Adding lights to my B2650 ROPS

BetterThanAShovel

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B2650, BH77, SG0660 grapple, pallet forks, Bobcat 60" box blade
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There are lots of great guides, though I can't seem to find any dealing with SPECIFICALLY the B2650. So the first thing I want to verify is the "work light lead". I THINK it's this, right?
PXL_20211005_144150951.jpg


From what I've learned so far, I SHOULD be able to add about 84 watts worth of lights to ROPS before I take more than the dynamo is giving (and would thus be draining the battery). Does that sound right?

I've found a useful video online about replacing the dynamo with an alternator kit, but I don't see the need for more than 84 watts worth of light. That would be a good 2 spotlights forward and backward.

Any input is helpful. I'm enjoying the challenge of doing this myself, and the satisfaction of getting it working. Been a long time since I added offroad lights to my old 4x4 truck in college, but it sure was fun when they turned on!
 

Roadworthy

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L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
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I have an L2501 but yours should be similar. If you have the correct lead it should have twelve volts with the ignition switch turned on and nothing when turned off. You will need to add a switch for your work light. My work light circuit is fused at ten amps which equates to 120 watts. I generally take a conservative approach only loading my fused to about half of their capacity. In my case this would be sixty watts or five amps times twelve volts. I purchased a 240 watt LED light bar but upon connecting it to a battery learned it draws only five amps or sixty watts. It was perfect for my application. I fabricated mounts from some square U bolts from the big box store and some angle aluminum.
 

RCW

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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
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Don't have a B2650, but looks like my BX did years ago. Also had bullet connectors, and fused at 10A on a work light circuit.

Like Roadworthy said, many here have noted that their LED's don't draw as much as their LED lights are rated for - - in fact some draw much less.
 

chim

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I've had open station and cabbed tractors. ROPS mounting isn't my first choice. On the B7500 I had, the lights were mounted on tabs I made that bolted to the stationary FEL frame. I'd also recommend floods. You want lots of light on the areas near the tractor. Mine won't go much over 17MPH. Spots shining at something that takes 3 minutes to get to are silly.

 

BetterThanAShovel

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B2650, BH77, SG0660 grapple, pallet forks, Bobcat 60" box blade
Oct 5, 2021
128
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16877
I've had open station and cabbed tractors. ROPS mounting isn't my first choice. On the B7500 I had, the lights were mounted on tabs I made that bolted to the stationary FEL frame. I'd also recommend floods. You want lots of light on the areas near the tractor. Mine won't go much over 17MPH. Spots shining at something that takes 3 minutes to get to are silly.

I like the creativity of where the lights are mounted there. For my situation, I don't expect I'll ever have the FEL off, so it's always going to be an obstacle for lighting from the front.

I was leaning away from floodlights just to save some wattage. I figured the spotlights, place up high on the ROPS, would still provide some falloff to give some general area lighting.
 

BetterThanAShovel

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B2650, BH77, SG0660 grapple, pallet forks, Bobcat 60" box blade
Oct 5, 2021
128
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16877
I have an L2501 but yours should be similar. If you have the correct lead it should have twelve volts with the ignition switch turned on and nothing when turned off. You will need to add a switch for your work light. My work light circuit is fused at ten amps which equates to 120 watts. I generally take a conservative approach only loading my fused to about half of their capacity. In my case this would be sixty watts or five amps times twelve volts. I purchased a 240 watt LED light bar but upon connecting it to a battery learned it draws only five amps or sixty watts. It was perfect for my application. I fabricated mounts from some square U bolts from the big box store and some angle aluminum.
Off by a factor of 4?? That's quite a difference between spec wattage and actual. I might buy some lights then and hook them up to a test stand and see how they rate before I decide how many to mount.
 

RCW

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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
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Chenango County, NY
Off by a factor of 4?? That's quite a difference between spec wattage and actual. I might buy some lights then and hook them up to a test stand and see how they rate before I decide how many to mount.
I don't recall specifics, but a couple/few guys mentioned similar experiences a while back in a thread about LED's and work light load.

I didn't check mine. I run 4 small square floods - 2 forward and 2-back. All the light I need snowblowing.
 

BetterThanAShovel

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B2650, BH77, SG0660 grapple, pallet forks, Bobcat 60" box blade
Oct 5, 2021
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16877
I don't recall specifics, but a couple/few guys mentioned similar experiences a while back in a thread about LED's and work light load.

I didn't check mine. I run 4 small square floods - 2 forward and 2-back. All the light I need snowblowing.
Do you run them off a switch, or they just come on when you turn the key? Do you use a switch and relay?
 

dirtydeed

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I'll offer this up to you. Take it for what it's worth, but I added lights about a year or so ago. I used an inexpensive wiring kit with relay. It has a lighted switch. I used magnets to mount the lights to the rops. They can still be rotated/adjusted to where you need the light. Pretty simple and effective...

Here is the link:

 

i7win7

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BX2370, B2650 grapple, tree puller, trailer mover, 3 point hoist, mower, tiller
Feb 21, 2020
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From what I've learned so far, I SHOULD be able to add about 84 watts worth of lights to ROPS before I take more than the dynamo is giving (and would thus be draining the battery). Does that sound right?
Fuses do not protect the dynomo, protects the wiring from getting so hot that the insulation melts and starts an electrical fire.

Volts x Amps = Watts ... 12V x 10A = 120W. I personally wouldn't push the fuse to it's maximum capacity.


I can select what electrical add-ons I wish to use and gave me the option of some operator comfort.
 

BetterThanAShovel

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B2650, BH77, SG0660 grapple, pallet forks, Bobcat 60" box blade
Oct 5, 2021
128
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Fuses do not protect the dynomo, protects the wiring from getting so hot that the insulation melts and starts an electrical fire.
My concern, when I wrote that, wasn't about blowing a fuse. I had read that the dynamo only puts out like 15 amps, total. I read that the tractor running normally uses about 5 amps, so I figured using 7 amps for lighting would make sure I wasn't starting to drain the battery....with plenty of leeway.

Nice mod links, thanks.
 

i7win7

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BX2370, B2650 grapple, tree puller, trailer mover, 3 point hoist, mower, tiller
Feb 21, 2020
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May have look over owner manual. Not sure if fuel shut off is powered to turn off or powered to run. In the daytime, The only power draw I can think of is the digital dash. I haven't had any issues running 11A fan when tractor is running that prompted to upgrade the lawn mower also.
 

ACDII

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B2410, L352 Loader, Woods BH70-X backhoe
Oct 21, 2021
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Years ago I ran 12GA wire from the fuse panel, to a relay and back to the ROPS to power lights. The relay was wired to the headlights so I could turn them all on with the switch. Since only the relay was a power draw, it added very little wattage to the lighting circuit. With LED lights today, I can light up the field and play ball on the same wattage my 3 small lights draw.

I attached the lights to the ROPS using large hose clamps and rubber backing so no drilling into the ROPS was needed and ran a separate ground wire to each. This way I could remove everything and not leave a mark that something was there or leave bare exposed metal to the elements.
 
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