Canopy Lights

Bindian

Member
I finished my light installation on my canopy today.:thumb: Since I work nights and sleep late in the day on my time off, I decided to install lights on my canopy so I can dig late into the evening.;) I bought two round lights from TSC. I installed them in the angle of my canopy by drilling one mounting hole. I had a hole at the top of the ROPS, so I added one down near the fender where the ROPS flares out. I ran two wires in heat shrink and pulled them through the ROPS with wire to make a wiring harness. I removed the factory plow light from the fender brace and wired the canopy lights into the plow light's wiring. Then I drilled 3 holes in the canopy frame and installed wiring clamps to secure the wiring harness. I tried the lights out this evening. They work great:cool:, but I will take a wrench out with me tomorrow and adjust the windage on them as I had the light mounting nut too tight for hand adjustment. But the pivot works great as I can adjust them to shine at full BH reach or down to shine on my feet.:D
hugs, Brandi
 

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  • 1-29-08 Backing Lights On.jpg
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Nice...

Now you need to add a toggle switch so you can switch between your new lights and the set you are going to add facing forward...:D
 

Bindian

Member
Now you need to add a toggle switch so you can switch between your new lights and the set you are going to add facing forward...:D
Paul,
The Big Red Beast has two multi position switches from the factory for lights. The left switch turns on first only the cowl lights, then only the plow (now canopy) lights, then the cowl AND the canopy lights. The right switch turns on the dash lights and running (park) lights, then adds the low beam headlights, then adds the high beam headlights. Below the left switch is the turn indicator light switch. The flashers are on a toggle switch down lower on the left side. Any new lights will be wired in with the cowl lights, which are above the hood and just in front of the steering wheel. I have decided to have soon to be added front lights shine on the loader bucket sides and have them adjusted so that when back blading it will shine where the bucket leading edge meets the ground.
hugs, Brandi
 

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Nicahawk

Guest
Looks like they came installed and wired from the factory! Good job.:applause:
 

Bindian

Member
Looks like they came installed and wired from the factory! Good job.:applause:
Thanks guys.:wave: I really had a blond moment:eek: while trying to make the wiring hole big enough for the grommet. I didn't have a 1/2'" drill bit here at home and went to town to Grainger's to buy one. The largest I had at home was 3/8". I had a fleeting moment before I left to check my drill chuck (new drill) to see if 1/2" bit would fit. I forgot to.:pat: I got the new bit home and it wouldn't fit the chuck.:mad: So back to town to Lowe's Home Center to buy a 1/2" bit turned down to 3/8". Total time killed.... 2 hours!:lam::hangingclothes::ohmy::soapbox::stupid::bash:
hugs, Brandi
 

Dougster

Old Member
Total time killed.... 2 hours!:lam::hangingclothes::ohmy::soapbox::stupid::bash:
hugs, Brandi
Heck, I waste more time than that trying to find my glasses each morning!!! ;) Funny thing is, as often as not, I eventually end up finding them either in my shirt pocket or on top of my head. :rolleyes: :eek:

Dougster
 

Bindian

Member
I added three items to the Big Red Beast today. First and foremost, I added a tool box on the left fender.:cool: I don't know how I got along the past year without it.:pat: Then I installed an ambient temperature guage to the canopy frame. Then I installed two lights to shine on the bucket when I am grading or back blading. I will wire the lights Thursday during the thunderstorms if they get this far south. I am looking for a fire extingusher with a rugged enough mounting bracket to mount on the right fender. So far the smaller bottles I have seen have plastic mounting brackets.
hugs, Brandi
 

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  • 4-9-08 Loader bucket work lights bracket temp guage.jpg
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Nicahawk

Guest
As usual, a nice clean installation. Looks professional, and well thought out. Nice.
 

Bindian

Member
Thanks Jay and Nicahawk. I wanted the mount bolts to fall on the fender bracing, but the bracing was on 12 inch centers and the indented "legs" on the tool box bottom are on 13 inch centers, so I have the bolts right behind the braces. There is even room outboard of the tool box to stand on the fender if need be. I stood all the time on my old Ford's large flat (English version, not rounded like American versions) fenders to trim limbs. We got a storm front coming, so it looks like I will wire in the lights today.
hugs, Brandi
 

Doc

Admin
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Nice job. Looks good. Adding a tool box has been one of the things I've been 'going to do" for over a year now. Did you just use 2 bolts thorugh the bottom to hold it to the fender? Looked to be a metal tool box .... I have a plastic one I'm thinking of using. Any kind would be better than none. :pat:
Lights and temp gauge look good to. In Texas I'm not sure I'd want to know the temperature, I know you get purty darn hot down thar!
 

