I want to upgrade the lighting on my lawn tractor...

[woodchucker]

I was out mowing the other night until I couldn't see anymore. My tractor lights are a joke. I have a Simplicity 16lth.
I was looking at https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-led-flood-light-64322.html or https://www.harborfreight.com/autom...f-road-lights/6-in-led-flood-light-57190.html.
The 3" does not say if the 3.79 in. is with the bracket or just the box. It has a 335 foot range if you believe it. Yet the 6 inch bar with more lumens is 252' range.. so something is off.

I am looking for recommendations on lights if any of you have used either, or another commonly available light. I don't want to spend a lot.
I have 3" to work with in height to fit the light into the existing spot, otherwise I would have to hood mount it on top or the sides, and I don't really want to do that. I would just like to replace the lights that are in there by removing the whole existing light bar and fitting the new light and doing whatever I need to. I want to use the existing wiring, I'll probably add an inline spade lug fuse

 

[RJSakowski]

The range of a light beam depends on the lumen output and the beam width. A beam with longer range but less lumens is going to be a narrower beam. Unless you have Tim "the Tool Man" Taylors soup[ed up lawn tractor, a 335 ft range does nothing for you. Opt for the higher lumen, shorter range and hopefully, you will get a broader, more useful lighting system.

 

[projectnut]

Have you considered LED replacements for the current bulbs. This company sells LED replacements for RV's and off-road equipment. In most cases they're direct replacements that don't require any modifications. It might be easier and less expensive to just put new bulbs in the existing sockets.

M4 LED Products

Offering LED Lights and other products specifically for the RV Market. Save +80% of your battery power

m4products.com

We bought dozens of them for our motorhome nearly 10 years ago and they're all still going strong.

 

[aliva]

not trying to be sarcastic but why do you need to mow at night? Once daylight is gone there's always tomorrow.

 

[woodchucker]

not trying to be sarcastic but why do you need to mow at night? Once daylight is gone there's always tomorrow.

That's an easy one to answer.
My courts need to be mowed before volleyball, so by Tues afternoon. It rained yesterday so we are playing today..
With the current heat, I find that the night is great for mowing.. I tried starting the other night, and finishing in the morn.
We had so much humidity that the grass was soaked in the morning from the dew. It clumps up more so it's not great. Best when it's dry.

Being able to get it done is the important thing. I need the grass at 2.5" for play. the rest of the lawn is 3.5..
It just give me more options... if its dry the morning is way cooler and better. But if it's humid, or rain is expected, I'd like to be able to do it at night.

Have you considered LED replacements for the current bulbs. This company sells LED replacements for RV's and off-road equipment. In most cases they're direct replacements that don't require any modifications. It might be easier and less expensive to just put new bulbs in the existing sockets.

Yea, but the current light the reflectors are pitiful, and the lens would need a full treatment, and it was never good to begin with. Better to go with something that will work. I put an LED replacement into my maglights.. Still not as good as a current crop of flashlights. So I already know don't fix something that gives you so little to begin with.

 

[woodchucker]

Anyone have experience with other lights?

 

[projectnut]

not trying to be sarcastic but why do you need to mow at night? Once daylight is gone there's always tomorrow.

Sometimes we don't have the luxury of waiting until the next day. Many years ago, my wife and i were trying to maintain our house, her parents' house, and her aunt and uncles house while each working 50+ hours a week. To further complicate things I was on the road at least half the time, and in busy years almost 75% of the time.

We did the work when we had the time to do it. It wasn't uncommon for our house to be lowest on the list which meant starting to mow the grass as late as 10:00 PM. Fortunately, we didn't have neighbors at that time, so we weren't disturbing anyone. I added low level lights on the left side and rear of the tractor so I could get along the fence without running into it.

Here's a couple pictures of the tractor sitting on the old trailer. Note the side facing light just in front of the running board in the first picture. The rear facing light is just under the left taillight in the second picture..

 

[rwm]

When I mow, I usually mow in crop circles to annoy my wife.

 

[woodchucker]

without lights, so do I mow in crop circles.. that's how I can cut my lines

POTD- PROJECT OF THE DAY: What Did You Make In Your Shop Today?

Yes, the pan is a bit heavy. I was considering a new version in aluminum, but what really is the advantage of a light dust pan? The stool is a little tippy too, not for standing on. When sitting on it 12 inches from the ground, with your own feet splayed out, we'll have to see if it's a...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[Cadillac STS]

When adding anything to the hood watch the weight. It puts more stress on the hinges and can cause problems. You likely will add lights to the hood but just be careful about too much weight. Open and close carefully