# Battery Light Options



## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

Hey everyone, new guy here but not to forums in general. 

I have a 30 inch craftsman professional series 247.88830

The halogen bulb is pitiful. Keeps burning out, the bulb isn’t loose and I notice the plastic lense started to melt a little on the top. Plus the chute blocks most the light.

I have done some searching around and I am not totally sure what I want to do. I read the threads about converting ac to dc to use led lights. The end result looks awesome. But I am not totally sure I wanna mess with wiring. The converter looks easy, but I don’t feel like messing with capacitors. Has anyone done a magnetic battery led flood light? Thinking of mounting it up front on the auger shield. 

I have been eyeing this light. It doesn’t list the lumens though. 










https://www.amazon.com/OYOCO-Rechargeable-Waterproof-Spotlights-Floodlights/dp/B07D7TBVKB/ref=asc_df_B07D7TBVKB/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=242033512944&hvpos=2o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3028149764164124266&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003022&hvtargid=pla-523710023259&psc=1


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

I don't blame you at all for not wanting to mess with adding a capacitor. And I don't know why others think it is needed. My guess.....without actually viewing the voltage with an oscilloscope both with and without a capacitor is that a cap will make little difference in the viewed waveforms WHILE a load is connected.

There is one possible shortcoming using rectified power to energize leds. That is the peak rectified voltage may cause shorter LED life.


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## BlowerMods1 (Jan 11, 2020)

This works great on my blower. Nice, bright, and portable. See if you can still find one. 
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## SimplicitySolid22 (Nov 18, 2018)

BlowerMods1 said:


> This works great on my blower. Nice, bright, and portable. See if you can still find one.
> .
> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Myzjr4Ndig
> .


Is it magnetic?????

500 or 1000 lumens??? They offer both.

IP65 or higher rated????: IP65 Enclosure - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against water projected from a nozzle. IP66 Enclosure - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against heavy seas or powerful jets of water. IP 67 Enclosures - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against immersion.


Cool light!!!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to SBF raminator157

If you search on Amazon, Ebay, ... you'll find a lot of the newer stuff runs on ac. Might be listed as CAN bus compliant. They have their own converter built in. Just bypass your halogen bulb and you're good to go. I'd recommend going with a flood light but you can do a spot if you prefer.

Or instead of building a converter you can just get one for $13 off Amazon and you don't need to worry about the LED working on AC . https://www.amazon.com/SMAKN%C2%AE-Converter-Voltage-Supply-Waterproof/dp/B00QLDH2C4/ref=sr_1_25?keywords=12VAC+to+12VDC&qid=1578956614&s=automotive&sr=1-25

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## penna stogey (Nov 25, 2019)

Welcome to the SBF from Gettysburg.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

the capacitors are not as bad to deal with as you think. they hook up positive and negative just like led lights. they are just used to smooth out the power going to the lights so you don't get a flicker. you can think of them like batteries. they charge up when getting power and discharge when they stop getting power for that fraction of a second as the flywheel spins around. i sometimes use them to to keep my stereo on for a few seconds after shutting the key off on my vehicle.


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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

Thanks for the reply, I did not think to look for a LED light that auto converts it. I have started looking but haven't found much. A plug and play option would be awesome. Is their any other terms I should look for? I see some that say 12 & 24 volts DC. Nothing about AC. Do you know the highest wattage led light Ill be able to use?


Thanks


Kiss4aFrog said:


> :welcome: to SBF raminator157
> 
> If you search on Amazon, Ebay, ... you'll find a lot of the newer stuff runs on ac. Might be listed as CAN bus compliant. They have their own converter built in. Just bypass your halogen bulb and you're good to go. I'd recommend going with a flood light but you can do a spot if you prefer.
> 
> ...


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

As a starting point, you could look up the current halogen bulb, and see how many watts it draws. That should give you at least a point of reference for what you should be able to draw.

