I did something similar on my mahindra 4110. I have a relay wired into the "brights" when brights come on the relay passes power through a seperate fused circuit to two 55 watt halogens mounted on the roll bar.
?'s About Wiring Work Lights On A Mahindra
- Thread starter MUDONTHETIRES
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PILOON
Super Star Member
He guys, I beleive in the KISS system!
Simple wire to the switch and from the switch to the lights!
Most quality switches are rated for 10 amps and if you want to be fancy use a DPST switch (double pole single throw, ie on/off) and parallel the contacts.
While # 16 wire is OK, better #14.
Naturally a fuse or CB close to the power source.
Take the power from tractor buss bar if possible
(I wired aircraft for a living 'back then'.)
Also the relay will cost as much as all the rest!
Be sure to use heat shrink on all joints to keep out corrosion and tie off or clamp wires so that they don't rub and short out to ground.
Simple wire to the switch and from the switch to the lights!
Most quality switches are rated for 10 amps and if you want to be fancy use a DPST switch (double pole single throw, ie on/off) and parallel the contacts.
While # 16 wire is OK, better #14.
Naturally a fuse or CB close to the power source.
Take the power from tractor buss bar if possible
(I wired aircraft for a living 'back then'.)
Also the relay will cost as much as all the rest!
Be sure to use heat shrink on all joints to keep out corrosion and tie off or clamp wires so that they don't rub and short out to ground.
mjncad
Super Member
Relays aren't that expensive, check out www.del-city.net
As far as relays in Canada being more expensive, the customs bureaucracy may be a big reason for that.
MrMiller
New member
I agree with PILOON, keep it simple! The more parts you add the more likely you will end up with problems in the future. A simple switch to a fused battery source is all you need.
I personally never rely on just connecting to the chassis to "steal" ground. It always seems like a good idea but the connection always seems to fail eventually! (At least it has on every trailer I have ever used!)
I also wanted to point out that the circuit Mike058 showed will work fine but I would include a reverse biased diode across the relay coil (or other "snubber" circuit). When the switch opens the relay coil will generate a negative transient (large negative voltage spike) which can cause a decent arc in the switch and can slowly burn it out. Some automotive relays already have this built in and some don't.
Cheers,
MrMiller.
I personally never rely on just connecting to the chassis to "steal" ground. It always seems like a good idea but the connection always seems to fail eventually! (At least it has on every trailer I have ever used!)
I also wanted to point out that the circuit Mike058 showed will work fine but I would include a reverse biased diode across the relay coil (or other "snubber" circuit). When the switch opens the relay coil will generate a negative transient (large negative voltage spike) which can cause a decent arc in the switch and can slowly burn it out. Some automotive relays already have this built in and some don't.
Cheers,
MrMiller.
Lammo
New member
OK. I want to add a light to my Branson 3820. The regular headlights are so low that they get blocked by the loader so I want to mount an extra light on top of the brush guard. I have a rearmounted light that came with the tractor that operates with a slide switch built into the light housing. In the interest of keeping it simple, can I tie my front light into the wiring for the rear light and have it controlled by the same switch? If so, what gauge wire should I run from the front light to the back? Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
Mark
Mark
mbohuntr
Platinum Member
Short question, longer answer. Watts = volts X Amps. Watts / volts = Amps
Add up total watts (I always assume series wiring for safety sake for those who will question this.) Make sure all components will handle the amperage, amd use a slow blow fuse to take care of surges. (120 watts of lights / 12 volts = 10 amps... get it?
Add up total watts (I always assume series wiring for safety sake for those who will question this.) Make sure all components will handle the amperage, amd use a slow blow fuse to take care of surges. (120 watts of lights / 12 volts = 10 amps... get it?
PILOON
Super Star Member
Mark,
Yes in theory and use #16 or #14 wire.
In theory-BUT-check amperages.
Can your alternator handle all the amperage without drawing from the battery?
I say this because many CUT's don't have all that high alternator outputs!
Generally speaking you'd want total load to be at about 75% of the alternator output.
The other 25% is the reserve to charge your battery.
Also the majority of switches are rated at 10 amps, so you'd want the lighting to be at or below 10 amps otherwise you risk 'welding' the switch contacts.
I'm not a tractor electrical expert (but did wire many aircraft for a living) but on some that I have looked at I have seen 25 amp alternators, and that is not a whole lot, especially if you have a heater and start adding additional lighting.
Those heater fan motors can actually draw more than many lights.
Another item that is high draw is a rotating yellow beacon (dual sealed beams).
Getting to 'brass tacks', you really want to do an 'electrical load analisis' to best plan power management.
Barring that, an amp meter is never a bad thing to install.
In aircraft an amp meter acting as a 'load meter' made it permissable to add whatever we wanted as then the pilot could manage his loads.
Yes in theory and use #16 or #14 wire.
In theory-BUT-check amperages.
Can your alternator handle all the amperage without drawing from the battery?
I say this because many CUT's don't have all that high alternator outputs!
Generally speaking you'd want total load to be at about 75% of the alternator output.
The other 25% is the reserve to charge your battery.
Also the majority of switches are rated at 10 amps, so you'd want the lighting to be at or below 10 amps otherwise you risk 'welding' the switch contacts.
I'm not a tractor electrical expert (but did wire many aircraft for a living) but on some that I have looked at I have seen 25 amp alternators, and that is not a whole lot, especially if you have a heater and start adding additional lighting.
Those heater fan motors can actually draw more than many lights.
Another item that is high draw is a rotating yellow beacon (dual sealed beams).
Getting to 'brass tacks', you really want to do an 'electrical load analisis' to best plan power management.
Barring that, an amp meter is never a bad thing to install.
In aircraft an amp meter acting as a 'load meter' made it permissable to add whatever we wanted as then the pilot could manage his loads.
Lammo
New member
Thanks for the quick replies. I'm only going to add a single light, 55 watts I think but I'll double check. That would give me load of just over 4.5 amps (55 / 12 = 4.5833333333333333333333333333333). I'll see if I can figure out the wattage of the factory light and proceed accordingly. Thanks again!
mbohuntr
Platinum Member
Very good point, Not only did miss that part, but I learned sumfin too. Thanks. I only run my rear trap work light for short periods, then make sure the battery has time to provide a full recharge. I hadn't considered the loading on the alternater . Some good advice there.
mbohuntr
Platinum Member
That 4.5 amps is on top of the existing load your wire is handling...you might be just as well off running a separate wire and switch to avoid messing with your existing wires, and running either one or the other, thereby sparing your alternater.