How to wire up a TSC radio on a L2800?

MDM · Dec 28, 2006

What would be the best way to hook up a TSC fender mount radio to an L2800? (Santa brought me one) I know how to mount it, I'm just not sure of the best way to wire it up. I didn't know if I could use the extra wires under the fender? I experimented with hooking up a work light to these wires. I put a toggle switch on, but when I flip the switch to turn the work light on, it turns the flasher/turn signal light on as well. I thought if I tie the radio in to the wires under the fenders that it might turn the flasher/turn signal light on whenever I turned the radio on and I don't want that. Sorry, but wiring is not one of my strong suits. Any suggests would be appreciated.

George2615 · Dec 28, 2006

For power to the radio you need to find a wire to tap into that has 12V when the key is on, 0 V when off. The radio ground wire can be grounded to any part of the frame or motor. Speakers should have a self explanatory diagram on the radio or paperwork that came with it. As a last resort you can run a hot wire from the battery Plus side to the fused radio power wire and run the radio ground wire to the negavite of the battery. The only problem with this is the radio won't shut off with the key. you would have to remember to shut it off each time.

BTDT · Dec 28, 2006

How do the instructions say to hook it up? Is this a portable/transistor type radio that runs off of regular flashlight type batteries? 12v from tractor battery may burn it up. Any pictures?

kubotabilly · Dec 28, 2006

George2615 said:
For power to the radio you need to find a wire to tap into that has 12V when the key is on, 0 V when off. The radio ground wire can be grounded to any part of the frame or motor. Speakers should have a self explanatory diagram on the radio or paperwork that came with it. As a last resort you can run a hot wire from the battery Plus side to the fused radio power wire and run the radio ground wire to the negavite of the battery. The only problem with this is the radio won't shut off with the key. you would have to remember to shut it off each time.

This is the way I hooked mine up. No problems and the nice thing about it is if you're doing yard work you don't need the tractor running or the key on to use the radio

. Just make sure you turn off the radio when you're done for the day.

.

Bill

MDM · Dec 28, 2006

It's a 12v radio. I know I can hook it directly to the battery. I was looking for someone who had hooked one up to the 2800/3400 specifically or with knowledge of the wring scheme on the 2800/3400. Looks like I will probably end up using the aux wires for worklights that are under the fenders to hook it up. I just hope my turn signal doesn't turn on when I turn the radio on. I was going to mount it on my ROPS. If I drill a few holes in the ROPS, will I void the warranty on the tractor?

Here is the radio.

Tractor Supply Company - AM/FM TRACTOR RADIO

ccsial · Dec 28, 2006

I would use the work light connection too. They are switched with the ignitiion. You could easily run work lights and radio since the radio takes little amperage.

I have work lights on these wires and they do not flash with the turn signals.

MDM · Dec 28, 2006

CCSIAL - Question for ya. I assume your worklights run off of a switch since those wires are hot when the key is on. Do your hazard/turn signal lights (the round ones on top of the fender) turn on when you switch your worklights on? For example, when you turn your right fender worklight on, does the yellow round light on top of that fender light up?

ccsial · Dec 29, 2006

MDM: I bought work lights with switches on them. The yellow turn lights do NOT come on when the work lights are switched on. They only operate for turn and hazard.

Al

MDM · Dec 29, 2006

Hmm... ccsial, I may PM you when I hook up my work light if you don't mind. My light doesn't have a switch, but I bought a toggle switch to put in the loop. I'm going to TSC to see if I can get some sort of T fitting for those wires, so I can run a worklight and radio off the same set of wires.

ccsial · Dec 29, 2006

I'll try to remember to check my PM's

I have seen splice fittings for tapping trailer hitch wires to tail lights. Those may work too if you can't find a T fitting.

MDM · Dec 29, 2006

Let me get this straight. There are 2 wires for worklights under each fender - a yellow and a black. The yellow is positive and the black is negative - is this correct?

I hooked up my worklight and blew the fuse. I hooked up the radio and blew the fuse. I could have had my wires crossed.

Is this correct. The positive wire from the work light connects to the yellow wire under the fender and the black wire from the work light connects to the black wire under the fender. The red wire from the radio connects to the yellow wire under the fender and the black wire from the radio connects to the black wire under the fender.

ccsial · Dec 29, 2006

MDM said:
Let me get this straight. There are 2 wires for worklights under each fender - a yellow and a black. The yellow is positive and the black is negative - is this correct?

I hooked up my worklight and blew the fuse. I hooked up the radio and blew the fuse. I could have had my wires crossed.

Is this correct. The positive wire from the work light connects to the yellow wire under the fender and the black wire from the work light connects to the black wire under the fender. The red wire from the radio connects to the yellow wire under the fender and the black wire from the radio connects to the black wire under the fender.

The yellow wire is positive. I just went out and confirmed this with a meter.

It sounds like you have things connected OK. Try disconnecting the lights and see if the radio is OK. Maybe a light is shorted.

MDM · Dec 29, 2006

I think I might have my toggle switch for the work light hooked up wrong. I had both positives hooked up to one side of the switch and both negatives hooked to the other. Would this cause a fuse to blow because I just blew another. Do I need to have a positive and negative hooked to each side of the toggle switch? I'm out of fuses now. I have to run and get some.

jimdan · Dec 29, 2006

I don't know which TSC radio you got, but if it is the pushbutton one you will need a steady supply of 12V to hold the settings. That means you will have to run a wire from the postive side of the battery and ground to the frame. Also, to mount on the ROPS I fashioned a mount that utilizes the two mounting bolts on the bottom of the ROPS. I had to purchase two slightly longer bolts to make up for the mount I welded together and then powder coated. You can't see the bolts in the picture but it should give you an idea. I also put a car mount for satellite radio on the fender so I can push that through the FM portion of the radio.
r/Dan

638 · Dec 29, 2006

MDM

Don't put the negative wires on the switch. You only need to switch the hot wire.

ron

MDM · Dec 29, 2006

Ok. I got the wiring figured out. Thanks. I'm just going to run the radio directly to the battery. I will post a pic when I get the radio bolted down.

wushaw · Dec 30, 2006

MDM said:
I think I might have my toggle switch for the work light hooked up wrong. I had both positives hooked up to one side of the switch and both negatives hooked to the other. Would this cause a fuse to blow because I just blew another. Do I need to have a positive and negative hooked to each side of the toggle switch? I'm out of fuses now. I have to run and get some.

Yes this will cause a direct short every time it is switched on...

MDM · Dec 30, 2006

Here's a couple of pics of the radio mounted. I wired it directly to the battery. It works good and should make cutting the grass a little more enjoyable.