Lights

[woodlandfarms]

So keeping with the lights thread.... you are going to need wire to run those fancy new LED Lights. If you just replace the lowers, no big deal. But if you replace the uppers, how do you get your wires up there?

Drilling in the ROPS is not advisable. Honestly, putting in 2 small holes to fish wire through will probably not effect the structural integrity of your ROPS, but if god forbid it does collapse in a rollover, A, you will be pissed at yourself, and B, if your widow chooses to sue.

When discussing the ROPS, I am discussing the thick bar, not the canopy. I have a bunch of holes in my canopy.

What I did was messy and hard to make pretty but has worked very well for a number of years. I ran my wires alongside the ROPS. I then got some black caulk and put a heavy amount of it under and over the wire, gluing it to the ROPS. I essentially put on a huge bead, then I ran paper tape (painter tape) over top all the way up and under the canopy to the lights. let the tape sit for 12 hours and pealed it off. another 12 hours and it was completely dry. I run in fir trees and I have yet after many years to have the wire pulled from the silicone.

Also, I did relay my lights. I believe the switches PT uses is of high quality and can withstand high amperages, but for a couple of years I had both upper and lower lights running, so I went to a relay system.

 

[SpringHollow]

I relayed my lights as well. For running the wires, I just used electrical ties around the ROPS.

Ken

 

[ponytug]

Like Carl, I didn't want to drill into the ROPS. I wish I had though of the caulk idea; it sounds great.

Like Ken, I used the cable ties as well; the ties get scraped off every couple of years. I have bullet connectors to the lights, so if the wire gets pulled out, there is a simple disconnect.
I replaced the standard switch with a three way switch so that I could choose upper or lower. Since the power draw stayed the same, or went down, I didn't add a relay.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Marks481]

Drilling in the ROPS is not advisable. Honestly, putting in 2 small holes to fish wire through will probably not effect the structural integrity of your ROPS...

I drilled a 1/4" hole at the top (right up against the canopy) to bring the wire out to the light, and than drilled through the flat plate (where it mounts against the side of the PT) to bring the other end up. Neither location should affect the strength of the ROPS at all.

It was a royal pain fishing the wire through.

Drilling in the middle of the tube might be in-advisable, but the stress at the very end of the tubes should be negligible when you drill there. OTOH, PT really overbuilt these things; way beefier than it has too be to support the weight in a rollover.

 

[SpringHollow]

I know people worry about this all of the time but I find it hard to believe a couple of 1/4" holes will weaken things enough to cause a real problem. I am not saying that the fact that holes were drilled would not be used as an excuse, but if that weakens things enough to cause failure, then IMHO it was not designed with a sufficient safety factor.

Ken

 

[woodlandfarms]

I too agree a couple of holes won't effect anything but if your widow decides to sue,

Honestly I don't know how I could get the pt on its side anyway

 

[Marks481]

Honestly I don't know how I could get the pt on its side anyway

I know how I could get mine on the side... been up on two wheels many times mowing the sides of the ditch. There is a spot I always chicken out and make a hard turn to head downhill to stay upright.

But than my PT isn't 8' wide like yours....

 

[Scrambler82]

Of course there are sharp edges on the holes, debut.
Maybe use glue on wall mounts, then either tie the wire to the mounts or use an HD type wire tie and secure some conduit to it, leaving room for the fold over.

 

[MossRoad]

On the subject of fishing wires.... tie a tiny piece of cotton ball to a fishing line,stuff it in the hole and use a vacuum cleaner to suck it out the other end.... use the fishing line to pull the wire. Some old dude showed me that and I slapped my forehead and said "OUCH!" :duh: It was so simple.

 

[MossRoad]

I too agree a couple of holes won't effect anything but if your widow decides to sue,

Honestly I don't know how I could get the pt on its side anyway

Hold my beer and watch this....