Cub Cadet LTX1045 Help

[cubltx1045]

Hi I own a cub cadet ltx1045 hydrostatic riding lawnmower and I'm adding some accessories such as lights and others and the main one I'm worried about is my 12 volt cigarrette outlet I will be using it for charging my phone and I have an outlet with 10 gauge wire with a 10 amp fuse is that to high and where should I run the positive wire to if I want it to be usable 24/7

 

[Wildcat]

I assume we are talking about a cigarette type charger?

I think you should be fine with the wire and the fuse. However, I wouldn't want to see you drain a battery by having the charger "on" 24/7. I would try to wire it to the acc side of the ignition so that way you can have it turn off when the tractor is turned off.

But if you have your mind set on having it on 24/7, find the consent hot wire that runs off the battery. Trace it to a point where you can wire in your charger.

Or if you want to have a way to plug in some small equipment, try an inverter that hooks up straight to the battery.

 

[cubltx1045]

Yes it is a cigarrette type outlet and I don't necassarilly need to use it "24/7" more like when the lights are on so when I turn on the key. Because I bought auxiliary lights and wired the positive off a relay that tested always positive and the lights worked fine but when you started the mower the lights exploded and blew up?

 

[Wildcat]

So you are saying that the lights were working when the key was in the ACC position and when you started the tractor, they blew up. Sounds like you had to much power going to the lights or the lights was not rated for the power that the tractor produces. I would double check everything to make sure you can run lights. Also what I would do if I was you, I would wire the lights with the head lights. Just cut the wires, wire in a T-butt, toggle switch and a 10 amp fuse call it a day. That way your other lights come on when the headlights come on or you can toggle them on and off.

As for the phone charger..I'll still stick with my suggestion above.

 

[cubltx1045]

Exactly I checked the voltage of the headlights and when on accessory position it is about 12.5 volts but when the tractor is turned on it is about 14.5 volts is 14.5 volts too much for the 12 volt outlet to charge a phone when on?

 

[Wildcat]

Fourteen and a half volts sounds about right for an 12v alternator. It has to produce a bit more voltage to overcome the batteries natural resistance to discharge and the power being used by the headlights and such with the tractor running.

I still don't understand why you are popping lights. If you are using 12v lights that are rated for 15 or less amps, then everything should be fine but lets look at some math.

Volts to watts: 14.5v (tractor running) 15 amp (regulated) equals ~217 watts. So I think if you are using a bulb rated for less than 200 watts, then that might be your reason you are popping bulbs.

I guess you can always check the headlights on the tractor and see what they are rated for and use the bulbs that they use.