Electric Drive Motor Retrofit

[MossRoad]

Anytime you convert one source of power to another, there's loss of efficiency.

I don't see how an articulated machine that currently has 4 hydraulic wheel motors could replace those wheel motors with electric wheel motors (see past posts on how the hydraulic wheel circuits currently work) in any kind of financially responsible manner. :laughing:

Articulated wheel loaders that use differentials front and rear would be more conducive to powering the drivetrain mechanically with an electric motor or two than these hydraulically propelled machines.

 

[BobRip]

I don稚 know. This is not a trivial exercise.

 

[BobRip]

Oh, I agree. However, how are you going to control turning on the steering each time you need it? Very complicated and expensive circuitry for sensing.

Put a push button on the dash and have a timer for several minutes with a buzzer warning 10 seconds prior to stopping pump. You could have a pressure switch to keep it on if there is back pressure indicating pump needed.

 

[MossRoad]

I see the proverbial one armed paper hanger here.

 

[JD-Beach]

Here's a neat little electric front end loader … Sherpa

SHERPA 1ECO electric mini skid steer loader | Sherpa Miniloaders

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a neat little electric front end loader … Sherpa

SHERPA 1ECO electric mini skid steer loader | Sherpa Miniloaders

Only $32,000. Yikes! :laughing:

Neat machines. There's a bunch of videos on them. This one shows several gas and electric models.

Says it has a 2hp electric motor. Don't know what that means. But that's what the literature says.

 

[BobRip]

I see the proverbial one armed paper hanger here.

This is the simple way. How about a metal sensor that monitors a toothed wheel on the steering wheel so if it sees motion it starts the pump and then runs it for about 20 seconds. Joy stick could have a push button mounted on the knob or just wiggle the steering wheel a Little. Or just use the knob button to start the pump for 20 seconds.

 

[MossRoad]

This is the simple way. How about a metal sensor that monitors a toothed wheel on the steering wheel so if it sees motion it starts the pump and then runs it for about 20 seconds. Joy stick could have a push button mounted on the knob or just wiggle the steering wheel a Little. Or just use the knob button to start the pump for 20 seconds.

Yeah. A toothed gear on the steering shaft with a proximity switch would work. We used those to count pulses on the drive shaft of our printing press.

 

[BobRip]

S

Yeah. A toothed gear on the steering shaft with a proximity switch would work. We used those to count pulses on the drive shaft of our printing press.

You got me thinking. I wonder what fork lifts do.

 

[aczlan]

S

You got me thinking. I wonder what fork lifts do.

Many of the smaller ones use a single drive motor that pivots to turn the machine for the rear axle and the "front axle" has two unpowered wheels. The larger ones often use a single electric motor and a standard differential on the front axle.

Aaron Z

 

[buickanddeere]

Convert using an ordinary 25HP three phase AC motor driven from a VFD Most 1800RPM motors can take 3600RPM. . Just have high enough DC voltage to feed into the VFD .

 

[MossRoad]

S

You got me thinking. I wonder what fork lifts do.

For steering:
There's an electronic torque sensor on the steering box. When it senses that you are applying torque (turning) to the steering wheel, it kicks on the hydraulics that push the steering rack... or something like that.

For drive:
There's a resistor bank that the foot pedal moves the tap across for various speeds. At least, that's how ours worked.

 

[ponytug]

FWIW: The more modern ones use switching power supplies and IGBT or MOSFETs to save battery power. That's what is in the VFD.

All the best, Peter

 

[JD-Beach]

I continue to dig around the internet on this subject. It's amazing how many folks are doing similar projects. Reid Allaway has a nice project going on ... look him up on YouTube ... Hefty-G tractor electric conversion, part 1 - YouTube

Also there's a site with nice projects ... "evalbum tractors and mowers"

I found some electric 4X4's at "Huntve"

I also stumbled on a Cub Cadet electric zeroturn mower on the market now ... "RZT S-Zero Electric"

A guy out in California is making electric cultivating tractors at "Solectrac"

 

[ptsg]

A Swiss tractor company just released their first electric tractor. A 68 HP tractor with five electric motors. Each PTO (front and rear) and axle has its own dedicated motor. The fifth motor powers the hydraulic system.

Here is a couple more details:

Fully electric Swiss tractor is now a reality - Agriland.ie

 

[MossRoad]

I continue to dig around the internet on this subject. It's amazing how many folks are doing similar projects. Reid Allaway has a nice project going on ... look him up on YouTube ... Hefty-G tractor electric conversion, part 1 - YouTube

Also there's a site with nice projects ... "evalbum tractors and mowers"

I found some electric 4X4's at "Huntve"

I also stumbled on a Cub Cadet electric zeroturn mower on the market now ... "RZT S-Zero Electric"

A guy out in California is making electric cultivating tractors at "Solectrac"

Lotta good stuff there! What you waiting for? :laughing:

 

[buickanddeere]

A Swiss tractor company just released their first electric tractor. A 68 HP tractor with five electric motors. Each PTO (front and rear) and axle has its own dedicated motor. The fifth motor powers the hydraulic system.

Here is a couple more details:

Electric tractors look good , sound good but the batteries go dead after about an hour . Then it takes half a day to charge .

Fully electric Swiss tractor is now a reality - Agriland.ie

looks good, sounds good but the batteries are dead after an hour’s use . Then it takes 1/2 a day to recharge .

 

[JD-Beach]

I've been in touch with a few folks in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. One fella is in Russellville, TN, just 130 miles from Tazewell, Va. His recommendation is to go with a 6 or 7 inch diameter DC motor … (funny selecting a motor based on diameter, however, that seems to be the norm in the industry). He believes that a 48 volt system would do. Larger batteries will result in greater run time. Still trying to run through the math to get a good starting point of battery size. He has done quite a few conversions. I asked him to work up a cost proposal. This should be interesting.

 

[JD-Beach]

Another fella in the EV industry out in California insists that a 3-phase AC motor with hi-end controls is the only way to go. He does conversions in Porsches and other nice cars. No doubt his solution would be nice. His (material only) proposal is north of 7K. This is starting to get my wife's attention.

 

[cqaigy2]

Good for you, it's always good to have your wife's attention. :laughing: