Go BottomNeed to Improve my Cub Cadets 3204 headlights-advice
 | Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 347 New York 
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2003-09-18 64261
I’m looking to improve on the output (or upgrade) of my Cub Cadets 3204’s headlights. Currently they use a standard “1156” automotive bulb (tail light, accessory bulb, etc) they really don’t illuminate as much as I would hope for. What bulb would be compatible with an “1156” automotive bulb? Halogen equivalent? Since these are incandescence bulbs, the requirements for nighttime operation are making me address this shortcoming. It’s probably the same setup for the 2000 series as well…
Any Ideas would be greatly appreciative,
Ducati996
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York 
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2003-09-18 64263
You might try a 2056 bulb or some of the fog lights take a bulb that will fit. ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-09-18 64266
There's two options available depending on what you need in the way of light.
The first, and simplest is swaping bulbs as Art mentioned. In fact I have discovered the easiest way to do that is to buy a set of high intensity halogen replacement bulbs available at most automotive stores for replacing the factory 1156 bulbs in a pickup tail-light. They are available in most UAP's, NAPA's , etc., just find a car or truck that uses bayonet-style bulbs as opposed to the newer flat-style base. Cost is usually about $15.00 a pair.
The other way is to add auxillary lighting to complement the factory, or upgraded, headlights in the unit now. This is easiest to do using some form of fog or driving light kit wired to a toggle switch in the control panel. This gives you more versatility on direction, size and power of light. It is also more expensive and a little more work to install.
The deciding factors will be, how much more light do you need, and how much work & expense do you want to go to get it. If you are going to be doing snow-removal you will find that no amount of light is too much, and the closer the lights are to the snow the better, that way if it's nowing while you are working you will see the snow on the ground, not what's flying through the air.
Best of luck. ....
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 | TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-09-19 64299
A few years ago somebody said they melted some plastic head-light assembly parts by switching to halogen replacement bulbs. I'd take some care doing that idea. My loader and frame are in the way and the headlights are about useless. I went with front and rear 55W work lights on the ROSP. Work lights are usually available in three beam widths. Trapezoidal patterns are best for general driving. Some fog lights put out narrow fan shaped patterns but it's the lenses rather than the bulbs that produce the pattern. They have to mounted very low or only a narrow band of road is illuminated. They also waste a bunch of light to the sides at the expense of illumination where you are driving.
For bulb swaps, the existing wiring should be adequate if higher wattage bulbs don't blow existing fuses. Using slightly larger fuses likely would work but would take some expected life out of the wiring.
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| Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 347 New York
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2003-10-04 65519
Hello all,
Just an update and a thank you for the ideas. I'm not finished in locating the right bulb but I found something that is an improvement. PIAA offers a Super white bulb in the 1156 format. Its still a 27watt bulb, but offers a much improved beam and clarity. They are around $15 for the set.
I'm still looking for a 35 watt halogen version that was offered in these series a few years ago, but thats been a slow process of finding anything on it.
As for aux lights, there really isnt a good place to mount anyon a 3204 or 3000 series, not like on a CUT (usually ROPS bar). I have stared at every angle to see if something would clear the Blower, without it looking silly, its Not working..
I tried the 50 watt halogens to see what would melt or what fuse would blow. The base of the bulb itself melted, so that didnt work. No harm to the machine which was good.
I will keep looking, but I have something that is better for now.. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-10-04 65549
They used a front bumper package that we sold that would be great for mounting the lites on. ....
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| Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 347 New York
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2003-10-04 65561
Hi Art,
Can you use the bumper w/ the blower set up at the same time? I would be interested in finding out more :)
Ducati996 ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-10-05 65601
It has a front snow blower? One of the lighting problems for a blower is that if the lights are behind the blower and high enough to shine over it, the lights tend to shine on the flume coming out of the chute and not much else can be seen. That would sure be the case with my rear work light on the ROSP and 3ph blower. If the lights are behind the blower, it's best if they shine under the flume.
