Oil & Fuel Fuel Consumption???

[newtattoobob]

I just got a pto generator that will fit on both my tractors, L3400 and a BX1850. Both have enough hp to power my home during an outage. My question is which tractor do you think will use less fuel. At first I was thinking definately the BX, but then I thought about the engine speed. The L3400 has to run about 2300-2400rpm while the BX has to run about 3100rpm. Anyone have experience with these generators? Thanks

 

[john_bud]

Friction goes up linearly with rotational speed. The lower rpm engine will have less friction and slightly (and I do mean, slightly) lower fuel consumption.

 

[rdsaustintx]

Sounds like a neat implement, but man that will rack serious hours on your tractor if you have to use it much. For portable power it is the cat's meow. For back-up power to a house, yikes.

 

[radioman]

isn't the L tractor quieter at lower rpm's? Which tractor is used the most ? I would either use the queitest tractor or the tractor with lowest hours to balance out the total usage.

 

[LBrown59]

Another option alternate between tractors.

isn't the L tractor quieter at lower rpm's? Which tractor is used the most ? I would either use the queitest tractor or the tractor with lowest hours to balance out the total usage.

 

[billhall]

I would buy a cheap generator at costco and put it in place with my tractor.

 

[Ace3]

I know you're not going to like hearing this, but a PTO generator seems like a waste to me. During the last ice storm I was without power for 6 days. I ran my $400, 5 KW genreator conservatively and still put 50 hours on it. Why you want to put that many high rpm hours on your expensive tractor just sitting there is beyond me.

 

[klrobert]

I don't have any experience with generators, but I'll bet they will use about the same amount of fuel if you are running a load on the generator all the time. The BX1850 wil have to work much harder to produce the same amount of electricity as the L3400 would. In my experience with trucks, a large high horsepower engine (within reason) will use less fuel when loaded than a small underpowered engine.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I would buy a cheap generator at costco and put it in place with my tractor.

...and what are the odds that your Costco generator will work when you need it? As a retailer that sells cheap generators... I'll be the first to stand up and say that most of whats out there is total crap... even some with some very reconizable names (Cummins / Onan). And we do tell our customers that. This is what people seem to want to buy though for around the home. I'd own a PTO generator without question.

 

[LBrown59]

I know you're not going to like hearing this, but a PTO generator seems like a waste to me. During the last ice storm I was without power for 6 days. I ran my $400, 5 KW genreator conservatively and still put 50 hours on it. Why you want to put that many high rpm hours on your expensive tractor just sitting there is beyond me.

Besides that The tractor is tied up so you can't use it for anything during the tied up hours.

 

[Toolguy]

I have to disagree with those that think it is a waste to use your tractor to run a generator when a smaller engine will do. The lifespan of a modern liquid cooled diesel engine is going to be much longer than a cheap air cooled gas engine. If a reasonable life expectancy for the diesel is 5000 hrs, then a few hours running a generator is insignificant. I would have no problem using my B3030 for generator duty if I had a PTO generator. It would probably use less fuel than the 10HP gas engine driven 5000 watt unit I do have. Personally, I prefer not to tie up the tractor on a generator though. If the reason for the power outage was a tornado or an icestorm I would want the tractor available for cleanup of downed trees. If I had two tractors like the OP then a PTO Generator would make good sense IMHO.

 

[gerard]

I know you're not going to like hearing this, but a PTO generator seems like a waste to me. During the last ice storm I was without power for 6 days. I ran my $400, 5 KW genreator conservatively and still put 50 hours on it. Why you want to put that many high rpm hours on your expensive tractor just sitting there is beyond me.

As one who has a decent 8kw generator with a honda motor, I only hesitated to go PTO due to the loss of the tractor when running the generator. Losing power in the winter (common), I lose plowing ability without shuffling implements. If it wasn't for that a PTO 1. would give me 10kw instead of 8, 2. use less fuel and longer run times, and 3 - allow me a 275 gal fuel supply instead of running to the gas station with 5 gal cans. (I use my home fuel oil in my tractor). Personally I wouldn't worry about the hours on the tractor, thats what you have one for. (Every farmer around me runs their farms with a pto set up during outages, probably for the reasons I just cited and they certainly don't worry about racking up hours. Whats the difference if you run in a field for 10 hours or run a pto for the same time??

 

[radioman]

well like messicks said- the gasser gen is the logical choice for wear and tear but its worthless when it doesn't start.
I have to tell me story now- When the power went out at my house and I was away at work that had power, I had no way of knowing she had no power with the kids since everything at the time for communication was powered by electricity. My wife tried to get the gen running and failed after 30 mins . My older son even tried and failed. When I got home from the 10 hour graveyard shift, I came home to a dark house, wife in tears and kids had no school due to no power. I couldn't get the gen running and began cussing at myself for not doing a 10 min test run once a month for nearly 8 months. I finally got it running after 2 hours of cleaning the carb and spark plug. To this day, I faithfully ran the gen once a month at least 10 mins to 15 mins with a load or backfeed into the house. Sometimes I wish I had a PTO gen and I am very sure my wife or oldest son can hook it up themselves if I wasn't around. The diesel engines like to be run hard and work. Since I use the kubota for variety of tasks, its gets used often so there is no need to do a test run to make sure its in top notch condition. The price to pay for having hours racked up on the tractor and tied up running the gen compared to going home to a upset wife and no power, priceless. Yeah its cheaper and better sometimes to have a gasser gen but PTO gen has its advantages.

