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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

How many lights can a guy run?

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Don-Wi

05-09-2007 00:34:56




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I just picked up a set of fender tanks for our 1855, and it has holes to mount 2 lights in each fender as opposed to the original 1 in each fender that the 55 series has. I was wondering how many lgihts a guy can actually run and not overload either the fuse or the alternator, because I have already wired in 2 extra halogen lights on the canopy I mounted for rear work.

If I didn't have the other 2 already on there, I wouldn't hesitate to put an extra 2 lights in. I suppose I could open up the dash and put the second set of lights on a separate switch if I still want to run the extra light. Sure would brighten up the field a little more....

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Donovan from Wisconsin

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James Jackson

05-12-2007 19:17:50




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
Don -Tnx for asking the ? - Lots of good answers there - toggle switch & ol-johnT-y'all - sure would like to print that out for a " Repair-persons-bible " but can't get my comp/printer to print from YT.com web site . Nice pic of the tractor , shame about the young lad in it - can't see 'im for the hat but & I suspect your to young to be blowing all that smoke eh ? . Your a very busy chap I read on the other site . Do let us know how you go with your studies . My course at 67 is learn about my MF 165 4A-212 4cyl Perkins diesel so I don't kill it or myself & that's a vertical learning curve at my age having never done anything with tractors before . Know a little about plastics & parrots - used to be in plastics business & breed 100 pr of Australian parrots to keep the wolf-from-the-door . Reading all your past comments has been a great help to me not wrecking things along with David P & Arron Ford . Thanks to you all . Keep teaching all of us , thanks James from down-under

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Don-Wi

05-13-2007 13:37:13




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to James Jackson , 05-12-2007 19:17:50  
Young lad eh? I guess compared to the majority I'm on the very young side-I'm only 22.

I like my Ollies & Massey's to blow smoke-tells me their doing their job....

Donovan from Wisconsin



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williamf

05-09-2007 10:13:44




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
One day real soon I'm going to get over my embarrassment enough to tell y'all how I dang near melted the battery post off my H last week installing a tail light.
Good luck,
Wm



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IH2444

05-09-2007 09:49:07




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
If your light switch has a dim position you cannot hook any more to that circuit unless you want to smoke your dimmer resistor.



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IH2444

05-09-2007 09:15:11




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
If your light switch has a dim position you cannot hook any more to that circuit unless you want to smoke your dimmer resistor.



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beperson83

05-09-2007 09:12:24




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
Im gonna be original and say run the lights on a seperate toggle switch. I have all sorts of off road lights on my truck and (i know its not a tractor) but I have all the lights on toggles. I have a volt meter thats wired straight to the battery to see if the lights and switches are drawing any volts, but theres no problem. So I'd recommend the extra toggles. Id probably limit it to 2 lights per switch, but thats just me.

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Steven@AZ

05-09-2007 06:51:43




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
I was taught how to do all those calculations in my electrical class in college...

I can tell you from experience with our Farmall 544 that hooking all those lights together doesn't work. We let the smoke out of the light switch... We then wired a separate circuit for the fender lights (4) and haven't had a lick of trouble since.

Either that or wire in a relay to control all the lights with the original switch.

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John T

05-09-2007 05:32:14




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
Don, the ONLY way for absolute sure to answer your question is to obtain the total combined watts of all the lamps you wanna use on a branch circuit,,,,,use Watts = V x I (i.e. divide total watts by 12 volts to get total amps) to calculate the total resultant amperage,,,,, ,,,,then it CAN NOT EXCEED the current rating of EITHER the switch being used or the fuze. ITS IMPOSSIBLE SETTING HERE TO KNOW THE WATTS OF THE LAMPS AND HOW MANY YOU WANNA USE, SORRY..... ...

That all being said, if your switch is rated at say 15 amps and its served by say an in line series 15 amp fuze, the total of alllll lll the lights you wanna place on that circuit shouldnt be much more then around 12 amps (for an 80% safety factor) which computes to a total wattage for alllll l lamps of 144 watts (12 volts x 12 amps).

Simply add the wattages of alllll l the lamps,,,,, ,divide by 12 to get total amps,,,,, ,to determine the switches ampacity rating and fuze size and associated feed wire. PIECE OF CAKE

I seriously doubt any decent or average sized working alternator is going to be anywhere near overloaded or taxed running just typical tractor lights. Its likely at least rated 30 to 60 amps which is sufficient to charge the battery and run minor loads and several typical lights hung all over the tractor.

In the event a 10 or 15 amp light switch and a 10 or 15 amp fuze isnt sufficient to run all the lights and have maybe a 20% safety factor, simply use a bigger switch and fuze and bigger feed wire like say 20 amps each.

Another option is to use a 12 volt power relay if you dont wanna use a switch with the ampacity you may require. Its coil is low power and amp draw despite it being able to switch much more amps through its contacts. Another option is more individual branch circuits each having its own feed and each its own switch for say front or rear or side lights etc

Obtain the lamp wattages and switch and fuze ratings and we will be glad to help if more is required.

best wishes n God Bless Yall

Ol John T and all

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Don-Wi

05-09-2007 00:37:03




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:34:56  
Suppose I should add- it ran 5 lights in the field from the factory, I aded 2 more work lights, so it's running 7 now without any extra fuses. I would be running 9 on 1 fuse, or possibly putting 2 or 4 on a separate fuse.



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tw

05-09-2007 01:12:17




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to Don-Wi, 05-09-2007 00:37:03  
Don, I would run a seperate circuit for the four lights in the fenders as I have just found out tonight when I blew the fuse for the rear lights on the 2-105. At least with another fused circuit I had front lights.



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Don-Wi

05-09-2007 07:54:04




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 Re: How many lights can a guy run? in reply to tw, 05-09-2007 01:12:17  
That's kinda what I was thinking. I'd probably put all the extra lights on the same circut, then keep the factory lights on their own yet. Then if I blow 1 fuse, I still have both front and rear lights.

Donovan from Wisconsin



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