After Market Lighting

   / After Market Lighting #1  

swatter

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2013
Messages
70
Location
Alabama
Tractor
Kubota BX25D
I was thinking that I would add two 55 watt lights to my BX25D. i was thinking do I want to install a separate switch or use the factory light switch. I can splice into the wiring that feeds the tail lights. I was wondering if the factory switch can handle the extra lights.
 
   / After Market Lighting #2  
I was thinking that I would add two 55 watt lights to my BX25D. i was thinking do I want to install a separate switch or use the factory light switch. I can splice into the wiring that feeds the tail lights. I was wondering if the factory switch can handle the extra lights.

Go LED!! Cost more, but worth the extra money. Less draw on the electrical system.
 
   / After Market Lighting #3  
I was thinking that I would add two 55 watt lights to my BX25D. i was thinking do I want to install a separate switch or use the factory light switch. I can splice into the wiring that feeds the tail lights. I was wondering if the factory switch can handle the extra lights.

I would run them from a separate circuit and switch. That's an additional draw of almost 10 amps that could overload the circuit and switch. Now if you wanted to add LED I'd be less concerned. I also think that you aren't necessarily going to want front and rear lights on together all the time, but that's just me.

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   / After Market Lighting #4  
I would recommend either 1) direct wire to the battery with switch and proper fuse (as I did) or 2) if you want to use the existing switch, add a relay to provide the power to the new lights. This will avoid passing extra current through the existing light switch and potentially burning it out.

And remember that watts are watts so a 27 watt LED light puts out 1/2 the light of a 55 watt LED or non-LED. 1/2 the power consumption = 1/2 the light output, generally speaking. I run 2 55-watt conventional lights for this reason as the 27 watt LED I purchased are way too dim for my use.
 
   / After Market Lighting #5  
I would not tap into an existing circuit, manufacturers do not build any reserved into the wiring. They are adequate for what they were designed for but not extra. The best way would be to run a new fused circuit.
 
   / After Market Lighting #6  
Run a seperate circuit with a fuse and a relay. tie the relay to the regular lights, so the new ones only come on if the regular lights are on, and the switch for the new lights is on. That way the new lights dont get left on accidentily.
 
   / After Market Lighting
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks for the input. I use led lights at work and they do great for what they were designed for and they do draw less amps. But I do not like the color shift that they make. I have thought about a relay and use the factory switch. I was also informed that somewhere under the back seat that there is a aux power wire that is switched by the key. Now I have not looked for it. Has anyone found this wire. I don't want to strait wire this to the battery because I know somehow it will be left on.
 
   / After Market Lighting #8  
You can find a complete kit all pre-wired and ready to go right on your BX (and most other tractors) here Quick-On Work Light Kit
You might even find a few other things you need. BXpanded
 
   / After Market Lighting #9  
Thanks for the input. I use led lights at work and they do great for what they were designed for and they do draw less amps. But I do not like the color shift that they make. I have thought about a relay and use the factory switch. I was also informed that somewhere under the back seat that there is a aux power wire that is switched by the key. Now I have not looked for it. Has anyone found this wire. I don't want to strait wire this to the battery because I know somehow it will be left on.

It's really easy to find,there is a wire that loops out of the harness to the left of the rear pto. Once you open that up you'll find bullet connectors. I'll take a picture for you tomorrow if you still can't find it.

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   / After Market Lighting #10  
I'm very happy with a pair of 18 watt LEDs, one facing forward, one rearward, under the ROPS. They're wired from that auxiliary wiring in the left rear harness, through a fuzed toggle switch mounted on the lower part of the left rear ROPS.

I was going to mount a second pair, so I had two front, two rear, but I find that a single bright white 18 watt does the job for snow plowing; and if I *had* to do an extended period of nighttime backhoe work, I could just loosen the mount and flip the second one to the rear.

Don't forget you have a 12v plug by your feet you could use, too. Handheld floodlight could be plugged in there and taped or zip-tied in place on the ROPS for a temporary need.

Paul
 

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