over time making you wonder whats wrong? Plus when its exposed to weather - you will get a mindset after few years that it works just fine and then all the sudden it doesnt? then what?
disclaimer - by a few years doesnt mean first 3 years or so -- I mean 2- 10 years .. :2cents: