Rear work lights on a BX23
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HarleyScooter
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jim_wilson
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- Northeast MA
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- Kubota B3200 w/ BH77 & 12", 18" & 24" buckets, Kubota B50 SSQA w/ 54" & 60" buckets, LandPride FDR1660, Artillian Fork frame, Extreme 3pt rake, Concrete Mixer, MyTractorTools grapple adapter
Hi Danny
Well I got started by first looking around for a decent set of lights. I wanted something that had a glass lense so that it wouldn't yellow over time and I wanted something that was going to stand up to the occasional whack from a tree branch. The lights I ended up using were Hella worklight which I got online from AWDirect - Hella work lamp . I had actually bought a pair of the Hella double lamp worklights to mount up high on the ROPS and decided that what I really wanted for now was something up high. One of the biggest things that was driving me was just getting something on the tractor and working because I needed lights to be able to continue working as the days got shorter. The first thing I did to try and figure out where I wanted to put them was temporarily hook one of the lights up to a battery from my 18volt Dewalt cordless so I could use it like a spotlight and move it around on the tractor to decide where a good placement was. I decided on down below the fold point on the ROPS because I wanted to avoid having to get all fancy running the wiring to compensate for the fold point. I also wanted them to be protected from getting whacked by tree branches and not be in my way when I was using the backhoe. The place where I ended up putting them turned out to be just right - they are just inside the plane of the ROPS and they don't project into the inside area of the ROPS where they might be in my way when using the backhoe. They are also high enough not to block the warning lamps. I originally intended to run new wiring to the back of the tractor and install a switch on the dash somewhere to control the lights. To save time and get the things working ASAP I ended up using the wiring pigtails that are located under the seat - I used some black wiring loom I got in a kit from JCWhitney and some automotive wiring I had on hand and just ran the wiring down to the pigtail location and spliced it in. The problem with doing this is that the pigtail is hot whenever the ignition is on - so the lights stay on all the time. The pigtail is routed thru the little fuseblock that is under the dash and has a 20amp fuse on it though so that is good. When I get the chance I think I may splice into the wiring under the dash coming from that fusebox out the pigtail and insert a switch on the dash. I got a BX headlight switch from the Kubota dealer all ready to go for when I finally get the chance to do it. I have had these on the tractor now for about a month and they work great either with a rear implement or with the backhoe. When the backhoe is on it lights the whole thing up just right and I can see far enough out and to either side to use the full range of the hoe. The only problem is with digging a deep trench close to the tractor - they dont shine down far enough for that. I have a set of the double bulb Hella worklighs that I want to mount up high on the ROPS for that when I get a chance.
The biggest problem that I see with the tractor now as far as lighting is the front headlights are a real pain to use when you are using the FEL. I plan on mounting some lights down low on the front to shine under the FEL when traveling and then another light up higher to shine over which I think will give me pretty good lighting coverage. I will post more when I have this done - I have to pick up the steel this week so I should have it done in week or two.
Well I got started by first looking around for a decent set of lights. I wanted something that had a glass lense so that it wouldn't yellow over time and I wanted something that was going to stand up to the occasional whack from a tree branch. The lights I ended up using were Hella worklight which I got online from AWDirect - Hella work lamp . I had actually bought a pair of the Hella double lamp worklights to mount up high on the ROPS and decided that what I really wanted for now was something up high. One of the biggest things that was driving me was just getting something on the tractor and working because I needed lights to be able to continue working as the days got shorter. The first thing I did to try and figure out where I wanted to put them was temporarily hook one of the lights up to a battery from my 18volt Dewalt cordless so I could use it like a spotlight and move it around on the tractor to decide where a good placement was. I decided on down below the fold point on the ROPS because I wanted to avoid having to get all fancy running the wiring to compensate for the fold point. I also wanted them to be protected from getting whacked by tree branches and not be in my way when I was using the backhoe. The place where I ended up putting them turned out to be just right - they are just inside the plane of the ROPS and they don't project into the inside area of the ROPS where they might be in my way when using the backhoe. They are also high enough not to block the warning lamps. I originally intended to run new wiring to the back of the tractor and install a switch on the dash somewhere to control the lights. To save time and get the things working ASAP I ended up using the wiring pigtails that are located under the seat - I used some black wiring loom I got in a kit from JCWhitney and some automotive wiring I had on hand and just ran the wiring down to the pigtail location and spliced it in. The problem with doing this is that the pigtail is hot whenever the ignition is on - so the lights stay on all the time. The pigtail is routed thru the little fuseblock that is under the dash and has a 20amp fuse on it though so that is good. When I get the chance I think I may splice into the wiring under the dash coming from that fusebox out the pigtail and insert a switch on the dash. I got a BX headlight switch from the Kubota dealer all ready to go for when I finally get the chance to do it. I have had these on the tractor now for about a month and they work great either with a rear implement or with the backhoe. When the backhoe is on it lights the whole thing up just right and I can see far enough out and to either side to use the full range of the hoe. The only problem is with digging a deep trench close to the tractor - they dont shine down far enough for that. I have a set of the double bulb Hella worklighs that I want to mount up high on the ROPS for that when I get a chance.
The biggest problem that I see with the tractor now as far as lighting is the front headlights are a real pain to use when you are using the FEL. I plan on mounting some lights down low on the front to shine under the FEL when traveling and then another light up higher to shine over which I think will give me pretty good lighting coverage. I will post more when I have this done - I have to pick up the steel this week so I should have it done in week or two.
Thanks Jim
I found that pigtail under the seat, and checked it to be as you said, hot with ignition on. Why can we not come out of that, put in a cig rect. and plug into that for items like sprayers, then off the same hot lead have a switch on one lead to the lights. I would think this would work.
I found that pigtail under the seat, and checked it to be as you said, hot with ignition on. Why can we not come out of that, put in a cig rect. and plug into that for items like sprayers, then off the same hot lead have a switch on one lead to the lights. I would think this would work.
gugy
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jim_wilson
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- Joined
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- Location
- Northeast MA
- Tractor
- Kubota B3200 w/ BH77 & 12", 18" & 24" buckets, Kubota B50 SSQA w/ 54" & 60" buckets, LandPride FDR1660, Artillian Fork frame, Extreme 3pt rake, Concrete Mixer, MyTractorTools grapple adapter
That sure sounds like it would work fine - if I remember correctly the pigtail leads to a 20 amp fuse in that little fuseblock so you should have enough there to power lights and the sprayer. You might be able to find some sort of case or container to put the cig receptacle in that would also let you mount the switch. You might also think about using something other than a cig lighter socket - check out Waytek Wire - they carry all sorts of automotive style switches, connectors etc. For something like a tractor that is exposed to the weather a sealed type connector would probably work better in the long run than a lighter receptacle.
Hi Bob - I had seen your pictures of the lights you put on your BX while I was cruising thru tractorbynet. Those pictures were on my mind when I was thinking of where to put my lights because I thought they looked like a good placement.
Hi Bob - I had seen your pictures of the lights you put on your BX while I was cruising thru tractorbynet. Those pictures were on my mind when I was thinking of where to put my lights because I thought they looked like a good placement.
BXMMCC
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Danny D
That's what I did - picked up a cigarette lighter socket with a rubber cover at Western Auto, spliced that into the wires under the seat. Bought a magnetic base worklamp at Walmart; works good enough for me. I also use the lighter socket for the sprayer.
That's what I did - picked up a cigarette lighter socket with a rubber cover at Western Auto, spliced that into the wires under the seat. Bought a magnetic base worklamp at Walmart; works good enough for me. I also use the lighter socket for the sprayer.