Adding light to JD 755

[DouglP]

I've got a JD755 w/loader and rear snowblower. I'd like to add 4 additional lights, two foward, two to the rear. I'd mount them under the roll bar. My question is, are four 55watt lights too much and what would be the best way to wire them in? I'm thinking I would like them on a separate switch from the other lights, because I would only use them when I have the loader and snowblower on.
Any suggestions?

 

[BigEddy]

I added 2 55watt lights to the rear on my 855, using the existing 10 AMP fused circuit JD provided. I added an extra switch, so that I could turn them off independently. They only come on if the main light switch is set to the correct position.

That said -I've melted down 2 wires since installing them - the feed wire into the main fuse block, and the feed wire into the ignition switch. Don't know if it is related to the lights or just to very dirty / dusty contacts on the connectors. Cheap and easy to fix, but annoying when it won't start up in the morning after a late night. In neither case did the fuse blow, so theoretically it isn't drawing more current than it should, but it was generating a lot of heat to melt down the connectors.

If you do run separate circuits, I'd recommend using a relay tied to the main light switch - that way you can't inadvertantly leave them on when you turn the tractor off.

 

[Michigan_Mike]

Part of the problem may be the gauge of the wire.
If I remember correctly, for a 10 amp circuit, you should use wire larger than 14 awg. (14 gauge is about 9 amps)
A wire smaller than that will not support the load. (I'm not sure Load is the correct term.)
The circuit breaker is intended to trip before the wire gets hot enough to melt, but if the wire is too small, the amperage doesn't get high enough to trip the breaker (of fuse), and the insullation on the wire melts off.