Is it time to consider electric?

[2manyrocks]

I'd be very surprised to see Power Trac offer any engine alternatives to what they currently offer until they run out of their present inventory of Deutz diesels for the PT1445 and larger models.

I think they might have had a Kubota diesel about 20 years ago, but they don't seem inclined to offer anything except gas V twins for the smaller PT425 and PT1430 models at the present.

Part of the reason I bought a 1445 is that was the lowest cost option to even get a diesel from them these days.

 

[CliffordK]

Nesher machine is not lithium. I was expecting lithium but saw in the specs it is sealed lead acid. Prolly not a big fire risk.
I have an electric sealed lead acid mini kei style truck I use to drive small hand tools/supplies around when doing small maintenece jobs/tree cutting. Happy with it.
View attachment 863350

I missed that. Not particularly surprising. And one of the reasons why most fork lifts still use lead acid batteries.

They need ballast weight, whether that is making the lifts out of extra heavy steel, adding weights, or using heavy batteries.

However, it also limits it.

If I was going to pick up one of the Nesher loaders, it would likely to use it as a multifunction power unit, and likely as a mower of one sort or another. Which means less weight and more power.

Lithium Ion batteries also have much better longevity than lead acid (one reason they're popular with solar applications).

I'd expect that eventually Nesher will offer a choice of batteries.

 

[Hay Dude]

I see a lot more propane forklifts than electric.

Only electrics I see are in Home Dumpo or Lowes. They don’t smell or make much noise.

No matter what electric machine you own/operate, its likely going to take additional fossil fuels to charge them, so there’s that, too.

 

[R Coz]

<- This surprised me

The Nesher battery is a standard size, so when it wears out, you could replace it with a different chemistry like LFP, which has ~5,000 charge cycles. For the record, I love the PT diesel and want to get one someday. I was surprised by the Nesher price and capabilities and thought it was interesting. I could see PT doing it someday and building a great tractor.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

To answer the thread title, I've been using electric all my life, even on all of our equipment.

 

[ArlyA]

Not the same power consumption but we are getting a ego zero steer mower shortly. Thought was worth a try for our little yard.

 

[CliffordK]

No matter what electric machine you own/operate, its likely going to take additional fossil fuels to charge them, so there’s that, too.

Around here most of the electricity is from renewable resources. Whether the power companies can keep up with electricity demand is another question, especially as they seem set on removing dams around the state.

I bumped into this today.

Air Burners Inc. - #1 Air Curtain Burner Manufacturer

Our air curtain burners are a cost-efficient, environmentally-friendly solution to eliminate wood and vegetative waste 40x faster than an open burn.

airburners.com

BioCharger

airburners.com

Apparently it is a mobile burn station / charging station. So you could have self recharging forestry equipment.

Not particularly cheap, but what is saving the planet worth to you?

 

[Hay Dude]

Around here most of the electricity is from renewable resources. Whether the power companies can keep up with electricity demand is another question, especially as they seem set on removing dams around the state.

I’d be interested in seeing how much energy you get “from renewables”. In my area, it’s next to nothing.

I bumped into this today.

Air Burners Inc. - #1 Air Curtain Burner Manufacturer

Our air curtain burners are a cost-efficient, environmentally-friendly solution to eliminate wood and vegetative waste 40x faster than an open burn.

airburners.com

BioCharger

airburners.com

Apparently it is a mobile burn station / charging station. So you could have self recharging forestry equipment.

Not particularly cheap, but what is saving the planet worth to you?

“Saving the planet”, huh? I guess it all depends on what you think fossil fuels do to the planet compared to solar panels. When I see these clowns ripping out hydroelectric power plants to “save the planet”, or destroying the planet mining lithium, cobalt, etc., I am dubious of their intent on “saving the planet”.

 

[2manyrocks]

IMO, much of the push towards battery powered mowers from retailers is because they see what California has done and are thinking they can make more selling us replacement batteries. They don't get any cut from us buying gas or diesel.

So many government projects have people with their hands in the till.

 

[Coffee drinker]

New theory has it oil is actually a renewable resource.