# LED Lighting For John Deere GT225 Garden Tractor



## JAS (Jun 6, 2019)

I have a John Deere GT225 garden tractor. I bought it new a number of years ago. While I don't operate it all that much after dark, the OEM lighting is pretty mediocre. I did a quick search and an Amazon listing shows a pair of LED replacements are available. Would those be a good choice or can I do better, either in quality, price or both? 



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719N2FM9/?tag=cpf0b6-20


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## Alaric Darconville (Jun 6, 2019)

JAS said:


> I have a John Deere GT225 garden tractor. I bought it new a number of years ago. While I don't operate it all that much after dark, the OEM lighting is pretty mediocre. I did a quick search and an Amazon listing shows a pair of LED replacements are available. Would those be a good choice or can I do better, either in quality, price or both?


Even riding mower/garden tractor headlamps are based on the reflector focusing on a single point source light. If you think using the correct bulb is bad, with these toy bulbs it'll be even worse.

It's just an 1156; get the genuine (Stanley-made) Honda Part #34903-SF1-A01. Expect to pay a bit, currently I see $11.32 each at Amazon.


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## NoNotAgain (Jun 6, 2019)

John Deere parts number is AD2062R. 

Light bulbs don’t last long on most garden tractors due to vibration unless the bulb is on when the engine is running. The tungsten filament is brittle when cold, so vibration is the usual culprit for bulbs being out. 

Amazon sells a 18 watt Nilight LED light bar which I’ve installed on a my lawn tractor. It’s mounted low so as to see changes in the lawn surface. For under $20 for the two light kit, it works better than the factory 1156 bulbs. 

Any John Deere dealer will stock the factory bulb. My dealer charges $4.50 each.


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## Alaric Darconville (Jun 6, 2019)

NoNotAgain said:


> John Deere parts number is AD2062R.


Yes. 

But it REALLY is an 1156.



> Any John Deere dealer will stock the factory bulb. My dealer charges $4.50 each.


You can get a 2-pack of 1156s at Wal-Mart for about $4.25.

But to upgrade, the 3496 would be a good incandescent, or perhaps a 796 (although heat may become an issue). For an LED, then this Philips bulb will most likely be better than the toy lamp in the first post.


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## idleprocess (Jun 6, 2019)

Alaric Darconville said:


> For an LED, then this Philips bulb will most likely be better than the toy lamp in the first post.



I thought that perhaps you were being harsh but then I actually looked at the OP's link - _yikes_. Not even 5050 packages which might vomit the lumens but at least have 3 die per package relative to those things. Those Philips bulbs have at least the proverbial snowball's chance of producing light at something close to the proper focal point the reflectors are designed for and are rated at more power.

But I get the feeling that an inexpensive floody lightbar or LED pods will do the job better than brighter 1156 bulbs. Presumably not routinely travelling fast enough that the simple light pattern is going to cause problems - assuming the light bar can cope with the tractor's electrical system.


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## Alaric Darconville (Jun 7, 2019)

idleprocess said:


> I thought that perhaps you were being harsh but then I actually looked at the OP's link - _yikes_.


Yep, those things are straight from 2003, looking like a Putco (_"Where the putz goes"_) bulb-shaped toy. Gotta hand it to them that the mini corn cob thing is encapsulated in an outer envelope. 

Their "Cool White 6300-7000K" CCT would be particularly useless, too. 

Who'da thunk riding mower owners wanted to bling up their rides?


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## pungo (Jun 9, 2019)

I got an upgrade Halogen kit (BM21289) for my JD 325 right from John Deere. I don't remember the specifics (maybe a 811 bulb?) I installed them many years ago. Came with bulb sockets, Halogen bulbs, wiring and heat shields. Way brighter than stock and have held up well for snow blowing and plowing. I've only used them a few times for mowing. LED are not going be hot enough to melt snow when doing snow work but those Halogen bulbs sure will, that's why they include a metal heat shield to keep the light housing from melting above the bulb. I have heard people using the lower powered 25w HID kits, but have no experience with them.


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## JAS (Jun 12, 2019)

Alaric Darconville.

I guess I didn't realize how many other things around our place use the 1156 bulb. 

Do you have any idea how many lumens the Philips 12898B2 1156 Bright White Vision Led Back-up Light emits? At $32.92, I rather doubt that I would spend that much money, but it is certainly fun to see what is available now! 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TQ8H4KG/?tag=cpf0b6-20


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## Alaric Darconville (Jun 13, 2019)

JAS said:


> I guess I didn't realize how many other things around our place use the 1156 bulb.


It's a super-common bulb with so many applications from all kinds of car lamps to camping lanterns and in a pinch will replace the #93 in a Tensor lamp..




> Do you have any idea how many lumens the Philips 12898B2 1156 Bright White Vision Led Back-up Light emits?


Not right off hand but not too much more than an 1156 would. But for vibration resistance and otherwise long life it would be good. The beam shape may depend greatly on how the bulb would be aligned in the headlamp assembly-- it may work better as a signal bulb than a "to see by" bulb.


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## J_C (Jul 10, 2019)

NoNotAgain said:


> Amazon sells a 18 watt Nilight LED light bar which I’ve installed on a my lawn tractor. It’s mounted low so as to see changes in the lawn surface. For under $20 for the two light kit, it works better than the factory 1156 bulbs.



This, or one of several other LED light bars available. Some riding mowers have a stator that outputs AC to the headlights (and limited current so you might want to remove the factory bulbs to lower the current) in which case you'll get better performance throwing a basic bridge rectifier/capacitor between the stator and light, but the JD GT255 appears to have an alternator, presumably only outputting _battery charge voltage _DC (or having a separate rectification and regulation stage you'd tap into) so it would be unnecessary in that case.

Rather than drill holes in my mower hood, I made a bracket to mount a light on and used U-bolts to secure it to the front grill. Can't tell if the JD GT255 has an area where you can do that.


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## Alaric Darconville (Aug 12, 2020)

Split out the recent necropost and replies to a new thread; closing this one.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?469756-Source-of-796-for-reversing-lamps


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