Or, if you could connect a multimeter between the alternator and the light (if it has a connector somewhere), you could measure the voltage, and current draw, to figure out your present power draw, if specs on the bulb weren't available.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

When in doubt I default to 18 watt. Being that you have a 1141 bulb and they are rated at 18 watts that might be all you have available. Now a 1141 and a 1156 are the same except for amp draw/light output. A stock 1156 incandescent will put out more light but only if there is enough power to drive it. Since yours has the 1141 I'd stay away from the 1156 incandescent.
To me it doesn't look like a halogen. 18 watt is to my knowledge the smallest stator they use. If you post the numbers off the engine we might be able to look up to see what that engine actually has as it could be anywhere from 18 to 60 depending on how it was spec'd to be built for craftsman.

You other option rather than a whole new housing is replacing the bulb with an LED. Looking only at SuperBrightLEDs they have an 1156 that runs on 10~18 VAC, 10~30 VDC. You can run a 1156 LED because it has a lower current draw and would easily stay under the 18 watts the incandescent 1141 would draw.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...b-51-smd-led-tower-ba15s-base-with-lens/4477/
The LED is a little longer than your present bulb so you'd want to make sure you have the room.

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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

I guess part of my issue might have been I was using a 1157 bulb. But I still want better light. I am willing to spend some money for a LED flood light or light bar that mounts on the front of the snow blower. If I can get a plug and play. I will get the numbers off my engine tonight. 




Kiss4aFrog said:


> When in doubt I default to 18 watt. Being that you have a 1141 bulb and they are rated at 18 watts that might be all you have available. Now a 1141 and a 1156 are the same except for amp draw/light output. A stock 1156 incandescent will put out more light but only if there is enough power to drive it. Since yours has the 1141 I'd stay away from the 1156 incandescent.
> To me it doesn't look like a halogen. 18 watt is to my knowledge the smallest stator they use. If you post the numbers off the engine we might be able to look up to see what that engine actually has as it could be anywhere from 18 to 60 depending on how it was spec'd to be built for craftsman.
> 
> You other option rather than a whole new housing is replacing the bulb with an LED. Looking only at SuperBrightLEDs they have an 1156 that runs on 10~18 VAC, 10~30 VDC. You can run a 1156 LED because it has a lower current draw and would easily stay under the 18 watts the incandescent 1141 would draw.
> ...


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I think you mean 1156 as that is the single contact and the 1157 is the dual contact (tail / stop light). 
The thing about going with a bigger/brighter light is that if you can't supply the power to drive the bulb then you might actually end up with less light output.

Think of it like a garden hose. It's only going to pass a set amount of water. Without a nozzle you don't have much pressure at the end. That's like putting a 100 watt light at the end of that stator wire. It never gets enough power to light up fully or light up much. Now if you put a nozzle on the end of the hose ... A smaller bulb will be driven to full efficiency and put out all it can. Upgrading to that 1156 might have been more than the stator can fully drive.
An 1156 is rated at 21 watts and an 1157 is 8/27 watts (approximately).

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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

Sorry for the delay. Haven’t been feeling the greatest. The motor is a craftsman 357cc. Are these the numbers you are seeking? Attached a picture. Should of also mentioned I have heated handles.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I was finally able to track down the stator #951-11961 but it doesn't say on any of the parts sites what the rating of it is :icon_cussing_black: Maybe someone else might have better luck. It might say in the owners/operators manual or sales literature.

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/product/416mtwuauz-0071-247/id-951-11961

Man it's frustrating. You can always do a trial and error. Add (in series) the desired LED to the circuit with your stock headlight and with the hand warmers ON see if the stock headlight stays the same or dims. If it dims you'd need to remove the stock light and you'd be good to just run the one LED. If it doesn't dim you can replace the stock light with a second LED !! That's assuming you use 18 Watt LEDs.

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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

So I ended up using the snow blower today. I measured voltage at the bulb plug and I have 20 volts AC. Tatar’s with hand warmers going and no light on. 




