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Light Question

Started by Peter Drouin, November 14, 2014, 08:17:31 PM

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Peter Drouin

I put lights on the mill, And I put the hot wire on the starter. The light is self grounded. But when I use the loader or clamp the lights dim. I'm ok with the head going up and down. Should I have gone to the alternator.

  

  

  

 

You can see the yellow connection. I have the 2 hot wires into one, then to the switch then the starter.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

bandmiller2

Peter as near as I can tell the other end of that cable to the starter solenoid goes directly to the battery. Those functions use a starter motor to drive a hyd. pump a major current draw you can expect to see a voltage drop no matter where you connect it. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

JB Griffin

Peter, I don't think it would matter, The extra load on the battery from the hyd. pump running causes a voltage drop thus dimming the lights.

When I turn the hyd pump on in my truck for my hay bed, the headlights dim on it too, I'm running basically the same pump that is used on sawmill just a separate tank and pump. Thats with a 150-200 amp alt., and 2 800cca batterys.

Just my 2cents
2000 LT40hyd remote 33hp Kubota with 6gpm hyd unit, 150 Prentice, WM bms250, Suffolk dual tooth setter

Over 3.5million bdft sawn with a Baker Dominator.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Just use a Marine deep cycle battery. I just don't like hooking up stuff that didn't come on the mill.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Tree Dan

I would agree with Frank, looks to me hooking to the starter is the same as going straight to the + . on the battery.
The hyds pull lots of amps.
I would make sure you have a inline fuse inbetween the starter and your lights.

I have been reading your logging/ sawing thread... lots of great stuff on there ...Cheers
Wood Mizer LT40HD, Kubota KX71, New Holland LS150, Case TR270
6400 John Deere/with loader,General 20" planer, Stihl 880, Stihl 361, Dolmar 460, Husqvarna 50  and a few shovels,
60" and 30" Log Rite cant hooks, 2 home built Tree Spades, Homemade log splitter

Peter Drouin

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on November 14, 2014, 08:35:28 PM
Just use a Marine deep cycle battery. I just don't like hooking up stuff that didn't come on the mill.



I did call Wood Mizer and ask if I will hurt the accuset2 . And they said no. So I went with the starter. I want to add 2 more, But I'm going to put in a new battery too. Thanks for the info guys.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

WDH

Soon, it won't matter as you will be under glacial ice  :).  I hear it gets cold up there in the Frozen North. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

YellowHammer

Might want to take the opportunity to wire in a seat heater, too ;D
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Peter Drouin

Quote from: WDH on November 14, 2014, 09:04:41 PM
Soon, it won't matter as you will be under glacial ice  :).  I hear it gets cold up there in the Frozen North. 



:D :D It gets cool a little, But nothing stops me when I want to get something done. [ Unless God steps in]  :D :D :D :D And right now I have to get some wood cut. And I can't find help worth anything. :D :D



Quote from: YellowHammer on November 14, 2014, 09:11:04 PM
Might want to take the opportunity to wire in a seat heater, too ;D
YH


You know how it is when you move so fast cold don't matter. :D :D :D :D
And my cat eats frozen logs. :D :D ;)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Magicman

It will all depend upon whether your alternator can keep up with the extra power drain.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Gideon_70

Quote from: Peter Drouin on November 14, 2014, 08:17:31 PM
I put lights on the mill, And I put the hot wire on the starter. The light is self grounded. But when I use the loader or clamp the lights dim. I'm ok with the head going up and down. Should I have gone to the alternator.

  

  

  

 

You can see the yellow connection. I have the 2 hot wires into one, then to the switch then the starter.

You are better off going all the way to the battery, and taking two leads out.  When you use anything, the way you have it wired, it's in the draw circuit and one wire is handling all of that load... including the light.  Your battery is your buffer.  The alternator is what powers everything, but the battery stores power.  At the bat, you're going to get better voltage.

Another option is to mount a small motorcycle battery somewhere on the head, and run a line from the alternator to it, then to the light and let it buffer.

But if it were me, I would use marine cable, multistrand, and run a new line inside the harness.
You cannot reduce crime by disarming the victims!

GDinMaine

What kind of lights they are they, Peter.  I have given it much thought to put lights on my mill.  I really want L.E.D. units but they are rather expensive. I want the good ones that cost about $90 /ea.

