Electronic FEL level indicator

[murphy1244]

You do fantastic work sir.

 

[k0ua]

You do fantastic work sir.

+1 on that!

 

[murphy1244]

He could of made do with a Work box but he close to make a Custom one. Awesome.!

 

[sallymander]

With that great looking system you're well on your way to making the bucket self level with the push of a button.

 

[Beltman60]

Waxman
you make some great stuff

 

[WaxMan]

Thanks Murphy, kOua, salamander, Beltman and others I appreciate your kind words. I know it looks like a lot of work, but I enjoyed making the project and the fact that it works so smooth in the end, made it even better.
I enjoy using it. It will work the best at night while moving snow. As for making them as a kit? I don't think there would be that much of a market, since the factory rod works well. Maybe the people with bucket cams, and central vacuums installed on their cab tractors might be interested. But who knows one of those guys:confused3:

 

[dragoneggs]

Thanks Murphy, kOua, salamander, Beltman and others I appreciate your kind words. I know it looks like a lot of work, but I enjoyed making the project and the fact that it works so smooth in the end, made it even better.
I enjoy using it. It will work the best at night while moving snow. As for making them as a kit? I don't think there would be that much of a market, since the factory rod works well. Maybe the people with bucket cams, and central vacuums installed on their cab tractors might be interested. But who knows one of those guys:confused3:

I'm jealous and the the night time snow removal was exactly the application I was thinking about when I saw your project, Waxman! Well done :thumbsup: I think though, this is a little too ambitious for me at this point. That said, I am going to light up the night with a bunch of LEDs very soon.

 

[Beltman60]

WaxMan
could you take some time and list a parts list?
mostly of the electronics
Thanks

 

[jim_wilson]

Very cool.

I've got a B3200 with the LA504 loader - and have thought about retrofitting the level indicator from one of the new LA524 loaders onto it - but I like your solution better. A parts list would be great - this looks like a cool winter project.

 

[WaxMan]

WaxMan
could you take some time and list a parts list?
mostly of the electronics
Thanks

jim_wilson
Re: Electronic FEL level indicator

Very cool.

I've got a B3200 with the LA504 loader - and have thought about retrofitting the level indicator from one of the new LA524 loaders onto it - but I like your solution better. A parts list would be great - this looks like a cool winter project.

Making it was pretty simple.
Thinking of how to make it was the hard part.

3) backup light switches. has to be normally closed. Part # BWD S26022 Advance Auto Parts
3) 9/16 fine thread nuts for the sensors to mount into.
2) red 12 volt led arrow lights or just plain led lights. Amazon, Ebay
2) Green 12 volt Led's mounted side by side. Ebay
1) solid block of aluminum.
1) 1/4 inch smoked plexi glass.
4) small brass machine screws.
1) 3/8 bolt to mount thru the existing bracket on the fel threaded into the back aluminum box.
3) rubber coil wire boots.
1) 3 ft Stainless Steel 5/8 rod Graingers.com
1) 3 ft Steel tubing 5/8 ID .... Lowes was the only place the 5/8 rod fit into the tubing, other stores the 5/8 rod would not fit loosely inside the labeled 5/8 tubing (A China thing.)

At first I was just going to have four round led lights, 1 red, 2 green and 1 blue. Shown below a prototype.
Hot, Level, Cold. Hot (red) would be digging Cold (blue) would be bucket tipped up. Level double green.

Then I found the arrow lights, I removed them from the red plastic housing to make them smaller. Same with the green lights I took the plastic housing off and put two together to form sort of a green led line. And the bracket welded on the fel arm was the perfect place for it.
You can make the box or use any box you can find , I didn't like my options so I made one. Once you have the rod and sensors made as a trigger, you can use anything for lights.

Machine the back of the nuts half round to fit the round pipe. Weld the three nuts to the rod housing,
If I could weld like 4shorts you would see nice perfect, fine quality welds around the nuts but I can't so I filed them smooth, they were ok, but if the welds are not perfect I don't want to see them.. Perfect welds showing around the nuts would of looked better, and more a factory look IMO.

Assemble the rod and tube on the tractor and set the bucket level, while bucket is level, mark the rod thru the "center nut"of the three. That is the short, level groove.
Use a 1/2 round file to make the groove. I used the Bridgeport at first but finished up with a hand file.
Then do the other two.