Another worklight installation

[HCJtractor]

Just thought I would share pictures of my new LED worklights. Mounted two spots on the front and two floods on the back. I picked up many ideas from others posts and used the previously posted system of relays. My mounting system was my creation and it works really well. No drilling of the ROPS and they are somewhat protected from overhead branches. Hope this helps someone!

 

[Marveltone]

Strong, simple, effective, and it looks good. I like it! :thumbsup:

Joe

 

[lmalcomb]

Very nice job. How did you route the wiring ? How about some more pictures that show the wiring ?

 

[lilranch2001]

nice, do you mind telling us where you got the lights?
I like the look of the whole setup

:thumbsup:

 

[jd3020u]

Yep, this could help. Are you satisfied with the light output at night? I've seen various LEDS -some pretty spendy, but have no idea what to expect compared to a halogen worklight. The factory pair of 35? watt halogens in the grille of my JD 3720 were decent until I put my grille guard on.

Tim

 

[HCJtractor]

I just realized these pix were taken before they were wired. The LEDs are made by Truck-Lite, bought at Truck Pro. They were pretty expensive, over $100 each, I can't remember exactly, but I will look it up. I think the models were #81380 for the rears, and 81390 for the front. I will check to be sure. I bought two Kubota factory switches as seen on other posts from Coleman Supply, also pricey, but look factory and work great. Cuts square holes in my dash panel, to the right of my steering wheel. I like the lights because they are bullet-proof, use very little current, and need small guage wiring. I bought a multistrand trailer style wire that looks like a heavy duty extension cord, and used some of the strands. It was so tough, I ran it out the hole in the side of the channel iron, and simply down the interior of the ROPS using zip ties, then under the floor to the fuse box in the dash. I was going to install 1/2 square conduit, but decided that was overkill, as the wire was very strong. I used 2 relays and ran a wire to my battery, with an inline fuse. The wiring diagram is posted many places on this site. One added benefit is that since my shed has no power, I can switch the rear flood on without turning on the tractor and have good light, so I can see to get my gear together for those early morning hunts. It also allows me to work at night when it is cooler in the summer, as i can now easily see my rear implement. I don't even use my factory headlights anymore, as my grapple makes them worthless.

 

[HCJtractor]

Yes the light output is great, especially the rear floods. For instance when I plow at night, I can easily see everything hapenning back there. The fronts are good for regular tractor work, of course they are not made for high speed highway use, but plenty for normal low speed travel. Of course my FEL and grapple and long hood still casts shadows but it is way better than the factory lights. Another nice feature is that when I do hit limbs overhead, the lights pivot backward against the 45 degree bevels of the housing and are supported and don't break. Then it is easy to reach up and re-direct the beams. Unlike some mounting systems i considered, you can also rotate the light left and right and up and down, to suit your needs. I thank previous posters for the wiring diagrams and switch sources. I wish I could remember their names, but I did these lights last winter, so my memory fails me.

 

[mjncad]

Very nice, clean, simple, effective mounting brackets. I like them.

Have you thought about putting one spot and one flood for each direction? I did that with my halogen work-lights.

 

[HCJtractor]

No, did not think about that. I guess I should have done a trail run before the final connections to see what that would have looked like. Yet my rear floods do illuminate the immediate work area and don't project too far, and my front spots can be aimed to shine around the FEL and grapple. It would interesting to see what a flood would do for front vision. Someday when I am bored, I may disconnect one and try it.

 

[jd3020u]

Thanks, I'm looking at LEDs for the same reasons -low consumption and long lasting.

Tim

 

[rvaitor]

Just thought I would share pictures of my new LED worklights. Mounted two spots on the front and two floods on the back. I picked up many ideas from others posts and used the previously posted system of relays. My mounting system was my creation and it works really well. No drilling of the ROPS and they are somewhat protected from overhead branches. Hope this helps someone!

looks good... the branch protection is my biggest problem. Can't keep the branches from moving and or breaking the lights.

 

[HCJtractor]

looks good... the branch protection is my biggest problem. Can't keep the branches from moving and or breaking the lights.

I use mine over 6 miles of woods roads and believe me, I am always ducking and getting slapped in the face. My exhaust stays bent, but this mount really protects the lights. Yes, they will pivot but its real easy to reach up on the move and redirect them. I leave the nuts a little loose to allow them to move if needed. I don't see how they could break as the metal bracket supports them when they fold up.

 

[mjncad]

Thanks, I'm looking at LEDs for the same reasons -low consumption and long lasting.

Tim

I think the jury is still out on LED's longevity. I've seen numerous traffic lights in town and on trucks/trailers with dead ones. The theory says they should last a looooooooooooooooong time; but our good buddies in China seem to make them so they puke out very quickly. I've got some small indicator light LED's and I've had some of them croak with only 2 - 3 hours on them.

 

[kennyd]

Nice job HJC:thumbsup:

 

[frogfish]

My mounting system was my creation and it works really well. No drilling of the ROPS and they are somewhat protected from overhead branches. Hope this helps someone!

The system looks like you might have modified it from a larger peice of metal, what was that from? I really like the design and it looks relatively easy to duplicate if one could find the metal channel that it was fabricated from.

Great job!

 

[HCJtractor]

I have a scrap metal yard in my town where I wander around looking for project ideas. Buy it by the pound and it's cheap. This was a piece of rectangular channel, can't remember the exact size, but about 3x5??? I cut it at 45 degrees on my chop saw and drilled it. The square U bolts are usually found at trailer supplies or someplace like Fastenal. So all parts (except the lights) are cheap.

 

[Rob-D]

Nice job, my only concern is if, God forbid, the tractor ever flips. I'm concerned they might womp your head.

Rob

 

[zman007007]

HCJ where do you live? I live in Hickory Tavern, down below FT. Inn off I-385

 

[HCJtractor]

HCJ where do you live? I live in Hickory Tavern, down below FT. Inn off I-385

hi zman, I live in Greenville downtown, but my place is really near you. A few buddies and I own some land at Fork Shoals, right on the Reedy, where we play on the tractor and hunt. I also have a large lease at Princeton.