I put a "cheap" ($40) L.E.D. rear work light on my tractor.  Never put a switch on it as they supposed to last for decades and draw barely any current.  So. Now, when I fire up my tractor the rear light is on while the engine is running.  About 425 hours later no issues with battery but a few of the 30 or so diodes are no longer working. I suppose that is due to poor product quality.  It can't handle vibration as well as it should.
It's the going that counts not the distance!

WM LT-40HD-D42

highleadtimber16

Peter, If you go to LED's you won't have any dimming issues. They use very little power and are better on machinery that vibrates. These lights are 3x3 Grotes. I got them on sale for $50 a piece.

 
2011 Wood-Mizer LT 40 hyd w/ 12' Extension,
EG 200 Wood-Mizer
Cutting Old Growth Cedar from Queen Charlotte Islands.

barbender

Too many irons in the fire

BCsaw

Peter, what might be a good plan, especially if you want to add a few more lights, is to add a small power distribution panel (fuse panel). Run your main power to the panel and then run to your accessories from there. Keeps things neat and tidy and prevents issues at the starter or the alternator from having too many connections at one point. You also have the added benefit of circuit protection which should be installed no matter what.

With lots of current draw like that, you will have some dimming!

I need to add lights as well. It gets dark way too early and I have way too much to do! ;D

Enjoy the cool weather. I would rather be sawing below zero than at 90°. 8)
Inspiration is the ability to "feel" what thousands of others can't!
Homebuilt Band Sawmill, Kioti 2510 Loader Backhoe

red

I'm thinkin.  POWER BOX 120Volt lights
Honor the Fallen Thank the Living

Don_Papenburg

I would buy LED lamps also .   Tom Hassenfritz Equipment 1 800 634 4885 or E-Mail parts@the-co.com    He has good lamps at a decent price
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

Peter Drouin

Quote from: Don_Papenburg on November 15, 2014, 08:44:17 PM
I would buy LED lamps also .   Tom Hassenfritz Equipment 1 800 634 4885 or E-Mail parts@the-co.com    He has good lamps at a decent price


Thanks, I'll look into that.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Ianab

Ditto on the LEDs. Not only do they use ~10% of the power, they last much longer, and they are less sensitive to vibration.

They used to be horribly expensive, but are now only ~10X the cost of normal lamps. But as they last 10X longer, they are now a viable option. Especially as the lower power they draw wont kill your battery / alternator. You can throw 10 of them around your work area and only be drawing the same power as One incandescent bulb.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Nate379

I put 5 LED lights on my firewood processor last year.  Bought them off Amazon for $7 ea.  Work great.  I can leave them on for several hours without the processor running and the battery doesn't go dead.

I have one that acts up a bit and won't turn on right away, but I did drop a log on it earlier this year and it got smashed up a bit.  :D

Guess the price went up a bit, but these are what I have:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008XZAQDU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

FarmingSawyer

I've been thinking about adding lights...headlamps just don't work and it gets too dark too fast.....
What sort of switches are you all using? What's the best placement? I would think at least one on the operators side of the saw, one shooting down the log on the in-cut side, at blade height, and another one or two above the saw as floods.......
Thomas 8020, Stihl 039, Stihl 036, Homelite Super EZ, Case 385, Team of Drafts

backwoods sawyer

Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

Peter Drouin

Quote from: Nate379 on November 16, 2014, 04:00:27 AM
I put 5 LED lights on my firewood processor last year.  Bought them off Amazon for $7 ea.  Work great.  I can leave them on for several hours without the processor running and the battery doesn't go dead.

I have one that acts up a bit and won't turn on right away, but I did drop a log on it earlier this year and it got smashed up a bit.  :D

Guess the price went up a bit, but these are what I have:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008XZAQDU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



I have 6 on the way ;D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

reride82

Peter,

going back to my car audio days, I'd add a capacitor inline before your lights to remedy your light dimming issue. The right capacitor should alleviate the voltage drops that happen when your hydraulics are kicked on. Otherwise, I'd say a battery and alternator upgrade are in your future.

Levi
'Do it once, do it right'

'First we shape our buildings, then our buildings shape us'
Living life on the Continental Divide in Montana

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