I have just bought a 1998 Hitachi EX 200-5. It is getting dark pretty early, and I need to install some aux lighting in order to get some work done on my property after the day job is done. The machine currently has a 2 position light switch with one work light on the boom and one in the tool box lid. I have bought 6, 27 watt led work lights to install. I want to replace the lamp on the boom with 1 led and put 5 led's on a bar above the cab. I do believe the machine is 24 volt, so 6 of the led lamps only draw around 7 amps. I don't want to cause myself any electrical issues with burning switches or fuses. I am thinking I should use the dash switch to control a relay which I could feed directly from the battery (fused of course) and use the relay to run a new 16 gauge wire to the new over cab and boom lights. Does this sound like the right way to go, or could I wire it directly from the the factory wiring? Thanks, Alan
I would make the switch run the relay. Also I would consider putting one on each side of the boom. 5 on the roof seems overkill. Our machines have two on the cab two on the boom and one on the right side toolbox. Which seems to be enough even for halogen lights.
I wouldn't worry about relays as the LED's draw less current than the originals. A light on the counterweight can be handy as well
I could certainly run 4 on the roof and 1 on each side of the boom. I only have a bracket welded on one side of the boom, and this may seem silly, but am not sure if it would be OK to drill and tap the boom on the other side to mount a tab for another light. I would think a 5/16 fastener would be plenty fine, I just don't know if it is at all significant to drill into a stress item like a boom. Ok or not? Alan
6 LEDs will draw less power than the 2 halogens that were there before, so it won't need a relay. I would do everything possible to mount the light on the boom APART from drilling the boom TBH. Can't you bracket off an existing pipe clamp somewhere..?
I agree with Nige. If it doesn't have the boss already welded on the right side of the boom just use a piece of flat bar with a hole in each end and attach it to a bolt holding one of the tube clamps.
Sounds like a good idea, I will go have a look today after work and hope to find a tube clamp in an appropriate location. Thanks for the ideas. Alan