Light bar

Goz63

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Jun 19, 2021
299
349
63
Mississippi
Looking to add a light bar to my L2501. Moving hay after dark is problematic with the loader covering most of the headlights. I know there is a work light hook up under the left rear fender. I a told this is only good for 10 amps. Not much to choose from for lights at that amperage. Any good suggestions for a good light bar for my ROPS? I like the idea of the flood/spot combos.
is there a way to hook up a higher amp light without going all the way to the batter?
 

Roadworthy

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Lifetime Member

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L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
I bought a combination spot / flood bar for my L2501 from eBay. It was rated for 240 watts. That would imply a draw of twenty amps. I figured I'd be adding a heavy circuit for it. I connected a twelve volt battery and an ammeter and learned it only drew five amps. I surmised the stated wattage was the incandescent equivalent. The moral to my little story - buy your light bar then measure the actual current when you get it hooked to a battery.
 
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DustyRusty

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BX23S
Nov 8, 2015
4,953
3,694
113
North East CT
Wait for daylight to move hay bales. It is a lot safer, and you are less likely to be injured and lying in the field till the morning waiting for someone to find you.
 

Goz63

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Jun 19, 2021
299
349
63
Mississippi
Wait for daylight to move hay bales. It is a lot safer, and you are less likely to be injured and lying in the field till the morning waiting for someone to find you.
I agree if I was working in a field. I am just moving a few round bales or hay cubes off my trailer to the barn. In southern MS you don’t always have the luxury of waiting until morning. It rains A LOT here. This year has been especially wet. We average 67 in of rain a year. So far this year it has been over 100 and we aren’t done yet. You move when it’s dry, light or dark.
 

Goz63

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Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Jun 19, 2021
299
349
63
Mississippi
So my concern basically is the amp draw. I know the volt x watts =amps but leds seem to not always work in that equation. The L2501 work light hook up at 10 amps is what I want to work with and not run new wiring all the way from the battery. This is the light bar I am looking at. It is 120 watts so right at the top of the amp limit if that equation holds true. Any thoughts.



Nilight - 70015C-A LED Light Bar 22Inch 120W Curved Spot Flood Combo LED Driving Lamp Off Road Lights LED Work Light for Trucks Boat Jeep Lamp,2 Years Warranty
 

Goz63

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Jun 19, 2021
299
349
63
Mississippi
I bought a combination spot / flood bar for my L2501 from eBay. It was rated for 240 watts. That would imply a draw of twenty amps. I figured I'd be adding a heavy circuit for it. I connected a twelve volt battery and an ammeter and learned it only drew five amps. I surmised the stated wattage was the incandescent equivalent. The moral to my little story - buy your light bar then measure the actual current when you get it hooked to a battery.
Don’t know how I missed your post Roadworthy. You kinda made my point about the LED load. I think I will give this bar a try.
 

DeepWoods

Active member

Equipment
B2650HSDC Woodland Mills WC68 Wood Chipper
Apr 10, 2019
325
247
43
Bigfork Minnesota
So my concern basically is the amp draw. I know the volt x watts =amps but leds seem to not always work in that equation. The L2501 work light hook up at 10 amps is what I want to work with and not run new wiring all the way from the battery. This is the light bar I am looking at. It is 120 watts so right at the top of the amp limit if that equation holds true. Any thoughts.



Nilight - 70015C-A LED Light Bar 22Inch 120W Curved Spot Flood Combo LED Driving Lamp Off Road Lights LED Work Light for Trucks Boat Jeep Lamp,2 Years Warranty
This looks like the one I installed on my b2650, I tested it after installation and it draws just over 7 amps. I installed a relay at the battery, so no concerns as it is the only thing on that circuit.
 

DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Nov 8, 2015
4,953
3,694
113
North East CT
It isn't that difficult to run a new wire from the battery to the light and install a switch and fuse in the line. This way, you know that you are not going to run the risk of overloading the existing circuit.
 

Fordtech86

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L3200
Aug 7, 2018
4,705
5,476
113
Pineville,LA
You also don’t need to run it all the way to the battery. You can just run it of the terminal on the starter that the battery cable attaches to.

Edit to add a simplified version of mine, use the work light circuit under the fender to power the switched side of a relay and run a fused power wire from starter for the load side. This will prevent the light from coming on without the tractor running and draining the battery.
 
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Roadworthy

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L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
volts times watts does not equal amps. Volts times amps gives watts. Technically it gives volt amps but for our purposes that's close enough. Hook your light bar to a twelve volt battery with an ammeter in series and you'll get the actual current flow. I like to keep the real current at about half the fuse rating as a safety margin so as not to blow the fuse. My five amp light bar falls well within that.
 

OrYgun

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2021 Kubota L2501
May 7, 2021
23
12
3
Oregon
Chinese LEDs typically dont draw the AMPs they state off Amazon... usually they are under. Suggest buying, and self testing.
 

Old_Paint

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LX2610SU, LA535 FEL w/54" bucket, LandPride BB1248, Woodland Mills WC-68
Dec 5, 2020
1,540
1,425
113
AL
volts times watts does not equal amps. Volts times amps gives watts. Technically it gives volt amps but for our purposes that's close enough. Hook your light bar to a twelve volt battery with an ammeter in series and you'll get the actual current flow. I like to keep the real current at about half the fuse rating as a safety margin so as not to blow the fuse. My five amp light bar falls well within that.
DC circuits are the topic of discussion, so yes, Volt-Amperes and Watts are one and the same. You're almost right. Voltamperes is only applicable to AC Power. Otherwise, since there can be no phase shift between voltage and current in DC circuits, there is only Watts.
 

bbxlr8

Active member

Equipment
L2501 w/R14s, LA525, BH77, SGC0660, CL 5' BB, CL PHD, WG24 + Ford 1210 60" mmm,
Mar 29, 2021
339
208
43
Eastern PA
I am also coming around to adding extra lighting also now that it is getting dark on me (ugh). I did add the 100 SBS High lows into the stock headlamps (BIG improvement). I try not to work in the dark but there have been a few times when I really needed to finish the task at hand as well.

