Can I use this circuit for work lights?

RidgeHiker · Dec 6, 2011

Thanks all! I am considering wiring it more directly and will start a new thread on that.

jpm1 · Dec 16, 2011

I know this post is a few days old and you probably have lights by now but heres what i did. I have a new DK35SE HST and needed to put lights up where i can see at night. I talked to my dealer and he suggested unplugging the low beam side of the light in the grill. Put in a spade connector and run a wire back to the rear of the tractor. Your circuit is fused, no need to locate a new switch and Wa-La your done! Thats the way ive done it and the 4 lights work great. Unfortunately i bought Harbor Freight lights because of the price instead of Tractor Supply lights. HF isn't quite as bright though. . . . John

RidgeHiker · Dec 16, 2011

jpm1 said:
I know this post is a few days old and you probably have lights by now but heres what i did. I have a new DK35SE HST and needed to put lights up where i can see at night. I talked to my dealer and he suggested unplugging the low beam side of the light in the grill. Put in a spade connector and run a wire back to the rear of the tractor. Your circuit is fused, no need to locate a new switch and Wa-La your done! Thats the way ive done it and the 4 lights work great. Unfortunately i bought Harbor Freight lights because of the price instead of Tractor Supply lights. HF isn't quite as bright though. . . . John

Thanks for your reply. Interesting way to do it. We have already wired it through the ignition and have also used the Harbor Freight lights - 55w halogens. Could not pass up on the sale price of all 3 lights for under $24. Would have preferred HIDs but they would have cost more like $190. We will upgrade if we need to in the future.

TractorPirate · Dec 18, 2011

Hi. I just finished installing two 55W halogen worklights on the ROPS of my CK27. I wanted LED's but they are a little pricey and these were on sale. I will add a rear facing LED in the future and move the two halogens to be forward facing. I made a bracket from flat aluminum, installed a relay to run off the rear connector that runs from the ignition switch. To me the factory wiring looks under-sized so I ran a 10A fused home run from the battery to the relay and on to the lights on the ROPS. I couldn't find a half decent water proof switch so I used a good quality standard one and mounted it facing down with the relay and other connections in a weather proof PVC box - though I think I will move it to behind the mount point - a little less obvious. Works great!

DiskDoctr · Dec 18, 2011

Tip: Use a relay and use a waterproof switch conveniently located.

I didn't have any relays handy when I added lights to my canopy on my Mahindra and the lights eventually made the switch unreliable. I have to replace it when I have time- probably about 10 mins after it finally quits! :ashamed:

The upside is you can run a very small wire (thermostat wire, cat 5, etc) from the switch to the relay, so it is very convenient to route the wire and locate the switch.

A lighted switch is highly recommended.

Another tip: Mount the lights snugly, but so they can be tilted and rotated. I used driving lights and they mounted with a stud.

I move them CONSTANTLY depending on what I need to see or what I'm doing.

And I did run my two lights off the rear trailer plug. If I have to run the rear light at the same time, I only do it for very short periods.

ETA: Here is a link for a relay socket to make life easier. Use a waterproof relay. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=330-080

Good prices at this site, but order a couple things at a time to keep down the shipping costs.

Hope this helps!

- JC