Farm Equipment - 170 Light switch question

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170 Light switch question

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Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
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URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24359
Printed Date: 23 Feb 2025 at 8:36pm
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Topic: 170 Light switch question

Posted By: Pizzaguy
Subject: 170 Light switch question
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 6:23pm

I have a 170 that I replaced the light switch on 1-2 year(s) ago and lights are not used much. I needed the rear lights Monday to blow snow before going to work and only the fronts worked. Later investigating found only one terminal works now on this new switch and switching wires made rear lights work fine. I have not rewired lights since buying tractor a few years ago but lights worked fine on new switch. Do I need to keep the original style switch with the little coil on the back of it or can I install a toggle switch panel and use that for reliability.Tractor has a Year A Round cab on it and newer lights on the rear.

Replies:

Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 6:26pm

It's been my experience on those switches if you start adding any EXTRA lights, they don't seem to last long. If you want/need extra lights, put them on a seperate switch with a fuse of its own. I used to add two extra front and one rear and had them all on a 30 amp toggle switch and fuse. That way you had two lighting systems...if one failed, you still had the other to fall back on.

Posted By: JoeO(CMO)
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 6:59pm

pizzaguy, the little coil on the switch is in the circuit when you put switch on "dim"

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Posted By: JC-WI
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 7:19pm

Forget the dim coil, I have burnt out four of them switches over the years and the last time I rewired it MY way. I put fuses and relays beyound switch so your light switch actually turns on the relays. What happens is the old slip connectors start making poor connection and then get hot and destroys the switch inside from heat.

Have not had troubles with the lights since doing rewire...4 Halogens X 55 watts forward, 1 halogen backwards = 275 watts, thats a 100 watts more than the old 35 watts drew. 35X5=175... Its nice to have bright lights, Just gotta paint everything flat black to prevent glare. LOL

Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 7:36pm

I like the idea of operating a relay with the light switch. I also think there are cheap Chinese light switches out there that aren't worth the time to turn them on, let alone install and replace them every year.

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Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF

Posted By: DSeries4
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 9:31pm

My 175 had an extra work light added to the back. Shortly after that, none of the lights worked. I put a larger fuse in and everything worked fine. No problems with the switch. That same type of switch is on my 6080 was well. Again, no problems.

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'49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080

Posted By: JC-WI
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2011 at 11:13pm

Dseries, you are just being lucky or is your 175 one of those with only two lights forward?.

Also makes a big difference if the lights are used 10 hours a year or a few hours every night.

My 170 had 5 35 watt lights in it. Replaced two switches before I started replacing reguler lights with Halogen. It accelerated the problem. Then I put the 4th switch in and wired it my way, No troubles since. origional load was 175 watts. New load, 275 watts 68% more load. or like having almost 8 of the origional lights on.

Oh yea, I remember looking in under the cover one night when the lights were dimming and seen the connector glowing, so I knew what the problem was, connectors building resistance and heating and melts the switch lug holder. Good way to see if the connections are good is if they are only warm after long time of running lights, then they are probably ok but if you smell some burnt hide,...

Have looked for the good heavy duty connectors but can find only expensive cheap connectors. ( at least the cheap connectors are a bit better than the heated ones)

Relays only take a trickle of juice to turn them on and they are cheaper than the switch if they do burn up. Never had one go toast yet.

Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2011 at 6:04am

I just rewired a 200, when we put flashers on the sprayer and planter last spring the added pull burnt the original switch up last summer. I installed one fused switch for all lights and a fused switch and heavy duty flasher for the four flashing lights. I like to keep things original but it needs to practical also.

Leon B MO

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Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself".

Posted By: Steve in NJ
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2011 at 5:04pm

As a rule of thumb, anytime you are adding a load to a circuit (in this case more lights) a relay(s) should always be used down stream to take the load of the light switch or control switch. Most common toggle & rocker switches are only rated at 10-15 amps at best, (unless otherwise listed) and using them to control power to a large draw will take them out quickly. Obviously, the light switch being supplied for that application is way to light, and without a relay downstream to handle the load, fails quickly. A relay down stream that is rated more than the load of the circuit, should be used. The relay will also supply full power to the lamp (or load) which will give the lamp (or power source) the longevity that we look for in a component. When using Halogen lamps, it is wise to use a relay for each lamp! Heavy loads on circuitry makes shish-ka-bob outta' wiring systems unless they are wired correctly... HTH
Steve@B&B