Light Relays???

djradz · Nov 10, 2005

Oh come now Chris. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif You're an engineer. You know there's plenty of locations where small holes could be drilled that would have negligable structural effect and not affect the overall safety of the ROPS. Manufacturers say this stuff because some idiot will otherwise drill, cut-away, weld across, a good portion of the tube and really do some significant weakening. Simply stay away from corners, edges of tube, keep them small (less than 1/2") and there'll be no problems.

jinman · Nov 10, 2005

( Manufacturers say this stuff because some idiot will otherwise drill, cut-away, weld across, a good portion of the tube and really do some significant weakening. ) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Yep, Duane. I got a copy of the New NH magazine Acres a couple of nights ago. Theres a picture of a guy in there on an 8N. They are so paranoid they put a caption on the picture saying they recommend retrofitting old tractors with a ROPS and seat belts. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Okay, here's a TBN poll...

Everyone who owns an 8N who would consider buying a ROPS and seat belt, please raise your hand.

Waiting... Waiting... Waiting...

I don't see any hands, do you? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

MikePA · Nov 10, 2005

Are you drilling the ROPS or doing something else? 
To drill or not to drill the ROPS is a TBN classic. I used square, U bolts from Tractor Supply that fit the ROPS perfectly. I painted them black so they are hardly noticeble. I used 2 of them on each of the 2 lights I mounted on the ROPS. The U bolts slid through the mounting bracket that are attached to the lights I used.

PineRidge · Nov 10, 2005

The Firebird fiberglass canopy and even the toolbox that we added behind the seat uses U-bolts as a way to mount them. Never felt the need to drill the ROPS.

rambler · Nov 10, 2005

( Do I need a relay for each light or can I hook up more than one light to a relay??? Where can I get relays??? And how do I hook them up??

I thought about hooking up the following lights- 2 on the canopy facing forward, 2 facing rear, a little dome light under the canopy and a strobe on the top of the canopy. What would you do???

The link to the switchbox I'm using is below. it uses a 10g wire to feed the power and has a wire for each switch. In addition, it has a separate wire that hooks up to the ignition to power the LEDs for the switchs and labels.

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=SE083&cat=2664
)

I believe your switch box is already wired up correctly, & you don't need to bother with anything more. Just read the specs, and do not pull more amps out of any one switch than what it is rated for. Your box may already have the relays inside it; or it has heavt duty 20 amp switchs which do not need a rely.

I'm confused about the cigarette lighter deal in the picture, does one of the switches control this connector, in addition to 4 wires from the other switches?

In general, that is a real poor description, no details, of what they are selling there.

If you were to use regular little switches you got from the auto store, they would use small switches & small wires to your dash, and these weak wires/switches would control relays. The relays are heavy-duty switches, and heavier wire would go from the battery to the relays, to the lights. You would need one relay of the proper amps for each switch setup you need, not per light exactly, but per switch.

However, _if_ I understand your box deal, all that is already figured in, you are buying everything you need as far as switches & relays & such (no idea if it has strong switches, or already relays inside....). Just do not put more lights on any switch than the amps it is rated for. If you want to put more amp draw on any of those switches, _then_ you could use a relay.....

--->Paul

MackAttack · Nov 11, 2005

Thanks everyone, the box that I have has 6 switches one of which controls the 12v plug in located in the back. I did open the box up to look inside and I do not see any relays inside. Back in the day I would just wire the fog lights on my truck off the fuse box to the switch and to the lights. I never had any problems before but I don't want to start now. My tractor is my baby abd I don't want to hurt her..... hmmm my wife or tractor??? which would I rather spend time with...just kidding.. anyways I was thinking of also wiring a grounding block somewhere out of sight any ideas???

hobbyfarm · Nov 11, 2005

Using a relay to run the lights is the right way to do the installation. It will increase your switch life since the switch won't be carrying the full current draw of the lights.
While it will work to run directly from the switch.
You could sort of consider this to be the mil spec or heavy duty solution.
BTW, relays are fairly cheap and long lasting.

Soundguy · Nov 12, 2005

( You're an engineer. You know there's plenty of locations where small holes could be drilled that would have negligable structural effect )

I'm sure there are.. and I'm not going to run down all the specs and calcs on the design, and steel on the rops to find out what is deffinately safe.. and what is marginal.

I'd also look at the liability issue. Say I drilled the rops in a 'safe' area, and then the neighbor use dmy machine.. had an accident, and low and behold, somehting did fail.. even if it wasn't from the hole. All a lawyer would need to know was that the rops were modified.. again.. that the dealer specc'ed rops that state do not drill / modify'.. had been modified. I'd be guessing all my money and my insurance companies money would be delivered by truck to my neighbors surviving family.

Here's my stock answer to those kind of questions. You 'sign off' on all the mods that we make.. and post bond/purchase a mass liability policy / umbrella coverage int he amount of a few hundred million.. that should cover most of the members here... then I'll go ahead /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Try this one.. take a set of rops to a reputable machine or welding shop and ask them to weld/ drill a factory certified rops... Unless they re-engineer / get the mods approved by asae.. and certify them.. they are as good as scrap.. and you might as well call them roll-bars.. or a canopy holder..

Besides.. I stopped handing out offsite engineering advice on all but electronics a few years ago after a very unpleasent individual here hounded me for a few days about advice I gave on an improvised building to house a tractor ( leanto).. kept riding me cause it would not carry a snow load .. I kept stating that it was not designed with snow load being taken into account. That same unpleasent individual continued to ride me about it saying I shouldn't give out the advice unless it met snow load ratings.. I pointed out that many of the 'boxed' 'temp' storage sheds like you can buy at HD, Lowes,. etc. have a little disclaimer on them about not being rated for snow loads.. In any case.. it left a sufficiently bad taste in my mouth.. so when i see threads asking for construction, architectual, water system design, or structural steel / reinforced concrete design questions.. I simply read the threads, and do not participate... my 'stock' advice to those is to hire an engineer or architect in their location, let them inspect the site, then provide a job plan... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Soundguy

daTeacha · Nov 12, 2005

Around here, you can just ask an Amishman how he'd do any building. They overengineer things more than Mercedes. I self engineered two lean-to structures for my pole barn. 9/4 x 8" oak and hickory rafters spaced 24" OC and spanning 14 feet make a pretty sturdy roof, especially when decked with 5/4 oak, hickory, and maple. Of course the dang rafters weigh about 100 lb each and were a bear to put up (the wood was green at the time), but the roof is like concrete to walk on. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

MackAttack · Nov 19, 2005

Any ideas for where to establish a good spot to ground all add on accessories ?? I thought of installing a grounding block somewhere then run all of my grounds to the block. Any other ideas???