Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

Garden tractor lighting AC vs DC (pics now)


SmilinSam

Recommended Posts

Experimenting with light bulb and socket alternatives for the 700 AC and 3300, 3400, 7000 Simplicity types. I have found available two types of bulbs that are basically the same size. One is 12V, the other is 115vac. The 12v presses into the socket with 2 prongs and is held in be friction basically. The 115vac is a nice twist lock type. My question is what workls with what voltage on a 12v garden tractor? I know the 12v will work, but I dont care for the press in sockets. I have doubts as to the vac bulbs working with dc current? What about the ac chraging system for the lights on a briggs twin like in my test tractor. Would the 115vac lights work with that?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all common incandescent light bulbs are neither polarity or frequency sensitive, and my guess it the 120V will not glow as bright on 12V and the 12V will blow when connected to 120V. You can't hurt anything by connecting 12V source to a 120V bulb.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

AC as Bob said will not affect the bulbs since they are basically just a heating element. The problem is voltage. The AC circuit on Briggs use 12 volts off the stator un-rectified so it stays 12 volts and isn't converted to DC yet. You'll need a bulb that's 12 volts no matter what.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm with Dave on this one - 12V is a must. I'm not familiar with the bulbs you mention but the 'press fit' sounds like dome lamp or some marker lamp bulbs in a cars - like this? It's # 3 in the bulb reference below) [url]http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/Images-Parts/VolvoLampDiagramA.gif [/url] Just a thought - How about using a standard twist socket for 12v automotive bulbs? (like #1, 5, 8-10 in above refernce)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could run the ac bulbs using a separate circuit and an inverter but I doubt it would be worth the effort just to be able to use a more secure bulb holder.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The light is the resistance and heat created. It depends on the bulb, A cheaper 120v bulb will be brighter on 12v then an expensive one because the filiment is thinner. I agree, you will not get the brightness...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well then, I will stick with the two prong 12v bulb for the experiment. The bulbs I am using are 12v outdoor lighting, ground lighting or spotlighting. Thye bulbs come in either 25? watt or 50 watt? or something like that. They are the same diameter and shape as the simplicity tractor bulbs but do not have glass over the front. I doubt one would want to spray water directly into them, but this is the closest commonly available bulb I have seen out there. I have a socket here to test, but am still pondering how to make it fit into the headlight bucket holes. Heres some pics...
[img]http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv227/Smilinsam/picture110.jpg?t=1252104348[/img]

[img]http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv227/Smilinsam/picture111.jpg?t=1252104402[/img]

[img]http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv227/Smilinsam/picture112.jpg?t=1252104476[/img]
The bulbs are cheap enough at less then $3 each. The fixturres with a light in them can be bought for about $10 on sale at a home improvement store or such. So if this works out it would be around $50 to outfit a tractor with 4 new headlights. Have to see what I can dream up to install the recievers in the headlight buckets. I could take the original tractor light recievers and cut them apart and somehow attach the brass with the catches to the new reciever, but dont know how to go about attaching. The reciever is a wee bit larger diameter than the old headlight recievers so they would have to be cut up the side and wrapped around the new ones. Glue? Solder, ???
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After seeing your pics, the first thing that comes to mind is cannibalizing the original sockets. Maybe cut the rear socket section off leaving the rim and prongs only, then enlarge the rear of the rim for a press fit with the new halogen socket and solder it on. Not sure how well solder works with dissimilar metals and coatings but flux should help right? Another thing to think about is vibration, I'm wondering if those bulbs are up to the taskB). Anyway, please keep us posted, I would be interested in seeing what you come up with. Good Luck.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
Originally posted by HubbardRA
Sam, Do you remember my post on the same subject? http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=91771&SearchTerms=lights
No, I hadnt seen that topic. Nice work on what you came up with. If this fails I may try your approach. Thanks for the link:)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After playing around with different options. I think using an inverter may be the way to go. I would have headlight switch turn on the inverter. and not the headlights . I think it would be safer.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sam, I don't know if having ~~120 volts AC running around in the hood/tractor wiring is such a good idea (pursuing the inverter option) from a safety perspective. You could get seriously shocked if water got between the sockets & headlight metal pods which would then conduct to everything metal on the tractor. A cheaper (still just as unsafe) option might be to simply get a 12v secondary and 120v primary transformer and drive it from the AC lighting side of the alternator. If the lighting circuit is 3 amps then you'd want a 36 volt-amp (VA) or larger transformer. I don't know if Briggs had a higher output lighting alternator or not, but those 120V halogen lights need more power than that. Tom (PK)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sam, For a quick direct replacement try auto bulb 1006. This is a full size blinker type bulb. There is no reflector, but the bulb drops right in. For best results I think you would need to fabricate a reflector. Rick.......
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NO WAY do you want 120 volts under that hood. That's a recipe for suicide. You may want to look at the places that sell LED bulbs... I bet you can find one that will fit, and will let you solder leads to it. LEDs aren't subject to vibration problems as there's no filament. Plus, it would look cool too... blueish white headlights.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes bob, they are for ac track lighting. I'm not going to use those though. I see these two prong 12V also come in LED type bulbs. Also, those and another version of the same halogen bulb comes in a sealed beam IE glass over the front. I keep thinking snd looking.. I'll come up with something sooner or later;)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

