Factory headlights?

[drajj5]

I am seeing a lot of threads here regarding lighting, and lighting options. I would like to have more lighting in the front of the tractor but don't want hassle with wiring another set up front. I would like to utilize the factory lights that exist but with a much cooler/brighter bulb. My lights after looking them up online seems to use 'marker bulbs' for headlights much like those in my riding lawn mower.
Has anyone (upgraded their current headlights to LED)? This seems to be the most viable option because the wiring is already in place and you could squeeze a lot more light from the already installed plastic light housings. Are not LED's a lot cooler too? So that the extra light produced wouldn't fade these new plastic lenses. It just seems like an easy solution without all the hassle. Perhaps someone out there has done this and will chime in.
thanks
don

 

[chopped]

Great thread and idea..I never thought of that.I guess mostly because i find the stock lights to have the loader in the way. but Im guessing ,wonder if there are led bulbs with the same fixture socket and thow more light?

 

[breadtrk]

LED Lights, Bulbs & LED Lighting Accessories - SUPER BRIGHT LEDS | Super Bright LEDs

There is an LED with any kind of fitting, connector, housing, lead you can imagine.

 

[drajj5]

I went to the website you posted and it seems I have an 1156 style bulb.

1156 LED Bulb - Single Intensity 28 High Power LED | S series | Specialty & Automotive | Universal LED Bulb Finder | Super Bright LEDs | Super Bright LEDs

this is the bulb that "I think I need". I did read under the reviews and someone used this type bulb in their Craftsman tractor. Before I spend 25 bucks on each maybe someone here can tell me how many lumens' that a traditional 1156 incandescent bulb has. This bulbs says that it is 500 lumens', I am not sure if that is equal to the original bulb. I did go to youtube and it seems that with both bulbs installed it would be 1000 combined lumens it would be plenty bright and hopefully not melt or damage my current plastic light fixtures.
I am hoping that someone has done this and can let me know any pros or cons before I spend any money.
I was amazed that there is almost no current draw on these so I am sure the wiring in the tractor can handle it.

 

[jimmysisson]

Isn't 1157 a taillight bulb? Or tail plus brake? Not headlight lumens for sure.
Jim

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I am seeing a lot of threads here regarding lighting, and lighting options. I would like to have more lighting in the front of the tractor but don't want hassle with wiring another set up front. I would like to utilize the factory lights that exist but with a much cooler/brighter bulb. My lights after looking them up online seems to use 'marker bulbs' for headlights much like those in my riding lawn mower.
Has anyone (upgraded their current headlights to LED)? This seems to be the most viable option because the wiring is already in place and you could squeeze a lot more light from the already installed plastic light housings. Are not LED's a lot cooler too? So that the extra light produced wouldn't fade these new plastic lenses. It just seems like an easy solution without all the hassle. Perhaps someone out there has done this and will chime in.
thanks
don

I will be swapping out my overhead lights with these 4" LEDs Ordered from Amazon, they will arrive as a combo spot flood with weatherpack connectors for electrical awesomeness.

Amazon.com: LAMPHUS CRUIZER 4" 18W CREE LED Off Road Power Sports ATV Bike Head Light Lamp - Flood: Automotive

I've had good experiences with the cheap chinese LEDs.

 

[drajj5]

I will be swapping out my overhead lights with these 4" LEDs Ordered from Amazon, they will arrive as a combo spot flood with weatherpack connectors for electrical awesomeness.

Amazon.com: LAMPHUS CRUIZER 4" 18W CREE LED Off Road Power Sports ATV Bike Head Light Lamp - Flood: Automotive

I've had good experiences with the cheap chinese LEDs.

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I think those are going to work great for you, but those must be both mounted and wired before use. I am hoping that my "bulb" upgrade will be good enough



If you look closely, the factory bulb looks nothing like an h4 headlight- looks to be a simple singe pin light bulb.

 

[Coolerman]

drajj5,
Here is a link that may shed some "light" on this very bulb and subject.

How many lumens for an led replacement vs stock 1156 bulb

 

[square1]

I will be swapping out my overhead lights with these 4" LEDs Ordered from Amazon, they will arrive as a combo spot flood with weatherpack connectors for electrical awesomeness.

Thanks, just ordered up a pair for the upcoming short days of winter!

 

[drajj5]

drajj5,
Here is a link that may shed some "light" on this very bulb and subject.

How many lumens for an led replacement vs stock 1156 bulb

Wow interesting read....