Bindian

Member
Nice job. Looks good. Adding a tool box has been one of the things I've been 'going to do" for over a year now. Did you just use 2 bolts thorugh the bottom to hold it to the fender? Looked to be a metal tool box .... I have a plastic one I'm thinking of using. Any kind would be better than none. :pat:
Lights and temp gauge look good to. In Texas I'm not sure I'd want to know the temperature, I know you get purty darn hot down thar!
Doc,
I wished I had installed the tool box a year ago. I almost bought a plastic one and found this metal one at TSC for $15. It has a plastic tray. It is really handy. I bolted it down with 4 quarter inch diameter bolts with wide area washers behind the nuts. Since the Big RED Beast has a small cup holder for beverages, I am thinking about adding a bar buoy cup holder to the side of the tool box for 20 oz. bottles of lime gatorade. This will help in the summer, along with the temp guage. I tend to stay working too long on the Big RED Beast and in the summer get too hot and dehydrated. Then I get real severe leg cramps in my legs in the evening watching TV after an indense day working in the summer heat and humidity. Late summer here it gets in the high 90s, which isn't bad in itself, but when the humidity is in the high 90s, it can get deadly. So the temp guage is a reminder mainly, as it isn't that reliable and was cheap at $2.97 @ Walmart. I mfg. and bent up a mild steel bracket to mount it on an angle to the canopy frame.
hugs, Brandi
 

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urednecku

Member
For a fire extinguisher bracket, consider a piece of thick-walled PVC pipe. Cap the bottom end, or use "L" brackets to keep the bottle from falling thru, but trash will. An advantage to this, it doesn't have to be straight up, almost any angle will work.
 

Bindian

Member
For a fire extinguisher bracket, consider a piece of thick-walled PVC pipe. Cap the bottom end, or use "L" brackets to keep the bottle from falling thru, but trash will. An advantage to this, it doesn't have to be straight up, almost any angle will work.
:wtf:........white PVC on my tractor?:Mickey: I don't think so.:pat: It will clash with the red paint.:rolleyes: Besides, PVC left in the sun becomes brittle.:eek: I guess I could make a stainless steel bracket at work.:cool:
hugs, Brandi
 

howierd3866

Member
looks good Bindian.We have put aftermarket tool boxes on are tractors and find out later they will crack the box and the fender around the bolts. mainly because the bottom of the box is too thin.Just keep an eye on it we load our with just about everything being miles away from truck and shop.we also over some rough areas and 10 hours days. be good and be safe Howard
 

Bindian

Member
looks good Bindian.We have put aftermarket tool boxes on are tractors and find out later they will crack the box and the fender around the bolts. mainly because the bottom of the box is too thin.Just keep an eye on it we load our with just about everything being miles away from truck and shop.we also over some rough areas and 10 hours days. be good and be safe Howard

Howard,
Thanks! I was thinking about beefing up the bottom ofthe tool box with a doubler, but thought...........for $15 or even a little more, I will buy a new tool box. Mahindra has thick metal on their fenders. Since I got the bolts near a fender brace, I have no worry about them cracking.
hugs, Brandi
 

Bindian

Member
I finished wiring in the forward canopy work lights yesterday. I didn't wire them into a switch as I planned. Instead I wired them into the aft work lights. It was way simpler this way. I can switch on all four work lights or the cowl lights, or both the cowl lights & all four work lights. I tried them out at dusk and confirmed I need to take the light assy. mounts to work to put a 45 degree bend in them. This should spot them on the loader bucket in a back blading position.
hugs, Brandi
 

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  • 4-13-08 Wiring routing.jpg
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  • 4-13-08 Brandi wearing Michael Jackson work gloves.jpg
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Brandi,

As usual, great work! The lights and temp gauge will be handy. The toolbox sold me. I'm getting one! I took your advice on the simplified work lights wiring and bought everything I needed. I've been out of town but my first free day I'm installing them per your instructions!

Again, GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:tiphat:
 
Brandi, when you installed your toolbox, did you put anything between the box and the fender, like maybe some rubber washers? Helps prevent rust if air can get between them.;)
 
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