I want real headlights for my lawn tractor

Thread Starter

Videoking

Joined May 28, 2013
2
My Craftsman lawn tractor has a poor excuse for headlights - a couple of 1156 bulbs that vary in brightness with the engine speed. I happened to have a couple of halogen fog lamps sitting on the shelf. So I installed them in place of the 1156 bulbs, but haven't connected them as yet. To power these brighter lights, I thinking of running a separate circuit connected to a second smaller battery - a motorcycle battery. However, I'm wondering if the power that was going to the previous 1156 bulbs (I assume a magneto) could now be directed to charge the second battery. If so, what do I need in the circuit to make the current flow in one direction only from the magneto to the second battery?

Am I wrong about that being a magneto? I don't know what else would cause the power delivery to vary with engine speed.

Yes I know. I'm not supposed to be cutting my grass after dark, but the reality is that I end up cutting the grass late into dusk. ;)
 

ramancini8

Joined Jul 18, 2012
473
An alternator or generator without a working regulator delivers power dependent on motor speed. You don't tell enough about the tractor to let us help you. Model, year, starter mechanism, regulator, etc. The Sears electrical diagram for the tractor is needed.
 
Last edited:

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I think a better overall strategy would be to just make sure the system can handle the new bulbs. It could be as simple as ... nothing. Maybe it will work fine as-is. Maybe you just need a beefier battery, not a second one. The bottom line is that if your bulbs draw more power than your charging system can keep up with, you'll draw down the battery.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
The following is a retrofit LED for the 1156 socket. This one is designed as a spot light instead of an omni-directional light. It only requires 4 watts so it won't load down your charging system.

The stats on the Cree LED (80 lumens/watt) gives you about the same total lumens as an 1156 bulb but will appear about 4x brighter because LEDs are directional - not spherical like incandescent.

eBay
 
Last edited:

bountyhunter

Joined Sep 7, 2009
2,512
My Craftsman lawn tractor has a poor excuse for headlights - a couple of 1156 bulbs that vary in brightness with the engine speed. I happened to have a couple of halogen fog lamps sitting on the shelf. So I installed them in place of the 1156 bulbs, but haven't connected them as yet. To power these brighter lights, I thinking of running a separate circuit connected to a second smaller battery - a motorcycle battery. However, I'm wondering if the power that was going to the previous 1156 bulbs (I assume a magneto) could now be directed to charge the second battery. If so, what do I need in the circuit to make the current flow in one direction only from the magneto to the second battery?

Am I wrong about that being a magneto? I don't know what else would cause the power delivery to vary with engine speed.

Yes I know. I'm not supposed to be cutting my grass after dark, but the reality is that I end up cutting the grass late into dusk. ;)
I think 1156 bulbs are ballpark 15W each, so you could run a single car low beam on that power budget. get a halogen H6024, pretty bright.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
I think 1156 bulbs are ballpark 15W each, so you could run a single car low beam on that power budget. get a halogen H6024, pretty bright.
General Electric rates them at 27 watts on 13 volt power supply (automotive charging system). So 2 x 27 hits the magic 55 watts for a single headlight. Good idea!
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
As for the power budget, many Craftsman tractors show (in the owner's manual) a charging system capacity of 8A, 5A for the lights and 3A for the battery. So a single auto headlight should be fine. Two might be a strain on the charging system, depending how it's designed, but would probably work as long as it's not continuous duty for long periods.
 

def1938

Joined Nov 19, 2019
4
I believe that the engine on your tractor has two electrical outputs; One is regulated, charges the battery and provides power to the ignition circuit and fuel shutoff solenoid. The other is a headlight coil that is essentially unregulated that powers the headlights with a feeble light that varies in brightness with engine RPM. I doubt that this unregulated power source will power LEDs. I believe it is an AC source, not DC as required by LEDs.

So, I would rewire the headlight circuit to use the 12 VDC supplied by the battery. I would tap the 12 VDC at the starter solenoid and install an inline fuse of appropriate size. Route the new wiring to preclude getting tangled up with anything rotating under the engine cowl.

Also, I would remove the unused wiring and insulate the now unused power wire to prevent any sparks/shorts...remember, there is gasoline fuel present close by.

I plan to do the same with my Briggs & Stratton powered Craftsman riding mower not that I need illumination for midnight mowing but as a safety when mowing at the roadside here in rural Alabama. I may install blue or amber LEDs...the blue is likely better inasmuch as law enforcement cruisers are now using bright blue LED lights for traffic enforcement.

Good luck with your project.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
I plan to do the same with my Briggs & Stratton powered Craftsman riding mower not that I need illumination for midnight mowing but as a safety when mowing at the roadside here in rural Alabama. I may install blue or amber LEDs...the blue is likely better inasmuch as law enforcement cruisers are now using bright blue LED lights for traffic enforcement.
You'd probably be better off using safety lights bicycle riders use. That way they can be visible from all sides.

Just get something bright that blinks at an annoying frequency. I used to buy them at the grocery store.

Some locales prohibit lights that could be mistaken for official vehicles.
 

def1938

Joined Nov 19, 2019
4
Here in rural Dixieland, on my country road where the traffic has no idea what the speed limit is or where the edge of the road ends and my lawn begins, I'll use every means I can to stay alive while mowing. It is unlikely they will mistake this 80 year old fat sailor on a riding lawnmower for an officer of the law. But, if they do, so much the better.

Every once and awhile, I mow the right of way up and down my road with the Massey-Ferguson with the flail mower attached. The Massey Ferguson gets a lot more respect. Nobody want to tangle with a 3 ton tractor.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
Here in rural Dixieland, on my country road where the traffic has no idea what the speed limit is or where the edge of the road ends and my lawn begins
I have private roads on 3 sides of my property for a total of about 1200 feet. The speed limit is 15MPH and I've had several close calls while trimming grass/branches and pulling weeds even at that speed. The worst offenders are non-residents who ignore the speed limit and don't pay attention to their driving; though some neighbors are equally inconsiderate and inattentive.
 

def1938

Joined Nov 19, 2019
4
And many of the non resident speeders are driving junkers without insurance, tapping on their smartphones while snorting something illegal...yes, we need all the lights we can get while at the side of the road. I have even considered putting a speedbump nearby without the county's permission.
 
Top