BX Lights! & Thanks!

shelkol

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Equipment
bx-2200, Woods BH6000 backhoe, Tach-N-Go quick attach bucket, snow blower
Nov 12, 2015
182
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Westford, Massachusetts
shelkol.com
I have a BX2200 which only has a 7 amp alternator normally ( I did opt for the 45 amp one ). But make sure you are not using more electricity than your alternator can supply or it will not charge your battery and may in fact discharge it. Just sayin'
 

RCW

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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
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Chenango County, NY
BX Lights! & Thanks!

Tight - check your fuse box, guessing you have a 10 amp fuse labeled Work Light. If you find 2 wires, the hot is keyed with the ignition switch. If there’s 3, there’s 2 hits, one keyed and one always hot.
Your BX25 is similar vintage to my 2360. guessing your alternator is 45 amp, and will have 2 wires like mine.

I just used the circuit with a good switch, and re-purposed some “stuff” I had laying around. Probably would buy a box if I re-did it, but it’s lasted years.....




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lunasdude

Member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880, FEL, quick con pto, box bld, land plane, flail mower
Dec 22, 2018
55
4
8
Los Lunas, NM USA
Hi all ... I’m a newbie here ... love the forum and appreciate how helpful everyone is! Thanks! I have a BX25D and want to add two ROPS lights facing to the rear for snow blowing ... I keep hearing about the wires available at the back but I’ll be darned if I can locate these wires/connections! What am I missing!?! I see the wires for the tail light and 4 ways but no pigtails anywhere? Also if I can find these wires will I still need a relay as part of wiring in led lights? Thanks everyone for guidance ... this should be simple ... maybe it’s just he that’s simple! :)
Hello! and Happy Holidays!
As others have said it is (as you face the back or your BX) to the left of the top of your 3 point hitch.
You may want to lower your hitch for easier access.
Mine was wrapped very tightly just to the (right) of the left taillight in a big wiring bundle.
I did not see it at first and I had to (suspect you will to) very carefully peel back some of the black tape protecting the wiring harness and you should find 3 wires with connectors on them.
The wires are wrapped in a black bundle and the metal next to it is black so I took a BIG light and found it that way.
(one is a negative), (one is a 10 amp switched thru the key) and (one is a 20 amp directly to the battery).
if you keep it low power (under 10 amps or 120 total watts) you can wire the low power switch wire and it will only come on when you turn on the key.
OR you can (as I did) wire a relay.

I have attached a cropped picture of the wiring harness on the right with my wires attached on the left.
The right side is the 3 point hitch top pin for reference.

Hope this helps.
Please feel free to ask anything else and I am sure myself or someone will be happy to help.
 

Attachments

lunasdude

Member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880, FEL, quick con pto, box bld, land plane, flail mower
Dec 22, 2018
55
4
8
Los Lunas, NM USA
Thanks RCW ... I will have another look! I am contemplating two small lights as well ... is there a maximum wattage or amperage that I should consider? Sorry for simply questions folks but as I said I am a newbie!
I calculated from a Amp to Wattage convertor that if the direct to battery positive wire is fused at 20 amps then I can have a maximum 240 watts which in my case is four high power led lights 2 forward & two back facing!

current in amps:20

Voltage in volts:12

Power result in watts: 240

Mine consume 240 watts and so far no issues with running everything at once.

Nasa has called occasionally about screwing up the satellites when I turn them on so.....:D
 
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lunasdude

Member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880, FEL, quick con pto, box bld, land plane, flail mower
Dec 22, 2018
55
4
8
Los Lunas, NM USA
I have a BX2200 which only has a 7 amp alternator normally ( I did opt for the 45 amp one ). But make sure you are not using more electricity than your alternator can supply or it will not charge your battery and may in fact discharge it. Just sayin'
I was curious about the Alternator on my BX 1880 so I had to look it up.
After some googling I found that the BX25D and all BX 80 series come with 40 amp Alternators.

Good question though, I guess I should have checked before I started putting lights on!:eek:
 
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lunasdude

Member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880, FEL, quick con pto, box bld, land plane, flail mower
Dec 22, 2018
55
4
8
Los Lunas, NM USA
Re: BX Lights! & Thanks!

Tight - check your fuse box, guessing you have a 10 amp fuse labeled Work Light. If you find 2 wires, the hot is keyed with the ignition switch. If there’s 3, there’s 2 hits, one keyed and one always hot.
Your BX25 is similar vintage to my 2360. guessing your alternator is 45 amp, and will have 2 wires like mine.

I just used the circuit with a good switch, and re-purposed some “stuff” I had laying around. Probably would buy a box if I re-did it, but it’s lasted years.....




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Like how you did the wiring!
Nice clean and tough!
 

RCW

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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,282
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Chenango County, NY
BX Lights! & Thanks!

Like how you did the wiring!

Nice clean and tough!

Well, it’s really a “cob-job” but stuff I had for the most part.
My lights need to be removable, and I had the 6” angle brackets also.

Hard to see, but there’s spade connections near the lights for an easy un-plug.

Figured better up-top, and they’re easily bright enough.