Kiss4aFrog said:


> I was finally able to track down the stator #951-11961 but it doesn't say on any of the parts sites what the rating of it is
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## BlowerMods1 (Jan 11, 2020)

SimplicitySolid22 said:


> Is it magnetic?????
> 
> 500 or 1000 lumens??? They offer both.
> 
> ...


Its not magnetic. It's an LED work light. Drilled the top of my bucket and bolted it down using nylon clips and wingnuts for easy removing and recharging. 1000 Lumins. The 1000 Lumin light has been discontinued at Lowes but Walmart sells one, a 1000 Lumin for $15.00. Different manufacturer. Highly recommend them. Worked great for me yesterday in nearly 6 inches of wet stuff.
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## BlowerMods1 (Jan 11, 2020)

SimplicitySolid22 said:


> Is it magnetic?????
> 
> 500 or 1000 lumens??? They offer both.
> 
> ...


I have seen this style come in higher intensities but 1000 Lumins works great for me. Used the flash mode yesterday. Raining. Better viability for safety sake. Gets their attention. Easily recharged with a USB cable.
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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

I looked at the ones at Walmart. They aren’t waterproof which worries me.



BlowerMods1 said:


> Its not magnetic. It's an LED work light. Drilled the top of my bucket and bolted it down using nylon clips and wingnuts for easy removing and recharging. 1000 Lumins. The 1000 Lumin light has been discontinued at Lowes but Walmart sells one, a 1000 Lumin for $15.00. Different manufacturer. Highly recommend them. Worked great for me yesterday in nearly 6 inches of wet stuff.
> .


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

I created an OP on the lights I found on Amazon for $20 after an extensive search. I've included 3 photos - see the arrows. I purchased a set of two bike headlights that attach to the handlebar arms - and the attaching hardware is incuded. They are water resistant (IPX4 - spray nozzle, 10 minutes), 700 lumens each, rechargeable, and can swivel. The battery lasts about 10 hours between charges, which for me is a full season as I only use the lights 3-4 times a season.

If you need more information, let me know.


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## SimplicitySolid22 (Nov 18, 2018)

Tony P. said:


> I created an OP on the lights I found on Amazon for $20 after an extensive search. I've included 3 photos - see the arrows. I purchased a set of two bike headlights that attach to the handlebar arms - and the attaching hardware is incuded. They are water resistant (IP04 - spray nozzle, 10 minutes), 700 lumens each, rechargeable, and can swivel. The battery lasts about 10 hours between charges, which for me is a full season as I only use the lights 3-4 times a season.
> 
> If you need more information, let me know.


Ok lets us know!!!! Cool job.


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

SimplicitySolid22 said:


> Ok lets us know!!!! Cool job.


I hope this is what you mean. Here is the listing for the lights I purchased; click on the Amazon bar. It's very important to me that the lights swivel so I could set them up exactly the way I want them. For around $20 this strikes me as a simple, effective, and inexpensive solution for anyone needing lights.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QYN7447/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

If you find the light doesn't last long enough with the cheap batteries it comes with you can always buy a set of Panasonic 18650 3400mah.


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## BlowerMods1 (Jan 11, 2020)

Nice. I found a 2,500 Lumin Hyper Tough the other day. More light than the Cree light Bar I bought for my riding mower. Same dimensions as the Craftsman so it will bolt right up. Going to upgrade, 1000 Lumin does the job nicely but 2,500 would be better. Funny thing is it costs the same as the 1250 Lumin Harbor Freight sells. Use the 1000 around the house and the 2,500 on the blower.
.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...ickid=XuKTX8zo1xyOWYbwUx0Mo38VUknWYvUuPXEVVI0


:icon-dancingparty:
.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Be careful a lot of sellers use inflated numbers as a sales gimmick since it's hard to verify lumens.


