LED Light Bar

10mm_

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Any of you guys install an LED light bar on your mower?

I put one on my truck recently and was blown away by how bright it is. Since it gets pretty hot here in the summer I try to mow closer to sunset but often run out of daylight before I get finished up. I have approximately 6 acres to mow.

I got a smaller version of the one I put on my truck off Amazon, it was only like $42 and it's IP68 waterproof (I use a leaf blower mostly to clean but still).

I also got a wiring harness install kit that comes with a rocker switch, and it fit (snugly) in the existing delete on the control panel!! I was really stunned it snapped right in.

IMG_6295.jpg

The wiring is also super easy when using the harness, well it's easy anyway but it's basically plug and play with the harness. I mounted it on the front, and it is BRIGHT.

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Mark Widmer

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Nice! Can you say how far ahead can you see the grass at night?
 

10mm_

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Nice! Can you say how far ahead can you see the grass at night?

At least 75 feet in front of the mower. I was able to barely see white-painted objects from approximately 400 feet away but the grass is very well lit at least 50-75 feet out and in a very wide field of view.

Here is a quick video showing the difference with and without the light

https://youtu.be/FZ_h6_RFEn8
 

tom3

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One thing to watch for maybe, some mowers use a separate winding in the alternator coil for the headlights, puts out AC only, might not work with LEDs without a rectifier or a direct battery connection. Mowing after dark will start sounding like a pretty good idea about mid July around here.
 

10mm_

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One thing to watch for maybe, some mowers use a separate winding in the alternator coil for the headlights, puts out AC only, might not work with LEDs without a rectifier or a direct battery connection. Mowing after dark will start sounding like a pretty good idea about mid July around here.

Mine is connected directly to the battery, well the relay that feeds the light bar is.

I was worried about the rocker switch always being lit and slowly draining the battery but so far so good.

I agree, in the middle of summer this thing is gonna be HANDY.
 

tom3

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Might try switching the wires on the rocker switch to power the little lamp only with the switch "on"?
 

10mm_

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Might try switching the wires on the rocker switch to power the little lamp only with the switch "on"?

Another part of the switch (the top graphic part) lights up when the switch is "on". I probably could have it only light up when it's on but I cut grass pretty often in the summer. In the winter I'll just pull the fuse that I added to the power feed for the relay.


On an unrelated note any have suggestions for getting this thing to go straight? When both arms are full throttle it goes in a slight arc.
 

Ted28

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Wow man, that's a good idea. If I could have done that, I would have. I'm not really an electrician. But the mower has no headlights, and I'd like to mow at night. So I made it a little easier. It took me a long time to find a way out of this situation. I found one that worked for me. I bought a night light plug in at Amazon. I just plugged them in with battery power. I go out to mow at sunset, and just as the sun goes down, the lamps light up by themselves. There is enough light, and the battery does not run out, because they are very economical. But when I finish, I disconnect them from the battery.
 
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Anielytra

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Yes, such an LED strip really illuminates the grass 50 feet from the lawnmower. But I still won't be able to work on my site only with this light. Without additional lights, I can mow, illuminating everything with LEDs, only at dusk, but not later. I liked the option of combining the lights of the flagpole and the ribbon on the lawnmower. A recently purchased lantern for the flagpole turns on itself. And even my wife is now not afraid to come home after work. I took the tape and the lantern from here https://www.amazon.com/Flagpole-Energy-Battery-Illumunation-Vont/dp/B00YBDA7DC/ . The courtyard lights up very well. And the LEDs are for low beams.
 
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