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Tightlinesian

New member

Equipment
Bucket, backhoe, snow blower
Nov 29, 2019
4
0
0
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Thanks lunasdude and RCW ... really helpful!! I was in a dark garage and it was really hard to see so I took a picture and when I look at it now on my computer it looks like they are there (attachment 1 and 2) ... red wire (with black stripe) and black wire. I am no longer at the camp but when I head back next week I'll open this up and see what I have to work with. I'll check the fuse panel to see what amperage fuse is in place so I know what I am dealing with in terms of sizing lights if I use the work light connection. Just so I am clear ... if I do use the existing work light wires I will be able to use new LED lights but only when the tractor is running which is likely fine. In that case I can add also a rocker switch (as it is already fused) so I can turn the light off if I don't want to use them while the tractor is running. If however I want to use the lights when the tractor is not running I need to run a wire (with an inline fuse) from the battery and wire in switch and relay before lights (per the attachment 3) ... in this case I assume I can still use the black wire from the existing rear wires (as the ground)? Do I have it figured out correctly? Also ... how do I size the relay in terms of amps? Thanks again guys ... so happy to have found this forum! Tightlines!
 

Attachments

lunasdude

Member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880, FEL, quick con pto, box bld, land plane, flail mower
Dec 22, 2018
55
4
8
Los Lunas, NM USA
Thanks lunasdude and RCW ... really helpful!! I was in a dark garage and it was really hard to see so I took a picture and when I look at it now on my computer it looks like they are there (attachment 1 and 2) ... red wire (with black stripe) and black wire. I am no longer at the camp but when I head back next week I'll open this up and see what I have to work with. I'll check the fuse panel to see what amperage fuse is in place so I know what I am dealing with in terms of sizing lights if I use the work light connection. Just so I am clear ... if I do use the existing work light wires I will be able to use new LED lights but only when the tractor is running which is likely fine. In that case I can add also a rocker switch (as it is already fused) so I can turn the light off if I don't want to use them while the tractor is running. If however I want to use the lights when the tractor is not running I need to run a wire (with an inline fuse) from the battery and wire in switch and relay before lights (per the attachment 3) ... in this case I assume I can still use the black wire from the existing rear wires (as the ground)? Do I have it figured out correctly? Also ... how do I size the relay in terms of amps? Thanks again guys ... so happy to have found this forum! Tightlines!
Not sure my friend about the wires you found.
On the BX series there should be 3 wires together.
1 black (- ground)
1 Red (+ wired to battery thru a 20 amp fuse)
Both of these are heavier gauge wires.

1 lighter gauge wire (+ positive)

The last wire is a lighter gauge + wire that is switched thru the key and is on a 10 amp fuse.

These wires should all be together with connectors on the end of them.
One will have a male connector and the other two should be female connectors.

Having said all that.
The wires for the work lights already on there should work and if you look at the current lights and they are conventional (non led) lights you should be more than safe replacing them with A good set of Led lights.

If you can find some sort of markings on the current lights it may give an indication of the wattage they are pulling.
This will really be guess work.

My guess is that the work lights may Using two of the 3 wires meant for lights in the back since they come on with the tractor.


Easy way to check is turn on the work lights, open the fuse box and pull and put back in one fuse at a time until you reach the one that is for the lights and it will have a number on it which will be the amps for the work lights!

As far as a relay, I used a very common 30 amp 12 volt relay available nearly everywhere, Walmart, any auto parts store etc.

The wiring diagram you attached will work great!

You will really only be limited by the fuse size.
If you find the current lights are on a 20 amp fuse you can go up to 240 watts which is a LOT of LED light!
If it is a 10 amp then 120 watts.

Hope any of this helps and is not more confusing.:eek:

Paul
 
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RCW

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Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
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Chenango County, NY
BX Lights! & Thanks!

I think the newer BX’s have 3 wires; older ones 2.
I’m only going by some similar posts I’ve seen here on OTT.
My 2013 BX2360 has 2, and a friend’s newer BX2370 has 3.
I don’t recall the wire colors, but they had butt connections already to hook to.

PS - I went out to look... I think you found them.




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lunasdude

Member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880, FEL, quick con pto, box bld, land plane, flail mower
Dec 22, 2018
55
4
8
Los Lunas, NM USA
Re: BX Lights! & Thanks!

I think the newer BX’s have 3 wires; older ones 2.
I’m only going by some similar posts I’ve seen here on OTT.
My 2013 BX2360 has 2, and a friend’s newer BX2370 has 3.
I don’t recall the wire colors, but they had butt connections already to hook to.

PS - I went out to look... I think you found them.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ahh, was unaware of that about older wiring.
This makes me think the work lights may already be wired to the correct wires?
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,282
3,866
113
Chenango County, NY
BX Lights! & Thanks!

Yeah, I just got a decent switch and went with it. My draw isn’t much, so figured the 10amp circuit was adequate.
Certainly a relay is better but this works with 4 small LED’s.



Had it out tonight. Get plenty of light....



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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B737

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LX3310
Jun 9, 2019
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New Jersey
Re: BX Lights! & Thanks!

Yeah, I just got a decent switch and went with it. My draw isn’t much, so figured the 10amp circuit was adequate.
Certainly a relay is better but this works with 4 small LED’s.
I did it very similar to yours too.