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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

I see you keep mentioning these lights. How waterproof are they? They show to be not waterproof. I never got a response from you earlier. Thanks




BlowerMods1 said:


> Nice. I found a 2,500 Lumin Hyper Tough the other day. More light than the Cree light Bar I bought for my riding mower. Same dimensions as the Craftsman so it will bolt right up. Going to upgrade, 1000 Lumin does the job nicely but 2,500 would be better. Funny thing is it costs the same as the 1250 Lumin Harbor Freight sells. Use the 1000 around the house and the 2,500 on the blower.
> .
> 
> https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...ickid=XuKTX8zo1xyOWYbwUx0Mo38VUknWYvUuPXEVVI0
> ...


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

raminator157, the product description for the 2,500 Lumen Hyper Tough light at Walmart.com states, "Designed for indoor and dry conditions". With that statement, it's doubtful anyone could describe the item as waterproof. However, waterproof products are submersible and I doubt any snow blower component needs to be submersible. Instead, snow blower lights need only be water resistant. For example, the lights I recommended earlier are IP04 rated, meaning they can withstand water splashing from a spray nozzle for 10 minutes, i.e., water resistant.


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## BlowerMods1 (Jan 11, 2020)

Had 6 inches of wet stuff and blowing in light rain. Out there for three hours. No fogging and lens remained clear as a bell. Worked so well I'm going to upgrade. 2,500 model. No condensation even when the blower was brought into heated garage. I'm impressed. No need to spray / power wash, a simple wipe down will suffice.

:emoticon-south-park:
.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

raminator157 said:


> Was wondering if you saw my post? My craftsman is producing 20 volts ac with the light off and hand warmers going. What would my options be?
> 
> Thanks


Personally I'm not a fan of battery operated lights on the snowblower. Never really looked into adding any to any of my machines.
It would be helpful if you said what post and what options you're asking about. I'm going to go with your options for lighting. I've already suggested a $13 AC to DC converter box and then any flood LED you like. Or you can go with an LED that states it's AC or DC compatible in it's description which means it already has that converter box circuitry built in.
Something like this and it's waterproof: https://www.amazon.com/GLW-Waterproof-Outdoor-Security-Equivalent/dp/B0752GWL17/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=12v+led+flood+light&qid=1579985683&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A5676449011&sr=8-18

Or you can use a headlight. I recently purchased a rechargeable and I'd never get another with the AAA or AA batteries again. The two I have always seem to be near dead when I need them most.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=headlight+rechargeable+led&t=chromentp&atb=v185-1&ia=images&iax=images


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

Wally World nearby has both the 1000 and he 1200 lumens available. The 1200 is about $20, $5 more than the 1000. I plan to purchase a couple of them this coming week


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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

As cold weather is approaching. I have a plan. I purchased this Husky 1000 Lumen work light. It runs on 6 double A batteries. Which I like, so I don’t have to worry about charging the batteries. It had 2 modes high and low. Low is 300 Lumens. Says it has a lifetime warranty. My Home Depot had it listed for $14.97.









Husky 1000 Lumens LED Utility Light 99878 - The Home Depot


This Husky Utility LED light features a unique design with durable plastic construction. It's equipped with super bright LED lighting, offering up to 1000 Lumens, 4-hours of run-time and 30 m of beam throw. Its bright illumination and light weight, makes this a perfect light to have for multiple...



www.homedepot.com





To mount the light I used an old strobe light magnant, a electric pipe clamp with a lock nut and bolt.
It has a slight tilt to it, which I might have to tweak later on when I test this.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Just my preference but with the magnetic mount I'd prefer a rechargeable unit that could just be brought in and hooked up to a USB cable and would be ready for the next snowfall.

I like your setup 


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## raminator157 (Jan 12, 2020)

All the similar lights had really long charge times. I just liked to be able to just throw in batteries and keep going and not worry about a battery pack. Thanks for the reply. I hope to slap the light on the snow blower and see how it looks. I’ll update the post again. 



Kiss4aFrog said:


> Just my preference but with the magnetic mount I'd prefer a rechargeable unit that could just be brought in and hooked up to a USB cable and would be ready for the next snowfall.
> 
> I like your setup
> 
> ...


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