the bulbs you show for the track lighting may be 12v available some of them have a transformer in the line. Industrial panel lamps are 12v and bright some are 24 volt also if its the mount you dont care for try the auto back up lights 3056 they press in and are an easy fit.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might want to give these folks a call and tell them what you're looking for: [url]http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm[/url] It would be nice if we could come up with a standard upgrade for these lights using LED technology. Has anyone tried making new housings, btw? I would think it could be done fairly easily using some sheet tin or aluminum.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone posted this link a while ago and I added it to my favorites. This bulb looks like a nice fit if it is available [url]http://www.topbulb.com/find/Product_Description.asp?intProductID=47072[/url]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
Originally posted by OrangeMetalGuy
Might want to give these folks a call and tell them what you're looking for: [url]http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm[/url] It would be nice if we could come up with a standard upgrade for these lights using LED technology.
If you don't like the harsh blue tint of white LEDs, there are "Warm White" LEDs that are very near the primary color of a filament bulb. Because of thew manufacturing technology, they are currently more expensive but they will be hardly noticeable from a filament bulb.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can get the 12v 50w landscape light bulbs at home depot for under 8.00, but I think the led tail lightbulbs are the way to go since they fit the original socket and you dont ahve to reto a two prong socket in its place.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
Originally posted by RickS
Sam, For a quick direct replacement try auto bulb 1006. This is a full size blinker type bulb. There is no reflector, but the bulb drops right in. For best results I think you would need to fabricate a reflector. Rick.......
Keeping in tradition with the sterotypical lazy tightwad swede motif, I abandoned the two prong light setup as it was going to be way to costly to see through( not to mention alot of work). Instead Rick got me to looking at his idea. Those bulbs are not readily available locally at the auto parts stores. They can be ordered, but I want something I can go get most anywhere when I need them. So... I while at Autozone I bought the two single contact gm sockets they had "conduct tite" #85804 and snapped them in place of the original Allis lighting sockets or bulb holders. The I went to wal mart and bought a couple of standard #1156 sylvania back up lamps. Came home and painted the interior surfaces of the headlight bucket with a reflective aluminum paint and installed it on the tractor. Seems to work pretty well. Would look better if I could find some lenses of some sorts to attach to the screw in chrome plates. I'll post some more pics when I get the parts for the other headlight bucket.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • Bill725
    • CarlH
    • mbsengineer
    • maxwood
    • Darl Swartz
  • Recent Status Updates

    • gwiseman

      gwiseman

      As you know SimpletrACtors.com has changed some recently. Working through this so PM me with questions, suggestions, and/or challenges you have. Appreciate your patience and feedback.
      · 0 replies
    • gwiseman

      gwiseman

      Site programming updates were made 3/23/2024. As a result some things have changed including dues payment options. We will continue maintenance and work with technicians to regain credit card payment option and clear up minor challenges. On positive it appears attaching pictures is now easier. Good day. Gene 
      · 1 reply
  • Adverts

×
×
  • Create New...