Worklight wiring questions for you Electrical Gurus

[bandit67]

OK, I'm lining up everything for my ROPS worklight wiring project. I'm installing 2 front and 2 rear for a total of 4 - 55w each worklights.

I've picked up 2 factory Kubota pushbutton switches (one for the 2 front lights, one for the 2 rear lights). The switches are push-in (on) push & out (off), but come from another model tractor, so there are no pigtail harnesses on my tractor to match the pigtails on the switches. There are 5 wires in the switch pigtail - 3 wires for the pushbutton on/off control and 2 wires for the light bulb inside the switch.

My question is regarding the 3 wires tied into the pushbutton power control. I took the switch apart and found which wire is which - 1 wire is the power ON wire and is activated when I push the switch in. The 2nd wire in the middle appears to be the ground wire. The 3rd wire would appear to be the power OFF wire and is connected to the lead at the switch position in the off position.

1. Do I even need to connect this 3rd wire to anything? I would assume that the power ON wire goes to my key switched hot wire, ground wire to a ground point, and the 3rd wire could be left unconnected. Am I correct?

Next is the wire gauge. I am going to wire everything up using this wiring diagram: http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/183/183657/folders/273951/2227786wiring.JPG

I will run 10ga wire from the battery to the 30amp inputs on each of the 2 relays. I will then run 14ga wire from the switched fuse panel to the new push button switches into Pin 86 on each relay.

2. Can I run 14 ga wire from Pin 87 on the relay to each light, or does it need to be 10ga wire? The short factory power wires on each light are only 14ga wires.

3. Does the relay allow the full 30 amps to run through Pin 87, or just whatever lesser amperage that the lights require?

4. Can I run 14ga wire from Pin 85 to the ground?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[SLM1294]

I did a similar installation on my tractor and also used some Kubota switches but I used the switches to control the lights directly and just used one relay that turned on whenever the key was on. A diagram of my setup is attached. Your method is probably a bit better since the full light current does not run through the switches but requires a bit more wiring. The switches should handle the current with no problem though.

I don't know if you have the same switches a I do but to power the lights in the switches I wired them in series to only put half of the full voltage accross each light so they would not be so bright. This is then wired into the circuit that is actived when the headlights are on.



#1 You are correct the other wire will not connect to anything.

#2 & #4 14 ga wire is fine for this since it is ony being used to activate the relay and should draw less than an amp.

#3 Only the required load current will run through the relay contacts


Let me know if you need any more help.

Steve

 

[bandit67]

Good, thanks for the feedback.

The switches may be from an L48. They are green square switches with a headlight symbol on them.

I'll definitely wire in series to make them a little dimmer - I think they're pretty bright otherwise.

Thanks again.

 

[SLM1294]

Here are a few photos of my installation. I used some 2 pin inline connectors at each light in case I ever need to remove/replace a light. With the switch lights wired in series they seem to match the brightness of the other dash lights and they will probably last forever. If one light burns out though both will go out (like the old christmas lights).

 

[Soundguy]

3. Does the relay allow the full 30 amps to run through Pin 87, or just whatever lesser amperage that the lights require?.

E=IR

Only drawn load flows..

soundguy

 

[Aquaele]

If your lights are 55 Watts each they will draw 4.58 Amps each. 14 gage wire can safely carry 80% of 15 amps or 12 amps of continuous load. In other words you can safely put 2 lights on one 14 Gage wire, or all four on 10 gage.
You would probably want to use stranded wire, for the vibrations, and fuse them for 15A for two or 30 amps for all four. and don't be fooled by the fact that there is a picture of a head lamp on the switch, it may be designed for a vehicle that automatically uses a relay and was never designed to carry the full light load.
Oh by the way nice looking installation!!!

 

[bandit67]

fuse them for 15A for two or 30 amps for all four. and don't be fooled by the fact that there is a picture of a head lamp on the switch, it may be designed for a vehicle that automatically uses a relay and was never designed to carry the full light load.

Check out the diagram. I am putting a 30 amp fuse right behind the battery, and running 10 gauge wire from the fuse to each of 2 relays, then running 14 gauge wire off the 2 relays to the 2 sets of lights. The switches are being used to switch the relays only, so minimal power is running through them. I'm not putting any other fuses inline. As far as I know, I don't need any more fuses than the one before the relays.

 

[Soundguy]

Should work fine they way you described it. You could add additional fuses after the relay's to protect them if you wanted to, but they are pretty cheap at 4.99$ for a 12v 30a 'foglamp' relay.. so you are not out much if on'es contacts smoke.. which will not be likely since you are fusing at 30a anyway. so.. yeah.. pretty safe with the supply side fuse.. etc.

soundguy

 

[bandit67]

Thanks for all the input, fellas.

I finished wiring everything up and everything worked perfectly, first try.

Switches look good, too. I may dim the bulbs inside the switches if I think they're too bright at night.

I'll probably head out tonight to check the aim of the worklights. I'm interested to see just how bright the factory headlamps plus another 110w front and 110w rear up on the ROPS are going to be. Should be plenty bright, though.

 

[HCJ]

Thanks for all the input, fellas.

I finished wiring everything up and everything worked perfectly, first try.

Switches look good, too. I may dim the bulbs inside the switches if I think they're too bright at night.

I'll probably head out tonight to check the aim of the worklights. I'm interested to see just how bright the factory headlamps plus another 110w front and 110w rear up on the ROPS are going to be. Should be plenty bright, though.

Bandit, that looks really professional! What do you light mounts look like?

Where did you get these Kubota switches and do you have part numbers. I would like to do the same thing on my M 6800. Also what is the source of relays that you used? Thanks!!