Aux. lighting

[halftrack78]

New to the site folks. I need to get some extra lighting on my Bx2660. Am looking at mounting a couple KC Highlighter Backup lites on the rollbar. 1st question is, will the alt. handle these ok? 2nd, would it be ok to install them inline with the exsisting headlight switch or should they be on a seperate one?

 

[Kubota_Man]

I don't know how much power your KC lights will pull so I can't answer that part. However on the switch question, I would use a seprate switch. The reason behind this is that your factory light switch has been designed to handel a certin amount power going through them. Adding more juice passing through the switch cam burn out the switch and or wiring with the possibility of causin a short or worse yet a fire.

 

[E/S]

You could use the factory light switch if you use a power relay ( which you should do any way ).
My real concern is will your alternator handle the extra load ?

E/S

 

[skeets]

I added 2, 55watt driving lights to a bracket I made bolted on top of the ROPS,, nothing like what Wildfire would make but it works,, And I simply came off the battery through a 12 volt contactor operated by a switch. remember ,,,,I ( your current draw) is = to P ( your light rateing)( mine is 55 watts per bulb in paralell, so it would be 55 watts not 110) over your voltage E ( we'll just round it off to 12 VDC) What you have is I = p/e or I= 55/12 = 4.5833. So you would draw 4.5 amps for the lights. Im not sure what the altanator will product on you tractor but a 4.5 amp drain shouldnt hurt a thing,, Just MHO you understand

 

[Davemerq73]

skeets - The math is correct, but you add the lights in paralell for power.

you would have a 110 watt demand no matter how you installed them.

or 9.16Amps at 12V with both running.

4.58A for every light that is turned on.

 

[cmorningstar01]

I believe the alternator on the BX2660 is rated at 40 amps so I do not see a problem with the alternator supporting the additional lighting, The draw is going to be divided between the alternator and the battery initiallyand will only heavilly load the altrnator once the battery drops below a certain point, Many cars have been built with 25 amp generators and 30 and 40 amp alternators and they run a lot heavier load than a few extra lights on your tractor(radios,heater/air cond blowers,multiple beam driving parking turn signal and breaking lights plus ignition systems), One thing I would do would be to make sure I put the largest CCA battery that would fit and if there was room for a second battery I would put that in.

 

[skeets]

Dave as I recall if you have 2 resistors in paralell in this case the resistance of the light filaments, and all things being equal the resistance in this case would be halved, so in that case the current draw would be less than 4.5 amps like maybe 2.25,, but I could be wrong, gawd knows its been so bloody long since I have had to use Ohms law,, I guess thats why the printed up Uglys, so we would have to,,,lol,,

 

[Davemerq73]

True, either way a 40A Alternator, and battery system will sustain a 110watt load. However, There is a real concern with using the existing circuits.

I would not use any factory ckt to power such a large load.

A relay, with a dedicaed fuse is a wise choice. Using a factory ckt to control a relay would be as far as a modification as I would perform. Be sure to size the ckt, and all components accordingly. -Yes, that means Baisic Electricity (Ohms law, and Kirkoffs current laws) would apply.

I would suggest a 10amp fused ckt for no more than 100watts.
(15A for 150w, 20A for 200w etc...)

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/ohmlaw.html#c3

 

[Kubota_Man]

I am not an Electriction by any means........With that said, my Father-in-Law is an IBEW Instructor. So I chatted to him about our discussion about Amps. I asked him how to figure out how many Amps would be drawn with 2 lights at X Watts. He said you would add the Watts.

ie: 2 lights at 55 Wats on a 12 Volt system would be figured this way. Volts=12, Watts=110, Resistance=1.30909 and the big one we are talking about Amps=9.16667

I hope that helps.....Now I am all confused Can we go back to something simple like Kubota Tractors

 

[halftrack78]

Thank for the info. I plan on putting an inline fuse and the relay that comes with the lite kit. What I gather from all the replies is that if I do infact have a 40amp alt. I should be fine. These lites will be used mainly in the winter, most likely instead of the stock lites.

 

[Stubbyie]

The thing to remember is that the switch doesn't turn the lamps on, all it does is--through a separate circuit--energize the relay which then feeds power to the lamps.

It seems redundant on the surface and others may disagree but in addition to using the relay that comes with the lights I'd suggest putting an appripriately sized inline fuse in both circuits coming off the relay:

(1) the power side feeding the relay ('slo-blo' or slightly increased in amp rating to permit the current inrush when lit) located right at the battery;

AND

(2) a second small (1-amp) fuse in the triggering control circuit between the switch and the relay right at the relay. Things happen. Fuses can prevent an annoyance from becoming an expensive problem.

Protect all the wire in split loom or spiral wrap from heat and sharp edges.

Plan your fuse locations so that if blown they protect the maximum length of wire---a fuse under the dashboard does no good if a short occurs a foot from the battery or relay.

If wiring is added to the system be sure to use automotive grade: I was amazed to find Romex on a tractor more than once. Use 12-ga wire; lightweight melted wire is expensive.

Offered as the result of experience hard learned. Good luck with the project.

 

[skeets]

Yup your right I dont know what I was thinking but it must have been per bulb I sat and looked at that damn thing again, and then it clicked ,,,duhhhhh,, sometimes the simplest things will bog us down,, thanks for makeing me thing again,, it hurts but thanks,,lol