# Wiring a battery powered LED onto a snowblower



## thool (Jul 25, 2016)

I have an older snowblower that does not have a generator, and I would like to figure out how to wire in an LED light, using my Ryobi string trimmer 40V battery. The battery is obviously unused in the winter, so I figure I'd put it to use. My thought is to configure a battery mount under the control panel, and use the removable battery when it gets dark outside.

I know very little about LEDs, aside from the fact that they are DC, are polarized, and require less voltage than incandescents. Will it be as simple as figuring how much to knock down the voltage with a resistor, and then wiring that in series?

The battery I have is a Ryobi OP4026 Li-ion 40v 93.6 Wh.

Here is one type of light I am considering: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Northpole-Waterproof-Off-road-Mounting/dp/B01EAEM608/ref=sr_1_14


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Much less work just to mount a couple of those miner light things. Third winter on mine and still the same aaa batteries. https://www.amazon.com/EverBrite-Headlamp-Flashlight-Batteries-Included/dp/B01CTX7BX4


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## JerryR (Oct 18, 2016)

thool said:


> I have an older snowblower that does not have a generator, and I would like to figure out how to wire in an LED light, using my Ryobi string trimmer 40V battery. The battery is obviously unused in the winter, so I figure I'd put it to use. My thought is to configure a battery mount under the control panel, and use the removable battery when it gets dark outside.
> 
> I know very little about LEDs, aside from the fact that they are DC, are polarized, and require less voltage than incandescents. Will it be as simple as figuring how much to knock down the voltage with a resistor, and then wiring that in series?
> 
> ...


The lights you refer to are spec'd at 10-30 volt dc and 27 Watt each. with these kind of specs, I really have no way to know where is the 27 W is specified ie: at 10 volt, at 30 volt, or somewhere in between.
If you connect them in series across your 40 volt battery, each one of the lights will use 20 Volt, which falls within the 10 to 30 volt spec. no resistor needed
If you want to hook them up in parallel, you will have to drop the voltage to the LEDs, the resistance will be relatively low, but you will need a HIGH power resistor.( to get 27 Watt at 20 volt you will be drawing 1.35 Amp. each (2.7 Amp total from the battery) the resistor will be 7.5 Ohm at a , more than 55 Watt minimum. that is a pretty hefty resistor.
If you want to figure out the resistance, current, and power : http://www.ohmslawcalculator.com/ohms-law-calculator
HTH
JerryR


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

If you really want to use the string trimmer battery, I'd do what JerryR says. Wire them in series, so each light gets 20V. 



But that battery might be a bit overkill, and expensive if it got damaged from getting wet from snow, etc. Definitely put a fuse in with your positive wiring! 5A, maybe 10A, depending on the draw of the lights. If something bad happened with wiring (like a short), a lithium battery will dump a LOT of current, and the battery can catch on fire, if the short continued. 



Also, I don't know whether the battery itself has a low-voltage shutoff function, or whether the devices do (often it's part of the battery, as it's intended to protect the battery itself). But if you over-discharge a lithium battery, that can damage the battery. Usually there are safeguards to avoid this, but you're talking about using it a little differently, not in the normal pairs of batteries & devices, so it's conceivable that you could lose some of those protections. 



But I think this may be a significantly more-complex solution that might be really required. 



We have 2 of these, they're great: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013COPT6K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


And they're useful for lots of other things, too. The benefit here would be getting light where you're looking, vs where the machine is aiming. 



I have 3 of these mounted on the front of my lawn tractor, to supplement its headlights. From Harbor Freight: 

https://www.harborfreight.com/144-lumen-led-portable-worklightflashlight-63601.html


They're not fancy, but they put out a decent amount of light, and again, just needed to be mounted, no wires. They're still on the included AAA batteries, after a few seasons (granted, they only get used for the last mows of the season, when it's getting dark early). 



If you really want to use big, wired-in lights, you could also just use a cheap lead-acid 12V battery, even a sealed one. You'll still need to recharge it after uses, it won't have as much capacity as your lithium battery, etc. But it's cheap, and less risky, if something went wrong.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

For battery power options I'm with nwcove for the practicality factor of a miner-style light. I have one of these I use for a variety of tasks. 
Headlamp with Rechargeable Batteries
Dont be afraid to look at the hundreds of available options from the bicycling world. Handlebar mounting. Rechargeable batteries that fit in a water bottle holder (easy to adapt to mounting on a SB) for easy removal to take inside and charge before the next storm.


