Hp requirments for 30" auger

[City Farmer]

Hi everyone, I did some looking online and I can't find exactly what I'm looking for. I'd like to know the hp requirments to put a 30" auger 42" in the ground. The ground is Michigan clay. I won't be doing this all the time but there's 15 holes someone wants me to put in for them. My post hole digger will sink a 12" auger 4'deep on the back of my Ford 3000 (42 pto hp) without any problem but I've never done over 12".

 

[rswyan]

I have a 24" auger on a Tractor Supply PHD that I run on our Kubota B2910 (around 22 hp at the PTO) here in Ohio ... usually hit clay within 1' of the surface.

The idle on the B2910 is set to 1200 rpm and I generally don't need to run it much above that ... although I do keep my foot on the clutch pedal and hand on the 3PH lever ...

 

[City Farmer]

I have a 24" auger on a Tractor Supply PHD that I run on our Kubota B2910 (around 22 hp at the PTO) here in Ohio ... usually hit clay within 1' of the surface.

The idle on the B2910 is set to 1200 rpm and I generally don't need to run it much above that ... although I do keep my foot on the clutch pedal and hand on the 3PH lever ...

Thanks, that's good to know. It looks like 42hp will be plenty and the weakest link will be the PHD gear box.

 

[rswyan]

Thanks, that's good to know. It looks like 42hp will be plenty and the weakest link will be the PHD gear box.

Hopefully the weakest link will be the shear bolts (if equipped) ...

IIRC, there was either a 30" or 36" auger available from TSC for my PHD that I considered when I purchased the PHD ... it was a good bit more than the price of the PHD itself, so I opted for only the 24" (and 6" and 12")

 

[C4Ranch]

In my opinion 3pt lift power may be more important than HP. With the gear reduction it will drill but can you pull it out?

 

[rswyan]

In my opinion 3pt lift power may be more important than HP. With the gear reduction it will drill but can you pull it out?

Yup ... a real good reason to keep a hand on the 3PH lever ...

I've stuck mine (including the 24") - or started to - several times ... usually all it takes is pushing in the clutch - so it stops drilling, then raise 3PH as far as you can (you can hear it go into relief), and then let out the clutch to start it spinning again.

Never had one yet that I couldn't free.