There are some good budget lighting options out there and I also want to work within the capabilities of that circuit for my initial attempt. I like something similar to the bar above (flood & spot combo) and have been checking out where people have added the cube style also.

Specifically, I have to fold my ROPS and also want to cover forward & rear. This may be a challenge physically as well as under the 10 amps - any suggestions?
 

Fordtech86

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200
Aug 7, 2018
4,705
5,476
113
Pineville,LA
I am also coming around to adding extra lighting also now that it is getting dark on me (ugh). I did add the 100 SBS High lows into the stock headlamps (BIG improvement). I try not to work in the dark but there have been a few times when I really needed to finish the task at hand as well.

There are some good budget lighting options out there and I also want to work within the capabilities of that circuit for my initial attempt. I like something similar to the bar above (flood & spot combo) and have been checking out where people have added the cube style also.

Specifically, I have to fold my ROPS and also want to cover forward & rear. This may be a challenge physically as well as under the 10 amps - any suggestions?
I know this isn’t as simple as you are wanting, but here is my install. The initial install and wiring was fairly simple. You can get generic premade harnesses for the light bars. I ended up installing an additional fuse/relay box later on.

 

ve9aa

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Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
972
113
NB, Canada
I just installed a Nilight (highly recommended) lightbar and 2 smaller work light pods...onto the ROPS of my BX2380. Similar to this>> NILIGHT but slightly different kit (bigger lightbar and pods)
Amazon....Under a Hundred bucks. Came with all wiring, switch (lighted!), relay, fuses nuts and bolts.
I tied into the rear 20a cct. I had to fab up a couple brackets and go to the hardware store for some square 3" U bolts, which I painted and insulated with rubber heatshrink, so I wouldn't ding up the ROPS./

Lights up the yard like daytime.
 
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Goz63

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Jun 19, 2021
299
349
63
Mississippi
I just installed a Nilight (highly recommended) lightbar and 2 smaller work light pods...onto the ROPS of my BX2380. Similar to this>> NILIGHT but slightly different kit (bigger lightbar and pods)
Amazon....Under a Hundred bucks. Came with all wiring, switch (lighted!), relay, fuses nuts and bolts.
I tied into the rear 20a cct. I had to fab up a couple brackets and go to the hardware store for some square 3" U bolts, which I painted and insulated with rubber heatshrink, so I wouldn't ding up the ROPS./

Lights up the yard like daytime.
Unfortunately that is a Canadian link.
 

bbxlr8

Active member

Equipment
L2501 w/R14s, LA525, BH77, SGC0660, CL 5' BB, CL PHD, WG24 + Ford 1210 60" mmm,
Mar 29, 2021
339
208
43
Eastern PA
I know this isn’t as simple as you are wanting, but here is my install. The initial install and wiring was fairly simple. You can get generic premade harnesses for the light bars. I ended up installing an additional fuse/relay box later on.


Useful stuff there and thank you for the thread reference.

For mine, I am reluctant to use that space on the guard as I seem to be always looking through there in my use. I have the BH mounted most of the time so I really limited my options in back as well - ugh...:cautious:

I have no problem supplementing the wiring or adding relays if needed (old car guy at heart)
 

FTG-05

Active member

Equipment
L4330 w/FEL, RTV-XG850 and ZD326S
Jul 21, 2013
231
84
28
TN
I bought a combination spot / flood bar for my L2501 from eBay. It was rated for 240 watts. That would imply a draw of twenty amps. I figured I'd be adding a heavy circuit for it. I connected a twelve volt battery and an ammeter and learned it only drew five amps. I surmised the stated wattage was the incandescent equivalent. The moral to my little story - buy your light bar then measure the actual current when you get it hooked to a battery.
More than likely the light was rated at 240w with voltages from 9-32 vdc. 240/32 - 7.5 amp or so. At least this is how my Nilite 42" light bar came out. It would blow a 5 amp fuse, but not a 10 amp. The fact that they use 18 ga wires is also a clue that it's no where near 240 watts at 13.2 vdc.
 

FTG-05

Active member

Equipment
L4330 w/FEL, RTV-XG850 and ZD326S
Jul 21, 2013
231
84
28
TN
So my concern basically is the amp draw. I know the volt x watts =amps but leds seem to not always work in that equation. The L2501 work light hook up at 10 amps is what I want to work with and not run new wiring all the way from the battery. This is the light bar I am looking at. It is 120 watts so right at the top of the amp limit if that equation holds true. Any thoughts.



Nilight - 70015C-A LED Light Bar 22Inch 120W Curved Spot Flood Combo LED Driving Lamp Off Road Lights LED Work Light for Trucks Boat Jeep Lamp,2 Years Warranty
Read the specs: " Input Voltage: 9-30V DC "

The 120 watt is most likely at the 30 vdc limit. Hence, 120/30 = 4 amps. At 13.2 vdc, it only makes 53 watts. A 10 amp circuit will more than adequate.