I bought a headlight of the type seen on truck snowplow blades and was going to mount it on a front corner of my blower and run extension wiring from my work light circuit. As it turns out I don't have to blow snow at night so the light still sits in its box.
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-10-05 65612
Sorry about that but I don't believe so as it uses the same mounting position. I'll do a little studing of other options that are available on Monday. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-10-06 65656
We'll I didn't come up with any easy way to end your problems of front lighting from Cadet. There are several things I can come up with that will solve your problem but they all need to be built. Murf, if your following this nows your chance to get into MTD's big pockets! If your interested in going further let me know, the lites could even have Quick takeoffs and plug-ins for the wiring from the blower frame for storage. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-10-06 65671
I would mount aftermarket fog-type lights right on the blower itself.
Art's right, lighting that is too high or wide just lights up the snow which actually makes it harder to see, not better. The best is to get the lights as close to the area you need lit as posssible.
Art, let me know what you have in mind, I don't have a lot of experience with the little machines but there is probably some impovements begging to be done.
Best of luck. ....
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| Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 347 New York
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2003-10-06 65683
Hi Art,
I'm very interested !! I could see how something could attach on the existing bumper (without the blower attached)
with quick connects, but I run out of ideas as to where on the blower where it wouldnt get in the way of the chute or
the range of height level. Be very happy to contribute $$
to whom ever comes up with this solution. Art, you would know best if existing charging circuit could handle aux lighting( and max wattage)...Let me know if this has a possibility of coming to life !!
Salivating thinking about it!!
Ducati996
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-10-06 65695
If you were to take a piece of 1/2 inch square steel amd another just a little larger that would slide down into it you could weld or fasten that onto the snowblower frame and have it removeable so not to get broken while off. Have a quick disconnect from the lite wiring to plug into and you'd be all set. Many of the cabs have extra front lites added facing towards the blower from the roof as well as possibly mid mount high. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-10-06 65707
If there's a fused auxiliary circuit already on the tractor there's little chance of exceeding the charging system capacity. The aux circuit fuse would blow first. The system may well disable auxiliary circuits for pre-heating and starting but it just as well not to have any aux equipment on during when starting.
Alternators are commonly rated for 25 or 35 amps. Two 55w lights draw around 8 amps. Most auxiliary circuits are fused for 10A so one or two work lights aren't going to strain most charging systems much.
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-10-07 65722
Unless my coffe isn't strong enough this morning, the Cub has a 20hp Kholer in it, so it doesn't have an alternator, just a magneto/generator system. All the same a couple of extra lights wouldn't make much difference.
Worst case you might have to put a charger on the battery now and then to keep it topped up, which probably isn't a bad thing for a small battery in the winter anyways.
Best of luck. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-10-08 65790
Yep, one of these days I'll get it in my mind that not everything discussed here is a conventional compact, or at least see the model numbers enough times to know which are different. ....
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| Ducati996
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 347 New York
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2003-11-18 69054
Hello all,
Just an update regarding 1156 Bulbs I found at AutoZone from somebodys suggestion. I found 50w Incadesent 1156 bulbs by Blazer..
They appear to work much better than the PIAA superwhites. So far no damage, and heat is thus far not a problem..my guess is they draw 4.1 amps per bulb. I think the Kohler is 20amp, so I should be ok Correct?
Now the rear tail light :) anybody recomend where to tap in to for swiched power prefered near the tail end if possible? I think I have found a sealed lense that will fit
on the storage compartment between the seat and rear fender.
Ducati996
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-11-18 69055
Murf, that runs a group 24 battery which should be able to keep up pretty good compared to the smaller batteries used by Cadet in the past. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2003-11-19 69086
Duc, you should look at the new LED truck lights, they mount in a 2" hole on a rubber boot. They are completely sealed units and take almost no power at all but are VERY bright. They are available in red, yellow and white. If your local AutoZone doesn't stock them I'm sure thay can order them.
I thought it was too small a light source, but then you don't back up very fast either.
Best of luck. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-11-19 69087
Hey murf, you missed the post the other day on controls to convert from one style to the other. ....
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