Beware of possible issues when installing some LED lights on your tractor

[Industrial Toys]

Not a day goes by that someone doesn't post about how happy they were to buy some crappy consumer item, cheap! If consumerism is an addiction, then the Chinese are just enablers. lol

 

[Threepoint]

W8BYA, thank you for the follow-up with such a thoughtful post! I hope your eye injury continues to heal quickly.

 

[W8BYA]

W8BYA, thank you for the follow-up with such a thoughtful post! I hope your eye injury continues to heal quickly.

Thank you sir. I just got in from using the tractor to help me lower one of my 85' radio towers......gosh I love my NH. It is like a swiss army knife

I would like to share a URL with you on the A.C. power line filter I am waiting to arrive & eager to evaluate down in the lab and then depending on the results test it on the tractor. At this point I am NOT saying get one of these but do want to show where my head is at WRT this issue. I cannot make a filter this good for less even if time were free (not even close). It is made for AC powerline conditions but the topology and values in it will work for my DC application. Should be interesting & fun.

AC115-25V Power Line Medical Grade Mains EMI Filter 2A Rating | eBay

 

[k0ua]

I can personally attest to the radiation from solar panel installations. The panels themselves don't cause RFI (unless like some they have the micro inverters on board the panels.) but the inverters (piece of equipment that turns the DC from the panels to AC for user consumption. That and the solar charge controllers that control the output of the panels to charge batteries. All of these manifestations of evil are relatives of the Switched Mode Power Supply. Of course some would say that the switched mode power supply is a major boon to the world. Blessed for their efficiency, light weight, and small size. Like everything else in the world, it is a double edged sword.

 

[Threepoint]

Thank you sir. I just got in from using the tractor to help me lower one of my 85' radio towers......gosh I love my NH. It is like a swiss army knife

I would like to share a URL with you on the A.C. power line filter I am waiting to arrive & eager to evaluate down in the lab and then depending on the results test it on the tractor. At this point I am NOT saying get one of these but do want to show where my head is at WRT this issue. I cannot make a filter this good for less even if time were free (not even close). It is made for AC powerline conditions but the topology and values in it will work for my DC application. Should be interesting & fun.

AC115-25V Power Line Medical Grade Mains EMI Filter 2A Rating | eBay

Very interesting! I see what you mean about the price being so low.

Looking forward to what you find. Are you thinking that one would be installed in the power leads to each of the worklights? And maybe to the radio receiver itself? For me, that would be six LED worklights, plus the radio. Still a bargain at that price.

 

[W8BYA]

Very interesting! I see what you mean about the price being so low.

Looking forward to what you find. Are you thinking that one would be installed in the power leads to each of the worklights? And maybe to the radio receiver itself? For me, that would be six LED worklights, plus the radio. Still a bargain at that price.

The worse case scenario would be to require one filter at each light. I am going to see what happens if I take the 12 VDC lines that go up to the front roof and split them into two runs, one for each light. I am going to try putting the filter right at that split. Not the best choice since I will still have several feet of wires between the lights and the filter. It will be those 2-3 foot wire lengths that will act like transmitting antennas radiating the RFI from each light. It should be better than the even longer lines that are currently used.

However, if I do see a decent improvement but still need a little more help I may just use some simple shielded cable to feed each light. As long as each end of the shield are properly bonded to the tractor chassis it will serve as a good shield and limit the radiation. Even some cheap coaxial cable could be used. It will look neat and provide enough shielding and will be easy to work with. Something like a simple RG-58 cable that uses copper conductors for the center and braided shield conductors will be easy to work with.

 

[k0ua]

What are the current requirement of the lights? Is RG58 center conductor going to be big enough to handle the current draw?

 

[W8BYA]

What are the current requirement of the lights? Is RG58 center conductor going to be big enough to handle the current draw?

Amazingly little current at 13.8VDC. As shown in the video I referenced where I bench tested it, both the Fluke DVM and old analog current meter on the PS indicated <1.5 amps per light fixture. These are 16-LED per fixture units. I think RG-58 uses around #20 center conductor which is good for close to 5 amps so I should be good to go.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Was there a problem with the stock front Halogen work lights?
If the idea was you need more light, wouldn't it be easier, simpler, less hassle and problematic to simply add two more halogen lights (2 lights, wires, switch) either to cab if it has one or roll bar?

 

[W8BYA]

Was there a problem with the stock front Halogen work lights?
If the idea was you need more light, wouldn't it be easier, simpler, less hassle and problematic to simply add two more halogen lights (2 lights, wires, switch) either to cab if it has one or roll bar?

Hi there. yes I had considered that. NH provides two tabs off the roof, one for each light. It would not be difficult to attach a small aluminum bar between them so I could add more lights but I thought I would give these I try since installing them took literally 2 minutes each and they were dirt cheap and a LOT brighter.

As an aside, the primary reason is I have retina issues in both eyes and I need, and like, a LOT of light, esp at night. I do not drive on the road with the tractor so having very bright lights do not bother me. I am positive for most everyone the stock lights would be more than enough. When I did a test of the OEM lights at night I found them to function more like a spot light and I wanted more of a flood light. They were pretty narrow beamed. I actually ripped out my large barn door when my bucket right-side caught the door while backing it out....it was snowing, very dark and the stock lights just were not enough for me.

I don't know if that makes sense but I liked the possibility of a wider and brighter spread of light. And these drew easily less then 1/2 the current of the stock lights. It is hard to believe but the OEM wire gauge to each of the Halogen lights looks like #22 or even #24 gauge ! I was a little shocked to see such punny wire gauge. The thought went through my head of those thin wires carrying twice the normal current. I am not sure but I suspect each halogen bulb, being 55W units would draw around 4 amps.....I just did not want to trust 8 amps through those very thin wires.