JD 2210 rear lights won't turn on

[nfernandez]

I installed two rear lights on my JD 2210 this past fall. I connected them into the pigtail on the rear so they are controlled with the current light switch. Yesterday I was out working on the driveway when all of a sudden the lights shut off. I turned all lights off for about 20 min and turned them back on, but the two rear lights won't come back on. Is there a fuse that could have blown? Is there a wiring diagram I could check to see where the pigtail wires too? When I get home today I am going to check if there is power back there, my guess is there isn't since both lights just stopped at the exact same time.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[CobyRupert]

I think you're headed in the right direction. Check for 12 VDC voltage at your connection first. If no voltage there, then the real fun starts in trying to find the next "upstream" connection or fuse. But seeing how you added lights, smart money say its at your connection or additional load blows the fuse. Was this the first time you ran new lights for an extended period of time (say more than 10-20 minutes) ? That is, time for heat to build up at connection or fuse?

 

[nfernandez]

I think you're headed in the right direction. Check for 12 VDC voltage at your connection first. If no voltage there, then the real fun starts in trying to find the next "upstream" connection or fuse. But seeing how you added lights, smart money say its at your connection or additional load blows the fuse. Was this the first time you ran new lights for an extended period of time (say more than 10-20 minutes) ? That is, time for heat to build up at connection or fuse?

Yes this was the first time I ran them for more than 10 minutes. It sounds like the rear pigtail is on a 10 amp fuse (called work light in the manual), but the lights combined draw 9 amps (at least that's what I read). They are 18w LEDs work lights. If it is the fuse, does that mean I should only use 1 light? Or can the fused up replaced with a larger one?

 

[Labrat]

If they are 18w LED they are drawing around 2.5 to 3 amps not 9 so you should be ok on the power draw with both. There is a fuse block above the coolant jug behind the air filter.

 

[nfernandez]

If they are drawing only 3 amps, would there be any reason for the fuse to blow? I will check it when I get home but just trying to think of all options in case i need to buy anything on the way home.

 

[Labrat]

Not unless you have a short or moisture got into the connector.

 

[nfernandez]

Not unless you have a short or moisture got into the connector.

Good to know, I will check the connections to make sure they are secure and no moisture getting to it.

 

[Labrat]

If you go to the page for "Replacing Fuses" It show fuse D as the 10 amp work light fuse.

OMLVU14461_G3

 

[CobyRupert]

If they are 18w LED they are drawing around 2.5 to 3 amps not 9 so you should be ok on the power draw with both. There is a fuse block above the coolant jug behind the air filter.

Yes, but are they on the same fuse as the front lights or other loads, where the additional 3 amps of the new lights pushes you over the fuse rating, but being just a little over, it took some time to blow the fuse?

Regarding using a bigger fuse: Fuses (and circuit breakers) do 2 things:
1) Instantly protects and isolates the "upstream" electrical system (alternator, battery, etc..) and all system wiring when you have a downstream short circuit (essentially this is remotely shorting the battery terminals together) and you maybe have 100's of amps now running through the wires in the instant before the fuse blows; and
2) Protecting the downstream wires from carrying too much (over)load current, overheating and melting. (Example: #16 Awg wires may only be rated for 10 amps so are protected by 10amp fuse).

With a bigger fuse, you will still have protection for short circuits, but maybe not for overloads on the wire, depending on it size. (Example: If you put 15amps load on a 10amp rated wire protected by a 20 amp fuse the wire might become its own "fuse" that melts and opens the circuit. Hopefully it doesn't do this next to something combustible). Check wire sizes before upsizing fuse. Realistically, wires can take a lot more current than their "rating" and not be damaged, they'll just create more heat than is wanted. Splices and junctions would suffer and tend to fail more from too much overload when the fuse doesn't blow.

I can't tell from your OP, but do your front lights still work? Did the fronts go out before you cycled the switch? And then the fronts came on but the backs stayed off?

 

[nfernandez]

Yes, but are they on the same fuse as the front lights or other loads, where the additional 3 amps of the new lights pushes you over the fuse rating, but being just a little over, it took some time to blow the fuse?

Regarding using a bigger fuse: Fuses (and circuit breakers) do 2 things:
1) Instantly protects and isolates the "upstream" electrical system (alternator, battery, etc..) and all system wiring when you have a downstream short circuit (essentially this is remotely shorting the battery terminals together) and you maybe have 100's of amps now running through the wires in the instant before the fuse blows; and
2) Protecting the downstream wires from carrying too much (over)load current, overheating and melting. (Example: #16 Awg wires may only be rated for 10 amps so are protected by 10amp fuse).

With a bigger fuse, you will still have protection for short circuits, but maybe not for overloads on the wire, depending on it size. (Example: If you put 15amps load on a 10amp rated wire protected by a 20 amp fuse the wire might become its own "fuse" that melts and opens the circuit. Hopefully it doesn't do this next to something combustible). Check wire sizes before upsizing fuse. Realistically, wires can take a lot more current than their "rating" and not be damaged, they'll just create more heat than is wanted. Splices and junctions would suffer and tend to fail more from too much overload when the fuse doesn't blow.

I can't tell from your OP, but do your front lights still work? Did the fronts go out before you cycled the switch? And then the fronts came on but the backs stayed off?

Thanks for the additional info on fuses, that makes more sense. To answer your question, the headlights still come on. The only thing that stopped was my work lights, which I believe are on their own fuse.