So it seems that the both the incandescent and the LED are comparable as far as brightness goes. Light emitting diodes are just more energy efficient than that of its older predecessor. Guess that I will just retain the original bulbs that are already in place. I was hoping for a quick solution without having to use any extra wiring on the unit. Oh well, perhaps one day they will create a brighter light such as the H4 in a car for use in tractor applications.

 

[chim]

Added two LED's on front and rear plus a small one on each side. I like to know what's around me on more than just the front side.

 

[Coolerman]

Until I moved to the country with a 2.3 acre yard I would have laughed at anyone who mowed at night. Last year when it was 100-106 degrees for several days I mowed at night just so I didn't sweat/bake to death! I had no issues doing it with my stock headlights but of course more light would have helped. Lights are on the long term list of things to add.

I have noticed that my neighbors with larger farms, that do hay, also mow at night. When I asked why, they said it's for the cooler temps and the fact a couple of them work odd shifts. They all have auxiliary lights mounted front and rear.

 

[drajj5]

Perhaps one day they will make a brighter stock replacement bulb, coolerman. Your link pretty much stopped me in my tracks looking for that Holy Grail replacement light!!! I was hoping to cheat, and not add more lights. Maybe I can hold out another year until they make a brighter factory light.

 

[chim]

Until I moved to the country with a 2.3 acre yard I would have laughed at anyone who mowed at night. ....................................

Our original lot was 2-1/4 acres and my BIL & I split the land lying between our properties. That added another 1-1/3 acres or so. I prefer to mow in the daylight but it isn't always easy to do that. Weather, schedules, etc have sometimes made it necessary to mow at night. A few years ago I was well into the mowing season before being able to mow in the daylight.

This past winter was a little more the way I like it and there was snow to remove even when the sun wasn't shining here. The extra light was welcome.

 

[coobie]

Hard to beat the cree LEDS.I have added them to my tractor and Kubota RTV 900.

 

[varmint]

Yep- the cheap Chinese (I guess about all the LED lights are from there) lights work very well. I had some 18Ws on my old tractor, for night snow removal, and now I have some 27W lights on my newer tractor, mostly for when I have to go out and plow to stay ahead of the falling snow. I highly recommend installing them. They work.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I am seeing a lot of threads here regarding lighting, and lighting options. I would like to have more lighting in the front of the tractor but don't want hassle with wiring another set up front. I would like to utilize the factory lights that exist but with a much cooler/brighter bulb. My lights after looking them up online seems to use 'marker bulbs' for headlights much like those in my riding lawn mower.
Has anyone (upgraded their current headlights to LED)? This seems to be the most viable option because the wiring is already in place and you could squeeze a lot more light from the already installed plastic light housings. Are not LED's a lot cooler too? So that the extra light produced wouldn't fade these new plastic lenses. It just seems like an easy solution without all the hassle. Perhaps someone out there has done this and will chime in.
thanks
don

Since the Kioti I purchased already has projector headlights, I've entertained installing an HID lighting kit at some point. I don't know what tractor you have so I don't know if HID lights are an option or not. That said, the little IP67 and IP68 LED lights out of China are an inexpensive way to throw more light down range. I skipped over retrofitting HID's in my truck and simply installed a 30" light bar. Overkill for a tractor but you see what I mean.

 

[drajj5]

I ordered a set based on another thread found while browsing the web. They only cost 7 bucks each and I thought that was worth the risk, even if they don't shed more light on the subject. They are LED and supposedly put out 800 lumens each compared to the factory lights at 400. I figured that I would get them and do a night test to see if they are worth the 16 bucks total. If they don't pan out, it wasn't that big of a loss. I will post results with night pic's before and after... For those that are curious.
There are going to be No modifications to wiring whatsoever and this should be (plug and play) with lower current draw as a bonus.

 

[oosik]

I'm looking at getting a single big LED flood light to mount on the front brush guard. I'm waiting on prices right now. This light is a marine waterproof floodlight. 50 watts - 3500 lumen. Its a big light - 12" wide x 8" tall. The dealer is J.A.McDermott out of NY.

And no, it won't melt the snow on my mile long driveway - I'll still have to blade it.

 

[Topher265]

I just wanted to point out that if someone has a tractor that uses an actual headlight bulb, it's possible to swap out HIDs fairly inexpensively (around $60-80 per pair). DO NOT install these into cheap housings made for 1156 or other similar marker bulbs...they can't handle the heat.

LEDs don't draw much current by design, per lumen. But eventually, to get the light output desired they can still put out a lot of heat. So, beware