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## thool (Jul 25, 2016)

I'm glad I checked here! Turns out the bike headlights would be perfect. For example, this one has a head mount as well as other mounting options. I do nighttime plowing maybe 10-15 times, so this would be perfect. Plus, I'm sure I can find summer uses as well.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

This would be nice if I was in your shoes, but more expensive.
Buy a battery tray for a small 12v lawn tractor or lawnmower sized battery. Mount the battery tray behind the bucket near the tire. Place the battery in the tray. The batteries are around $45.
Mount nice Amazon priced lights on the snowblower. Use a trickle charger between uses to keep the battery on board at full power.

That little 12 volt tractor battery would light your way for hours using LEDS.


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## thool (Jul 25, 2016)

Ariens hydro pro said:


> This would be nice if I was in your shoes, but more expensive.
> Buy a battery tray for a small 12v lawn tractor or lawnmower sized battery. Mount the battery tray behind the bucket near the tire. Place the battery in the tray. The batteries are around $45.
> Mount nice Amazon priced lights on the snowblower. Use a trickle charger between uses to keep the battery on board at full power.
> 
> That little 12 volt tractor battery would light your way for hours using LEDS.


This was actually my first thought, then I considered a lithium ion, being smaller. Just for convenience and portability, I'm going to look into the rechargeable bike headlight, so I can keep it topped off with a USB charger indoors, and then just snap it into place when I use it at night.


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## dooitorbust (Aug 15, 2018)

I used a 12v Dewalt battery from an old cordless impact. Runs my LED light, along with a linear actuator for tilting my chute. I’ll try and get some pictures.


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## Paxonator (Sep 9, 2018)

dooitorbust said:


> I used a 12v Dewalt battery from an old cordless impact. Runs my LED light, along with a linear actuator for tilting my chute. I’ll try and get some pictures.


Would love to see some photos of your setup.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

If you insist on using your Ryobi you would need a DC-DC stepdown module. 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pc...425505e&transAbTest=ae803_1&priceBeautifyAB=0

Not expensive but you would need to find a place for all this stuff and keep it away from EOD salt environment. I installed an extra LED light on mine to fill the shadow caused by the chute since it was in front of the factory light. 










Even with these 2 lights I still wear my headlight just so I can be seen by idiot drivers on my street. When you turn towards them, your headlight follows and they cannot make the mistake that you are not there. They always slowdown from acknowledgement or from being blinded.

I use my headlight year round, used it yesterday for painting in dark corners. Use it under the car hood where it is always dark no matter what!

https://www.banggood.com/5000Lm-T6-...h-p-913144.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN


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## dooitorbust (Aug 15, 2018)

Paxonator said:


> Would love to see some photos of your setup.




10-4, I’ll try and get you some. I’ve since removed my short steel chute and actuator, but still have a light. It’s nothing fancy, but works.


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## dooitorbust (Aug 15, 2018)

Paxonator said:


> Would love to see some photos of your setup.




Here are a few. It’s simple to do and I could probably refine it a little better than it is. I’ve got wiring for the light, the chute actuator (since removed) and I







was working on a power chute rotation mod. The battery is simply held on with Velcro.


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

FWIW, the headlight mounted at the front of the console on mine will quickly get some snow on it, reducing it to a white glowing marker light instead of a headlight. I wipe it off with a gloved hand regularly, but it's only minutes before it's got snow on it again. Keep this in mind as you look at mounting locations on your machine, with closer to the front getting covered a little faster. I'm better off with the higher-powered bike headgear with lights front and rear. After reading some of the other suggestions, I may add some flashing safety lights to the back of my pullover for better visibility. We don't have much in teh way of traffic, but what we do have is old tired eyes driving with impaired visibility in the snow anyway. No such thing as "too easy to see" in any neighborhood really.


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## thool (Jul 25, 2016)

Update!

I ended up ordering this light off Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/AUOPRO-Rechargeable-Headlight-Taillight-Accessories/dp/B07DJ64GPN

I found a small plastic storage box with a latching lid, and cut a hole into the side. The battery (portable USB rechargeable) fits in the box and the cord comes out of the hole.