 

[LBrown59]

As one who has a decent 8kw generator with a honda motor, I only hesitated to go PTO due to the loss of the tractor when running the generator. Losing power in the winter (common), I lose plowing ability without shuffling implements. If it wasn't for that a PTO 1. would give me 10kw instead of 8, 2. use less fuel and longer run times, and 3 - allow me a 275 gal fuel supply instead of running to the gas station with 5 gal cans. (I use my home fuel oil in my tractor). Personally I wouldn't worry about the hours on the tractor, thats what you have one for. (Every farmer around me runs their farms with a pto set up during outages, probably for the reasons I just cited and they certainly don't worry about racking up hours. Whats the difference if you run in a field for 10 hours or run a pto for the same time??

So would a stand alone diesel powered Gen.

 

[newtattoobob]

As one who has a decent 8kw generator with a honda motor, I only hesitated to go PTO due to the loss of the tractor when running the generator. Losing power in the winter (common), I lose plowing ability without shuffling implements. If it wasn't for that a PTO 1. would give me 10kw instead of 8, 2. use less fuel and longer run times, and 3 - allow me a 275 gal fuel supply instead of running to the gas station with 5 gal cans. (I use my home fuel oil in my tractor). Personally I wouldn't worry about the hours on the tractor, thats what you have one for. (Every farmer around me runs their farms with a pto set up during outages, probably for the reasons I just cited and they certainly don't worry about racking up hours. Whats the difference if you run in a field for 10 hours or run a pto for the same time??

I purchased mine for the reasons you mentioned, I also use my home heating oil for the tractors, so I won't have to worry about running out during a storm. I'm not worried about the hours either I bought my tractors to work not to be a garage ornament and these tractors are meant to run thousands of hours I would bet at the most I will put only 50hrs a year on using the generator. Also its one less carburetor to plug up and one less engine to maintain.

 

[john_bud]

One other aspect. You are going to use about 1-1.5 gal per hour at full load generating 22-24 pto hp with the tractors. A gas generator with a 22-24 hp engine will be 3+ gal per hour at the same load. The ability to run the lights, furnace, etc for 2x the time with the same number of trips on ice covered roads for fuel is got to be worth something, eh?

 

[billhall]

I have a great little Yamaha 2600 watt generator that has never let me down in five years-not even close, I am sure it is as reliable as my tractor, it will run everything I need it to run in a power outage and it weighs 75lbs. It also has an inverter built in to inable it to run electronics like my TV and computers (I think this is important when considering a home generator). I take it camping on the back of my travel trailer (even runs my air conditioner) and on fishing trips to remote camps, it is so versatile and unlimited. The gas consumsion is not an issue, it will run 8 to 10 hours on its small tank and it is much quieter than my tractor. I can't imagine it costs anymore than 20 -30 dollars extra per week to run compared to a pto generator, is this really an issue for the once a year at the most it would be needed for a home power outage. Also I always keep extra gas around for other toys as most of us do, but if I did run out and did not want to drive on icy roads, I,m sure I could siphon from one of my vehicles. The new stand along generators are just to reliable and inexpensive for home use to even consider a pto generator and the limitations that go along with them in my opinion. Oh yea, and what else are you going to do during a boring power outage but go out on your tractor.

 

[nh DRAGON]

During the last ice storm we had branches and trees falling every ware. I had a small generator out side with it's roll bar protecting it. If I had my tractor outside to run a generator it would not have looked vary good the next morning!

 

[groundcover]

Now that the power is back on it is pretty hard to get another generator past the DW but I would like to trade my single cylinder air cooled 6KW Diesel for a Kubota 7K liquid cooled,kind if best of both worlds. Need it like another hole in the head but that seems to be my life.

 

[LBrown59]

1* and 2* the same can be acomplished with a stand alone diesel generator.

I purchased mine for the reasons you mentioned,
1*I also use my home heating oil for the tractors, so I won't have to worry about running out during a storm. I'm not worried about the hours either I bought my tractors to work not to be a garage ornament and these tractors are meant to run thousands of hours I would bet at the most I will put only 50hrs a year on using the generator. Also its one less carburetor to plug up and one less engine to maintain.

One other aspect. You are going to use about 1-1.5 gal per hour at full load generating 22-24 pto hp with the tractors. A gas generator with a 22-24 hp engine will be 3+ gal per hour at the same load.
2*The ability to run the lights, furnace, etc for 2x the time with the same number of trips on ice covered roads for fuel is got to be worth something, eh?

I have a great little Yamaha 2600 watt generator that has never let me down in five years-not even close, I am sure it is as reliable as my tractor, it will run everything I need it to run in a power outage and it weighs 75lbs. It also has an inverter built in to inable it to run electronics like my TV and computers (I think this is important when considering a home generator). I take it camping on the back of my travel trailer (even runs my air conditioner) and on fishing trips to remote camps, it is so versatile and unlimited. The gas consumsion is not an issue, it will run 8 to 10 hours on its small tank and it is much quieter than my tractor. I can't imagine it costs anymore than 20 -30 dollars extra per week to run compared to a pto generator, is this really an issue for the once a year at the most it would be needed for a home power outage. Also I always keep extra gas around for other toys as most of us do, but if I did run out and did not want to drive on icy roads, I,m sure I could siphon from one of my vehicles.
3* The new stand alone generators are just to reliable and inexpensive for home use to even consider a pto generator and the limitations that go along with them in my opinion. Oh yea, and what else are you going to do during a boring power outage but go out on your tractor.

3*A stand alone frees up the tractor for other task plus the tractor don't have to set out in the storm for days keeping the lites on.