Generator pto generator

[amashinga]

I am looking into a pto generator as we start moving into winter. The best option available seems to be the northern tools generator

One issue I see is that I have a ford 1100 which is rated at 13hp but there seems to be consensus on 2hp for every Kw for a pto gen. In the past I have never found that little shibaura engine to struggle with anything, but I wonder if anyone has any experience with a similar situation, or any opinion on matching this gen to a 13hp tractor.

 

[RobJ]

First up, I just never have seen the appeal of a PTO generator. JMHO.

But around here you can get a stand alone gas model in the same size and price. And you won't lose the lights and heat if you need to plow the drive or go play on the tractor.

Rob

 

[Gary Fowler]

You can use a bigger gen set, you just wont be able to load it past the point of your HP. Standard rule is 1 Horsepower will produce .746 KW max load. If you have 13 PTO HP you could use a 10KW gen set continuous rating which would be more like 12.5 surge.
Check out this website for some pricing info
http://www.ssbtractor.com/PTO_generators.html

 

[srjones]

I'm not familiar with your tractor, but does it have a different PTO rating than engine rating? (they often do).

Even if so, I think your 13HP engine should be able to handle it just fine. The key thing to keep an eye one is your load. It's good to have a some headroom for surge capacity (like motor startups, etc.) Also, as your load increases you may or may not have to adjust the RPM engine speed to stay within the correct voltage/frequency range. A little gadget like the Kill-a-watt will help with all of that and more.

 

[dogtired]

http://www.ssbtractor.com/PTO_generators.html


I can see something like that to tow to a location and use for short term stuff, like building a barn or such.
I could not see running a tractor at 540 RPM for hours on end to power a home though .

For that I would prefer a stand alone unit as someone else stated.

 

[AndyMA]

You can use a bigger gen set, you just wont be able to load it past the point of your HP. Standard rule is 1 Horsepower will produce .746 KW max load. If you have 13 PTO HP you could use a 10KW gen set continuous rating which would be more like 12.5 surge.
Check out this website for some pricing info
PTO Generators - Power Takeoff Generators / Power Take off Tractor Generators - SSB Tractor

1 hp equals 746 watts. That's not just a standard rule but an exact conversion factor of one measure of energy to another. In reality when you convert rotational energy (pto hp) to electrical energy through a alternator it is not a 100% efficient process hence the 2 hp per kw that some suggest. It all depends on the efficiency of the alternator. Larger well build (expensive) alternators tend to be more efficient.

Andy

 

[windy acers]

I own the northern tool pto generater pictured behind a yanmar 2000 . ran it with the pto in 2nd (2000 rpm )gear for 15 hrs.( 5 gallons of fuel).Ran hot water heater refrigerater microwave tv lites computer. would not run dish washer. did not try furnace. heard it may not handle a microprocesser. It is mounted on a carryall with a square dolley mounted on bottom.

 

[Rara Avis]

You might want to peruse this before buying a PTO Generator...
Tractor-Driven Generators: Producing Quality Power

 

[adlertom]

First up, I just never have seen the appeal of a PTO generator. JMHO.

But around here you can get a stand alone gas model in the same size and price. And you won't lose the lights and heat if you need to plow the drive or go play on the tractor.

Rob

I seem to be finding the same thing here. I thought the PTO generator would be cheaper because there was no separate engine. I also like not having to maintain a second engine, but the economics just aren't worth it. The only advantage I've found so far is if you need a BIG generator. Then, the PTO units start to make some sense.

Has anyone found a small (say, 5000 watts or so), cheap, PTO generator?

 

[RonMar]

You can use a bigger gen set, you just wont be able to load it past the point of your HP. Standard rule is 1 Horsepower will produce .746 KW max load. If you have 13 PTO HP you could use a 10KW gen set continuous rating which would be more like 12.5 surge.
Check out this website for some pricing info
PTO Generators - Power Takeoff Generators / Power Take off Tractor Generators - SSB Tractor

Yep, AndyMA is correct. The term Kilowatt is not used only to represent electrical capacity. It is also used to represent mechanical output. 1HP = .746KW is a direct conversion, and represents mechanical KW. IE, a 6HP engine is 4.48KW of mechanical power. As Andy said, frictional losses in the drive train and the conversion efficiency of the electrical generator make that 1HP to .746 electrical KW an impossibility. For sustainable power output, the 2HP per electrical KW rule of thumb is pretty much right on. This is also seen quite regularly in production generators. As a rule a box store 5KW(max, not surge) generator typically has a 10HP engine. 13PTO HP will get you just shy of 7KW sustained electrical load output.