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Best front-mount light location

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44trxfun
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 110 western NY
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2003-12-01          70059

We're getting a pretty good storm here tonight, making me realize I'm probably not going to have the luxury of dealing with snow only during daylight hours. Dealer is going to mount a set of front-facing work lights (and a rear facing) for me later this week and I'm wondering how different setups work out, especially for snowblowing. I thought I'd read in these posts that folks were kinda disappointed in ROPS-mounted front-facing 'cause it just lit up blowing snow and not the work area.

I haven't ruled out wanting to use them for loader or ??? work, so I'm not convinced I should mount them directly to the blower yet. Anyone have a setup they really like?


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2003-12-02          70078

See my #4pic I think Mine shine down into the work area and not try to shine thru. The higher you have them the better. You can make out the rear ones. And no they do not head my head I'm 6'1" and seat is all the way back. The rear lights also work good with the back hoe. I do not bump my head then either but have brushed them. ....

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kubotaguy
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 360 Shepherdstown, WV
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2003-12-02          70079

I've been debating about adding some additional lights to my B-7800, but was wondering how to do it keeping the wiring out of the way and still keeping the folding ROPS operational as I need to fold it to get it into my shed until my garage is finished. Any suggestions on how to do it as well as what wattage lights can be used without having to increase the alternator size. I was interested in front and rear lights as the front end loader renders headlights next to useless. ....

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44trxfun
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 110 western NY
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2003-12-02          70083

Harvey,does this setup work pretty well in blowing snow? We're new to this area, but already it's clear the wind really whips through here. I'll be blowing with the direction of the prevaling winds, but open fields upwind of us provide a lot of fetch for the wind and it seems to pick up a lot of snow. I want to make sure the lights actually light up my work area, instead of blinding me reflecting off blowing snow. Thanks for your help! ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-12-02          70086

The biggest thing is not to have them shooting to the moon or for coon hunting use. Keep them aimed about 20 ft in front of the tractor to the ground. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-12-02          70090

I have a set of front facing John Deere work light in pic # 8. I have since mounted a set of rear facing worklights which mount to the inside area of the rops bar right behind the seat. You could probably order the kits and install them yourself and save a few buck unless your deal is installing them for free. The lights are a BIG help when working at dusk and dark trying to get that last bit of cutting work in. They are also nice when my buddies bag a deer and come to the house to see if I can get it for them with the FEL. ;-) Got about 20 lbs. of venison for my trouble last time. ....

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2003-12-02          70140

I blow with a 3ph I do lots at night. The lights are above and shine down and not shraight out into the plume. I have no problems with this arrangement, other than maybe it could be higher. However both sets of lights are well protected from tree limbs so it works real well for me.

Ive been out in howling blizards, I can see very well, and have had neighbors say, how nice it is to see something they can see because of the lighting. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-12-03          70171

I've never had to blow snow at night so I don't know how well my rear work light on top of the rops would work. Now that I think of it, I don't go fast enough in reverse so that I'd need light on the ground very far behind the tractor in which case higher would be better. I suspect a narrower beam than a work light might work better and probably would work fine as Harvey says. Blowing straight back or upwind from the side might tend to light up the flume more than the road though. If there was a problem, a light on a forward corner of the blower might be good. It'd shine along the road ahead of and under the flume. It'd put light on the road further from the tractor than something up high. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-12-03          70175

Over the years of clearing snow commercially we've discovered it's always better to get the light as close to what you want lit up as possible.

We have work lights mounted on the two outer corners of the blowers, and on the grill guard in front. The new machines all have two front & two rear work lights built into the cab itself, the rear lights are good if their tipped down as Art mentioned, the front lights are too wide a beam to do much other than flood the whole area in front of the machine but in conjunction with the high beams they seem to work pretty good.

One of the guys rigged up a set of 'cross-eyed' lights on the top of the plow itself and that worked well for cleaning the sidewalks at a shopping mall. He put two sets of very small fog lights on each side of the plow blade, one set shone straight forward with the plow angled full left, the other when the blade was full right. They were switched seperately but on a single 3 way toggle so when he reversed the plow he just flipped the switch to match.

Although I have discovered that the best lights by far for dealing with a raging blizzard are ANY light that is on the outside of a HEATED CAB....... ;->

Oh, the weather outside is frightfull, but the CAB is so delightfull, let it snow, let it snow.....

Best of luck. ....

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Wildman1
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 196 Chugiak, Alaska
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2003-12-06          70388

With my front mount blower in the down position the headlamps work pretty well on my 2210. The JD worklights on the cab roof are floods and do a better job overall of lighting forward and to the sides. They seem to reflect less in blowing snow than the headlamps.

I unplugged the headlamps and just used the overheads and they were more effective. Besides, with white snow, it doesn't take a whole lot of lighting to see. ....

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Wildman1
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 196 Chugiak, Alaska
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2003-12-06          70389

BTW..I agree with Murf..the heated cab is the ticket. I just ordered the Curtis "tuck-a-way" heater for mine. In addition to my overhead mounted electric heater powered by a Honda genset sitting on the rear sand spreader, I should be able to blow snow in a tank top and shorts whilst playing tunes from my pocket pc thru the Bose noise cancelling headphones. WAY too much fun. ....

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2003-12-06          70391

Wildman you also might want to consider a 2-way communicator, (cell phone, walkie talkie, cb's) that way if you are all warm and toastie and you plug your chute you can call you significant other to get their butt out there and unplug it for you.

My wife says I'll never have a cab and if I do ...

Enjoy the weather I hope you get enough to play in ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-12-06          70402

Yep, for chute unclogging, somebody with ready access and great familiarity with broom handles--who ever that may be. Guess I border on the unfashionable here. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-12-08          70575

Another great product idea for the Acme Implement Company, a heated snowblower chute, when the chute clogs just flip a switch, a few minutes later the offending clog drips out the bottom.

Then again, maybe a compressed air tank would be better. That way when the chute clogs you could hit the air valve and fire an icey torpedo towards city hall, or maybe that jerk on the snowplow who waits until just AFTER you clean your driveway to drop a big pile of slush across the end of it.

Best of luck. ....

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44trxfun
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 110 western NY
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2003-12-09          70628

Well, the dealer installed the lights (2 55W on top of the ROPS and 1 35W on the rear fender). We talked about it quite a bit and he said they've mounted lots of 'em in those spots and they haven't had a complaint. There's enough wire in the harness they built to turn the top ones under the ROPS for summer mowing when I'm not likely to be using them. He said they thought about mounting them there, but when they tried it they didn't think I'd like it very well because the beam was pretty much straight out. Thanks all for your suggestions. (Hope I won't regret not mounting them directly on the blower, Murf!) ....

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