The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: arobwk on July 13, 2017, 09:44:35 pm
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Hoping to have my compact tractor road-registered shortly. Can't see me "cruising" along a dual carriage-way, so warning beacon not mandatory, as I read the regs. (That said, the easiest/quickest route to my local agri' machinery dealer would include some 1/4 mile of dual carriage-way!) But I'm thinking that it's not like driving some gert big tractor on the road (easily identifiable as a gert big slow thing up-ahead) and am considering a flashing beacon might be advisable for any road use.
I've not found an off-the-shelf beacon kit option for tubular ROPS mounting. Not beyond the wit of man to rig up a mounting with a U-bolt and some sort of bracket to match up with one of the various beacon DIN posts available, but any tips please from anyone who has done this?
And also: halogen v LED - any real pluses and minuses between them?
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Hi, your right in your thinking with regards fitting a beacon, under VOSA rules for slow moving vehicles require to have a minimum of one 360 degree orange beacon, there is no maximum and it does not relate to the size or speed of vehicle.
we always run two an all our tractors, along with other led repeaters mainly for doing verge cutting. the main advice is you are very vulnerable on a tractor regardless of size so anything you can do to make yourself more visible the better.
Your thoughts on the pre-manufactured bracket with a din socket is the way to go. I would stick to good old halogen as some of the LED types are not 360 deg coverage and they can sometimes get washed out with sunlight.
Run a 2 core 1.5mm from the battery through a fuse to a relay and switch, you can use one core for the return back to the battery and the other will be the switch wire.
if you need a diagram let me know.
cheapest place to get your bits other than the bracket id CPC, easy to find in google.
any problems drop me a line.
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Thanks Brewster Agri.
I had wondered whether, maybe, the newer LED option was the way to go, but I will heed your advice on that matter and look for a standard halogen.
I'm not good with electrics, but I know a man who is. However, if I get stuck for some reason, I might yet take you up on your kind offer as regards diagram etc.
I'll check out CPC - ta.
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Battery powered magnetic amber warning beacons for sale on ebay sitting on a flat plate held with 2 u bolts to your tubular frame . keep it simple :thumbsup:
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Battery powered magnetic amber warning beacons for sale on ebay sitting on a flat plate held with 2 u bolts to your tubular frame . keep it simple :thumbsup:
I like your thinking shep53 (simplicity), BUT more batteries?! I can't be doing with more batteries to maintain/replace - I really can't!
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Fair enough , plenty of magnetic beacons plugging into the 12v outlet
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OK, I'm still thinking about (and no rush cos DVLA just rejected my V55/5 application - I'll post about that on my relevant thread), but I've come across the spring-loaded DIN post advertised for Fergies. I'm liking that one as there isn't mega clearance between ROPS and upper threshold of my ISO container tractor-garage and a quick rotation of the beacon post would solve any potential snagging issue (or allow the beacon/post to swivel if it gets tangled while flailing along a hedgerow). A bracket plate will need to be fabricated, but I think it will be worth it.