Got the lights working

quincy

Member
Spent some time today using the kubota for tidying up around the property. Hauling a few trailer loads of crap from the usual hiding places... Very happy with the kub. extremely maneuverable. I fitted a hitch onto the front an it is a great way to push a trailer into tight spots.
Anyway, back to the topic... I was working away until night fell around 7pm. Even though I wasnt finished, I had to stop as the lights werent working on the tractor. The previous owner had filled me in on this before I bought it but I hadnt had time to look at it. So I reluctantly, rolled her into the workshop to see about the lights. What a mess. Someone had just about pulled out every wire and connection in behind the dash and in a few other places too. Even cut a few wires and joined up a few others... I have no idea what they were trying to do in there but it was not pretty. I had to re join all the wires again and get back to the original state... Without boring you with all the detail, it turned out to be a flat short in the headlights and a gummed up light switch was the problem. Sorted the short, stripped and cleaned the switch (Nice to see it wasnt a sealed unit but a screwed together, diy fixable item) and put it all back together, and voilla, we have lights. Fixed the indicators too, a bad relay, but luckily I had a spare universal flasher relay that fitted. Not that I plan on needing the indicator any time soon, I figured as I was at the electrics, I may as well fix em too...
Gonna need the lights now that the evenings are getting shorter... nice to have them working again...
 

Mark777

Member
What, NO lamp cord?? ;)

You realize, if you keep messing with this thing....someone is going to offer way more than you paid for it....:D

Nice to know another 'tractor guy' that enjoys working on his own rig!

Mark
 

quincy

Member
Lamp cord...? Wouldnt it get tangled in your wheels? lol...

I dont have a 12v lamp cord... but now I want one!!!
 

Mark777

Member
We've been into more than a few 'previous owner electrical wizards masterpieces'...and most recently was a Yanmar YM1610D.

Apparently this gent came into a copious supply of white, 16ga lamp cord...and proceeded to connect a rear work light, switch, and a conversion from standard turn signal indicators to warning/flasher fender mounted lights, and of course NOTHING electrical worked.

Thank goodness the man didn't own a soldering iron as we came away with a fistful of Scotch-Locks and wire nuts LOL. And every foot of white wire (not inside the original loom) was removed. Took a few hours, but once completed everything was back in order.

Mark
 

quincy

Member
Ahhhhhhhh..... Lamp cord.... I get it...lol

Thought you meant lamp cord as a "corded inspection lamp"... for working outsi.... ah never mind... bit early in the morn for me when I posted...lol

Yeah, I just cant figure out some people. If they dont understand how it works, they should leave it well alone...

You've still made me want a 12v work light for the back of my kubota though... A magnetic 12v lamp that I can mount anywhere on the tins (back of the seat I recon would be the best, shining down on the rear link...) U planted a seed of thought... here groweth the result...lol
 

Mith

Active member
Oh, don't you just love wiring nightmares! :D

From memory, the alternator (or is it a dynamo?) on these small Kubotas isnt the highest powered beast. You'll probably be fine adding a few more lights, it might be possible to add a car alternator belt driven off the crank so you could have some mega-spots? :D
 

quincy

Member
I'm pretty impressed with the lights Mith. The only thing that bugs me about them is that they are set up for driving on the wrong side of the road. It's a french machine so the light beam is directed to the right. I've adjusted them as good as they go but theres a refractor on the lens that bends the light up to the right. I spose I could stick some black tape to the lens to stop that but i doesnt bother me that much!! Beyond that, they are way better than the lights on my old machine. I fitted a worklight with a magnetic base earlier this week. Bought the mag base on eBay and the work light in my local farm supply store. It's plugged into a 12v quick connect socket i mounted under the seat. For a 55w bulb, the amount of white light it gives out is really good, so now I have light front and back which is very useful. You're right, I dont want to overload the electrical system on this tractor. I think what I have now is all i'll need. The handy thing about the magnetic mount is I can stick it just about anywhere I want on the machine with the long cord I have with it.

OH.... and by the way..... I DID FIND SOME WHITE LAMP CORD WIRED UNDER THE SEAT!!! Looks like they used it to run 12v to a warning "flashy beacon" that was fitted to the tractor...lol, thats funny... seems like a ubiquitous mod that gets done to these machines...lol ....

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Doc

Admin
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Looking good quincy. That light will really come in handy. :thumb:
 

Big Dog

Super Moderator
SUPER Site Supporter
quincy............ way to go! I just love your enthusiasm, your making me green with envy. Now if I wasn't so damn busy!

Your tractor looks like and reminds me soooooo much of my B9200hst I had before the Kioti. My best friend has my old Kubota and it's as solid as ever.

Great work and add ons. That thing will run forever. You got you a winner!
 

quincy

Member
Thanks big dog. I have to admit, I'm having a blast with this kubota!

Doing some work again this weekend with it. I decided to test it and see how happy it would be towing my large utility trailer. I have over 1.5 tons of sand in it at the moment, plus a dozen or so bags cement and various tools for some work I'm doing at home. I have to say I was very pleased. It did struggle a bit to get traction on the gravel drive (moderate up hill pull) but with the diff lock pedal pushed down, It chugged away in 2nd gear, 4wd.. no problems. Boy this machine is strong!!
I dont know how happy I would be going downhill with that load on (trailer weight exceeding tractor) but for moving the trailer around my property today, it was awesome. Super maneuverable compared to using my car to tow.

I met the charging limitations of the alternator this weekend. It seems the alternator/dynamo is just about good enough to satisfy the requirements of the tractor lights. That extra 55w work light I fitted has tipped the balance. I was using the tractor late lastnight and was using the lights on my work area with the engind running at idle. After about 30 mins, I noticed the lights were beginning to dim. The next morning when I went to start up, the battery was flat. With the tractor shut off, theres 11.9v reading on the battery. With the engine running it increases to a whopping 12.7v... so it IS charging but it's not great by any stretch... So, now I know, headlights only, or rear worklight only, not both together, until I can improve the charging ability of the kubota... There is a label in the battery stamped with a date of 2002, 5 year old battery might be on its way out?

Mith, I think you're right buddy, a small car alternator might be a great addition... good idea.

Q
 

Mith

Active member
Battery probably is past its best, but as you found, the charging system is marginal.
Given the option I'd reckon putting an alternator belt driven off the crank and use than for lights on a separate circuit to the charging system would be ideal. Then you'd have the power for a fridge and TV, awww yeaaa :D
 
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