Upgraded ROP Mounted Work Lights

[1715Ben]

I added a pair of 19 watt 4" work lights to my ROPS for better vision to the rear. They can be swiveled to face forward as well, but I really wanted to supplement the rear factory work light with minimal effort. The lights are from Super Bright LEDs at $70 for the pair. Output is 2030 lumens with a current draw of 1.26 amps, so combined they are roughly the equivalent of two 100 watt incandescents. They are mounted on brackets from ACME Outfitters, which cost $45 for the pair. I also purchased the wire harness from Super Bright for $25. So, all together this set up cost about $140. I know a lot of guys move their hazard lights inside the ROPS, but I chose to leave mine on the outside. They do have somewhat flimsy steel guards, so I think they'll be okay on my property. I plan to prune many of the trees with low limbs to make it easier to mow the chances of knocking them off will be reduced. Anyhow, that's my basic set up. There are plenty of options for doing a project like this given the tractor's relative ease of access to the battery, fuses, wire harnesses, etc.

The wire to the lights runs through the factory holes in the ROPS. I had to use washers to create about 3/8" of stand off to allow the wires to clear the factory hazard lights--otherwise the wire would get pinched and possibly stress the hazard light housing. I temporarily mounted the switch to the seatbelt buckle until I can mount it in a better permanent location. The wire harness is very long allowing for plenty of mounting options. I chose to use the switched circuit that is available at the rear of the tractor for the power source. It's rated at 15 amps, so there is plenty of headroom for the draw from the LEDs. I thought about adding a small sub panel tapped from the battery, but for convenience chose the available hot wire. The harness is zip tied in a bundle under the rear housing. The ground is attached to one of the seat bolts. The wire harness did come with weather proof snap together connectors, but because I couldn't feed the connectors through the holes in the body, I cut them off and spiced/soldered the harness to make it essentially one long wire fed to each light.
No lights on: Lights on. Trees in the background are about 60-70 feet from the tractor:

 

[sdquick]

Very nice!!! Now you can work all night!

 

[BoylermanCT]

Nice work. I've got two facing forward and three facing backwards. Lights up the driveway like a stadium!

 

[1715Ben]

I'll need them for blowing snow with my rear mount blower. I've got 700+ feet of paved driveway in the country with no residual or street light. Naturally, since I purchased the tractor and blower the snows haven't been sufficient to merit using them. Isn't how it typically goes? :laughing: But, when it does come, I'll be ready!

 

[1715Ben]

I don't think there is enough room on my bracket to add another light facing forward (maybe mounted upside down?), but you've got me thinking about it. Now that the hard work is done it really wouldn't take much effort to add a second light facing forward on each side. One can never have too much light!

 

[BoylermanCT]

Agreed, once you have a couple lights on the ROPS, adding more is easy. I took the wiring harness off the tractor's built in headlights and extended the wires to go up the ROPS. That way I get to use the factory headlight switch and adding extra lights was easy. I started with 2 lights forward and 1 light backwards so I could see when I plowed. Then I picked up a snowblower and needed more lights on the rear so I added 2 more.