The box itself is mounted to the underside of the control panel by 2 machine screws. The threads extended into the box past the nuts, so I cut those with a dremel.

The light attaches using a mount that has a strap that wraps around an object and can be tightened with a wide threaded collar. There is a fixed screw that the light threads onto, and tightens using a method similar to a tripod mount.

The pic of the driveway is without a flash, and you're looking at 300 feet! More updates to come once the snow falls and I get some night plowing in.


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## dooitorbust (Aug 15, 2018)

thool said:


> Update!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Very cool little light! Any chance you’d tell us exactly which light you ordered?


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

Working at a client's power plant today, saw that the maintenance guys use a Cobb LED worklight with a built-in USB battery inside. Sits on a three-pads stand with magnets in the feet. The stand is cute but not really snowblower-suitable. But the lamp assy would do well on a U bracket on the machine. So... I suspect a similar unit that I see at [place your favorite big-box store or online vendor name here] would get the job done nicely. My local Costco store has one for ~~$30 IIRC. There are plenty others. I kinda like this option 'cuz it can be used for other things when it's not doing night work in the snow.


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## thool (Jul 25, 2016)

dooitorbust said:


> Very cool little light! Any chance you’d tell us exactly which light you ordered?


I believe it is in the link I posted.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk


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## dooitorbust (Aug 15, 2018)

thool said:


> I believe it is in the link I posted.
> 
> Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk




Right... next time I’ll look a little closer


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## KOBO (Jul 15, 2017)

FWIW, 

This little Harbor Freight magnetic light works well for me. If your machine vibrates a whole lot you might want to improvise a means to keep it from walking or falling off. On my 5hp MTD & 6.5hp predator powered Toro 521 it does just fine.





K


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Cool HF light, thanks for sharing! That's good to know about.


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## zergarush (Feb 27, 2019)

Ariens hydro pro said:


> This would be nice if I was in your shoes, but more expensive.
> Buy a battery tray for a small 12v lawn tractor or lawnmower sized battery. Mount the battery tray behind the bucket near the tire. Place the battery in the tray. The batteries are around $45.
> Mount nice Amazon priced lights on the snowblower. Use a trickle charger between uses to keep the battery on board at full power.
> 
> That little 12 volt tractor battery would light your way for hours using LEDS.


About three years ago I tried my neighbour‘s cordless lawnmower and wasn't at all impressed. Hopefully these have a lot more power than what I tried. I ended up buying another gas mower last year (another Honda since my last one lasted 26 years - and still works - but is being put out to pasture at the cabin.)

Seems that they’ve improved over the last couple years - but still cost twice as much as gas according to this:
https://www.consumerreports.org/lawn-mowers-and-tractors/electric-lawn-mowers-finally -make-the-cut/

What they don’t say anything about, is my suspicion that the battery design will change and so when the battery fails on your electric mower, you will likely have a hard time replacing it. So before you know it, you’ll be scrapping a whole mower because of a dead battery. (Rebuilt batteries? Yes available but most people just scrap their cordless tools and buy again new.)
https://www.consumerreports.org/lawn-mowers-and-tractors/ego-electric-vs-toro-gas-mow er-face-off/


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

Following up on this a little late, but...

I ended up adding a super-bright headlight to the collection-of-things late last year, after seeing it in a daily-deals listing on Amazon. https://amazon.com/Rechargeable-Headlamp-Foxdott-Flashlight-Waterproof/dp/B083B7CVQK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Rechargeable+Headlamp,+Foxdott+8+LED+Headlamp+Flashlight+with+White+Red+Lights,8+Modes+USB+Rechargeable+Waterproof+Head+Lamp+for+Outdoor+Camping+Cycling+Running+Fishing,+Head+Lamps+for+Adults&qid=1614883498&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1 I bought one, then my BIL was visiting from Montana and it went home with him. So I ended up getting another one for myself because I liked it so much. The red light on the back of the headband isn't as bright as I'd hoped, but the klieg-light brightness available in front more than makes up for that. It uses a common lithium battery size that I already use for other things, so I have spares. It easily lasts a couple hours though, more than enough for the time I'm willing to dedicate to snow clearing before sunrise. It's also super handy for attic or basement projects where I haven't gotten around to placing permanent fixtures. Plus under the car, in the air compressor closet, etc. Recharges from a USB charger. Batteries stay charged for months while it lives in a tool drawer between uses.


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