# Snowblower Electrical Question



## TimKLL (Jan 17, 2010)

I’m confused about an AC or DC issue with adding a utility light to a Honda snowblower.

I have a 9 year old Honda HS622.
This: http://www.dkdods.com/powerequipment/snowblowers/HS622.jpg
I have an earlier model without the headlight.

During the process of ordering parts for the auger clutch I found a light kit specifically for the this model: http://www.wisesales.com/honda_snow_accy.html This looks like a pretty simple install but a fairly common price for it on the net is around $50 (too much). I think a big chunk of that is for the name and a small chunk is for a basic utility light and some mounting brackets.

The machine does have a wire lead on the right side in front of the flywheel that looks like it is where this light kit plugs in.

I found a real basic 12V light at HarborFreight that looks like the light in the kit’s schematic. I can mount it easily enough myself. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93904

MY QUESTION: I took a multi-meter to the wire off of the engine and checked for voltage. I incorrectly assumed that it would be DC. On a DC setting the needle just twitched. When I switched to AC I got a reading of about 15V AC. After reading on the net how the system works with a “Stator” it makes sense that this is AC instead of DC. The light from HF doesn’t specifically state “12V” but I would assume that’s what the normal source would be for it since it is a vehicle application device. Does it matter that the power from the snowblower would be AC? The light kit makes it look like you would just hook this up with the one wire from the light to the one wire off the engine, with the frame being the ground.

I don’t know enough about electrical stuff like this to be able to see if this would work and I am afraid to just try it out because I don’t want to fry something on the snowblower.

Any guidance would be appreciated.


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## Billy_Bob (Sep 11, 2008)

I don't think it would matter much so far as a regular filament bulb goes as to if you were using AC or DC, so long as it was the same voltage pretty much.

The thing which really matters is how much electricity the bulb uses (watts) and how much "spare" electricity is generated by the unit to power an accessory like a light.

And manufacturers of these things don't tell you this information. They just give you a part number.

If it were mine, I would just try the light and see if it worked or not. If it bogged down the machine so it was not running as it should, I would try a lower wattage bulb (less power required to run it).

And I would be taking a risk that I would burn out the wiring or burn out the alternator on the snow blower, but in my case, I could easily replace those parts as I know how to work on these.

So we don't know what the wattage should be. You would be taking a risk that you might damage the electrical system on the snow blower by not using a factory light.

If you can somehow find out what the wattage is of the factory light, then get the same wattage or lower wattage bulb, then that would solve the problem.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> The light kit makes it look like you would just hook this up with the one wire from the light to the one wire off the engine, with the frame being the ground.


Ayuh,... Go for it,... The light don't care whether it's AC or DC...

When you go to a Rock,+ Roll Show,... The some of the big bright lights used are 12V, DC Airplane lamps,... 
They run 'em in series of 10, so they'll run on 120v, AC....


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## Digger5503 (Jan 21, 2011)

I have a honda snowblower as well. You are correct the wire hanging down near the engine, a female bullet connector is ready for a light plug in. You will also see a ground wire already secured to a bolt, the new light ground wire goes on the same ground connection. As far as the voltage, at idle the voltage is a bit lower, the light wil still light but will be weaker then when the engine is reved up. You are right the light is cheap its the damn braket you need the older ones bolted to the handle bars with the newer ones it doesn't work out to well. I ordered the factory one so at least when it burns out I can replace it with led since I will now have the bracket. Also the factory light does not have a switch as long as the engine is running the light is on day or night. I am going to replace it with a marine led since they also have stainless hardware then since the housing is plastic I am going to drill a hole and install a waterproof toggle switch. For the price of the Hondas they should come with it, like all the other brands!


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