Export thread

Any of you guys install an LED light bar on your mower?

I put one on my truck recently and was blown away by how bright it is. Since it gets pretty hot here in the summer I try to mow closer to sunset but often run out of daylight before I get finished up. I have approximately 6 acres to mow.

I got a smaller version of the one I put on my truck off Amazon, it was only like $42 and it's IP68 waterproof (I use a leaf blower mostly to clean but still).

I also got a wiring harness install kit that comes with a rocker switch, and it fit (snugly) in the existing delete on the control panel!! I was really stunned it snapped right in.



The wiring is also super easy when using the harness, well it's easy anyway but it's basically plug and play with the harness. I mounted it on the front, and it is BRIGHT.

Nice! Can you say how far ahead can you see the grass at night?

Mark Widmer said:

Nice! Can you say how far ahead can you see the grass at night?

Click to expand...

At least 75 feet in front of the mower. I was able to barely see white-painted objects from approximately 400 feet away but the grass is very well lit at least 50-75 feet out and in a very wide field of view.

Here is a quick video showing the difference with and without the light

https://youtu.be/FZ_h6_RFEn8

One thing to watch for maybe, some mowers use a separate winding in the alternator coil for the headlights, puts out AC only, might not work with LEDs without a rectifier or a direct battery connection. Mowing after dark will start sounding like a pretty good idea about mid July around here.

tom3 said:

One thing to watch for maybe, some mowers use a separate winding in the alternator coil for the headlights, puts out AC only, might not work with LEDs without a rectifier or a direct battery connection. Mowing after dark will start sounding like a pretty good idea about mid July around here.

Click to expand...

Mine is connected directly to the battery, well the relay that feeds the light bar is.

I was worried about the rocker switch always being lit and slowly draining the battery but so far so good.

I agree, in the middle of summer this thing is gonna be HANDY.

Might try switching the wires on the rocker switch to power the little lamp only with the switch "on"?

tom3 said:

Might try switching the wires on the rocker switch to power the little lamp only with the switch "on"?

Click to expand...

Another part of the switch (the top graphic part) lights up when the switch is "on". I probably could have it only light up when it's on but I cut grass pretty often in the summer. In the winter I'll just pull the fuse that I added to the power feed for the relay.


On an unrelated note any have suggestions for getting this thing to go straight? When both arms are full throttle it goes in a slight arc.

Wow man, that's a good idea. If I could have done that, I would have. I'm not really an electrician. But the mower has no headlights, and I'd like to mow at night. So I made it a little easier. It took me a long time to find a way out of this situation. I found one that worked for me. I bought a night light plug in at Amazon. I just plugged them in with battery power. I go out to mow at sunset, and just as the sun goes down, the lamps light up by themselves. There is enough light, and the battery does not run out, because they are very economical. But when I finish, I disconnect them from the battery.

What about all the bugs that come out at night and will head right for that light??

Most mowers barely keep the battery up between startings.

I actually used an LED strip light instead, but it looks the same as yours. I never thought about getting a light bar, though, but the strip works just as fine. I got it from https://www.ukled.co.uk/led-strip-lights.html, and I'm pleased by how it works. I got the waterproof strip lights that are designed for architectural or landscape lighting effects. They are a more affordable version of the light bar, but I can guarantee it's a great one. They look and feel very high quality, and they've never given me any problems ever since I started using them.