Hay ride prep

Soundguy · Dec 3, 2006

After finishing my regular farm chores this am, I decided to prep for my family's annual hay ride that is coming up on monday.

I have the ford 5000 pulled up by the barn, I put her battery on trickle charge as she was a little low from setting for a few months more or less motionless. Fluids are all checked.. she's ready to go.. hitch is installed and ready.

Trailer is a 16' flatbed. I have a smv plaque for both the trailer and the tractor ( though we are only driving the mile or 2 around the roads inside a semi private horse community.. better safe than sorry. )

Tractor has good headlamps and a fender mounted flasher.

The usualy deal is I load upt he trailer with hay, then string it with christmas tree lamps.

I have 2 hooded lamps for illumintaion on the trailer, each with a 120v/75 w bulb in it so the passangers can read the christmas carolling book

Power for the xmas tree lamps and the illumination lamps are via a 500w inverter. ( I have a spare inverter that is slightly less wattage but sufficient for the load in case the other goes belly up during the ride.. )

I have a wire harness that has a plug end on it for my trailer, and there is a blinker and an off/on switch wired into the harness. The way it is setup, the trailers marker or running lamps come on, and the flashers flash. The other side of the harness has 2 big gator clips on it to attach to a spare 12v car battery that sets on the front hose of the trailer. This is a great setup for when i want to pull the trailer with a 6v tractor. Since I am using the 12v ford 5000, I added a 2 pin aux power outlet plug back on a rear fender where the work lamp and flasher is. All I have to do is run a jumper harness I made from there tot he 12v battery on the trailer, so that my tractors genny can help offset the drain on the car battery from running the trailer lamps and the 120v lods via the inverter.

Barn's full o' hay.. and all the electronics worked fine on the test. i can't wait till monday after work!

Soundguy

dillo99 · Dec 3, 2006

Sounds like a great set-up with lots of power!

Enjoy!

jwnge · Dec 3, 2006

Make sure we see some pictures, sounds like a real fun time..I remember hay rides when I was a kid, some of the best times I remember.. John

mudcat · Dec 3, 2006

We have a bunch of kids over for Halloween and always have a hayride. It is the Highlight of the night for the kids and adults. Reading your post makes me want to string up some lights on the ole trailer. Anyway sounds like a great time. Hope the weather isn't too cold Monday. Enjoy.

Soundguy · Dec 3, 2006

I got a jacket if it is cold. i'm kinda hoping for a little cool weather.. always makes it a bit more fun to pile onto a trailer full o hay.

I asked the wife to bring the digi camera home from school to take some pics.

I don't know what will be more fun.. setting this up and driving.. or actually riding in the back. I'm really hyped about this.. I've been looking forward to this for a couple weeks now!

Soundguy

CurlyDave · Dec 4, 2006

I don't know what will be more fun.. setting this up and driving.. or actually riding in the back.

The only hay rides I have been on were back in high school and whatever the advertised purpose, we did a lot more snuggling than anything else.

Riding was much more fun than driving...

JoeinTX · Dec 4, 2006

Soundguy, only half "toung-in-cheek"............is the insurance paid up?

I don't know who your riders are, but, stupidity is too often rewarded with monetary awards these days.

Some idiot falls off the wagon and the next thing you know we have a lawyer on double-time.

Oh, and Happy Holidays...........:}

BB_TX · Dec 4, 2006

Bring on the pictures, Soundguy. In the daylight so we can see the setup and after dark so we can see the fun.

With electronics being your hobby, I am sure you have already considered all that AC running around your trailer. Just make sure all the wiring and grounding is good and have a great time. Brings back lots of memories. Been a many a year since I been on one.

Soundguy · Dec 4, 2006

Well, the homeowners insurance is paid up.. and i guess this is what would be paying up.. if there were any lawsuits ?? It's mostly family and a couple friends. For extra safety, tractor will be at 'walking speed' incase anyone steps / falls off.

I've got plenty of illumination.. 2 lamps on the trailer for general illumination, trailer running lamps and side markers will be on.. brake and flasher lamps will be on. Trailer has DOT reflective tape on her, and will have a SMV plaque. Tractor has a smv plaque mounted high enough to be seen over trailer, as well as a fender mounted flasher, and good strong headlamps... I think she's as safe as it gets.. without having an excess liability insurance policy, a safety net , and a car of defense attorneys and an ambulance following me, plus a police escort ahead of me.. etc..

Soundguy

JoeinTX said:
Soundguy, only half "toung-in-cheek"............is the insurance paid up?

I don't know who your riders are, but, stupidity is too often rewarded with monetary awards these days.

Some idiot falls off the wagon and the next thing you know we have a lawyer on double-time.

Oh, and Happy Holidays...........:}

Soundguy · Dec 4, 2006

BB_TX said:
Bring on the pictures, Soundguy. In the daylight so we can see the setup and after dark so we can see the fun.
With electronics being your hobby, I am sure you have already considered all that AC running around your trailer. Just make sure all the wiring and grounding is good and have a great time. Brings back lots of memories. Been a many a year since I been on one.

The inverters are fuse protected. the xmas tree lamps are also fused at the plug. Not sure what else i can do for safety there.. the xmas tree lamps are 2 pole.. not 3 pole grounded outlets... same with the house lamps. Inverter is grounded to trailer frame.. that and the fuses are about all that can be done.

Soundguy